Whats the best $400 chainsaw.

[Lucky32]

You can 50cc Husqvarna 450. I have one and I felt good with it.

 

[widefat]

Ok, dont laugh at me - I have a Husq 455 20" and a little HomeLite 16". I find myself reaching for the little Homelite more than the 455. It's lighter, cuts well, and starts every time.
Did I just admit to using a Homelite?

 

[LD1]

I like the dolmar 5105 and echo 590 recommendations in this price range

 

[motownbrowne]

Correction: THAT $99 saw, not THOSE $99 dollar saws, as I'm still on my first one.... :laughing:

My in-laws had a very nice Stihl saw that my brother-in-law absconded with. Yes, it was very nice. It was also a lot heavier, 5X the price, and parts were more expensive. As I said before, for what I do, there's absolutely no justification for spending the extra money on that particular tool.

Look at it this way, if I put the $200 I saved into the stock market, it would be $400+ now, and I could have a free Pro Saw. :laughing:

Good points moss. Especially how you pretty much said you owe yourself a "free" $400 saw.

Here's another part of the equation: 4 years ago I bought a lightly used ms361. A $600 pro saw with some simple upgrades (full wrap handlebar, big dogs). I paid $400. I used it to cut -10 cords a year for three years. I decided to sell it to buy a bigger saw. I listed it on Craigslist and sold it in less than 24 hours. For $500. That's not gonna happen with a wild thing.


My point is that while cheap saws do have their place, pro saws hold their value. They're more fun to run and don't depreciate as bad over their lifespan as homeowner saws.

 

[zzvyb6]

I'm surprised by the approaches taken here. For this kind of project, I'd find saws that could do this job of 12 trees and then a vacation from cutting, then find out the cost, instead of setting the cost first and then seeing what fits into it.

Otherwise, my tractor mounted Binford V12 4 stroke with a 56" bar, electric start, chip bagger, bidirectional chain and in my favorite colors is a good value at $6000 and gives me best of bragging rights on TBN. All my friends say I shoulda got my teeth fixed instead of buyin thi s saw, but they woulda made fun of me if I got that garage sale Homeboy one (wooda done the same job, though).

Yep, looks good on the mantel over the fireplace in my trophy room. Don't run now, batterys dead...

 

[turnkey4099]

Ok, dont laugh at me - I have a Husq 455 20" and a little HomeLite 16". I find myself reaching for the little Homelite more than the 455. It's lighter, cuts well, and starts every time.
Did I just admit to using a Homelite?

Homelite used to be a big boss in the woods. I bought a 360 pro in about 1978 - last of the pro models until they went to the 'big box' cheapos. Nothing wrong with those either if correctly maintained.

 

[turnkey4099]

So bragging on ones saws in TBN is bad for one. My MS361 failed me today. Been getting stubborn starting for about a week, today, no start. 60 mile round trip to drop it off at the dealers. First real problem I have had with it since new many, many years ago.

 

[sd455dan]

So bragging on ones saws in TBN is bad for one. My MS361 failed me today. Been getting stubborn starting for about a week, today, no start. 60 mile round trip to drop it off at the dealers. First real problem I have had with it since new many, many years ago.

Don't feel bad- it happens to most of us ( at least it did me) if you cut firewood long enough.
Finally got my Husky 350 running again although the clutch drum that i waited 3 weeks for was the wrong one

Luckily I got tired of waiting for the one coming on the slow boat from china and sourced a (rotary brand ) clutch drum that has an up dated design so that instead of having to replace the whole clutch drum you can just replace a slide on drive sprocket when it wears out.

So it all works out eventually, I would add the husky 350 or its replacement to the list -
BUT certain things like the plastic crankcase, muffler bolts that fall out and cost over $4.00 a piece are not something that pro saws have... I will say it is a light saw that really screams and does a good job cutting fire wood, it also has always been an easy starter and does not have a primer bulb that my Homelite was cursed with- Had to replace it every year to every other year.
jmo but for a saw that may sit for quite a bit of time before needing to be used Iwould avoid the primer bulb equipped saws- once again jmo

 

[MossRoad]

Well, the OP said he's going to do very little cutting. I heat our house with wood. I try to cut locust exclusively (extremely hard to cut for this little saw), but end up with about 10% sassafras and cherry due to clearing and windfalls. I cut about 6 cords per year for that from about 50 telephone pole sized trees per year, plus the occasional assistance with the school/church/friend that needs a tree cut up/down. I'm still on my first Poulan that I bought almost exactly 9 years ago on sale, so I've got $100 in that. I'm on my third bar (damaged one in a pinch). Both bars came with chains at about $20 each, so that's another $40. I bought 2 more chains in a two-pack for less than $20. And I have a couple other chains from my dad's old Craftsman. So, about 8 chains, 6 still working. And $29 for the harbor freight sharpener. The saw is still on its original clutch and drive sprocket. Only problem ever has been the fuel line rotted from ethanol (so they tell me).

So, to summarize....

- $100 for saw with case.
- $60 for two bars and 4 chains.
- $29 for chain sharpener.

About $200 for 9 years. At least 36 cords of wood from about 300 telephone pole sized trees. And several dozen "normal" trees (maples, oaks, cherry, etc...) for friends, church, school, etc... If this one ever craps out, I'll buy another and keep using the parts/chains left over from the first. I can't justify spending $400 on a saw for what I do. I just can't. :laughing:

I forgot I also had to buy a new muffler last year, so add $19 to that list. :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

Good points moss. Especially how you pretty much said you owe yourself a "free" $400 saw.

Here's another part of the equation: 4 years ago I bought a lightly used ms361. A $600 pro saw with some simple upgrades (full wrap handlebar, big dogs). I paid $400. I used it to cut -10 cords a year for three years. I decided to sell it to buy a bigger saw. I listed it on Craigslist and sold it in less than 24 hours. For $500. That's not gonna happen with a wild thing.


My point is that while cheap saws do have their place, pro saws hold their value. They're more fun to run and don't depreciate as bad over their lifespan as homeowner saws.

That's true, and my points are all tongue-in-cheek, of course. I am one cheap subgum, that's for sure. :laughing: