Chainsaw selection... ideas?

dave1949 · Sep 28, 2009

schmism said:
you get what you pay for. NO WAY that saw will last nearly as long as your old one unless you stick it on a shelf and look at it for "all those years"

you want another saw to last 20+ years, its going to have to be a stihl or husqvarna

I have to agree with you Schmism, but the life of the saw isn't the only consideration, the budget plays a role too. It's better to have any safe saw than no saw. Especially when there are blow downs across your driveway.

And if you have a 20 yr. old saw today, you are likely using a saw that weighs a lot compared to newer ones.

Everybody appreciates good tools, but you can't justify a $100 chef's knife for making peanut butter sandwiches

- and your saw choice needs to follow the same logic IMO.

Dave.

rus_geek · Sep 28, 2009

dave1949 said:
...It's better to have any safe saw than no saw. ...
Dave.

This is an important point to consider. Especially if anyone is shopping around for a used saw. My current saw is a 14" Poulan. It starts hard, the clutch sticks and it has no brake. It is incredibly light, so once started you can cut all day, as long as you don't mind the chain *always* spinning... When I bought it several years ago, I knew nothing about chain brakes or I wouldn't have touched it.

Sure, I'd love to go pick up a $900 pro replacement, but will probably end up with something more in the $200 range to tide me over until the tractor is paid off.

-rus-

studor · Sep 28, 2009

Hmm -- sorry to get technical in this one but these days isn't a Poulan really a Husky?
Based on the OP's requirement I would second the suggestion of the Stihl MS290 when on sale -- it will cost over three hundred for a Stihl hat but they will toss in the saw, saw box, six pack of oil and spare chain for free

-- JMHO

Steve C · Sep 28, 2009

schmism said:
you get what you pay for. NO WAY that saw will last nearly as long as your old one unless you stick it on a shelf and look at it for "all those years"

you want another saw to last 20+ years, its going to have to be a stihl or husqvarna

That is probably correct, but when I bought my professional saw 20+ years ago I was in my mid thirties. Now that I am 60 I probably don't need one that will last 20 years. I could buy 5 of the new Poulin 55cc 22inch saws for the same cost of my one Husqvarna 372XP. It is the most saw I have seen for the money. It is unusual to get a 55cc saw for anywhere near $200. This one happens to be on sale marked down from $269.

My local full service saw dealer explained to me that my Husqvarna 372XP is a professional series saw designed for daily hard use. Husqvarna also sells a consumer line of saws that are carried at tractor supply and many big box stores. They are good values but are not designed for every day professional use, as are the newer Poulin saws.

They are probably a good fit for most peoples needs. My local dealer told me that Poulin and Husqvarna are owned by the same company and in his opinion the consumer grade saws produced under those names are essentially equal. Both good values for the intended use.

The Husqvarna consumer saws are priced a little higher because they are carrying a name that is associated with Professional saws, but if any of the consumer series saws are used in a professional manner, every day 8 hours of hard use, they just don't hold up as well as the $1000 saws do.

You do get what you pay for but todays saws are all very good tools for their intended use. I do enjoy the bragging rights of owning a 372XP as do many owners of large Stihl saws but the reality of my personal situation is I will never use the saw as it was intended to be used. I am to old and I don't cut trees for a living. It is almost equal to having a John Deere 4020 to play with on my 11 acres of dirt. Just a little more tool than what I need for the job. (but it would still be fun to own one)

czechsonofagun · Sep 28, 2009

schmism said:
you get what you pay for. NO WAY that saw will last nearly as long as your old one unless you stick it on a shelf and look at it for "all those years"

you want another saw to last 20+ years, its going to have to be a stihl or husqvarna

ditto that, money in poulan are wasted IMHO.

jimmyj · Sep 28, 2009

Tell me more about the Poulan / Husqvarna relationship! This concerns me.

NOTE: It's a tough call nowadays on some of this stuff - the old Harbor Freight vs good tools argument (finely noted earlier with the peanut butter analogy

). I can get a cheapo hammerdrill for a quarter of the price of a good one and probably never every spend as much as on the good one even if I burn two of the cheapo's out. That said, some tools are "more important to have a good one" to me and a chain saw is one of those. I don't want to cut any corners there. If I could not afford it I'd probably have a Poulan though.

westbrooklawn · Sep 28, 2009

I believe the Husqvarna/Poulan parent company is Electrolux. It is my understanding that only the smallest consumer saws in the Husky line are made in the same factory as the Poulans. The relationship stops there... the larger and professional Husqvarna saws bear no resemblance to the Poulan. I have a 31 year old Husky 65 which has cut hundreds of cords of firewood, and it is still a workhorse that I pull out for the "big stuff". I also have a Husky 50 which is at least 18 years old that is great for limbing and anything up to about 16" diameter. I bought a Husky 359 about 3 years ago... it is right at the power level of the old "65", but much lighter, and it is the saw I most frequently grab for felling and firewood cutting. I have owned Stihls, and they are also a great saw, but my preference is Husqvarna. If I was to buy a new saw today, I would buy the Husky 357XP... a true professional saw with a tremendous weight/power ratio.

If my budget was around $200, I would look for a good used Husky 55 Rancher... I have seen them on Craigslist in this price range.

/pine · Sep 28, 2009

So I will have to sharpen my chains and see what I can limp along with

it is fine to "touch up" your chains with a file...but do yourself a favor and have your chains (and the bar) properly ground and dressed by a pro...there is a lot more to the chain then just the cutting edge i.e., the depth guage..it is paramount that this part of the chain is ground properly regardless of how sharp the cutting teeth are...

Pilot · Sep 28, 2009

Spent 25 years in the woods and the only brand of saw I saw the loggers use was a Stihl. Husky is supposed to be good and our local saw shop that caters to loggers recommended a Husqvarna Rancher455 for firewood cutting (but that's what they had in a used saw, among others). I have heard good things about the Rancher.

My first saw was a Homelite super XL, bought used in 1975. Still runs, but the check valve in the gas cap disappeared and it leaks gas when you turn it on it's side--not good when working in the woods during fire season. Modern Homelite's are not likely to be as durable.

Bought a Stihl 029 or 039 (don't remember which) a couple years ago, same size engine as the Homelite. Wow! It cuts thru wood about twice as fast as the old Homelite. Has the advantage of more modern technology and fewer miles on the engine.

I would not waste any money on a Poulan, Homelite, Echo, etc. Since 100% of the loggers use Stihl, that says all I need to know. Husky is number 2.