New/First Saw search

[TheSpoon]

Hello everyone,
I've been reading the forum for awhile and am looking to get my first saw. I finally have about 10 acres of land, about 6 of which is wooded (no pine, but oak/ash for sure, probably some maple, if that matters) and am looking to cut some trails through the property (using the new tractor to knock them over and/or chainsaw). I know there won't be a universal saw that will be able to do everything, but something that will be able to handle a good amount of what I throw at it without breaking my back would be good. As is probably common too, I'd like to keep the price somewhat reasonable. As the (modified) saying goes, the most expensive tool is the cheapest PoS you buy, so I'm not opposed to spending a bit more to get something that won't break down all the time or have to be replace. I'm also not throwing out craigslist finds, but at the moment, I don't really have the means to repair a "great find" so I'll need something in working condition, though I'm also not sure what I should look for.

So, if you have any help it helping me pick out/decide it would be appreciated. If I need to supply more info, I can do that too if requested.

/edit: No wood burner at the moment, so the saw would just be used for felling/stacking of the logs. We do plan on having a fireplace in the next couple of years though to burn the wood.

Thanks,
Nelson

 

[davesl708]

I cleared over 100 trees ranging from 2" to 42" in my back lot. Cut most if it for firewood. I bought a Stihl MS290 Farm Boss with 18" bar. Has been trouble free for five years now.
Starts easy and has enough power for this type of work.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

If I could have only one do-all saw it'd be a Husqvarna 346xp with and 18" bar. Extreamly reliable saw that cuts above it's weight.

 

[motownbrowne]

We will need to know more about what size your trees are. The necessary equipment will be different if your trees are 12" in diameter than 30".

You're right that there isn't one saw that will do everything you want, but you can do pretty well with 2. You'll be well ahead buying one of them as your first saw. If I were starting from scratch I'd be shopping for a 50cc saw and a 70-90cc saw. I made the mistake of buying a compromise saw as my first saw: a 60cc. Heavy for limbing and thinning, slow for felling and bucking. It did it all, though and was a good compromise at the time. I should have just bought a 50cc right away and added a big saw at the first opportunity.

If your trees are big, start with a big saw, maybe a Stihl 441, 461, 661 and add the small saw later. If your trees are small, start with the 50cc a Stihl 261, Husky 550xp, and add a big saw when you get tired of taking a long time to fell and buck logs.

Really, all the brands make good saws. I personally recommend professional grade saws because they are lighter weight for equivalent hp than their lower quality counterparts and they are more easily rebuilt.

 

[LD1]

What dealers are in your area? And are you planning on buying used or shopping new?

Ditto about needing to know what sized trees you are up against.

If this is a mature woods, and just blazing some trails, I wouldnt get carried away clearing a bunch of big trees. If keeping it under 12" or so, a good 40-50cc saw will fit the bill nicely. And any good MFG has good saws in this range

Dolmar PS5105
Stihl MS261
Husqvarna 550xp

All 50cc, around 4hp, and 11-12 lbs

These are all "pro" saws. Lesser versions in ~50cc are going to have less power or more weight or some combination of both

 

[TheSpoon]

What dealers are in your area? And are you planning on buying used or shopping new?

Ditto about needing to know what sized trees you are up against.

If this is a mature woods, and just blazing some trails, I wouldnt get carried away clearing a bunch of big trees. If keeping it under 12" or so, a good 40-50cc saw will fit the bill nicely. And any good MFG has good saws in this range

Dolmar PS5105
Stihl MS261
Husqvarna 550xp

All 50cc, around 4hp, and 11-12 lbs

These are all "pro" saws. Lesser versions in ~50cc are going to have less power or more weight or some combination of both

I think you hit the nail on the head. With what you and motownbrowne have said, I'll probably stick to a smaller saw and set the trail around the larger trees that I can't take down. Who'd want a trail that is straight anyhow! If/When we seriously consider moving to stick burning for heat then I can think about getting something bigger.

I can think of a couple Stihl dealers near me (at least on my path to/from work) and I believe Husqvarna/Jonsered (same saws right?) are sold at local Tractor Supply Company.

I haven't done much (read: any) work repairing saws, so though I wouldn't rule out a used saw, my guess is I'll have to get one in "new" or "like new" condition. 3 kids, new-to-us house, and a honey-do list longer that my arm means my time to learn/play with a broken saw is minimal at the moment.

 

[LD1]

I can think of a couple Stihl dealers near me (at least on my path to/from work) and I believe Husqvarna/Jonsered (same saws right?) are sold at local Tractor Supply Company.

typically not the pro saws

 

[TheSpoon]

typically not the pro saws

I should have figured that...

 

[WoodChuckDad]

double post

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I have been heating with wood for 12 years. Not exclusively but I burn thru at least 4 cord each year. We have a big fire in the wood stove almost every night during the winter.....And my kids are old enough that they get it going when they come home from school. I just purchased my 4th ever chainsaw. A Stihl. My first saw was a Poulin 14 inch, about 34cc I think, I wore that thing out...Used if for about 5-6 years and really abused it. I probably cut 50 cords of wood with it. Along the line, I bought a used Husqvarna 365 special . 65cc pro saw. Big, powerful and heavy. I replaced the Poulan with a Dolmar 420 about 5-6 years ago. Nice 42 cc saw for my small work and much easier to carry around. Now I have a still ms261c. 50 cc pro saw. So far it cuts like a dream but I have only had it a couple days.

With the amount of land and woods you have, you need a good saw. If I were looking at the Stihl line I would go farm/ranch quality or pro quality. Pro will set you back another hundred bucks or so. With new house and 3 kids I know nickles and dimes have to be counted. As for quality and reliability, I would not hesitate to buy another Dolmar...but I have a Dolmar dealer/repair shop about 5 miles from my house....when I move in a couple years I will be 50 miles from one. Stihl dealers are everywhere. I would recommend a 50 cc saw with an 18 inch bar. That is big enough to tackle the occasional fallen trees you will have to deal with, process firewood efficiently, and cut some trails. But not so heavy it wears you down completely, and won't suck the gas too bad. A good saw is usually pricey but some of the best advice I have ever received is "the quality is remembered, long after the price is forgotten." That came from a friend who is running the same Still 026 his father gave him about 20+ years ago. And he cuts as much wood as me.

 

[The Deerslayer]

I heat exclusively with wood and am also in the two saw minimum camp as well of the mind set of buying quality. I have a smaller Stihl for limbing/dropping smaller trees and a MS 290 with 18 inch bar for larger trees and bucking. My next saw will most likely be a Stihl pro saw. Starting the research now...be careful, it can be addicting:laughing:

Somewhat off topic, but you mentioned eventually getting a fireplace. You may want to consider installing a woodstove as fireplaces are very inefficient for heating purposes.

 

[LD1]

I heat exclusively with wood and am also in the two saw minimum camp as well of the mind set of buying quality. I have a smaller Stihl for limbing/dropping smaller trees and a MS 290 with 18 inch bar for larger trees and bucking. My next saw will most likely be a Stihl pro saw. Starting the research now...be careful, it can be addicting:laughing:

Somewhat off topic, but you mentioned eventually getting a fireplace. You may want to consider installing a woodstove as fireplaces are very inefficient for heating purposes.

If you get a pro saw, like a MS361, you probably will never touch the 290 again.

I know it is one of stihls most popular, and people seem to love them. There is no doubt they are reliable and start easy. But they are heavy and slow in comparison.

........saw..........cc............HP...........weight
......MS290.......56............3.8...........13
.....MS261........50............4.0...........11.5
.....MS362........59............4.7...........13

Big difference jumping to a pro saw. For the same weight, you gan get 3cc more and ~25% more power.
Or you can keep power about the same and shed 1.5lbs off.

 

[jel1988]

I bought an entry level Stihl this year, the guys that work for me use it rather than the old 55cc pro saw. They love it because it's light, starts first pull. We mainly use it to clear construction sites for houses and outbuildings.

 

[TheSpoon]

OK. So, looking at the Stihl's since they're the closest available (and what appears to be a very common recommendation), my local dealer lists the costs for the following (all 16" bar):
MS 271 Farmboss: $379.95
MS 261 C-M: $609.95
MS 261 C-MQ: $719.95

Assuming the prices stay the same amount apart when dealing with a... dealer, is the $230/$340 price difference really worth it? According to the comparison chart HERE, it appears the differences are:
271 - 1.5lbs/0.84lbs heavier, optional ElastoStart (vs standard on 261), lack of decompression valve, "M-Tronic", and additional chain brake (on the C-MQ).

That doesn't seem like a lot of features for the additional price tag. But again, I would take others word for it since I haven't had a lot of use with chainsaws.

 

[s219]

The 261 has more power and weighs less, which is a great way to justify the extra $$ -- once you start using a saw a lot, you'll appreciate the power/weight aspect. The other hidden benefit of the 261 is that it's components are rated for a longer life, and it can more readily be repaired and rebuilt. It could be a saw you have the rest of your life.

 

[TheSpoon]

The 261 has more power and weighs less, which is a great way to justify the extra $$ -- once you start using a saw a lot, you'll appreciate the power/weight aspect. The other hidden benefit of the 261 is that it's components are rated for a longer life, and it can more readily be repaired and rebuilt. It could be a saw you have the rest of your life.

I'll give you the weight will be noticeable after a time, but is .5bhp going to be noticeable (though yes, I should have included that in the differences)?

 

[s219]

BTW, how much experience do you have with chainsaws? If little or none, I would not suggest jumping right in to a brand new and powerful pro saw. See if you can run a cheaper used saw first and figure things out. And don't skimp on safety equipment.

 

[s219]

I'll give you the weight will be noticeable after a time, but is .5bhp going to be noticeable (though yes, I should have included that in the differences)?

Definitely, especially coupled with the lower weight. The 271 weighs more and has less power, and that is the wrong direction to go in.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

Ms-261cm offers more power for less weight. Costs $230 more. For some that is a deal breaker. For others it isnt. The CMQ seems like overkill to me.

 

[motownbrowne]

The extra power will be noticeable. The m-tronic feature is pretty interesting too. Although it adds a computer to a chainsaws, which you can't adjust with a screwdriver, it has a pretty major benefit: it's always tuned perfectly. The horsepower rating of the 271 will vary based on how good the tune is. You have to adjust the carb settings to compensate for things like gas to oil ratio, humidity, temperature, etc. If you are out of adjustment, your power will suffer. If you're far out of adjustment, the piston and cylinder may suffer, possibly catastrophically. This won't happen with the 261. Reports are that the m-tronic makes the saw really perform to the absolute best of its ability.

Also, because it is a professional grade saw, it's easier to rebuild. The non-pro saws are much more difficult to remove the cylinder on compared to pro saws.

I'd buy a 261 or 241 CM and skip the extra chain brake. Don't skip the chaps, ear protection, safety glasses and proper training to run one of these machines!