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12/12/10, 08:58 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Aquilla, Texas
Posts: 57
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Chainsaw recommendations?
Going to buy a new chainsaw and need some recommendations. I have always been told that Stihl is the best but would like to get some opinions as to why.
I have recently purchased ten acres of woods and will be needing a good saw for cutting firewood and doing some clearing here and there (I will not be clearing the land, just getting rid of dead-wood and making room for a home.) Thanks in advance for the ideas.
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12/12/10, 09:29 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: East TN
Posts: 6,977
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Stihl is the last company to sell exclusively through their dealers. In doing this they didn't compromise quality or their name to sell at the discount box stores. This also means that a dealer is a repair shop and stocking parts dealer that carries genuine Stihl parts and they are trained in repairs.
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Robert Frost
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12/12/10, 09:54 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: W. Oregon
Posts: 8,754
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But Stihl does have 2 lines, get the professional line. More money but worth it....James
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12/12/10, 11:52 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 263
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwal10
But Stihl does have 2 lines, get the professional line. More money but worth it....James
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x2.
I will say I have the Stihl Farmboss 290 (homeowner use) and the Stihl 361(pro line). Neither have failed me yet though I don't profess to use them hours a day.
Dealer location is important too.... these saws are expensive,,,as are the replacement parts.
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12/13/10, 12:28 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 107
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If you are in the right market (?!), Craigslist is your friend for a pro line Stihl.
A Farmboss will allow a maximum of 20" bar and is only 57cc ; keep this in mind! Big trees like a big bar and more cc's... actually, you will like that since it's efficient in my opinion.
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12/13/10, 01:55 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Korea---but from Missouri
Posts: 829
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Quote:
Originally Posted by next1
If you are in the right market (?!), Craigslist is your friend for a pro line Stihl.
A Farmboss will allow a maximum of 20" bar and is only 57cc ; keep this in mind! Big trees like a big bar and more cc's... actually, you will like that since it's efficient in my opinion.
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Big bar/saw--for firewood?
The 361 is the cats behind IMHO for firewood. Plenty of power for getting er down and small and light enough for limbing and not wearing yourself out.
Smaller saws are better IMHO for firewood.
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12/13/10, 02:17 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silverbackMP
Big bar/saw--for firewood?
The 361 is the cats behind IMHO for firewood. Plenty of power for getting er down and small and light enough for limbing and not wearing yourself out.
Smaller saws are better IMHO for firewood.
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It depends on how much he has to cut and how big the trees are on his 10 acres...
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12/13/10, 04:47 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: NC Kansas
Posts: 1,050
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I also have to go with stihl for all the reason mentioned above...I heat with wood and you do get what you pay for..Wally
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12/13/10, 06:26 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 1,656
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Guess I'm in the minority; own a Husquvarna here, have had the same saw for over 20 years. In fact the "Rancher" they sell now isn't the "Rancher" I have. Which makes getting parts a pain, but........
Anyway, I'd vote for the brand of saw that has a dealer/repair place close; and yes to repeat what others have said - buy the Pro line no matter which saw you buy.
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12/13/10, 08:35 AM
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Northern NY
Posts: 1,181
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Stihl, Husky, Jonsered (still dealer only AFAIK), EFCO, Makita/Dolmar- all good saws. Best bet is to find the dealer with the best service reputation in your area and go with his brand.
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12/13/10, 10:55 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
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Yep, just going to depend if you are going to be dealer dependent for your maintenance and repairs. If you are, then buy a professional level saw from local chainsaw shop that other locals find half way honest, whatever brand they sell. Pretty rare not to find a shop selling Stihl or Husqvarna anywhere in the country. You will pay extra for the privilege though.
If are going to do all your own repairs, then any professional level saw will work, though be careful buying an old saw to economize as parts get hard to come by after ten or fifteen years. Not impossible, some of those old saws were amazingly long lived and easy to work on, just a matter of parts availability.
Look on the Baileys website, they sell just about all the remaining new professional level saw brands except Stihl. They even state, Makita saw is their biggest seller. Its top notch German made saw at significant discount off what Stihl or Husky saw of simular size sells for. I can get by with old saws but if I were looking for new saw, I'd take close look at Makita or Dolmar equivalent.
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"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman
Last edited by HermitJohn; 12/13/10 at 10:58 AM.
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12/13/10, 11:37 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NW Georgia
Posts: 7,205
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Micheal
Anyway, I'd vote for the brand of saw that has a dealer/repair place close; and yes to repeat what others have said - buy the Pro line no matter which saw you buy.
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That would be my vote too. I have 2 Husky's and have had very good luck with them, but buy the brand that you can get serviced, be in Stihl or Husky or Jonesred. Good luck.
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"Luck is the residue of design" - Branch Rickey
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12/13/10, 11:54 AM
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I bought a Stihl about 10 years ago . Never fails to start , never not run well , never been in the shop for repair , I also have two Stihl weedeaters , one large , one small . Same story with them .
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12/13/10, 12:17 PM
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Fair to adequate Mod
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
Posts: 13,721
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Stihl built its fine reputation long ago when all of its product line was built in Germany. Today, only the "professional" Stihl saws are built in Germany. I'd only recommend a German-built Stihl.
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12/13/10, 12:32 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 265
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Husqvarna has been very good to me.
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12/13/10, 12:36 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10ecn
Husqvarna has been very good to me.
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All I know is I LOVE my Husqvarna 350. It has never given me a bit of trouble, it starts everytime, and the 350 size is heavy enough to do some work but not to heavy for a woman to use.
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12/13/10, 01:37 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 265
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My next saw will be the largest Husqvarna I can find. Between that one for plank milling, and the 455 for everything else, I should be well equipped for any project. When those saws wear out, I'll probably be too old to use a chainsaw.
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12/13/10, 01:42 PM
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Fair to adequate Mod
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Between Crosslake and Emily Minnesota
Posts: 13,721
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Just like a German-built Stihl, if you're buying a Husqvarna or a Jonsered saw buy a model that is made in Sweden and not one made for the American consumer market.
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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....
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12/13/10, 01:45 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 842
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Stihl Farmboss user here - I've used it for the past 5 seasons and it has run flawlessly. I have an 18" bar which is a reasonable compromise that allows felling pretty large trees and allowing the saw to be usable to limb, etc. I use the saw quite a bit as we live in NEOhio and heat with wood. That said, I get a lot more wood by scrounging that going out and felling large trees. I chose Stihl based on reputation the location of the dealer, which is only a couple of miles from our home. Like others said, I paid a premium, but it was worth every cent for the service I get at the dealer.
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12/13/10, 02:40 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: WISCONSIN
Posts: 6,694
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beeman
Stihl is the last company to sell exclusively through their dealers. In doing this they didn't compromise quality or their name to sell at the discount box stores. This also means that a dealer is a repair shop and stocking parts dealer that carries genuine Stihl parts and they are trained in repairs.
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That about sums it up, however even though i own a stihl and every one i know uses a Stihl and I very much like it buy a comertial grade saw from what ever is the best sevicing dealer closest to you.
your choices are primarily Stihl , Huskivarna , and Jonsered as long as you use a pro grade saw you will find a good one with any of the 3 brands.
i would actualy consider a Jonsered as i have a dealer just down the road but it is a mile further and he dosn't have as good as hours as the stihl dealer . the jonsered was a very impresive saw at the county fair demos this year.
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