Husqvarna 455 Rancher Chainsaw

[johnnydel29]

I am thinking of buying one strictly for cutting firewood (not felling trees).

Even though it is not a pro saw, I am hoping it has the power and be able to work hard when I use it. I will be cutting a lot of wood, but not everyday (I just had my property logged).

Anyone own one? Likes, dislikes?

 

[Western]

I don't have the 450, but I have a 350. I wouldn't take $$ for mine.

I try to buy custom made chains though, the boxed ones will do, but they don't seem to hold up like they used to.

I've had about 6 saws and I like Husky 1st then stihl (good) saw.

350 fells trees great, has plenty of power. May be lighter, not sure.

The 455 should be a super saw for you.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have an eleven year old Husqvarna Model 55, which I believe is very similar to the model you're looking at. It has been a remarkably reliable companion for those eleven years. It once went for over a year with gas in the tank without starting. It started on the third pull. Of all the two cycle engines that I own (8? 10?) it has been the most reliable and trouble free. I wouldn't hesitate a second to replace it with one just like it...but it looks like I'll never have to.

Most recent major accomplishment...dropped a white oak where the 18" bar just barely made the cut at the maximum diameter. When I cut the stump off at the ground, I had to go at it from both directions. With the bar completely buried in white oak, the motor just kept humming along. If I were dropping trees like that all the time, yes, I would have a bigger saw. But for firewood, clearing, and property maintenance, the 55cc Husky is one fine saw.

EDIT: Western is right. Get Stihl full chisel chain custom linked for your saw at a good saw shop. The ready made chain doesn't measure up. Particularly the Oregon chain and any of them with the anti-kickback device.

 

[chetorba]

I have both the 455 and the 450. The are very similar. The 455 is a little heavier than the 450. Powerwise you cannot tell the difference between the saws. If you read reviews on the 455, the consistent complaint is the weight.

The 450 has the tooless chain tightner which is a nice feature.

 

[johnnylight]

I have the 455 Rancher dependable saw --I used mine for 6 to 8 hours a day last year --Just make sure you keep to the oil/gas mixture thats with any chain saw.

Plus parts are very easy to replace in my area any way.

check your area for husqvarna or Sthil dealers

 

[CurlyDave]

I bought a 355 because of the weight of the 455. The difference is substantial.

I have an 18" bar and if I can't fell it with that bar I am in way over my head and it is time to call a pro.

 

[PBinWA]

I've had mine for 5 years and it has always been a strong work horse.

I second the recommendation to get a good Stihl chain though. If you want to cut real wood then you need a real (as in dangerous) chain.

Safety/anti-kickback chains are good if you are worried about that stuff though. They just don't cut as fast.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I use the safety chain, and no complaints, though I do keep them very sharp with the cheap HF sharpener.

I'd rather go a little slower, and not eat the saw. There are times when slower is more dangerous of course, but you should recognize those situations and not get into them.

I think if you are cutting trees you should understand wedges, top roping, barber chairs, etc - its dangerous work. I'm willing to take 1/2 an hour to drop a tree safely if it needs it. If I were earning my living doing it, things would be different.

For bucking, strikes me as no kickback is a no brainer. You are a lot more likely to get kickback bucking up.

As an aside, tree work got me into tractors. Logged an acre of my oak with a pro who had a kubota, and quickly realized that it was just about the most useful tree clearing accessory ever.

 

[LD1]

I have always been partial to more of a pro grade saw as opposed to the lower end huskys. But they are all good saws and it's a matter of personal preference. For chainsaws, if there is a dealer in your area, I think i's hard to beat dolmar. For the size you are looking at, the dolmar 5100 would be great. More power than the 455 and 2lbs lighter. I'm not sure what the rancher costs, but last I checked, the dolmars are around $400.

I don't want to start a chainsaw brand war here, they are both fine saws for what they are made for. I cut wood with a lot of guys that use the TSC huskeys and they are good saws. But I don't think they are the best for the money IMO. I have always had good luck with the dolmars. If you have a dealer near by, stop in and ask him to try 5100. He will probabally take you out back and let you get it dirty. I always like to "test drive" anything before I buy.

 

[dfkrug]

I am thinking of buying one strictly for cutting firewood (not felling trees).

I have the Rancher 455, with the 24" bar. Works great. Huge, loud, heavy,
expensive. Too heavy to drag around on my hillsides, so I use my tiny
Makita for that. I would have bought the big Makita DCS54, if I could have
gotten it for the same price as the 455 with 24" bar. I have rented the
big Mak before and it is the nuts.

Interesting posts about the chain. I got the Rancher with two 24" chains
delivered for $342. If a more aggressive chain would make this saw cut
faster, I may look into that. It has enough power, for sure.

 

[LD1]

dfkrug-Which big makita have you rented before. was it the 7901

The makitas are made by dolmar, they just have a 1 insteadof 0 for the last number. dolmar 7900=Makita 7901

One thing I have learned is that one person's idea of a big saw is anothers Idea of a normal saw and what some consider a normal firewood saw is small to others. I cut about 20cord of wood a year, no felling, all tops after loggers have logged a woods, and I use a 7900 dolmar and would want nothing smaller.

One of the biggest arguments i hate against bigger saws is the weight, but when you are making the cut, you are not supporting the weight of the saw, the log is. And instead of being out all day with a smaller lighter saw, you can cut the same amout of wood in 1/2 a day with bigger faster saw. Now if I was cutting brush and limbing all day above my head and at arms reach, give me the lightest saw on the market. But for cutting up tops on the ground and downed trees, give me the fastest.

 

[Charlesaf3]

LD, I understand and respect that position, but I've got a different take. When I'm cutting up a tree, the cuts don't really take any time - its the walking around and clearing brush. And a lot of the time I'm holding the saw way out, so the weight matters.

I think a more powerful saw might save me 3 minutes a tree. Maybe. If I didn't cut too fast and bury it in the dirt - changing chains also takes a few minutes.

 

[PBinWA]

Interesting posts about the chain. I got the Rancher with two 24" chains
delivered for $342. If a more aggressive chain would make this saw cut
faster, I may look into that. It has enough power, for sure.

If you have a chainsaw shop nearby it's worth a try. I really noticed the difference. I just asked for a good chain that is really dangerous and might kill me - the guy laughed, gave me a chain and suddenly my saw cut twice as fast.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

If you have a chainsaw shop nearby it's worth a try. I really noticed the difference. I just asked for a good chain that is really dangerous and might kill me - the guy laughed, gave me a chain and suddenly my saw cut twice as fast.

actual saw shops will often stock spools of carlton chain, which is supposedly "the best".
last chain I bought came from Bailey's in Oregon - it's a "woodsman's pro" skip tooth ripping chain and will crosscut a log like it's butter - has no antikickback, can bog down if you're not careful, etc... but does nice things when I'm turning a log into 2" thick planks.

 

[dfkrug]

dfkrug-Which big makita have you rented before. was it the 7901

The makitas are made by dolmar, they just have a 1 insteadof 0 for the last number. dolmar 7900=Makita 7901

One thing I have learned is that one person's idea of a big saw is anothers Idea of a normal saw and what some consider a normal firewood saw is small to others. I cut about 20cord of wood a year, no felling, all tops after loggers have logged a woods, and I use a 7900 dolmar and would want nothing smaller.

One of the biggest arguments i hate against bigger saws is the weight, but when you are making the cut, you are not supporting the weight of the saw, the log is. And instead of being out all day with a smaller lighter saw, you can cut the same amout of wood in 1/2 a day with bigger faster saw. Now if I was cutting brush and limbing all day above my head and at arms reach, give me the lightest saw on the market. But for cutting up tops on the ground and downed trees, give me the fastest.

I thought I rented the DCS54, but it has been years. It was the first Mak
I had seen or used. I am a big fan of Makita products and I have many.
My little saw is the Makita (Dolmar) DCS34. No longer made.

As you state, the bigger saw is better for the flat ground work, esp with
bigger logs. Some of mine get up to 30" diam. I struggle to walk on my
steep slopes, let alone carry a heavy saw. I now have a setup where I
can carry either along with me on my tractor.

 

[LD1]

All saws have there place. When I clear brush, which isnt that often, I use a little 36cc husky. I would consider the 455 more of a full sized saw @ 13.2lbs.
My 7900 only weighs 13.6lbs, so not a noticable difference. Everyones cutting methods ae also different. For me, most of my time is spent in the cut so the faster the better. I cut the tops in the woods and leave the brush where it falls. So I dont have a lot of time messing with brush. Its cut then load then head home and wait for a rainy day to split wood in the barn.

It all boils down to what you are going to most often use the saw for. For larger wood, not much brush and a lot of saw time in one day, get a bigger faster saw. For general land clearing, a lot of small stuff, and clearing brush, where you stop often to pile brush, You will want a smaller saw.

Chainsaws are a lot like compact tractors. They all have different specs and capibilities. Different tractors are better suited for different people. They are all good quality products, you have to find the one that best fills your needs in your budget. And dont be afraid to go to a dealer and ask to try a saw.

My take on saws is lot like what I hear about tractors. No body ever complains about having too much power or too fast of a saw. Just my opinion though. To each his own.

 

[LD1]

I don't want anybody to take me the wrong way and think that I don't like the 455 rancher. Because it is a darn good saw at a darn good price. I just feel IMO that there is one saw in that category that is better, for not very much more $$. Every once in while I frequent Arboristsite, which has a lot of information about saws, and I have yet to read one bad thing about the 5100. It seems they are highly reccommended over there and the few guys I know that have them, love them. But I also know guys that have 455 with nothing bad to say about them either. Having handled them both, the 5100 is a lot more saw and a lot lighter. But again they are both good saws.

I think the only real solution would be to buy one of each. That way, when you get one pinched, you have a backup to get it out

Two saws ARE better than one

 

[Charlesaf3]

I have no opinion on the 455 vs 5100, but no doubt 2 saws are good... who hasn't had to cut a saw out of a tree at some point?

LD, you make a really good point 2 posts back. One should get the saw for ones use. I'm clearing around my house, so I have to cut up and clear the tops. So I'm down from the rancher even to the 350. For what you are doing (which is what I wish I were doing) your choice sounds great.

I've got one quibble - I wouldn't be as interested in a bigger tractor if I had to carry it!

 

[Adiredneck]

I bought my 1st Husky 9 1/2 years ago. It's a 365. It has been bulletproof. When I bought my current house & property 3 years ago, I started using the saw a lot more than before. I just bought a 455 rancher this spring with my tax return. It is REALLY handy to have 2 saws when you are a 1/2 mile in the woods. The Rancher starts a little tough, but using two saws this firewood season, I am still on the 1st chain on the Rancher, so that might change as it breaks in a bit more.

I actually refer to the Rancher as "the little saw". It's the one I like for limbing. I take it with me on the 4-wheeler to trim the trails. I want a bigger saw than even the 365, maybe a 75 cc with a 24" bar?

Our local Husky dealer is the reason why I buy Huskies. They have customers from hundreds of miles away. The service after the sale is phenominal.

I like the fact that with a 20" bar on both saws, I can stock one replacement chain for both saws.

 

[schmism]

For cutting firewood i think your gonna want a smaller lighter saw.

The idea that you have a forest of 24" tree trunks that you need to chop up is very unlikely.

If its like most wooded property firewood harvest consists of trees between 12-18" in diam.

I think you would be much more happy with a smaller saw and a 20" bar.

Ive said it before and im a firm believer in it. For serious firewood cutting you really need 2 saws.

a small limbing saw. something in the 14" range, lightweight easy to handle. remember you have a LOT of tops to cut up especially with hardwoods. you might spend an hr cutting up a trunk and the next 8 hrs chopping up the top.

and a larger trunk saw.

In my case i have stihl. an 039 for my large saw with 20 and 24" bars and a 010av which while older, does a great job slicing through everything up to about 8"-10" which is (about 90% of the top of a tree) when i switch to my larger saw for speed.

one other note
If you consider your self and experienced saw user, your doing yourself an injustice by using new "safety chain" The older full chisel (now called pro chain) cuts is SO much quicker. I can easily out cut my friends saw 2:1 with my 039 and full chisel chain. Check Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's for full chisel chain.

If you have other questions about bailey's check out the forestry forum http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?board=9.0 lots of good guys over there with lots of good info on the saws and stuff from bailey's