new chainsaw

[looonman]

Hi all
I need to replace a chainsaw I have a 10 year old Mac that has worked well but it has many problems and is not worth spending the money to fix.
Any suggestions for a good homeowner grade saw? I heat with wood and live in a rural area so I use it quite a bit.

[ballstar]

find a stihl that you like.

[Restrorob]

One word,



STIHL !!!

[Nosmo]

Sthil MS 250C is what I use . 16" cut with tension adjustment for the chain finger and thumb operated. It's just under the commercial grade and for homeowner woodcutting is just fine.

Oh by the way I have had 2-Mc Cullough saws. Mini Mac 6 and Mac 10-10. If you like to spend most of the morning trying to get one of these started -- well get another Mac. hah

Nosmo

[looonman]

Three for three say stihl.
well Stihl it is I am looking for one now.

[Popey]

I have an MS250 also. I like it but I don't cut as much as I used to but if I bought again and was still using firewood I would spend the extra $$$ for an MS260 there is a difference in the two saws.
Just my .02

(I also owned a Mac 6 and a Mac 10-10)

[nmurph]

make that 4 4 4. i have a 310, my brother has a 10 year old 25. that saw went to the shop two weeks ago for the first time, ever. it has had the dog crap run out of it, and suddenly it didn't want to stay running and then became very hard to start. it will have a new carb next week. our cousin loaned us a husq 55 (my brother's other saw, a 55 also, with an odd spec bar, was out while oregon sent the new bar). we have been cutting oak every weekend for the last 5 weeks. i grabbed that 55 once, while my saw was on the other side of the ridge, to limb a downed tree. when i finished that tree, i put the 55 down have not picked it up again.
my brother says, and he means it, that he will sell it and never own another husq. he wants a 390. same weight as the 310 with more power. it is not a commercial saw, but i don't know why anyone other than a full-time sawyer would need anything else.
what are you going to cut? how often? how large? how is you conditioning? the power of a large saw is nice, but it does get heavy after a day of stumbling around through downed trees.

[All_Toro_4ME]

1st Stihl, 2nd Echo. Stihl is known for their saws.

[McFarland_Lawn_Care]

Husky 353....own three of them....Great saws!!!.... probably just personal pref. My brother and father both rather the Stihl. I just like the feel of the Husky better.

[deere615]

Stihl all the way for me!

[DBL]

we run 3 stihl saws

the 200t for climbing
and 2 ms 440's on the ground....they are nice saws but i really want a 660

[WREBELMACHINE]

Check all of the brands out! Around here Dolmar is kicking tail with Probably the best all around saw out there. However dealer support in your area may be a question.

[jt5019]

Husky 340 awesome saw for the price.

[MONTE]

Dolmar the best saw going! I have used them all and Dolmar size for size is the best!

[integrityman]

Stihl all the way-they take a beating and run and run and run... I own several and they have never failed!!!

[jkingrph]

When I bought my house, got a wal mart homelite. Big mistake, but at the time could not afford an;ything else. The builder said I could cut up some trees they had pushed over to make room for other houses so I could have some firewood. That little saw did pay for itself.

5-6 years later, light homeowner use, a windstorm blew a large elm tree down in our yard. That little saw was not up to task, so I went down and bought one of the last two Stihl's available in town.
That's been almost 25 years and the Stihl is still going strong.

I honestly do not think I would buy another brand now, I did get an ultraliteweight JD string trimmer which has been fine, but have two bigger Stihl trimmer, one a split shaft, and two leaf blowers, one a new BR600.

I have not had anything but good service from the equipment and my dealer which means a lot.

[Green King]

Cut wood for a living for years and have used them all. The best longest lasting and best performance of all of them was the Original Jonsereds made in sweden and Dolmar! Now Jonsered is part of the elux group and still good but not as long lasting as they once were! Dolmar still built in germany with there same design group and still the king in performance! If I still had to make a living like I use to it today would be with a DOLMAR!!!!!!!

[DavidR]

I have been using my Stihl 290 for a couple years now. Great saw.

If I had to do it over again, I would get a 260 or 361 for the better weight to performance benefit.

[jkingrph]

Stihl

My 20 year old 026 is still going strong. I think that's model number, but not sure.

[jdmcat]

i bought an old beat up stihl 034 for $100. no idea how long it had been sitting but it was a while. put some fresh gas in it and it fired 2nd pull. best purchase i've ever made.

[TheHammer]

My Dad has 6yearold Stihl Farm Boss it is great until the carburater fllood it.I have Husky Ranger that is 4years old and no maintenence on it. I think it they are both great.

[mattfromNY]

Stihl. I go with a 18" bar, then I'm not bending over so much to cut wood at ground level.

[joesimoes2]

If you are a home owner a stihl will last you a life time. this is the MS170

[MONTE]

If you are a homeowner almost any saw maintained will last a lifetime!

[Jay Ray]

If you are a homeowner almost any saw maintained will last a lifetime!

After Katrina here you had to drive 400 miles to get a chainsaw, everything undamaged was bought up so fast. You couldn't buy a scoop shovel or pitchfork either.

Home Depot brought in truckloads of Poulan Wild Things, no power anywhere so buy with cash only for $149, wait several hours in line for one per customer, but at least HD didn't price gouge.

I thought just maybe the ugly green and purple WT would get through the immediate cleanup, but it is still going strong after cutting up a lot of live oak (very tough duty) and pine, just one new bar and some chains for maintenance. I know it is junk, but it has exceeded my expectations. I would have bought Stihl, but none to be had. Stihl is a much better bargain for the money, worth the cost.

[olyman]

whys so many hung on stihl???--their good---but parts are damn costly--where the other ones arent so--kinda the diff between the cost of cadillac parts---and a chevy part--no joke---

[Jay Ray]

I think it is the reliability. If you are fifteen miles out and trying to hold to a schedule you want your trimmer to perform day in and day out. For me Stihl has been a product you can count on. So I would prefer the Stihl chainsaw also, but not until I wear out the green and purple Poulan, which ain't so bad. But I don't depend on it much, just now and then since the clean up from Katrina is over for the most part.

[Paul Corsetti]

as the advertisement says powered by stihl!!!!!! i own a tree service and have almost every stihl currently made from climbing saws to 880s with 5 ft bars and nothing will out cut a stihl!!!!!

[Jay Ray]

as the advertisement says powered by stihl!!!!!! i own a tree service and have almost every stihl currently made from climbing saws to 880s with 5 ft bars and nothing will out cut a stihl!!!!!

Just had a look. 8.6hp, now that's a saw. Put a lower end on it and you could use it for an outboard motor.

[josh1981]

I have a stihl ms290 and 180c. I have beat them to death and still run brand new. Could not be happier with my decision.

[Green King]

That is a bold statement Nothing will out cut a stihl!

It is intersting however when you look at the premium saws on the market there are very big exceptions to that statement! When you compare size for size!

[josh1981]

just to elaborate on my previous post. I have used my ms180c for light trimming and cutting up logs 5 to 6 inches in length ( some more then that) with no problem. It has a 12 inch bar and chain.

I have used my ms290 for light trimming as well with no problem. And cutting up logs and stumps 18 to 20 inches in length. Has a 16 inch bar and chain on it and I have an 18 inch bar and chain as well. It is a little heavy but not bad.

So for light trimming ns170 or 180 is good. Inbetween ms 260 to 361. For big work ms440 to 880.

[KGR landscapeing]

jonserd and husky make saws that will cut for sure with no issues. i run my 20 inch stihl all the time that reminds me gotta put a fuel filter in that thing. i also have a bunch of craftsman saws got for free new chains and bars and need to do something with the gas caps but they cut too. o and i have to baby homelite saws. there handle over saws and there quick and light hard to start its like pulling a car down the road with one hand.

[Tomuchmowing4me]

I have owned all the brands or ran all the brands in 30cc-122cc.

Since you are talking HOMEOWNER grade saws here. If you need dealers to work on your saw, pick the saw brand by GOOD dealer support first hand. Then price you are wanting to spend will most likely keep you in the homeowner grade or not.

1.Dolmars, make a really good grade saw for the homeowners and their pro grade saws in 50cc and 79cc walk all over the competition. If you have a good Dolmar dealer look into them. Dealer support is a issue with dolmar.
2.Echo, makes good dependable saws for the homeowner with great prices, Dealer support?
3. Poulans, only decent poulan left IMO, is the Poulan pro 330 54cc magnesium case for $239-$279, (I hate Plastic cased saws), but the Poulan pro 220, 260 are also good homeowner grade saws, but plastic cased like the stihl 250,290,310, husky 350,455,460, that cost 3 times as much.
4. Stihl, stay away from the 170-180 SLOW! If you got all day to cut a limb fine. Poulan 220 will eat them alive. The 250,290,310,390 are homeowner grade with plastic clam shell design crankcases, way over priced for what they are. But usually a dealer on ever corner. Yes I own about 5 stihls right now, so no I am not biased.
5. Husky, people like the 350 homeowner grade, I just dont like how it is built.
455 460 is on the level of the stihl 290 310. dealer support is there if they haven't left town. Yes I own 4 huskys.
6. Shindawa, Solo, Redmax.

Comes down to dealer support, cc saw wanted, money you want to spend. Good luck, just because 90% of people say stihl doesn't make it the best brand, just the most advertised one. :waving:

[MONTE]

Yes dealer support is your most important thing! here we have an awesome dolmar dealer who is very commited!

[dgfitz]

You cut a lot of wood for any homeowner, so get the best you can. I
would suggest the 359 Huskie, 361 Stihl, or the Dolmar 6400, all
within the same close price range, and all very good machines. Like
others have said, dealer support is crucial.

[Grateful11]

>Stihl, stay away from the 170-180 SLOW! If you got all day to cut a limb fine.

That's the biggest crock I've ever heard. I've owned Stihl's from the MS180 to the 046 Magnum. Now the MS180 is no 046 but if you run the Pico Micro Narrow chain, like what comes on it, it cuts very fast. It will easily stay with my 028WB in 10-12" of oak and under. I shockingly surprised at how fast it cut when I got it a few months back. I've ran about 8 tanks of fuel through it and I'm still on the original chain and no sharpening yet. On a another note my Dad has an MS170 and he won't pay extra for the Stihl chain and runs too wide a chain on it and it's slow but not all day one limb slow.

[jkingrph]

If you are a homeowner almost any saw maintained will last a lifetime!


My first a wal mart homelite made it about 4 years. I maintain all of my equipment. Managed to get 11 years out of a 11 hp sears lawn tractor mowing 1 3/4 acres. Replaced spindle housing assemblies on deck I don't know how many times . Engine was still going strong when the transmission failed. I now have all Stihl hand held equipment, most is their mid grade equipment an the chain saw and handheld leaf blower are over 20 years old. I do have a lightweight JD string trimmer about six years old that seems good and gets grabbed for quick light jobs, My larger Stihl with harness and handlebars is better for longer bigger jobs.

I did have a weadeater brand , "weedeater" that after a few years developed vibrations so bad that I gave it away and that was what started my trend to using professional/commercial grade equipment for home use...

YOU GET'S WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!!!!

[cgaengineer]

Stihl is the only brand, dealer support just about everywhere!

[Bill M]

Sithl for sure. The MS260 pro or MS 361 are both really good saws and are not too big.