chain saws

Greetings all;

I am in need of advice re: best chain saw manufacturers and what characteristics to look for. I am looking for a chain saw for my son and my own experience with chain saws is somewhat dated; a number of years ago I had a McCulluch and I remember having a lot of trouble with the adjusting screw and reassemby after cleaning. My son has a large number of already felled trees to cut as well as about 12 - 15 trees (15in. diam. +/-) he wants to fell.

Any information/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely; JWoodman

 

jwoodman:

I used to own a McCullough and a Remington.
These saws are consumer grade units and are poorly made.

I now own a Stihl and a Jonsereds.
There is no comparison between these and the the other two in terms of quality.

I like the Stihl.
It's a bit lighter and quiter than the Jonsereds, and is more popular with the loggers around here.

If a lot of the trees are 15" plus I would go with an 18" bar.

Make sure complete safety equipment goes with that saw.
Helmet, faceshield, saw pants and safety boots are a must. I've had the misfortune of seeing someone come in contact with a chain and believe me, it isn't pleasant.

Some good saw info:

http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/agengin/g01959.htm

 

Poulan. And don't shop solely on bar size; you have to look at ENGINE size. I can put a 20" bar on a little bitty engine, but it's not going to cut well.

Also, I would invest in some simple sharpening equipment and learn how to use it for best cutting.

 

GregH & the-tow-guy;
Thanks for your information; I'll take it with me to the stores as soon as the snow lets up. In the mean time I'm surfing the web and brand names that are new to me keep appearing, namely Husqvarna and Echo...any thoughts on these? GregH, be assured that I will definitely take your safety suggestions to heart. Thanks again.

 

jwoodman:

Husqvarna is also a top grade saw and are seen in logging camps.
Echo is about as about as low on the ladder as you can get.

the_tow_guy is right about motor size. Don't pick the cheapest saw, even in the top brands.

If chain saws are new to you and your son you would be well served by shopping at a place that specializes in saws.
They can advise you on what you need and offer tips on use and care.

A fellow I know runs a Stihl dealership.
He tries to get a novice in the back with his new saw purchase, gives him a tank of oil and fuel and does a ten minute run through on operation and safety.
He stresses safety and boasts that none of his "graduates" has ever cut anything but wood.

 

Stihl is my #1 pick. Husquavarna is good, but dropping quickly. The rest is for someone else to buy and me to fix, lol...(I own a small engine repair service). Seriously...Stihl is top-notch, but will cost ya. I think Tow-guy might be thinking of a good experience with an OLD poulan...cause poulan saws have gotten really low in the quality dept lately. They used to be pretty good. They make craftsman's saws too. Chainsaws have pretty much evolved into two groups...cheap and junky, or real expensive and tough. Not much is in the middle of the road. Anyway...that's my two cents, and you'll need it and many more if you buy a good saw, lol!

 

WOW, you are GOOD, cheese. My Poulan is about 16 years old and still going strong (although it has developed an annoying problem of running best on half choke). As with a lot of products, newer doesn't always mean better.

 

I have owned a Craftsman 18", homelite 16", Poulin 16", and now a Stihl 16" model 018. I have to say that this is by far my best chain saw as a home owner.
All the other saws would cut fine when new and a new chain on them as just about any tool would perform. The Stihl seems to be easier for me to handle on my 12 acre lot. I have cut many trees that range from a little 2" diam. to a 14" or so pine.
Again I am just a home owner and not a pro logger. The price paid for my Stihl did not put me in the poor house and starting the machine is easy and it runs for some time before having to refuel it. I would consider the tool-less chain tightening system on your choice of saws as well. This feature comes in very handy.

 

GregH, the-tow-guy, Cheese & elderberry99, Thanks for your input. It looks like I'm going to be able to limit my shopping to Stihls and Husqvarnas. GregH, I especially appreciate your University of Missouri resource...the information they offer is perfect for me and my son.

 

Like any tool, it depens on what you are going to do with it. If you are going to use it a lot. and on large jobs get a still or a Husquavarna there is no compares!
If you are just looking to do some saw work for the ole fireplace and clean up some property, and just general farm and homeowner type work. Ya can pick up a poulin at lowes for a good price. And you will be suprised by there results, i sure was. I Have a 18" poulin"(green machine). And it has never let me down. I have worked it hard all day long and never has it failed to start right up and cut great.... It is a little heavy for my wimpy self and i have to set it down every little while. But the cost and performance outwiegh any inconvienience........

 

I own a Stihl and swear by it,as many of my friends and family do as well.Husky's are supposed to be a top notch saw but everyone I know who owns one has trouble starting them.Also go by engine size not blade size

 

When choosing a chainsaw you need to look at several different things. The first being what are you going to do with the saw? How big is the wood? And how much do you want to spend? Brand names come in after that...Jonsered, Stihl, and Husqvarna, all make a proline and a consumer line. Dolmar, Echo, Solo are other brands that build a very good saw. Another factor (and possibly the most important) to consider is your local dealer....you need good dealer support. Go down to your dealer and tell him what you want to do...let him show you the options that he has available to you and see if you are comfortable.

I personally own pretty much one of every brand name out there...but they all suit a certain purpose for me. I have a Husqvarna race saw...I have 2 Jonsered race saws and one for firewood. I have a Solo top handle...I have a "Realtree Camo" Poulan that has vegetable oil in the oil tank for riding on my quad while hunting...I have another race powerhead that is Stihl. What I am getting at...is that each brand builds saws for different purposes...

Let us know how you make out!!

 

To say that Echo is the lowest you can go on the list is absurd,
they make a good saw and trimmer.
Poulan, Homelite, and McColluch are fighting hard to dominate the
bottom of the list.
One name not mentioned, that would be at the top is
Shindaiwa.
No matter what brand you choose, pick one that you can
easily find parts for.
Fish

 

Johnboy...they still let you post here? wow!! lol...good to see you here...
Yep I forgot Shindaiwa...my bad....that 488 is a fantastic little saw...I have several here in town that are still using them after 10 years of abuse.

 

For the most part Poulan, McCulloch, are saws of the past. Are fathers owned these saws when they were still decent. Now, the big dogs are Stihl and Jonsered. Oh and Husqvarna is in there to but is loosing a lot of favor with dealers ever since they decided to go into Lowes and Sears. We dropped our Husqvarna line because of that and stuck with Jonsered. Like previously stated by most of the other guys, Stihl is a great saw the 025 would suit your needs for felling and clearing trees 12+/-. Also, the new Jonsered 2152 is a great competitor and will also suit your needs for clearing and felling 12-15 +/-. It also depends on what you want to spend. I try to convey to customers to buy a little bigger than they think they will need. It is always safer to have that extra bar length or a little extra power then it is to force a "to small" saw through a job it wasn't meant for. Think about buying your son some safety equipment as well. Chaps, safety helmet and comfortable gloves are important. A lot of guys won't wear them because they say they are not comfortable, well I say neither is a chain spinning at 13,500 RPM's through the knee cap.