Suggestions for Chainsaw as a present?

[Abouttime]

The poll re: tools for trips in the woods gave me an idea for a practical present for a new homesteader-Any tips on purchasing as to brand, ease of starting, weight, safety etc?

[MELOC]

i have a husqvarna 55 with an 18 inch bar and i love it. i have had it 7 years and it runs great. my brother-in-law has had one longer and he still uses his as does a neighbor who has had his for maybe 10 years.

i have had three small poulans and the chain/bar always works loose. mine seems to hold longer.

right now my saw is in need of a tune up. it will be the third since i bought it. i have only bought one plug for the saw, it is probably due. beyond that, the only trouble i had was getting chain to fit the saw off of a store shelf. it is like 50%. i blame that on the stores inventory problems. just make sure you right down the physical dimensions of the chain...we have a hardware store in our area that specializes in not having manufacturer cross reference charts, lol. they always seem to sell the opposite brand of everything i own.

[Abouttime]

Funny how that always seems to be the case (the opposite brand from what you have) Yes, that brand rated very high when I researched-it's good to hear from a personal perspective, though. Thanks

[sgrmtndrone]

I have a homelight xl oldblue I have used for years they no longer make them it has been a dandy . I also have had a few poulans wich I would not advise unless you use it very little , I have a sthil and it is the stuff ! I like the sthil so much I will never buy any other saw just my 2 cents .

[Old Jack]

Stihl !

[Iddee]

The stihl is good. I have a Jonsered I bought in 1986. On the coldest day, I can pull three times with choke on, release choke, pull twice and it starts. Five pulls every time, not four, not six. Very dependable.

[dseng]

Stihl or Husqvarna are two brands that it's hard to go wrong with. About 50-60cc's is a nice size - not too heavy, but big enough to cut just about anything. No need for a giant bar, most saws in this size range pull a chain on a 16" bar quite nicely. My .02 says that the quality of the dealer is as important as the quality of the saw.

Lucky fellow indeed to get a chainsaw for Christmas!

Dave
SW Washington

[dseng]

Oh - regarding safety - a good pair of chainsaw chaps can save a leg, or a life. I grew up on a farm and often spent days cutting down orchards, limbing trees etc in nothing more than shorts and tennis shoes - and now look back at the foolishness of youth (and my uncle who let me do this!) and thank God and my guardian angel for allowing me to live this long. I have an old pair of jeans with a chainsaw "abrasion" and only the slightest of scars on my thigh. Happened as an adult - and made a believer out of me - in chaps that is!

Dave

[Abouttime]

Thanks for all the input and especially for the "chaps" suggestion-I had no idea they existed.

[reluctantpatriot]

I've got a Stihl model chainsaw that I've used since 1988 when it was brand new. It has only needed regular maintenance items that wear out or needed good cleaning. While the 16 inch bar is a good general use length for Missouri homesteads, there have been times when older, much larger trees have fallen down and needed to be cleared. Suffice it to say that unwinding three or more food diameter tree with a 16 inch bar isn't fun.

For daily general use Stihl saws have my vote. Perhaps an 18-20 inch bar for good measure.

[bachelorb]

I've used two chainsaws in 20 years. Both cheap! My current one is a poulan 2750 with a 16 inch bar. I've had it about 10 years. Probably about time for a tuneup it doesn't stay running when I set it down. Before that I had a bottom of the line Mcculloch.

I cut around four full cord a year to heat the house and have had no problem with it.

[Cabin Fever]

You’ll not go wrong with a Stihl, Jonsered, or Husqvarna. Just pick the brand that has the closest dealer/service center to you. At one time all Stihl saw were built in Germany. Stihl built its reputation on fine German engineering and craftsmanship. Today, all but the two high-end Stihl saws (92cc and 122cc) are made in the USA.

All Jonsered and Husqvarna chainsaws were at one time both made in Sweden. Today, the two companies are actually one company; they still use the two original brand names, however. The two saw brands are very similar. The low-end saws (30 to 50cc) in both of these brands are made in the USA. The high-end saws (50cc-plus) are still made in Sweden. I own the Swedish-made Jonsered 2156 and highly recommend it.

Personally, I try to buy American whenever I can. But when it comes to chainsaws, my recommendation is to not make a decision based on brand name. My recommendation is to buy either a Swedish-made or German-made saw.

[jbmaine]

I love my Husqvarna!!! It is very dependable and rugged I have not had any problems at all starting or with power...

I wouldn't buy anything else....

[texican]

Abouttime........

I didn't know that "I" was on your Christmas List!!!

Someday, oh someday, I'll have someone love me enough to give me a new Stihl!

[Ed0517]

Husky makes a good saw - but as for size, how big are the trees? Want a big bar for big trees, like RP said.

Plus, consider who is gonna use it - a saw that seems big for a 5', 110 lb woman is not big for a 6'4", 250 lb man

[mpillow]

1 new Husky 55
1 used Husky 55

We always have two....in case one breaks down or gets dull and the weather is cooperating...
120 cord cut with friends who also have Husky.....also preferred brand of Lucas Tree company

Stihl is also good...

[Ramblin Wreck]

I've got two Husky 55's, and both have been great saws. The second one was bought because the first one was/is "borrowed" a lot. Good luck in your choice.

[Jolly]

Husky Rancher, or the Stihl Farmboss.

Pick the dealer you are most comfortable with, because both saws are very good.

[Oggie]

I use Stihls (currently mainly a Farm Boss with a shorter 16" bar for power and maneuverability) but can't fault Huskys or Jonsereds.
I agree that a dealer for parts and support is as important as the saw. The "fit" of the saw is important too. Too big a saw will wear you out quickly and when you're tired you'll make mistakes. Too small of a saw and you'll put yourself in danger trying to force it to do things it wasn't designed for.
Don't forget ear protection and goggles if the user doesn't wear glasses.

Also, if you're going to be cutting in tangled timber or felling dead trees that might have rotting limbs, there are hardhat/faceshield/hearing protection combos that can prevent or lessen an injury is a piece of tree falls on you. I have split my melon more than once felling trees (I'm a slow learner). A plain hardhat would work too.

Of course you should always look the tree and surrounding trees over carefully before you saw. But it's surprising and dangerous what comes off a tree when it begins to fall.

[raymilosh]

Another vote for Stilh, husquevarna or Jonsered and another vote for getting the brand that has the closest dealership.
the more expensive saws of every brand have engines and bodies made of more durable parts. For homeowner use (not industrial use) a $300 saw will last for years and years. A $600 saw will last the rest of your life.
I bought a $700 Stihl last year. it's heavy, but it will do anything i need it to. the repair guy/ dealer said new saws are more picky about their fuel mixes. Use high test fuel and use the right amount of oil. It'll save your from replacing your very expensive carburator.
If you buy a saw, please buy ear guards as well.
try to find someone to train you in use, safety , maintenance and sharpening if you can. It's not rocket science, but words from someone with experience can save you and your saw a lot of unnecessary growing pains.