Chain Saw Recommendations

[GCroyle]

OK, I'm in the market for a new chain saw, asking for your recommendations, first hand, yup, it's in my garage and I'd buy it again.



Homeowner use, cutting firewood, just had a 30" diameter oak come down in a storm last week and my saw didn't make it through the entire job. It' one of those tools that I will own and want a good reliable one. I have only had 2 saws in about 40 years. The first was a Sears that weighed WAY TOO much, all metal, loud as heck. Then a few years back I bought a "modern" saw it had a 20" bar, ran good, but it died, might have overheated it, siezed, damaged piston and ring.



So what brands do you guys like?



Thanks.

 

[TimBrunett]

I like Husqvarna over Stihl. But both are good. I work for a outdoor power sales store. We are dealers for Husqvarna and Stihl. We sell and repair both and we stock a full line of parts too. I see fewer Husky's in for repair than Stihl's. Husky has a two year homeowner warranty whereas Stihl has a one year warranty. Yet I repeat that both hare top line saws. The other brands of saws are not in the same league, forget them. My 2 cents worth.

TB

 

[jgillott]

We have 3 Stihl saws that work several days a week during the winter that I highly recommend. Two of them are professional grade Sthil 361's with 20" bars. One of them is even used to run one of those Alaskan Portable Sawmills. No issues other than routine maintanence.



The third is a Stihl 230 CE with a 18" bar. It is a lighter weight saw but has more than enough power for some pretty heavy use. I've only had it about 6 months, but it also has been perfect.

 

[GHarman]

OK, I'm in the market for a new chain saw, asking for your recommendations, first hand, yup, it's in my garage and I'd buy it again.



Homeowner use, cutting firewood, just had a 30" diameter oak come down in a storm last week and my saw didn't make it through the entire job. It' one of those tools that I will own and want a good reliable one. I have only had 2 saws in about 40 years. The first was a Sears that weighed WAY TOO much, all metal, loud as heck. Then a few years back I bought a "modern" saw it had a 20" bar, ran good, but it died, might have overheated it, siezed, damaged piston and ring.



So what brands do you guys like?



Thanks.

I have a Jonsereds, 16" roller nose bar, with an Oregon Chain. and a Sears Electric 20". The Jonsereds is more than 30 years old and has cut MANY Cords of wood. I use the electric for convienence trimming around the house and an occasional limb. GregH

 

[CThomsen]

I've had a Jonsred for about 10 years. No major problems and still cuts great.

 

[seafish]

I live in Logging Country. People working in the woods here use almost exclusively Stihl, with Husky being second.
I myself like the Husky that I have used for 12 years.

You probably can't go wrong with either of them. Just be sure to mix your fuel right and keep the chain tensioned right and OUT of the dirt.

 

[Dl5treez]

1. Stihl

2. Husqvarna





... just based on personal preference. I have had better luck personally with Stihls and prefer their design/ergonomics to Husky... . but Huskys are a tremendous chainsaw as well. You can't really go wrong with either one.



Just a little more info---both brands offer "homeowner/midrange/occasional use" lines of saws which are cheaper in price AND quality than the professional/heavy use lines that made them so famous..... this was partially to compete with the "other" brands (Echo, Poulan, etc) to get their name into that market..... IMHO I wouldn't own a Stihl or Husky homeowner line saw. I would own a couple of the midrange saws, but for the money, the pro line saws from either Stihl or Husky are going to last a lifetime for a few extra dollars on initial purchase.



Use the right fuel and right oil mix, keep it maintained, and a pro line Stihl or Husky will be your last chainsaw purchase... ever.

 

[JKloppe]

This is your saw. It has enough power for what you need (from reading above post) and lite enough for a long days work. I was an arborist for 8 years, and have used and owned lots of saws.



MS 260 PRO Chain Saw - STIHL Incorporated USA - Products - Manufacturing the World's Number One Selling Brand of Chain Saws



The 360 has more grunt, but they are 2 lbs heaver and will wear you out faster, most times I would grab a 26 before a 36, if I needed more I would go to the 66.

 

[kkreigh]

I have had a Stihl 0/28 model for 22 years. I heat with wood 100% in Missouri also for 22 years. I have cut wood with that saw and cleared a lot of brush on the farm. The engine has always started easily. I have never had it in the shop. I have replaced numerous chains and a few bars which wore out.



I have had great luck with Stihl brush trimmers and blowers for the last ten years. Same as the chain saw never been in the shop.



I just bought two new Stihls for my employer.

 

[icman95]

My first saw was a Sears and it was good enough to cut, say twigs, but then I got wise and bought a Stihl. Loved it until the motor blew up, but I think that was due to bad/old fuel. Just to try something different, I bought a Husky next and like it even better than the Stihl. Slightly lighter and more power than the Stihl and it starts easier. It came with a fairly mild chain but I just recently put a really aggressive one on and it seems like it will eat through anything now. Love my Husky 455 Rancher.

 

[GCroyle]

Wow, nice recommendations.

Looks like Stihl and Husky are tops, Greg, I don't know if your Jonsenerd is still avail in my area, haven't seen one, haven't looked for one either.



OK, get your snickering over with, lots might say, I told you so. My "dead" saw is a Poulan Pro 295, ring seized, piston scuffed. Ran great, good manners, thought I had a good one. Blah Blah Blah. When we were cutting this up last sunday, I let my neighbor use my saw, shoulda already learned my lesson from when my Dad loaned our nearly new Sears back the the late sixty's, didn't come back as the same saw. He was cutting some of the big sections and I was trying to start another saw, the big sections had a full bar hi rpm load on it plus the exhaust was blowing right into a dead air pocket saw/log/dirt I know that made it hotter, we may never know what did it in. I have owned a lot of 2 strokes, long story.



JKloppe, your link to the MS260 Pro, hadn't looked at the Pro series, but I did find the MS310, nice input, gives me some food for thought and looks like it is about $100 more than the MS310, it's only money, wait, today IS my birthday, time to get a present!



I'll go shopping tomorrow, time to get or order a new saw.

 

[GHarman]

Jonsereds Saws

Gary, Just did a quick search for you to get some price ranges. Jonse-REDS not NERDS:-laf. Here is A link! GregH



JONSERED Chain Saws - Chainsaws



Here is another.



JONSERED CHAINSAW SUPERSTORE - JONSERED CHAINSAWS - CHAIN SAWS AND CHAIN SAW PRODUCTS - STIHL / HUSQVARNA / JONSERED / ECHO / MCCULLOUCH / POULAN COMPARISON PAGE.

 

[GCroyle]

Before You Buy - America's Favorite Chainsaw



Hey guys, we gotta get up real early and be real sharp to get one by Greg. I took a quick look at the link, then did a search and came up with this link. They surveyed over 3000 users for their favorites. The link also has a lot of interesting looking articles, might check later.



Husky and Stihl ruled the survey.



My neighbor and I in the mid 70's raced Husky's in Hare Scrambles back in OH, he was really tough, a winner, I was an also ran, he also had a Husky saw, impressive as I remember.



Need to kick some bars.

 

[Dl5treez]

Nothing wrong with the older Poulans... . many guys run those as hot stock saws in professional cutting classes at logging shows up here.

Same with the older Homelite/Jonesered saws.

I'm just a Stihl guy, born & bred..... 031, 032, 044, 046 Magnum, 066, 090 (yikes), MS460, MS660... . but we use them for business, too.

Here's a lot of great chainsaw info for ya to chew on:

Pro Saw Menu

Guide Bar & Saw Chain Menu

oops..... I left out my favorite 034 and 036 PRO.

 

[GCroyle]

Time for a new sub forum?



Firewood Heating and Logging? or something like that.

 

[Parks]

Hey Gary,

I am with Dl5treez. I am a Stihl guy and would be hard pressed to get anything else. Everyone in my family has always used them and still have them today. I have two. An O31 and an O32 both are over 30 years old and work great.

good luck hunting.

 

[hcole]

I have had a Stihl 0/28 model for 22 years. I heat with wood 100% in Missouri also for 22 years. I have cut wood with that saw and cleared a lot of brush on the farm. The engine has always started easily. I have never had it in the shop. I have replaced numerous chains and a few bars which wore out.



I have had great luck with Stihl brush trimmers and blowers for the last ten years. Same as the chain saw never been in the shop.



I just bought two new Stihls for my employer.

I agree 100% with you. I've had a Stihl 0/28 model for 29 years and only replaced bars and MANY chains. I heat with wood ONLY and it never fails me and I show it no mercy. I do believe the one I have is a commerical model though. Hope this helps.

 

[FordCummins]

Just my 2 cents, but I recently bought a new Stihl MS361, with a 20" bar and am absolutely convinced this is one of the best firewood/ bad *** pro series saws ever made, especially for homeowner use.

 

[EBolgiano]

This is your saw. It has enough power for what you need (from reading above post) and light enough for a long days work. I was an arborist for 8 years, and have used and owned lots of saws.



MS 260 PRO Chain Saw - STIHL Incorporated USA - Products - Manufacturing the World's Number One Selling Brand of Chain Saws



The 360 has more grunt, but they are 2 lbs heaver and will wear you out faster, most times I would grab a 26 before a 36, if I needed more I would go to the 66.

I have a MS260 and it is a great saw. The power to weight ratio is excellent. I paid $450 for this saw 3 years ago and have not had any problem with it. Highly recommended. Ed B

 

[jgillott]

Just my 2 cents, but I recently bought a new Stihl MS361, with a 20" bar and am absolutely convinced this is one of the best firewood/ bad *** pro series saws ever made, especially for homeowner use.

As I said in an earlier post, we have 2 MS361's and I can't say enough positive things about them.