Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: MillCreek on March 04, 2018, 03:09:59 PM
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I will be in the market for a consumer-grade two-stroke chainsaw with a 16-18 inch bar. I don't require a professional-grade like an Echo or Husqvarna. This will primarily be used for cleaning up fallen trees, taking down broken trees and the like. If you have any experience or knowledge and can recommend a brand or specific model, please do.
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I will be in the market for a consumer-grade two-stroke chainsaw with a 16-18 inch bar. I don't require a professional-grade like an Echo or Husqvarna. This will primarily be used for cleaning up fallen trees, taking down broken trees and the like. If you have any experience or knowledge and can recommend a brand or specific model, please do.
Yes. You do.
Echo, Poulan, and the rest will end up eating more time, energy, and money trying to keep the damn thing running, or get it started in the first place, than money saved on a good saw. ESPECIALLY if it's going to sit a couple months between uses. A good saw will fire up and run, where as a "homeowner grade" saw will need a tune up and probably parts to even start after a couple months sitting.
Here's a 16" Husky for $269. Good small saw. (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Husqvarna-435-40-9-cc-2-cycle-16-in-Gas-Chainsaw/1000257543)
I used real saws to cut firewood in AK growing up, and when I got my first house in FL, I made the same mistake you are about to. I thought "I just need a small light saw for the occasional logs and trimming" Had a Craftsman (from pawn shop) an Echo and a Poulan Pro. All were crap, although the craftsman was the best of the crap. The Poulan was activly dangerous because you needed to hold the trigger down to get it running, so when it finally started, it went to full chooch right away. (watch your feet). The echo wouldn't run if elevated above your head. THe gas pickup was designed badly.
Finally sucked it up and bough a Husky like I had up north. Works every time, starts with no fuss, will actually idle if you set it down to move a tree. I used it to cut out of my neighborhood and into a friends after Irma last year. It was worth it's weight in gold vs. my neighbors trying to get their saws started.
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Stihl.
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Wow, how very helpful, DM. Some definite things to consider. I thought that Huskys were really expensive, but apparently not.
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They have different grades. I have a Husqvarna 445 rancher, not a pro model, but very good. It's that or Stihl. My dad got a Stihl arborist saw and it is very easy starting and light. Three bills or so. Anything past those two brands, skip it.
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Stihl or Husqvarna
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16” Husqvarna has served me well over the last 20 years. Buy once rather than the consumer-grade installment plan. ;)
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I've had Stihl and Solo user lust after my Poulan for how well it cuts and how easy it is to start. It might be a one off or it might be how I treat it.
I cut hedge almost exclusively so the saw has to be tough. Fresh treated fuel and keep a sharp chain.
I wish I could find parts for my prekickback macs. They are beasts.
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Stihl MS170 is a good bang for the buck. 33cc engine and light. I plan on getting one soon. I've had Poulan, Homelite, Echo, and Stihl. The only one that was junk was the Poulan. My Homelite was a 50cc saw from a pawnshop ($80) that took over 20 years of abuse, and would still start if I needed it. My Echo, another 50cc saw,was another pawnshop buy ($90) that has been a wonder. It's light and handy, and will start no matter if it sits one week or several months. My Stihl is a monster at 70cc with a 20" or 28" bar. I only own it because, why not? We have heated with wood, either partially or wholly, for about 40 years.
All that said, the pros almost exclusively use either Stihls or Huskys.
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Come up my way and visit Woods Logging. Great shop and excellent support for what they sell. They can help you pick out the right saw for your needs. If you can wait until July there are great deals on barely used saws after Loggerodeo. They donate saws for the carving competition and then afterwards they sell them at used prices with full factory warranty. Most will have less than 3 hours on them.
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I got an Echo CS-310 I bought new 18 months ago to cut up a mulberry tree in my backyard. I've used it 3 or 4 times since then. I never had a problem getting it started after sitting months at a time, but I do buy the quart cans of premixed 2 stroke fuel.
My only issue is it's a bit underpowered for what I'm used to in older saws I've used or owned. Plus I hate the low kick back chain. I really like an aggressive chain when cutting. No problem working overhead.
Would I buy it again, sure just a fine saw for $200 new.
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I have an Echo CS-660EVL that's close to 30 years old. Still runs good. It's powerful as all get-out, and I kinda wish it had a chain brake. I use a 20" bar on it; it will take up to a 27" I also have a little Echo CS-2000 that I like (I think that's the model number; 12" bar and a top handle so you can use it one-handed), but it has a primer bulb so it's a lot more temperamental than the big saw.
I would have no qualms with buying a new Echo saw, just a little smaller one than my 660.
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Stihl or Husqvarna
+++
Save $50 and spend $200 keeping it running with the discount brands.
I have a stihl that is 20 years old. I've spent less than $100 on it in shop work since I bought it new. It will fire up and cut like a raped ape when I need it.
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Stihl.
Like the rest said, buy once cry once. The real key to keeping a 2 stroke that you only use occasionally running is to use NO ETHANOL. For your purposes, I'd buy the Stihl ready mix stuff in a can and never worry about it.
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If you cut a lot you can find a place that sells Sunoco leaded race gas in five gallon cans. That, a place that sells no ethanol, or the pre mix. And despite my love for Stihl and Husqvarna I did get a $20 pawn shop homelite that is still going strong for the person I gave it to 15 years ago.
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I worked for a tree service for a couple of years while I was trying to get my business up and running. They mostly had Stihls, and I grew to hate them. Some of them are now made in China, and there's a very big difference in quality between their homeowner line and their pro line. The homeowner stuff now all have plastic crank cases. I can't bring myself to trust an engine made of plastic.
I have a Dolmar PS421. 42cc, magnesium crank case, punches way above its weight. Comes with a 16" bar, but will pull an 18" no problem. In the US, pros all use Husky or Stihl, elsewhere it's Husky, Stihl, or Dolmar. Dolmar actually were the inventors of the gasoline powered chainsaw.
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Brass Eagle made the 1st commercial paintball marker but their line was superseded by several others and Brass Eagle is no more. Being 1st only means you were first, not the best as time passes.
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Brass Eagle made the 1st commercial paintball marker but their line was superseded by several others and Brass Eagle is no more. Being 1st only means you were first, not the best as time passes.
True, I only mentioned that fact to highlight the point that they'd been around for quite a while. It's not a commonly known brand, at least around here; but I'll put their quality with the absolute best that the other big two can put out. I've never heard anything bad about a Husky; but I'd prefer to never have to try and start a Stihl again.
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True. I just have heard others, not really here, make that false equivalence and it irritates me. More clarifying than dismissing the brand.
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I've used a lot of chainsaws over the years. My information/observations are a bit dated, though, as most of it was accumulated in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Echos were OK for light work, but in general just couldn't handle the stress of the kind of timbering we were doing in the 1980s, which was clearing a LOT of gypsy moth killed trees and turning it into firewood.
McCullochs were decent, but again, had trouble standing up to the kind of use they were getting.
Stihls were, hands down, the best I've used. You could use one all day and it would be looking at you as if to say "That's all? Lazy bastard!"
I only used a couple of Huskys over the years, but they were OK.
Hands down the biggest pains in the ass brand was Poulan. Getting them to start when they were cold was just annoying as hell. More than a few times in the winter we pulled the sparkplug and used a propane torch to heat it. They also tended to flood if you held them up at an angle and tended to flood when trying to start them.
Generally, though, once you got them going they performed decently, but because of the cold start issues they have always been my last choice.
Here's a review of some chainsaws that this site found to be the best. https://bestreviews.com/best-gas-chainsaws
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Here's a review of some chainsaws that this site found to be the best.
??? :P
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Damn it, I ever didn't paste the link in, or I overwrote it.
https://bestreviews.com/best-gas-chainsaws
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Just saw the comments about Stihl being hard to start. I never found that to be the case. Even in cold weather I found Stihls to be about the easiest to get started.
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The last time I had a tree across the drive taking out the power line the brush crew coundn't get their stihl's started we used my "junk" poulan to clear the large cottonwood.
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What, nobody beat me to it?
(https://i.imgur.com/khWyEP9.jpg)
It's got a forward stroke and a backward stroke...
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Pruned a green ash tree after work with my Echo. I haven't started it in 6 months, but after I primed it good, it started right up and now I have a trailer load of logs and brush to get rid of tomorrow before the storm. Cut through a 12" branch going slow, just wish it had more power, not used to having to wait for a saw on wood smaller than the bar length.
For a firewood/trimming saw I'm starting to like it, not regretting the purchase. Definitely not a bad saw like people say they are. I'd need something bigger for a felling saw.
My father has burned up a few Stihl saws over the years, so they aren't all they are cracked up to be either. I've seen Huskys fail too.
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For what it's worth, I recently purchased a Black & Decker CS1518 electric chain saw off Amazon. I was looking at various flavors of gas powered Stihl saws from the local dealer, but was really not wanting to deal with another 2-cycle power tool.
It's 120VAC powered, 15 amp, with an 18 inch bar. It comes with an Oregon brand chain and bar.
B&D has been iffy on their power tools for a number of years, but this thing got good reviews wherever I looked it up. I figured at less than $75 I wouldn't be out much if it tanked on me.
I've cut about three dozen 14 inch long rounds out of the two hardwood trees that came down in last year's tornado, plus many smaller branches and such off the same trees. The trees are 24 inches in diameter, so it can handle large stuff well enough.
It's easy on bar oil, and the Oregon chains cut like butter through the hard wood as long as they are sharp.
Overall, it's been a very good saw thus far, and I'm quite happy with it. I've got a lot more wood to cut with it, so that will give me a chance to see how it holds up over time.
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Starting about a month ago, I went out in search of an 18 inch Husky or Stihl medium duty chainsaw. I went to the big box stores, the local hardware stores, and the local power equipment stores. I was surprised to see that Husky, Stihl, and many other brands were sold out or otherwise not available. The local Home Depots were completely out of gas chainsaws and Lowe's only had Craftsman available. The power equipment stores had the logger-level saws, but were also out of consumer-grade. I ended up getting an 18 inch Poulan Pro from Amazon. I see that Husky has bought Poulan, and the Pro line has many Husky parts in it. I have a lot of cleanup to do in the forested back third of our lot after our wet and windy winter. I wonder what the deal is with the chainsaw supply chain right now. Maybe they are all sitting in a container ship off Long Beach waiting to dock.
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I’ll be picking up an MS-261 soon. The “pro” level saws are so much better built, and repairable, compared to homeowner saws it’s totally worth the extra money.
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^^^I had looked at Coastal in Mt. Vernon and they were out of stock, at least two weeks ago. Oddly enough, they had scads of the DeWalt cordless chain saws.
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Woods Logging here in Sedro Woolley is where you should be going.
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Starting about a month ago, I went out in search of an 18 inch Husky or Stihl medium duty chainsaw. I went to the big box stores, the local hardware stores, and the local power equipment stores. I was surprised to see that Husky, Stihl, and many other brands were sold out or otherwise not available. The local Home Depots were completely out of gas chainsaws and Lowe's only had Craftsman available. The power equipment stores had the logger-level saws, but were also out of consumer-grade. I ended up getting an 18 inch Poulan Pro from Amazon. I see that Husky has bought Poulan, and the Pro line has many Husky parts in it. I have a lot of cleanup to do in the forested back third of our lot after our wet and windy winter. I wonder what the deal is with the chainsaw supply chain right now. Maybe they are all sitting in a container ship off Long Beach waiting to dock.
Huh. I just checked the Stihl site, and if you go to your local dealer's site, they usually list the prices. Now it just says "call". I wonder if it's a parts thing, like with the computer chips for cars right now?
I have a Stihl MS250. My intention when I got it was to get the 271 Farm Boss, but my dealer talked me out of it as overkill and put me in the MS250. I'm very happy with it. I have used it a lot more than I thought I would, and it handles downed trees/limbs and firewood, which is 90% of my use, with no problems. Real pleasure to use. As long as I follow the Stihl starting procedure, it's up and running right away, every time.
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I’ll be picking up an MS-261 soon. The “pro” level saws are so much better built, and repairable, compared to homeowner saws it’s totally worth the extra money.
That’s my next one. I’m still running an over 20 year old 029 Farm Boss with 20” bar. Still cuts like crazy but it’s heavy. The new saws are lighter. I have a 201T arborist saw that is real handy for smaller stuff.
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That’s my next one. I’m still running an over 20 year old 029 with 20” bar. Still cuts like crazy but it’s heavy. The new saws are lighter. I have a 201T arborist saw that is real handy for smaller stuff.
My tree guys, who are coincidentally coming out next week to take out a dozen of these %&^(*^% %&^* Russian Olive trees, used those little arborist saws for like 80% of their work when they were out last year. They were pretty much using the big logger saws only for the tree trunks.
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Woods Logging here in Sedro Woolley is where you should be going.
I will have to bear that in mind as a side trip the next time I am up at Skagit Arms.
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My brother bought a Green-something 40V electric 16" chainsaw and a matching pole saw. I haven't used the chainsaw yet but I have used the polesaw, and within its range much to my surprise it works as well as a Stihl professional polesaw that I've used a few times. Mainly it doesn't have the reach of the Stihl because the shaft doesn't telescope. The battery lasts longer than you'd expect.
I bought an Echo CS-580 "Timberwolf" recently, with a 20" bar. I was going to get it with the 18" bar because I have a spare 20 already but the guy at the saw shop talked me out of it. It's not as powerful as my old CS-660 but it's close, and it is so much easier to start and it's lighter and more nimble. I highly recommend it. Also, it doesn't have a primer bulb and that's a big plus in my opinion because that's a weak link and they will fail on you. This saw (and my old 660) start okay without a primer bulb; in fact it's easy to flood it if you don't release the choke the first time it "pops". It will start on the next pull.
I'm in Texas right now, just north of Houston. I went looking for non-ethanol gasoline and it almost doesn't exist in this state. (I am disappoint) I did find some at a marina on Lake Livingston, and I was going to Livingston anyway, but it's only 87 octane. I bought it, but I really wanted 89 or 91 octane. The ready to use 2-cycle fuel is $20 a gallon at Home Depot and $30 a gallon for the Stihl brand at Southern Tractor. That might be another reason to go electric.
ETA: The electric saws are Greenworks brand
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My brother bought a Green-something 40V electric 16" chainsaw and a matching pole saw. I haven't used the chainsaw yet but I have used the polesaw, and within its range much to my surprise it works as well as a Stihl professional polesaw that I've used a few times. Mainly it doesn't have the reach of the Stihl because the shaft doesn't telescope. The battery lasts longer than you'd expect.
I have to say, I bought the expensive Stihl professional pole saw, and while it's an awesome saw, it's heavy enough and awkward fully extended that I only use it where I absolutely have to. Most of the time I end up reaching for my Harbor Freight battery pole saw. I need to figure out a good harness for the Stihl, because it's a workout just holding it in my hands.
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With stuff like chainsaws I'm firmly in the camp of "buy once, cry once".
A high quality saw will last most folks a lifetime with proper use and maintenance.
I've got 2 Stihl saws, both running 20" bars.
MS271
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms271/ (https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms271/)
MS362
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/ms362/ (https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/ms362/)
I've had the 271 for going on a decade or more now. It's never given me a hint of trouble, except that time I loaned it to my brother and I had a hell of a time getting it to run right after that, I think he used the cheapest oil byproduct he could find to run in it. I try not to loan him power tools, particularly small engine stuff. Sometimes he's the kind of guy that could *expletive deleted*ck up a good anvil with one use.
I've had the 362 for going on 3 years. I got it to run in my Alaskan chainsaw mill. For it's size it is an absolute beast.
My little 18" McColloch that I've had for 25 years has pretty well expired and I'm thinking about adding another Stihl to the stable
Either the 462 or the 500 so I can run a wider cut with my Alaskan mill
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/ms462cm/ (https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/ms462cm/)
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/ms500i/
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I will have to bear that in mind as a side trip the next time I am up at Skagit Arms.
Let me know when you do. We can grab a beer or coffee while you’re up this way.