We need to get a new chain saw - our old hand-me-down model is just about shot. We’ve done research and we’re pretty sure something with an 18-24" bar is what we need. What we’d like to have is advice from people who have used different makes - first-hand anecdotes of what you like and don’t like, recommendations of what to get or what to avoid.
We have 3 acres, mostly wooded, with a lot of downed trees and large branches that have fallen. We also have some trees and big bushes that we eventually want to remove. The hardwood will be cut up for firewood, the pine and cedar will go to the county mulching facility. We want something reliable, easy and safe to use, and ideally, light weight. Price is probably the last consideration, since we know what we want won’t come cheap.
So, please share your experiences, warnings, and suggestions about features and/or brands. If you’re reluctant to trash a particular brand or model in the thread, you can send me an email or PM.
It’s been a few years since I’ve done any serious forestry work and there could have been some changes in models & brands since then so take this with a grain of salt…
You are correct that you need a “professional” (read “more expensive”) saw for the type of work you’re proposing. The cheap “homeowner” models are OK for occasional use but, in my experience, simply won’t hold up to heavy constant work. And hardwoods especially make for heavy cutting.
Just my own experience, but Stihl and Husqvarna seem to be the best all-around products and I personally prefer Stihl saws. They’re fast, powerful and nearly indestructable. Husqvarnas are actually slightly more powerful; professional fallers that are after maximum production prefer them, but IME they are finicky and require constant fiddling and adjustment. A lot of pro’s swear by Jonsered saws as well.
Unless you’re an experienced sawyer I’d strongly recommend using a low-profile chain. It will slow down your cutting speed a bit, but greatly reduces the chances of kickback & injury. It’s also better for brush cutting. If you haven’t already done so, take time to learn how to properly sharpen the chain and pay attention to keeping the rakers filed correctly. Saw sharpening is kind of an art…try to avoid clamp-on guides, power sharpeners and other gimmicks. None of them seem to work very well.
For all-around use, I’d suggest a 24-inch bar. In theory, it is possible to cut through a diameter three times the bar length, but it takes some doing.
Don’t forget proper safety gear…boots, chaps, gloves eye & ear protection. Even the pro’s slip up once in awhile, and you’ll likely have reason to be glad you’re wearing it.
SS
I have a Husqavarna 51 that I’m very pleased with but it could have been a Stihl if they had been open on the Saturday I went shopping. Those are the two main ones the loggers use in north Idaho. I purchased the 51 on close out so don’t expect to find it new. It’s not big enough for loggers but it’s a good deal more than the average home owner needs. I have 20 acres. I think it cost another $100 over the smaller model.
With three acres you want a minimum of a 20 inch bar and a saw with enough power to cut efficiently. A smaller saw will cut but it will take more effort. A 20 inch bar will get you through a 3 foot log and the chains are readly available in a varity of types. I use a “skip chain”.
IMHO stay away from McCulloch and Homelite. McCulloch was a good brand but mine lasted 2 seasons. It spent more time in the repair shop than on the property. I have a friend who had the same problem with a Homelite.
You also want a local shop for service. You know something is going to break. :smack:
My ex-husband bought a 24 inch Husqvarna to use on our 22 acre, heavily wooded, primarily oak with a little pine, property. Several extra chains, and a couple of the chains were constantly at the shop being sharpened, regardless, but the chainsaw itself was ridiculously powerful. The 24 inch bar did not allow for any finesse cutting, however.
We shopped around for about 2 weeks before he settled on the Husqvarna, and Stihl almost got his business. I think it finally came down to cost (a sale), because the two were comparable products. He used the big chainsaw primarily to get things manageable, using a log splitter for firewood, and for cutting up the branches and bits, he always had to borrow his father’s smaller chainsaw with the 18 inch bar.
I sense a pattern here. The one we’re replacing is a 25+ year old Stihl - it’s just worn out. My husband was leaning toward the Husqvarna but he wanted to get some feedback from users. I do appreciate the comments.
**Dano **- what is a skip chain and what are its advantages?
Lucky for us, we live in an are with a lot of Amish, and several of them have engine repair shops that do very good work for very reasonable prices, so finding a local shop is easy.
I live in an apartment now, but we used a (crappy electric) chain saw when I was growing up. I remember that the usual methods for sharpening the chain were really tedious. But I remember seeing a demo of this system on the Ask This Old House TV show recently. It attaches over the end of the bar and supposedly sharpens the blade in just a few seconds.
A skip chain is a high profile very aggressive chain. 90 percent of my use is firewood and it makes very quick work of whole trees. As has been stated it is more susceptible to kickback and needs to be used with great care.
It’s a complete system that includes the bar, chain, and sharpener as a matched set. I believe it is limited to 18" chains but I could be wrong.
The op should specify how much cutting will be done and how much money is reasonable. Husqavarna and Stihl make excellent products that are light weight and durable but there is a price to pay for that.
I would personally want at least a 20" bar for a primary saw. If I was doing a lot of light work then I’d get a 18" with a self sharpening chain system.
I have never liked the Stihl 290, it sounds like it would be a good size for you if it weren’t way underpowered. I have never used the 291 so I don’t know if they fixed the problem. The Stihl 360 is a bigger saw but it is a workhorse, it’s the saw of choice for tree thinners and wildland firefighters. I personally use a Husqvarna 575 xp, it’s two pounds heavier than the 360 but for that two pounds you gain an extra one horsepower. It’s a big saw, way bigger than you need if you’re not falling larger trees.
It’s important to note that weight is a huge issue for weekend warrior sawing. I have seen a lot of relatively sane men buy saws that were way too big for their needs because, more power = better. That’s all fine and good until their forearms are shaky and their lower back is cramped after 30 minutes on the saw.
Don’t use a skip chain, in fact go the other route and use a safety chain.
I have a Stihl farm boss with an 18" bar that I’ve used for 15 years or more. Always works. A longer bar would have been useful on occasion, but he 18" s god for 90% of what I do.
Truth be told, many of my fallen limbs are cut up with a battery powered reciprocating saw. Usually only have two or three and the battery unit is fast enough and I don’t have to start it.
I’ll go along with Stihl and Husqavarna in general. For very small saws, good for trimming branches or as a hedge clipper, a Poulan will do. But if you’re really cutting trees, the pro tools are the way to go. I recall a Stihl ad from years back commented on their competition. It was a picture of their logo surrounded with a dotted line, and the caption, 'Cut this out, stick it on your saw, and pretend that it starts."
I’m not making this recommendation based on your primary need, something robust to address either large diameter cuts or large volumes of wood. But… recently I did buy a smaller, rechargable chainsaw and I’ve been very impressed with three things it does well.
(1) It’s much lighter and safer than a large, gas driven saw, especially when you’re up in a tree at a difficult angle and you need something you can wield without straining and that’ll shut down quick.
(2) They’re amazingly quiet. This won’t matter much on 3 acres but if you’ve got close neighbors it’s far less likely to disturb anyone, thus extends your working hours into the twilight.
(3) They hold a charge pretty well. As I’ve bought several of the companion pieces that use the same rechargable battery, I can have several on charge while I run the one, thus having a continuous supply of power and that w/o any mixing.
True that. My Stihl always starts with no muss no fuss. A few trees feel accross our drive this winter. While it was a bit of a pain tromping through the snow, the one thing I did not have to worry about was the Stihl.
Huskys would be my second choice. I would agree though that they are a bit more finicky.
You really can’t go wrong with either a Stihl or a Husqvarna. I have a Husqvarna 372xp with 20" and 24" bars that I’ve been very happy with for a couple of years. However, that’s more saw than the average home owner needs. I occasionally cut large hardwoods and it’s nice to have more power than I need.
I would consider one of the Husqvarna Ranch 55 saws for just occasional use. I’ve know a couple of people that keep those “behind the seat” of their pickups for fence maintenance and cleaning up storm damage. They are a little lighter and have less power than the xp series, but they cost less and they should do everything you need.