I would like to buy a chainsaw and would like yalls input. I would use it for cutting pieces of wood from trees people have already cut down and then for resaw. I cant resaw really big logs so what I would be cutting wouldnt be to large in diameter. I bought a poulan a couple of years ago and it lasted for a year with little use so I want be getting one of those. so if you could tell me what you think about brand and bar length that would be super and much appreciated as well. Also I dont want to break the bank LOL
Chainsaw Help
- Thread starter Twig Man
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From my own experience, I've had my Husqvarna 51 for about 12 years and we work the crap out of it. I paid close to 300.00 for it but well worth every cent. I beleive it came with a 21" bar. Good luck.
Bought - a 032 Stihl-20" bar I think in 2000. I would be more specific but I never see it anymore- I have 2 sons here-then again when I need it I have a sawyer to go along with saw. Great saw.
I bought a Stihl Farm Boss w/20" bar not long ago. I love it. Good power & easy starts. I posted about it. Here's a link to the thread. I haven't read it in a while. There might be some info in it for you.
woodtickgreg
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I am partial to husky's also, I have a 365 that has plenty of power for a 20" bar. A quality chainsaw is not something you want to cheap out on. Purchase one from a power equipment dealer as they will set it up properly for you and not just hand you a box. No saw runs properly right out of the box, the carbs have to be adjusted and rpm set. huskvarna makes a consumer line and a pro line, but they don't say that anywhere. The big difference is consumer models have plastic crank cases and are prone to warping with hard use, a dealer will know the difference and reccomend the better models. Do not buy a chainsaw from a big box store, they are all consumer models and most are really cheap and what those of us in the power equipment buisness call disposable. Stihl and the bigger echo's are also very good saws, jonsred's to if you can find them, makita also makes a decent saw. My advice for a 30" log is 20" bar and at least 50cc powerhead. Buy the biggest powerhead that you can afford, you'll appreciate it when cutting with the grain.
Don't buy by brand. All the major manufacturers that produce pro level saws make great saws. Instead of looking at the color or name tag, first determine what cc class you need, then compare models within those classes and see which one seems to be rated as among the best. A good place to go is arboristsite.com and read their chainsaw forums. It's easy to weed out the obvious brand guys and they are there in droves. SawTroll is a good guy to read as is nmurph. nmurph is a guy named Neil Murphy. I bought my modded & ported 346XP from him for half of what a new one costs and mine is the 50cc NE not the older 46cc OE (you need to know the difference).
My favorite saws are the 346XP, 372XP, and 395Xp but my Dolamar P5100S is a screamer and it's still stock. In between the 5100/346 and the 372 is the 60cc class which is a hle in my arsenal (don't have a 60ish cc), and Stihl was making the best in that class with the MS361 until they inexplicably stopped making it in lieu of its weak replacement (reportedly) the 362. I was intending to get a 361 and dragged my feet too long and now have to try and find one on the used market if I ever want one, but it's highly unlikely you or me will ever find one at least for a decent price.
In the 50cc class I also own a Dolmar P5100S as stated and I use it just almost as much as the 346XP. Dolmar is a German company which is owned by Makita. Dolmar makes saws for both companies. Most of the parts are interchangeable for the comparable models. The Dolmar 7900 has a cult following but it's probably more saw than you need.
Jonsered (part of the Husqvarna AB Group), Echo, Stihl, Husqvarna, Makita/Dolmar, Shindaiwa, Solo, they all make great saws it's just that some models are better than others in certain classes. Echo makes some great climbing saws but their larger saws cannot compete with the performance of some of the other Stihls/Huskies/Dolmar/J'reds.
The biggest mistake you can make is reading and being influenced by someone who says something like "Man I bought a Husqvarna 455 Rancher and that thing was a POS! I threw it away and bought a Stihl MS 460 Magnum and man there's NO comparison!".
Heck no there's no comparison. The 455 Rancher is a homeowner saw not a pro level like the 460 Mag and the 460 has over 20 more cc's. So reviews like that are not reviews they are moronic statements.
Now I have not answered your question yet I know, because I cannot. I won't presume to tell you what brand and model to buy, you have to decide that and you need to be patient while you eductae yourself. I tried to give you some basic info on how to avoid the "brand trap" and also the very important aspect of comparing a homeowner saw to a pro saw. Also to be considered is parts availability. Dolmar is a little hard but if you can do most of your own work as can I then just get the parts online and do the work yourself. If you cannot, buy a Stihl or Husky, and if you are buying based solely on parts and service Stihl would be the clear choice, you only need to decide which model is right for you. But Husky has a dealer network almost as prolific so parts are readily available.
I'll see if Murph will come over here and give us a few more pointers. The saw he built for me is a fine saw and my new favorite for limbing. Maybe he has something that will fit your needs if so I bet you'll like the price compared to a new stock saw. I even buck with it when my arthritis makes the 372 too much of a chore and it does okay even though not really made for that role.
Keep asking questions as you look for a saw and maybe we can help you narrow them down. P.S. If you do register as arboristsite it's best to read a while before posting. Asking "Which is better Stihl or Husky" will get you flamed and rightfully so.
My favorite saws are the 346XP, 372XP, and 395Xp but my Dolamar P5100S is a screamer and it's still stock. In between the 5100/346 and the 372 is the 60cc class which is a hle in my arsenal (don't have a 60ish cc), and Stihl was making the best in that class with the MS361 until they inexplicably stopped making it in lieu of its weak replacement (reportedly) the 362. I was intending to get a 361 and dragged my feet too long and now have to try and find one on the used market if I ever want one, but it's highly unlikely you or me will ever find one at least for a decent price.
In the 50cc class I also own a Dolmar P5100S as stated and I use it just almost as much as the 346XP. Dolmar is a German company which is owned by Makita. Dolmar makes saws for both companies. Most of the parts are interchangeable for the comparable models. The Dolmar 7900 has a cult following but it's probably more saw than you need.
Jonsered (part of the Husqvarna AB Group), Echo, Stihl, Husqvarna, Makita/Dolmar, Shindaiwa, Solo, they all make great saws it's just that some models are better than others in certain classes. Echo makes some great climbing saws but their larger saws cannot compete with the performance of some of the other Stihls/Huskies/Dolmar/J'reds.
The biggest mistake you can make is reading and being influenced by someone who says something like "Man I bought a Husqvarna 455 Rancher and that thing was a POS! I threw it away and bought a Stihl MS 460 Magnum and man there's NO comparison!".
Heck no there's no comparison. The 455 Rancher is a homeowner saw not a pro level like the 460 Mag and the 460 has over 20 more cc's. So reviews like that are not reviews they are moronic statements.
Now I have not answered your question yet I know, because I cannot. I won't presume to tell you what brand and model to buy, you have to decide that and you need to be patient while you eductae yourself. I tried to give you some basic info on how to avoid the "brand trap" and also the very important aspect of comparing a homeowner saw to a pro saw. Also to be considered is parts availability. Dolmar is a little hard but if you can do most of your own work as can I then just get the parts online and do the work yourself. If you cannot, buy a Stihl or Husky, and if you are buying based solely on parts and service Stihl would be the clear choice, you only need to decide which model is right for you. But Husky has a dealer network almost as prolific so parts are readily available.
I'll see if Murph will come over here and give us a few more pointers. The saw he built for me is a fine saw and my new favorite for limbing. Maybe he has something that will fit your needs if so I bet you'll like the price compared to a new stock saw. I even buck with it when my arthritis makes the 372 too much of a chore and it does okay even though not really made for that role.
Keep asking questions as you look for a saw and maybe we can help you narrow them down. P.S. If you do register as arboristsite it's best to read a while before posting. Asking "Which is better Stihl or Husky" will get you flamed and rightfully so.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
Kevin said:
Great reply Kevin. I do try to be informed before making a major purchase. Although buying the poulan wasnt a major purchase I sure got what I paid for.A piece of junk! So this time around I am buying for the long term and function. I will visit the site you suggested.
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Very well written Kevin, Kinda what I was trying to convey but you did it so much better. I'm not kidding, you really should get into writeing of some kind, you have a gift for it. P.S. the 372 is one of my favs too! Did you know that a 372 cyl will fit my 365? Now that would be a saw!SonshineCalls said:
woodtickgreg
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I have heard of guys modding a 365 with a 372 cyl n piston, I always thought that would be a great saw if I ever needed to rebuild mine. When I was a tech in the home depot rental department I bought my 365 for a really cheap depreciated value, then I heard that the depot wasn't going to carry husky's anymore, so I rebuilt it from the crank bearings up, all new everything, while I still had a good inventory of parts, It'll probably outlast me! And yes the 365 is a short stroke screamer, If you look at one alongside a 372 It is much shorter and compact.Kevin said:Greg thank you for the kind words.
woodtickgreg said:
No I didn't - I don't know very much about the 365. I guess this means that the 365 has a shorter stroke then?
Kevin said:Greg thank you for the kind words.
woodtickgreg said:
No I didn't - I don't know very much about the 365. I guess this means that the 365 has a shorter stroke then?
No, it doesn't, and the 365 is no more compact than the 372xp, except that most 372s in the US have the HD air filter/cover set-up. Both have a 36mm stroke.
The difference in the traditional versions is that the 365 has a smaller bore (48mm ws 50mm), and (by purpose) has less effective porting. There also are a 372xpw version, that has a 51.4mm bore, but not all xpws have that P&C.
With the current x-torq versions, both have the same basic 70.7cc engine (50mm), but the 365 has sort of a restrictor plate built in, that can be removed if you know what to do (I don't).
Apart from that, there are too little info here, to know what he really needs. :dunno:
Hey guys I asked SawTroll to join and be our resident chainsaw guru so take advantage of it. I've been reading him for years over on arboristsite.com so if you have any questions now's the time to ask.
Thanks for coming onboard Troll - I'm sure John will be along to give you more information later. I have some questions too about my 395 and PS5100S but I'll start a new thread.
Kevin said:
Hey guys I asked SawTroll to join and be our resident chainsaw guru so take advantage of it. I've been reading him for years over on arboristsite.com so if you have any questions now's the time to ask.
Thanks for coming onboard Troll - I'm sure John will be along to give you more information later. I have some questions too about my 395 and PS5100S but I'll start a new thread.
Well, I won't try to play any sort of guru, as I am not - but I plan to visit now and then, and see if there are something to post about.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #19
Welcome Saw Troll! I would like a saw for cutting trees or limbs no more than 30 inches in diameter. I make turkey calls and toys and would like to take advantage of good lumber I see sitting on the side of the road being sent to the dump. I would be cutting 2 to 3 foot section and then cutting against the grain to semi square it up for my band saw. I will be using the saw weekly and will be cutting mainly hardwoods and maybe the occasionsal pine. If I need to give more information tell me what would be helpful to you. I just wanted to be informed and buy a good saw that would last for a while and do a good job. Thanks for joining and for your input!
SonshineCalls said:
OK, that sounds like you would be best off with a professional saw of at least 70cc, and a 24" bar or so. Be aware that cutting against the grain (from the end) is very taxing on the saw, and demands a special ripping chain. It also is very time consuming, even with a large saw. Squaring off from the side ("noodling") is much easier on the saw, and is best done with a regular chisel chain.
All current (or reasonably new) 70cc+ saws from Husky, Jonsered, Stihl or Dolmar are fine, with an assortment of +/- compared to each other. Personal preferences often is decisive regarding model and brand.
Do you have any particular models in mind?