Which medium duty chainsaw?

[watcher]

Ok let's get this out of the way first. I'm not going to spend $350+ for a chainsaw because I don't use one enough to justify that much outlay. From my research that lets out the two most commonly/highly recommend brands; Stihl and Husqvarna. With that said onto what I'm looking for.

I have quite a few trees I need to take down, mostly pines probably 12-18 inches in diameter, and cut up, so I'm looking for a 18-20 inch bar. Now after clear this spot I probably won't need to use the saw to do any more than trim or drop a tree more than twice a year. I had a Poulan which did the job until last year. IIRC it was 8+ years old at the time of its death.

I saw a Ryobi 46 cc with a 20" bar for $200 or with an 18" bar for $180. I've had good luck with my Ryobi cordless tools but didn't even know they made chainsaws. Anyone tried one?

I've also read several good reviews for Earthquake brand saws. Anyone have one?

Any help would be nice.

[Cabin Fever]

If you have a dealer in your area, I'd recommend a saw made by Jonsered.

[Dale Alan]

+1
I have had great luck with Jonsered over the years .

[DaleK]

A used Husky or Stihl from a dealer. I just picked up a Husky 350 with an 18" bar for a spare for $200. Ended up using it a fair bit this week and it was a steal.

[HuskyBoris]

I bought a Poulan for my first saw,it was a POS so I bought a Husky,,seeing you are taking down alot of trees have you considered a used Husky,Stihl, or Jonsered,or even an echo and then re selling it?you should be able to recoup your cash this way,save yourself a headache and get a good saw,,just my >02 cents

[whodunit]

I love our Echo. Has a good warranty too.

Its cut over 24 cord of wood in the last 2 years.

[Bentley]

Good tools are never a waste of money. I suggest you buy a 16" Stihl, Jonserud, or Dolmar. This will be your "go to" saw for trimming etc... Around the homestead. With good care, it will last a lifetime.

For your one time heavy needs, rent a Makita (Dolmar) from Home Depot for a weekend. Do everything you need a big saw for, then take it back.

This may or may not be a good idea. You will have to make that call. I can tell you that I have a 65cc, 20" bar Dolmar, and it is the finest chainsaw I've ever used.

Good luck

B

[davel745]

Stihl Farm Boss

[indypartridge]

Is there a local, family-owned hardware near you that sells and services one of the major brands (Stihl, Husky, Jonsered)? While some may argue that one's better than the other, I don't believe the differences are worth driving any distance for. I bought a Stihl because that's what our local hardware sells. It's a small community, and they'll bend over backwards to make things right if there's a problem.

[frankva]

Go to the local small place. I would think for what you describe a small even 15" saw would do the trick. I want to think I have seen those under $300 new.

[foxtrapper]

Earthquake? Please, no. People who think those are great tools also think things like the Poulan WildThing is great. Shudder. I do have Earthquake experience, through others, it's not pretty.

What dealer do you have near you? Let that be a largely guiding light for you. If you've got a Husqvarna dealer in town, I'd suggest buying from him. Or Stihl if that's what is there. Either make fine saws for your proposed use and price. Parts and service at your fingertips.

Example? Try to find a replacement sprocket for an Earthquake chainsaw. Lowes doesn't carry any replacement parts for them, and they don't work on them.

[Usingmyrights]

I'm sorry, but the Stihl Farm Boss and the Husky Rancher (or whatever their economy saw is called) is not in the same category as their other saws. I was in the same boat a couple years back and ended up going with a Husky 359. Other than the fact that its not a 372 (the pro version of model) I couldnt be happier. That said, you could probably get by with a cheaper saw, but it won't last as long as a better quality saw would. Check the discounted section at Tractor Supply, used on Craigslist or the local classifieds, call up a repair shop and see if the might have any for sale. You won't be sorry going with quality. I've heard good things about Dolmar, Echo and Jonsered, but dont have any experience with them. If you check out arboristsite.com they have a ton of info there. Everyone for people in your situation to people running the race saws. A huge wealth of information.

[Cabin Fever]

If you can find a Stihl that says "Made in Germany" on it or a Husky or Jonsered that says "Made in Sweden" on it.....do not hesitate to buy it!!

[fantasymaker]

What are you willing to spend?
While looking for my last saw i wanted small light and a good value.
I was thinking Stihi but When Menards offered me a Hitachi with 5 hours use on it for $25 I bought it.
I have replaced the chain and bar$10 and If it dies in the morning I will still be happy.

[brownegg]

I prefer the stihl wood boss over the farm boss....much nicer saw.

The new huskys are junk...not even a ajustment for the carb.

[maverickxxx]

What's a earthquake chainsaw? I've never heard of that.

[foxtrapper]

Originally Posted by maverickxxx

What's a earthquake chainsaw? I've never heard of that.

http://www.getearthquake.com/foundat...=108*Chainsaws

Earthquake is a name that's been around for several years. It's an unknown sourced (probably Chinese) line of dirt cheap and crude power tools. Usually marketed at the bottom line by Lowes, TSC and the like. If a cheap tiller costs $400, an Earthquake tiller will cost $300.

I have heard some people claim success with some of their equipment. My own direct experience with friends that have bought Earthquake equipment has been very poor. Heavy, weak, failure prone, zero repairability or parts.

[woodsy]

When it comes to chainsaws, you get what you pay for.
After you fool around with the low end cheaper chainsaws, you will appreciate
the slightly more expensive saws that do the work for you. Just sayin.

[DeRock]

My 2 cents:

I'm a former home builder/carpenter who now farms for a living. I live on 20 acres and have heated with wood for over 25 years (still do). I cut 4+ cords of wood every year for myself and help my youngest son cut wood for his woodstove too.

I used to believe that I should only own a high end chainsaw. And I did, a Stihl 026, until it broke. Had to have a saw that day so I went out and bought a Poulan "Wild Thing" to use while my local shop repaired the Stihl. I figured that I would use the Poulan for a backup if I needed it in the future.

And then a funny thing happened. Even after I got the Stihl back I kept on using the Poulan. It was lighter and had an 18" bar vs the 16" bar on the Stihl.

Now don't get me wrong. The Stihl is a much more heavy duty saw. And it has treated me well over it's lifetime (and still does when I have the occasion to use it as a backup). If I had to use a chainsaw everyday and my job depended on it I would use the Stihl. But that is not my situation (or yours either).

That original Poulan "Wild Thing" lasted me 8 years. It still runs but the kill switch doesn't always work, the gear that drives the chain is starting to strip, and the oiler is broken. It wasn't worth it to fix it so I now use it as my 2nd backup.

I went out last year and bought a brand new "Wild Thing" at Menards. Wasn't on sale and it cost $149.99. I should have waited a few months because I saw them on sale at TSC for $99.99. I cut 8+ cords of wood with the new saw in the last year.

My one and only complaint is that the bar oil leaks when the saw is stored.

You've already got a good history with Poulan. I suggest you stick with them. Go to Amazon and check the reviews for the "Wild Thing".

[frankva]

Originally Posted by DeRock

My one and only complaint is that the bar oil leaks when the saw is stored.

My good saw does that. I set it on one of those raised edge boot trays.

Annoying.