Who makes a decent chainsaw?

[skent]

I noticed if I store my Poulan and it's not level (sitting flat) it will leak. Since I've started storing it on a flat surface - it hasn't leaked at all.

Steve

 

[dmccarty]

jyoutz,

I thought about getting another chainsaw but for a couple of pounds difference AND a big Chunk O Change I decided I could not justify the dollars. When I'm doing my land clearing chainsaw workouts I really need the extra umph of the 046. I go from cutting 1 inch saplings to clear out a safe area so I can cut a 20+ inch log. I was thinking of this thread this weekend when I was going from 1 to 20+. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Most of the work that would be nice to have a smaller saw will go away over the next year as I cut up the down oak tops. Once they are gone I really only need one saw. I do keep multiple chains and two bars. That way if I manage to pinch the saw I can leave the bar and the chain in the tree, put on another bar/chain, and have at it. Cheaper than another saw.... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

And of course I NEVER get the saw pinched! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Plastic wedges really do prevent pinches.

Later...
Dan

 

[Anonymous Poster]

An 046 for everything? Remind me not to arm wrestle with you. And remember - if it has an engine, it's a hobby - you don't have to justify it......

 

[dmccarty]

Pat,

I think our property is past the hobby stage but I don't think I can get the IRS to aggree. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Its not my arm muscles that are big its my back muscles! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I had a coworker, who just moved to NY chasing after a particular women, who was very into body building and lifting weights. I nicknamed him Muscles and everyone at work picked up on the new name! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I worked out with him a couple of times and wished I could have done more but lacked the time. I tried for a couple of years to get him to work on the property and put his Muscles to good use. I told him we would build his body past anything Arnold ever dreamed of with REAL WORK. Not playing around with little itty bitty iron weights. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I was going to let him play cord wood basket ball, put on and take off 3PH attachements, cut up trees, get the chainsaw unpinched, pick up cut up saplings, cut down saplings with a brush cutter, etc. By the time he was done he would KNOW a REAL WORK OUT! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Not playing around with little bitty iron thingys in an air conditioned gym. Be a real man and do Dan's Patented Farm Work Out! Sweat in the heat, humidity, and full sun while doging wasps, black berry vines, poison oak/sumac, hornets, squeeters, chiggers, and ticks! *** I'LL *** be your personal trainer Mr. Muscles and I won't charge a dime! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

You know, he never did show up for my Patented Farm Work Out. He always had an excuse! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I wonder why? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Later...
Dan

 

[Richard]

Doc,

I'm afraid mine doesn't have a decompression. I looked at their website and found the only model that referenced a decompression is the 046 and up. Maybe if they now put one on the 044, I just got an old stock version. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Richard

 

[shade2u2]

I bought a Poulan (lowest grade on sale) 2 yrs ago & it clogged up, went though chains, wouldn't run sometimes, etc. I got a Stihl like "everybody" recommended (higher grade model#? @ twice the $) & it is a great saw that is built much heavier...

 

[woodstock]

Homelite, never heard of it but all I knew was it was on a 50% sale for $75.00 Canadian and that's about all I had after I bought our property in 1982.
Well it clear a 1/2 acre of Burr Oaks, tough as rusty nails, so we could build our home.
Then the next someone bought a lot two doors down. He came over to see who I got to clear the lot and I showed him Homelite. Offered to borrow it to him, he offered to buy half of it. So I sold him half for $75. (Bad at Math Good at Buisness)
Well he cleared his 1/2 acre and then some.
5 years later he cleared a cottage lake lot and last year I started clearing our retirement property. In between it cut 1 cord of fire wood every year and the odd pruning job here or there.
Homellite, never heard of it. I do know one thing, It better not break because Homelite probably went out of business 10 years ago.
Homelite 36cc 14 inch bar, weights in at a one armed 9.5 pounds and stilll humming.
Homelite cost me nothing and it owes me the same.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
2001 BX2200
All Kubota FEL,
Tiller, box blade,
blower w/elec shute,
60 mid mt deck.
Ag tires on order.
Traded up from a 1984 JD 316 after 687 hrs.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Homelite never went out of business... they were just bought up...by JD...

Hey you have Green and Orange! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[ronjhall]

John
<font color=orange>ORANGE</font color=orange> and not very much<font color=red> Green</font color=green>./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Have a great day./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[JonE]

I recently purchased a Husky 372 xpg (it has handle bar and carb warmers, you know bells and whistles). I absolutley love it! I used it at a friends house on a couple trees. When I stopped for a break he asked "what is that thing?" He had never heard something rev so high. You just don't notice because it is so smooth. I highly recommend it!
Only thing I didn't like about Stihl is the steel clutches they use make a nasty racket. But that is just a minor thing.

 

[djradz]

Grant, check out the features. Everyone like to compare Husky, but in my mind, after owning one Husky, buying and returing another, and owning 3 Stihl's, I say their is no comparison. Just look! Stihl has a chain oiling system that actually puts all the oil onto the chain. Husky's has half of it leak out into the brake area because it's of such a poor design. Look at the puddle they leave when they're shut off and sat for a little while. It's all that oil that collected under the cover and never made it to the chain. Ever try to change the air filter on a Husky - you have to take off a set of screws and pull half the saw's cover to get at it. The Stihl has one easy to turn knob. How about the chain brake. Huskys' on the outside and continually full of oily saw dust (because of all the leaking). Stihl's is sealed and kept entirely clean. How easy is it to get at the chain adjuster. Again, Stihl has made it easy. What about starting the saw. How easy is it to set the choke, turn the saw on, and set the throttle. Again, Shihl has it hands down. Their engine quality is second to none. All cast parts, two piston rings vs the one found on many of the competitors. I'm no Stihl dealer, but have bought three of them as replacements for a Husky, Sears and Sach's-Dolmar. With a Stihl, you will never go wrong. Spend the extra money and buy one. If you want to go cheap, Poulan, Sears-Poulan are about as good as any. Echo, Sachs-Dolmar, etc are all in the same category as Husky, nice, but not the best. Make sure you seriously consider what you are going to do with it. If you've gotten by with a small saw, but just want something slightly larger, you probably should look at the Stihl 026 or 026Pro @ 10.6 lbs, or for a slightly larger saw, the 036Pro @ 12.8 lbs. Both are extremely light for the hp ratings, @ 3.5 hp and 4.4 hp respectively.

 

[Boondox]

I've had two Stihls, a Jonsered, and three Huskys and never had any of the problems you mentioned. On my present saw (a Husky) the chain oil stays on the chain with no leakage, the air filter cover is held on with two clips, the compression release makes starting a snap on the first or second pull.

I've had excellent experiences with all three brands, and advise people to get the one that is most easily serviced where they live. Stating categorically that one brand or another is a hunk of junk is not constructive feedback!!!

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
yea stihl is a good saw ,i would not go as far as great but thats cos i don't like the feel of them .as for working on them there is something with the bore in a stihl about the amount of times ya can rebuild them .huskys leaking oil is a prob with a few saws (not just huskys )but there new ones have a oil pump that only pumps at rev's ie, it don't pump at idle..loggers here in NZ ,run huskys and stihls with a few dolmars ..the guys i worked with in the trees had a husky and stihl so over a few beers the storys come out about who's best, each one had strong points and weak points ,we swaped saws ,had cut off races,etc etc but none of us changed brands.bottom line is if ya get a good run ya stick with it ,i say buy a dolmar others say buy stihl ,husky etc etc.
any of the main 3 stihl,husky,dolmar are all based on logging backgrounds, they have been there since the early chain saws and are still in biz .
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[gordon]

He is right about the chain adjuster. A couple of people had to switch to Stihls on larger Alaskan saw mills because you have to take the saw off (husky) to adjust the chain. Where as on a Stihl you can tension the chain on the mill. They also checked to see if Husky was going to change the adjustment to the side anytime soon and the rep said that he had no news of anything in the near future. So they switched to the Sthil because of that. Not because they didn't like the Huskys.

But for oil leaks on the huskys yea a couple of models had their problems, as did some of the stihls. So it's a trade off thing. Both brands of saws are very good choices just some models in each of their lines are better than others.

As for removing the airfilters. On my worst husky with a full wrap handle it takes all of about 45 seconds on a bad day. Four screws, thats it. Starting the Husky can be easily done with my eyes closed and my left hand. Zip Zam Zoom. Boy oh boy that decompression knob sure is nice to have, husky has had them for years. No starter cord ripped out of your hands.

I've heard that the new 350 series of husky has a few problems to be worked out. But I haven't cut with one let alone seen one as of yet.

Also the new Sthil has a catalitic converter on it.

Bottom line to this whole thread is the same as saying that Kubota is way better than New Holland. Some say yes some say no. Same as Husky and Stihl, both been in business for years and both make good saws. Just rate your dealer.

nuff said
Gordon

 

[JohnMiller3]

Chainsaws like tractors, another loaded question...
An on going poll of who's the best...

With over 1,800 votes cast, Husqvarna was the chain saw of choice as voted on by About Forestry readers. Here is the tally ranked by brand of saw through May 22, 2001:

Husqvarna - 743
Stihl - 723
Jonsered - 131
Echo - 76
All others - 139

As you can see, voting for top two was extremely close with only 20 votes separating first and second place. Husqvarna pulled in 41% of the votes but was nearly overtaken by Stihl at 40%. Other saws included in the poll included Jonsered with 7% of the votes and Echo with 4%. The voting still continues (see attached poll).

Chain saw users overwhelmingly agree on their preference for both Husqvarna and Stihl saws.
[from the Web}

"You are what you eat, drink, think, say and do..."

 

[Joeinindy]

I went with Sthil because it matched my Kubota's colors! No really my dealer carries both Sthil and Echo and after he showed me the merits of both units I felt the Sthil had the edge. The only place I could find Husky was at at farm and fleet store and they didn't know jack about them and service would be questionable. I have owned the cheap brands of both chain saws and trimmers and there is a big difference in performance and quality. I have a Sthil FS85 that doubles as a trimmer and pole saw and it is tough as nails, the chain saw is only 6 mo. old so it hasn't had the long haul test yet, but so far it is a gem.

 

[JohnS]

I also have a 16" Mac, which was originaly purchased for yardwork, limbing, and keeping the hedgerow in check. It came with a case, extra chain, oil, and tools for $99. It performed these tasks well. After expanding my property lines, and using it on dropping trees in > 10" diameter range, I wish I had that foresight and went for an 18" Husky or Stihl. The saw has been holding-up well though, but I sharpen the chain regularly and run stabilizer in the gas/oil mixture. I never know how long it will sit before its next use.

The only issue I have with it, it tends to use allot of chain oil, sometimes a light spray will come off the chain. Is this too much oil, and is there an adjustment?

My dad on the other hand, who has heated his home with wood, for as long as I can remember, has had Macs, Poulan, and Stihls. He cuts around 12-14 facecord a season, either trees on his property or from log loads. The Stihls have lasted the longest, and are still around. No pun intended! From what I have heard about Huskys, I would assume very close performance and quality to the Stihl.

My daughter has one of those cute Husky promo dogs from a couple of years ago. It has survived well with abuse ! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JohnS

 

[JonE]

Gordon, my Husky 372 has the side chain tensioner and chain oil pump. No leaks, chain stays tight, filter removes with 2 clips. Very nice! The side tensioner is a definate improvement!!!!

 

[gordon]

Yup your right the 372xp is the largest at this time that husky has the side tensioner on. That I know of. But the 372 is not large enough to run a 36inch bar in hardwoods. So that is why the change to Stihl on the large Alaskan sawmills.

That 372 is a cuttin machine isn't it?? Excellant power to weight ratio and nice rpm. It's the updated version of my 272xp, also a cuttin machine.

Sorry for any confusion
Gordon