We had a very nasty storm come through town Wednesday night. Trees and big branches are down everywhere. My cheap electric chainsaw picked this moment to crap out.
What are some of the favorite smallish gas saws? I’m thinking about something with a 14″-16″ bar.
Thanks!
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Replies
Sthil or Husquvaena,,,
which ever has the best service in yur area...
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WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Huskivarna is what I have. One 20" and one 16" bar. 15 years on the big one with only one service repair for a broken retainer clip on the brake spring. The small one probably has more hours at 13 yo than the big one and has been a gem.
Both get a moderate workout every year.
Dave
The standard bar is usually a 18" or 20", those lengths are good for the small but still enought to handle anything larger. A 14" is really small and only good for limb's.
I'm in Natick. Around here all the tree guys use Husqvarna, they all say Husky has much better parts and service in this area than stihl. Both saws are very good and have plenty of power. I would get a saw with a 3/8" chain, get through the wood much faster.
Pick Sthil or Husq. The decision should be made on service and parts availibility. We have lots of both in Denver, but dealers seem to keep thier parts inventory low to controll costs. About half the time I can't get spark plugs! Learn how to do basic maintenance yourself, it will keep you up and running. Good luck. I thinks Sthil makes great chainsaws, not much else.
+1 on the dealer support.
Husky and Stihl make fine saws. If you were just limbing and did not expect to do much of anything else with the saw, a 14-16" bar would be fine. If you are comfortable with saws you can do trees with the 14" bar. It would be slower but doable. The plus to the small saws with 14" bars is that they are lighter and very easy to maneuver around for long periods.
Working with downed trees can be very tricky as any tree work can be. You may cut a branch that is holding the tree or another limb in place causing significant movement. You are much more likely to get your saw bound in a cut with a downed tree. It can be difficult to determine where the tension is and how the wood will react to a cut.
Gauge what you can do and call a pro if needed.
Arboristsite is a great source of info on saws. You should be able to find a thread there that will get you where you need to be.
If you can get a 20 inch for not much more money do it. Your back will thank you! When you cut limbs or firewood on the ground you have to really bend over to reach.
I have a 24 inch saw, up from a 20 inch. WOW! I love the extra four inches!
If I know anything about the guys on this forum, that last sentence was a poor choice of words!Al
Stihl, Stihl, Sssssttttiiiiiihhhhhllllll.
I have a Sthil and a Husquvaena, both good saws.
I use the Husky mostly because it's smaller & lighter.
Joe H
Al,
Just read about the microburst in the Globe...hope you weren't too badly affected.
I'll second the Husky recommendation. Also, for a 14" saw, the Echo 346 isn't a bad choice either.
Either way, once you buy a saw, you can be sure there won't be another occasion to use it....
Thanks for all the great tips! You are helping me remember that a quality tool from a dealer that can provide good service is the way to go.Al Mollitor, Sharon MAhttp://moosehilljournal.blogspot.com/
I just stopped in at a local Husqvarna dealer. He said he's not carrying them anymore because they are now sold at the big box stores. A review of their low-end model on Amazon.Com opined that it was crap. I'll try to find a Stihl dealer.Any other favorites out there? I'm not planning on any logging. I just want a decent unit that will start up when I need to clean up fallen limbs or get a chance to collect some free firewood.Thanks again.Al Mollitor, Sharon MAhttp://moosehilljournal.blogspot.com/
I own a light duty Stihl, an 028AV, and it has been my occasional-use saw for over 25 years.
It has never taken me more that three pulls or so to start it. Most of the time, it starts on the first.
Gene, You must mean that it starts on the first pull every time after you run it for awhile??? I have never seen a Stihl chainsaw that doesn't take 7 or 8 pulls to start it the first time. For some reason they lose their gas to the carb if they sit overnight or longer. I've got a saw like yours and 3 others and they all do the same thing.
I come from a family of loggers and Stihl is the only saw we will buy. Best power, best bars, best chains, rugged and dependable. I love them once you go through the initial 8 pulls in the morning.
My brother got so mad at his new Stihl that he went out and got a Husky. That thing is like a toy saw compared to a Stihl. They are very powerful for their size but the thing is cheap all over if you ask me.
Just my opinion!
On my little old Stihl, I choke it, yank it, and if it doesn't start on that pull, I unchoke it, and she starts on the second. That's right out of the barn after a hiatus of who knows how long.
Same with my Stihl, over 15 years old and gets used maybe two or three times a year. Always starts on the third pull even after months of sitting there. Great saw the Stihl 044.
I have two 5 to 6 acre woodlots, one here in Texas and one in Northern Minnesota. We don't log either one, but give our saws a hundred hours or so each per year of cutting firewood, fenceposts, and taking down good snags of 12 inches diameter up to about 2 1/2 feet to go to the sawmill. We also clean up downed trees, clear fencelines, etc. I have two Stihl 026 medium duty saws, one at each place. The 026 is at the beginning of the commercial range, but still light enough for property-owner use. Have had one for 15 years, the other for six or seven years. had a small repair on the older one a few years ago, never had to repair newer one. No trouble starting if you use the choke as the previous poster mentioned -- as long as the sparkplugs are good and th saws are tuned up (tune-ups really only needed every three or four years.
Used to shoot skeet with a pro arborist, and talked saws several times going around the stations. He liked Huskis for small limbing saws to be used up in trees, but preferred Stihl for medium to heavy work.
Edited 8/6/2006 10:44 am ET by Joe Sullivan
I have both Stihl and Husky saws and personally prefer the husky because it seems to be balanced better. Both are top of the line as far as power and reliability. I wouldn't buy either one from a box store myself because it's truly the service after the sale that matters and if you have a problem it's nice to have someone besides some kid to take it to. I would get an 18 inch bar for all around use because it's nice to have a little extra bar when cutting up the larger stuff.
Balance is what it came down to for me. I have used several Stihkls belonging to others and they are OK, but I vastly prefer my Husky. I can do more work with it than a comp sized Stihl. And it starts easier
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Al,
I bought a Stihl farm boss about 5 year ago when I was building a ski place - had a lot of trees to cut up for firewood.
These days, I pull it out about once every 6 months. Pull it 4 times until it pops, switch down the choke, pull and it starts. Every time.
Yes, it was a bit pricey, but I've never regretted spending the money. Great piece of machinery.
For a chain saw, I really like my little 14" Echo for any limbs up to about 8", it doesn't have the power for anything much bigger. My little Echo was a HD demo when I got it and have had it for about 8 years. It always starts on about the first pull and has run fine on gasoline that has been sitting around for at least a year. I have a Stihl FarmBoss with a 20" that I have had problems with starting since new. It absolutely will not run on gasoline that has additives and its spark plug has to be absolutely pristine before it will start. Even then, it takes a real workout to get it to take off. My big Husquevarna with a 36" blade (don't remember the displacement) is too much any more for my sore left shoulder to get it started. As for digital cameras, I am waiting for Canon to come out with a pro level SLR that will allow previewing from the sensor on the LCD on the back. I think there is only one SLR out now that has that feature and it isn't Canon and I can't remember who makes it. Hope to not have to spend much more than about $1500 when they finally get around to making it.
Happy owner of an Stihl 028 "Super" Wood Boss...one of my first tool I ever bought. Saw a 038 on ebay ~ 125.00...looked good...next saw...Stihl 038 Magnum...or maybe the 041
rustbucket
Edited 8/14/2006 3:38 am ET by rustbucket
Chain saw = Stihl (for me)
I have two saws.....
Stihl 180C "Mini Boss" w/ 14" bar
Stihl 280C "Farm Boss" w/ 20" bar
Both start every time, cut fast, and handle vibration extreemely well.
Thanks for all the good suggestions! I just bought the Stihl 180c miniboss from a local dealer ($200). I like the idea of being able to adjust the chain tension without tools. I'll be cutting up a bunch of oak in the next week or so. I'll let you know how it went.I initially went to look at a Husky, but the dealer said he won't sell them anymore now that they're sold at Home Depot or Lowes. My current philosophy is to buy from dealers even if it costs a few bucks more. If I need help or service, I want to go to someone who knows what they're doing.If I need any camera equipment, I'll know where to look for information!Al Mollitor, Sharon MAhttp://moosehilljournal.blogspot.com/
STIHL,STIHLand still STIHL, jeffysan
My personal experience has been very favorable with Stihl. For the money you can't beat the MS250 model. Should be about $270 with a 16" bar, I have cut almost 100 cords of firewood with mine in the past five years, new chains and a new spark plug have been the only replacement items.
Edit to say: I actually have the prior model, the 025, you can find 'em on eBay for under $200 from folks who have bought the saw to clean up storm damage and then resold the saw. I have never needed to service mine, it takes several pulls to start when cold (and it sits for weeks at a time); when it's warmed up it's a one-pull saw. If you can't find a good local dealer I would also consider Jonsereds, Dolmar or Makita (Makita saws are made by Dolmar).
Edited 8/4/2006 4:33 pm ET by JonE
I have an Echo CS300 that will pull a 16" bar fine. I bought it with a 12" and it makes a great limbing saw (upto about 6-8" wood) along with my other saw with 18" & 30" bars.
I replaced the Echo last yr for about $250 (ran over the previous one with a tractor.
I have a Stihl 025 that came with an 18" bar, but i asked for and got a 16" bar instead. I used to have trouble starting it, complained at the dealer, who told me ONE PULL ONLY with the choke on. Starts fine for me now, plenty of oomph, and no maintenance issues in the several years i've been using it.
My favorite small saws are the new stihl 360 or the husky 365. Pretty comparable saws. The new stihl has rubber bushings on the handles similar to the husky's to reduce fatigue on the user. A perfect bar for these are 20". Keep the chain sharp and read the users manual and heed the warnings. These two are powerful saws that will bite you if you let your gaurd down. And i would recomend chainsaw chaps as well. Either of these saws will not let you down if you maintain them, we use them everday professionally and they run like champs
As far as storm work goes on large pieces cut all the parts that are not touching the ground. Be careful and go slow. Then make the piece smaller cutting small pieces as you go and expect the unexpected.
steve
I have the Stihl Farm Boss and a smaller Husky. They're both very good saws.
There have been many threads here about chainsaws. The recommendations are almost always for either Stihl or Husquvaena.
Right now our local Stihl dealer has a special going - A saw with a 14" bar, a spare chain, and a case for $170. (I think) That's a good size for a homeowner's saw.
As a couple of others have mentioned - Whatever brand has local service will probably be your best bet. You'll always need chains, bars, and parts, and stuff isn't interchangeable between brands most of the time.
STIHL is the best in my opinion. Im a fireman in a large department in Calif. and dependability/service is a top priority, we exclusively use hundreds of stihls . I have personally used homelites, stihls, husky's. We run with the stihl 044's and I own a 025-its light and cuts well for its size. Parts are easily accessible. I use STA-BIL in my saw at home which extends the life of the fuel and prevents carb issues. Good luck
I have a Stihl FarmBoss that works OK. My neighbor has a slightly larger Stihl that has a more aggressive chain pattern - much quicker cut.
You may wish to consider a saw that has a non-compression cycle for easy starts - it may add ~ $80 to saw.
Dave - The farmboss comes standard with an antikickback chain. If you go to your dealer and ask for the more aggressive chain you'll be surprised at what your saw will do. The chain makes a huge difference.
Just be careful out there.
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
"The farmboss comes standard with an antikickback chain."
Good point - I had forgotten about that.
Green chain is for greenhorns.
Yellow chain is the agressive stuff.
That's the only way I can remember which is which.
Bumpersticker: Honk if you see something fall off.
I have several Huskavarna chains saws that are premium compared to stilh but I bought a Ehco for small stuff as its the preferred saw for tree cutters in topping saws.
After warming it absolutely starts on the first pull all day so repeated startings are what this saw does best. This is also why the saw is favored.
Its a top of the engine handle so the saw can be ran easily one handed.
It has a ring built on it so it can be hung off a belt.
I got the larger saw for there are two sizes and it cost 250 dollars. This is not a cheap saw. It will last every day for years.
It also makes a good construction saw and a tool box saw. We built poultry houses with them and had about 12 of them.
It will handle a 12 to 16 inch bar. Im running a 14 on mine.
For a small saw and for what a builder needs its a must with a larger one with it for fire wood and clearing . It will top trees all day long up to a foot in diameter in one hand . You will love the weight .
Tim
Edited 8/6/2006 5:49 pm by Mooney
I come from a wood cutting family...we heat with wood. I recommend Stihl or Makita.
DO NOT GET A HUSQVARNA!
My dad and grandfather each bought one (different models) and they both burnt out in less than two years. My grandfather replaced with Stihl on my recommendation as was given to me by a friend who is an ARBORIST and uses only Stihl. My dad found a deal on a Makita and picked it up. Neither have had any problems since. The Makita cuts better than the Stihl but these guys are right...Buy something with available service reps. Oh and if you really want to cut, change out your bar/chain to Oregon, it will last you much longer.
Personally, I have a classic Mcculloch. It is a pain in the @ss. It is heavy, cold blooded, needs to be manually oiled, and doesn't much like cutting sideways. But it gives me a good excuse to use my dad's nice Makita.
http://www.makita.com/menu.php?pg=product_det&tag=DCS540-18
http://www.oregonchain.com/sawch.htm
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/
gk
Thanks to all for the great information! I'll be keeping my eyes open for a Stihl, but also consider a Makita.Al Mollitor, Sharon, MAhttp://moosehilljournal.blogspot.com/
I too agree with most of the post about service, but!! I purchased a Makita chainsaw, great. Put a more agressive cut chain, throws a big chip. Our local hardware store handled Makita and I got on good terms with the sales rep. Makita chainsaws are made by Dolmar, the orginal real Germany saw. Great tool!
I didn't know that. I have a sachs Dolmar but am not especially impressed with it, other than it has a pretty good power to weight ratio
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You make my day, I knew something that Piffin didn't know!!! I refer to you as my on line reference book!! Construction and a lot more. You don't know how many arguments I have had with people hanging cabinets with drywall screws!!
Now tell me something about cameras
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Well, I can tell ya I should have dumped all my Hasselblad equipment long ago. Just traded in about $25,000. worth of gear and got only $500.00. Manual film base equipment is worthless. Digital is the way to go now, my lab wont't even process film anymore. The digital equipment gets better & better, and the price drops. You don't really know when to make major purchases. And on a 35mm DSLR you have a half size sensor, so you don't use the full edge to edge of the lens. In other words you can get away with cheaper glass and not see a edge fall off from edge to edge.
I just die when I see a lens that would retail for 5 grand go for less than $100., on E-bay.
But your profession is no difference than mine, you have to be always educating yourself. Tools, technic, and the application of those tools are changing. If you don't keep up with it you fall to the wayside and die.
You could have gotten more for that Hasselblad gear on ebay. I have some, too, and price it fairly often. Pro labs around here will process film if you aren't set up to do it yourself. There are no end of places to get 35mm processed -- and if you have the drugstore process the film and put the images on a CD for you, you can manipulate them on the computer and send them to a pro lab to be printed on their very high end printers.Also, the prices are slowly dropping on digital backs that will retrofit old Hassy bodies -- although they are still several thousand dollars at this point in time, which is why I do not have one.Digital cameras for under $1,000 are not pro quality. You can certainly get nice pix, but if you want to crop and enlarge, or just enlarge above 8x10, you will be disappointed. Same with those small sensors that use up less lense. Those can be fine for small proofs, but the pixelation shows with enlargements, just as film grain does. Enlargement geometry still follows the laws of physics. Right now, if someone wants pure convenience and decent pix, they can go with one of the $250 to $350 digitals, or if they want pro quality, they can spend $1,500 to $10,000 or so for digital.On the other hand, if someone is not insistant on digital, he or she can pick up used 35mm gear at fairly good prices with superb optics and have really good results for the next few years while digital prices drop. For example, most Yashika bodys will work with most Contax lenses. You can get a perfectly servicable Yashika body on Ebay or at a camera store for, say, $75, and a Contax 50mm f1.7 lens -- one of the very best of its class --for $50 or $60.Good buys can be had on other brands, too. I have Pentax and Cannon gear of excellent quality, as well. All it lacks is that digital convenience
Edited 8/9/2006 6:05 pm ET by Joe Sullivan
Could have got more $$$ but I was tired of screwing with it. I have been operating professional portrait studio for more than 31 years. I had a shelf of 500C,s, 500CM's, and a ELM.s, and gear. The value was going down every day, the cameras sat on the shelf for three years. Right next to the Mayamia RB & RZ equipment.
I have been shooting the Fuji S2 & S3 for a few years now along with the Nikon D2, these are all more than a $1,000. camera, closer to $2,500. for my first S2.
My lab won't touch a file that from a drug store processing scan. The drug store just can get the quality, to the amature it might look OK, not not to someone that make his living from it. Color film processing shrives on constant use, and if it's only used occacionally you can't keep control. Our studio is a "kodak Promice of Excellence" studio and I worked for a color lab before I opened my studio.
If you plan on putting a digital back on a Hasselblad you better take more than a couple thousand $$$, the phase one units when they first came out were @ $40,000. Price has droppedbut I haven't seen a new digital back for under 10 grand. And a professional photog. has to buy them in pairs, you need a back up. you just can't say oh well my camera broke at the wedding and go home.
Just like any thing else, It just takes $$$$$
Cameraman:
Well, right. No argumant from me. It was obvious that if you had a load of Hassy, you were not an amateur, so althought I didn't make it clear, beyond the comment about Ebay, I was giving advice to amateurs who might be reading.
Hasselblad now has digital backs that retrofit the old 500 series and can be found for as low as $6,000. I say "as low as" with tongue firmly in cheek. I am a serious amateur, and for me, $6,000 for a digital back might as well be $60,000. I just can't have one right now.
Nevertheless, the very best digital 35mm cameras canot quite match the quality of a Hasselblad with fine-grained film. eventually that will change, but for now, even the best lack the shadow detail of the best film cameras, and anything less than the best slides fast on the quality scale.
How much money do you have to spend on a digital camera to get a flash that's large enough to be effective?That's my biggest gripe with digital now - You just can't get anything more than a token flash...
All teenagers should get a high school education -- even if they already know everything.
That's the problem with the small point & shoot cameras, the flash reaches out about as far as you can spit. I am only familiar is the Nikon system, you will just about have to purchase a camera with a dedicated flash to attach to it. You can get a low end Nikon D50 camera in the $750.00 range, this camera has a lot of features. Then mount a dedicated Nikon flash, one of the top of line Nikon flash sell in the $350.00 range. But you can get other models for less.
This is not the only way to go, just an area that I am more familiar with, I am sure you get by for less $$$. Just depends what applacation you need the camera for.
Good thing about digital is if you purchase fron a local store you can mount the flash and try out the camera right there on the spot. Not so with mail order.
Just like buying from a big box store with no product knowlage or service or fronm the local supplier with assistance during and after the sale.
Thanks fer the info. I don't think I'll be spending $750 on a camera anytime soon. I sure like the quality of pictures I get with my old 35mm Canon. Lots of lense choice, a great flash, etc. Sure wish I could combine the two somehow...
I don't do drugs. I get the same effect just standing up fast.
you can, just get a digital SLR body from Canon and you can likely use your old lens and flash.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=11154
Thanks, but all their stuff is EOS. My equipment is all pre-EOS, and therefore not compatible.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Unless he doesn't like sushi - then you also have to teach him to cook.
Boss,
If you are using the Canon AE-1, that was leader in automatic exposure cameras, a real work horse. A lot of the still around, tough to find a repairs tho.
Nikon followed suit, but Canon was the leader!!
Sometime camera's change mounts, the the real advantage to the newer camers is the complete auto features, exposures, focus, ect....
You can pound nails with that camera!
You guessed right - My old camera is an AE-1 Program. I've had it for 25 years and have shot a HUGE amount of stuff with it. I never did like auto focus - I never knew what exactly a camera was focusing on. But I suppose a person could get used to it...
Love is a temporary insanity, curable by marriage.
And I got my Canon A-1 about 23 years and 3 passports ago. Never lets me down, tho could use a good cleaning. The fully automatic allowed me to shoot before learning all the manual stuff. Auto-focus? Nuthin Ahhhtsy about that! 'Course plenty of Wodka in those distant lands didn't help my focusing, either! From stereos > cameras >computers >power tools--these "hobbies" keep getting more expensive. Maybe I'll come closer to making a living @ this one. Oh yeah....still swear by Stihl.
You gotta stop taking pictures in such dark places.Around here, the strip clubs would ban you for that...
They got some crazy little women there, and I'm a-gonna get me one.
~Fats Domino
We seem to have hijacked the chain saw thread but here's my take.
If you just want quick Pix for internet or the type you would have taken to Target if it was film; stay in the $2-300 price range. They are easy to opperate & Pix are as good or better than film.
If you are a reasonably serious photographer go with Canon or Nikon true SLR's with changeable lenses. Expect to be in the $1800-2800 price range by the time you have the lenses. These will give you pix that can print upto 24X36 inches and be better than almost all film produced prints.
Don't buy Minolta eg. 7i or SLR's. They have stopped making good camaras & maintenance will be done by Sony. I have one from just before the true SLR's were available . The pix are good but not up to the SLR's; so now have to replace all equipment to change brands.
Its intresting that most of the pix in the final judging at the Iowa State Fair Rere Digitals printed on inkjet 8X11's. Several of the local professionals with paper prints were not included in the last cut of judging
Edited 8/10/2006 1:43 pm ET by jimcco
I mostly agree with your take, with a couple of qualifications:
You can get a cannon Digital Rebel/ EOS with lens for ~ $1,000. Additional lenses would be more, of course, but few people have a real need for additional lenses. That is about as inexpensive as good digital SLRs get. It lacks some of the features and qualityof the higher-end items. Other makers are entering that price point with good stuff as well;
You theoretically can enlarge to a pretty big size, but pixelation does become an issue with most lower-end sensors by 11x14 if not higher. However, enlargement gets tricky in a hurry if you are doing much cropping, because you have a smaller image with less pixels to start with. The same problem exists with grainy film, of course. if tou want a sensor that can give you the detail and grain of ASA 100 or lower filn, you must pay for a pro camera.
I have entered and won or placed in many years of photo contests here at the Texas State fair, and have many times been surprised by the quality or lack thereof of some of the prints. Who knows?
Meanwhile, I stick with film cameras, excellent glass, and fine-grain film. Works just fine. Most processors including pro shops will put your images on a CD if you need digital.
Lot of tools keep getting better AND cheaper
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But if that pain in the axx is a 720 pro like mie it will pull a 36" bar. A real work hourse Not a lot of fun though.
I see some mentions of the Makita in addition to the expected and deserved recommendations for Stihl and Husky.
I have a 18" Makita, it's German made, and it's been a great performer in infrequent but at times heavy use, much like your cleanup situation.
I only paid $125 about 5 years ago for the Makita.
What are some of the favorite smallish gas saws? I'm thinking about something with a 14"-16" bar.
Wel
l when you get brand picked you still need to choose size . Below are the different sizes I use for different applications . Theres a lot of difference in the sizes of all three. Before I got sick I was going to buy one larger pro saw but [lol] I dont want one now .
View Image
View Image
Edited 8/8/2006 6:06 pm by Mooney
Edited 8/8/2006 6:07 pm by Mooney
Edited 8/8/2006 6:07 pm by Mooney
Edited 8/8/2006 6:08 pm by Mooney
Like seveal others have said for a limbing saw you can't beat the Echo.
I'm not reccomending running a chain saw one handed but if you do the Echo is far the best especially with a 12" bar.
It really is a one handed saw just like a sidewinder skill saw. Not much difference than hilding a skill saw with that handle is got on it . EZ as dino would say.
That saw is also my favorite and most used . It stays with me on the truck. I use it soo much on all my properties I cant seem to unload it with out missing it . I wish it would go behind the seat but Im too long legged.
Tim
That little echo is what the tree guys use up there too.
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sets my teeth on edge and chills up my spine to see those chains so close to concrete!;)
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How's this bite ya?!
Ditto, Ditto. A few years back, after the Carolina ice storm, I worked for a 30-year tree guy. also a New England transplant. Climbers had 12" Echo, Stihls for most everything, Huskys for big engine/long (24"+) bar. Good tree guy, boss and business man, knows his stuff. When we bought a house w/ oodles of trees, I got a Stihl Farmboss w/ 20'' bar. Can't go wrong (....with safety glasses, earmuffs, and common sense)