school me on chainsaws please

[NJHandyGuy]

i hit up the search feautre first but couldn't find what i was looking for

i need info on chainsaws no skil/ still /husqvarna too expenisve for my 3 uses

i am lookinjg for something that can do combo use to remoe trees nothing huge but still 8-9 inches around i also had an idea of cutting railroad ties with it for a landscratching project and lastly could handle light demo i.e cutting a deck and supports

1 does blade matter over rpm
2 what kind of rpm range should i look for
3 could i get by with a 16" blade or is longer better
4 how is craftsman in this dept also looked at homelite i only need the thing like 3 tims so renting is out but i don"t want to dump $$$ in a machine that will never see use

5 gas or electric as reciulous as this sounds i can hear it coming gas or electric what issues can i expect from either thanks in advance

mods if this belo9ngs in free parking please move it there i just figured a c/s is a TOOL

 

[Buckgnarly]

It's "bar", not blade

You say you only need it 3x, yet ask about using it for other projects.....I say this b/c it sounds like you could "find" uses for it later. I'd search CL for a used Stihl or Husky. You really will get what you pay for as far as chainsaws go and you probably can score a used for 100 or so if you're patient.

You would be fine with a 16" bar for what you are doing with it. I've cut up 36" tress with a 20", sounds like 16 would be perfect for your applications!

 

[Knuckle Buster]

It's "bar", not blade

You say you only need it 3x, yet ask about using it for other projects.....I say this b/c it sounds like you could "find" uses for it later. I'd search CL for a used Stihl or Husky. You really will get what you pay for as far as chainsaws go and you probably can score a used for 100 or so if you're patient.

You would be fine with a 16" bar for what you are doing with it. I've cut up 36" tress with a 20", sounds like 16 would be perfect for your applications!

+1.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

oh i'm sure i could but for right now i only have these 3 uses

 

[Davefr]

Do a search and there's lots of detailed info on chainsaws.

It sounds like 16" and 40cc is about what you need.

The consumer grade saws are generally junk. (ie Homelite, Poulan, Sears). But they'd probably be OK for occasional jobs. Of the homecenter saws, Echo is probably the best bet. With any consumer saw, they put on safety chain that will barely cut. Swapping to a professional chain will make a world of difference. (however learn to avoid any kickback situation).

I'd much rather have a used professional saw like a Husky 346XP or Stihl 026 then a new consumer saw. However buying a used saw can be tough unless you know how to evaluate one. (this includes compression and evaluating cylinder condition)

No chainsaw purchase is complete without PPE. (chaps, steel toe boots, eye/ear/head protection).

Any chainsaw is only as good as the maintainence and care it gets. (ie fresh gas, proper oil mixture, filtration maint., sharp chains, etc, etc). Chainsaws are very unforgiving to a lack of care.

For only 3 uses I'd rent. HD rents Makita/Dolmar DCS6401's which are excellent saws. They also sell them used every 2 years and can be excellent buys.

P.S. Cutting RR ties is very tough. (Creosote, tar and embedded objects can make it a miserable job)

 

[JeremyManning]

husky 55 rancher I think they sell them at home depot now

 

[woody 73]

A 14" to 16" bar will fit all your needs 32cc will be big enough and any big box store will do in this case.

A WORD OF WARNING (Been there done that) Railroad ties have some heavy metal on either ends of the tie so keep on the look out...They can ruin your day real fast.

Electric is great for inside the garage but nine out of ten times most people cut the cord in two or not enough cord etc; so stick with a small gas chainsaw.

The lighter the chainsaw the better because the heavy ones will wear you out. Don't drink and wear safety apparel.

woody

 

[Garyss.smith]

You will find all the info you want at this site

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/

those guys hotrod all kinds of chain saws and although a bit loud will be happy to help you find the best for the least.

Gary

 

[NJHandyGuy]

woody tell me more about this metal i didn"t see that at builder"s general or jaegar lumber

 

[theoldwizard1]

First, the most important part of your chainsaw is THE CHAIN ! It absolutely must be sharp AT ALL TIMES ! The best solution is buy a couple of spares when you buy the saw. After each use, put the old one in a heavy duty zip lock bag marked "used". When you have 2 used ones (and one good one on the bar), take them out of the "used" bag and place them in the "sharp" bag and take them to a commercial mower shop to have them sharpened. It will be worth the $5-$10 each that you will pay !

A 14" to 16" bar will fit all your needs

+1 !

The lighter the chainsaw the better

+2 !

No chainsaw purchase is complete without PPE. (chaps, steel toe boots, eye/ear/head protection).

+3 !

Electric is great for inside the garage but nine out of ten times most people cut the cord in two or not enough cord etc

DISAGREE !

Take the money you save by buying a good electric and buy a 100' 12 gauge cord. When using the saw, hook the cord behind your belt and then make a loop that does not touch the ground to your saw.

With a little bit of care you will keep the cord in one piece and never have a problem starting it ! Plus ear protection is not required !!

A WORD OF WARNING (Been there done that) Railroad ties have some heavy metal on either ends of the tie so keep on the look out...They can ruin your day real fast.

OWWW !!!

 

[Mmfh]

I have a couple of gas saws, Stihl and Homelite, both have been good to me, but for just a couple of simple projects around the house, what about a small electric?

I have a McCulloch with a "14 bar that works great for lots of stuff. Its quiet and just push the button and its running. No oil changes, no air filters, just keep the chain lubed and sharp.

I bought mine they said used once on CL for $20. Probably the best $20 I've spent.

You will most likely use it more later than what you are thinking right now.

Mm

 

[nmk_61802]

I second the recommendation for electric if you have power available where you plan on using it. If you are not going to use it much why deal with the maintenance of the gas engine and the hassle of draining the fuel after each use.

I have a 14" bar remington electric and it has easily handled the felling of 5-6 old pine at my place, as well as the day to day pruning and demo work. I have also never cut the cord, since I always keep it behind me.

Looks line Mmfh beat my second, also mine was around $40 new so the electric run about 1/2 the price of the gas cousins and as stated starts every time.

 

[54FordPanel]

I have a Poulan, and it's been a pretty good machine. I'd recommend it for a lower end chainsaw. As been said, keeping it sharp makes all the difference in the world as far as your cutting goes.

I'm still hoping to step up to a Stihl one of these days.

 

[moronmountain]

If you use an electric saw for long periods of time, you will at some point burn up the motor. They are fine for occassional use though. However, I would NOT use an electric saw for falling trees even if they are tiny. SO much can go wrong when cutting down a tree that could wind you up getting cut. Like dude said above, have 3 chains and keep them sharp. Keep the thing out of the dirt at all costs, as this dulls a chain up faster than anything. Also, learn how to use the thing. Chain saws are SUPER dangerous if you don't respect it.

Stihl or Husqvarna are the only 2 brands I will own, even if I had to get a used one. I have a little 20" Husky 51 that I've used the **** out of for 20 years, and it still starts on the first pull.

 

[purplezr2]

First, the most important part of your chainsaw is THE CHAIN ! It absolutely must be sharp AT ALL TIMES ! The best solution is buy a couple of spares when you buy the saw. After each use, put the old one in a heavy duty zip lock bag marked "used". When you have 2 used ones (and one good one on the bar), take them out of the "used" bag and place them in the "sharp" bag and take them to a commercial mower shop to have them sharpened. It will be worth the $5-$10 each that you will pay !

Why pay 5-10 bucks to have chains sharpened when you can do it your self with a 5 dollar file and do a better job, keep better tooth profile and take off less material. Also it only takes about 5-10 minutes to sharpen a chain in the woods .

 

[5lima30]

Husqvarna and Stihl are both good saws. (With Husky's stay away from the 100 & 200 series) The 300 & 400 series are great options. Also Echo makes a good quality saw as well. JMHO.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Why pay 5-10 bucks to have chains sharpened when you can do it your self with a 5 dollar file and do a better job, keep better tooth profile and take off less material. Also it only takes about 5-10 minutes to sharpen a chain in the woods .

x2 on that. You may find yourself needing to sharpen a chain now, even if you have 2-3 spares. Cut enough wood at once and you will need to learn how to do it.

My buddy bought this, I was not convinced at first, but it does work and it makes it WAY faster....
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RA7E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[seagravedriver]

Stihl or Husqvarna. That being said, a friend owns a rental shop and has all Echo saws. They do very well for him. During our last ice storm, he bought another 12. Keep chain out of dirt, and don't cut with the tip. The cheaper, less powerful saws can only just barely kill you

 

[nmk_61802]

. However, I would NOT use an electric saw for falling trees even if they are tiny. SO much can go wrong when cutting down a tree that could wind you up getting cut.

How does the method of power keep you from getting cut (or Brand for that matter)?

 

[JamesBill]

You get what you pay for in a chainsaw. A good one will last a lifetime. If you could find an old used Stihl 026 or a MS260 (replaced with MS261) it might be the same price as a new consumer grade.

 

[fordbroncodave]

stihl or echo.
18" bar or longer.


can't go wrong with either setup. gotta put some money into it to get anything out of it hence the name brands

 

[RangerDaleXp]

husky 55 rancher I think they sell them at home depot now

That saw is no longer made and the new one is called the Rancher 455 now. It is sold a lowes. I have had one since 2005 and it has ran great except for bad fuel one time and I had to go through the carburetor. I removed all the EPA **** and it has ran great ever since. They go for around $399 now....

 

[KPSquared]

Go with the Husky 435. It's the first step into a saw with a steel cylinder, super light and Husky reliability. 16" bar. The Rancher is a nice saw but pretty heavy for throwing around all day.

I just picked up the 435 for $325 with a spare chain and 3 year warranty.

And PPE is no joke. Saw pants, steel toes, ear and eye protection. A hard hat with muffs and a mesh visor is a great investment.

I'll try and find a pic of my saw pants after a mis-step while limbing with an 046 Stihl. Glad I had them and s so is my thigh. . .

 

[RangerDaleXp]

i hit up the search feautre first but couldn't find what i was looking for

i need info on chainsaws no skil/ still /husqvarna too expenisve for my 3 uses

i am lookinjg for something that can do combo use to remoe trees nothing huge but still 8-9 inches around i also had an idea of cutting railroad ties with it for a landscratching project and lastly could handle light demo i.e cutting a deck and supports

1 does blade matter over rpm
2 what kind of rpm range should i look for
3 could i get by with a 16" blade or is longer better
4 how is craftsman in this dept also looked at homelite i only need the thing like 3 tims so renting is out but i don"t want to dump $$$ in a machine that will never see use

5 gas or electric as reciulous as this sounds i can hear it coming gas or electric what issues can i expect from either thanks in advance

mods if this belo9ngs in free parking please move it there i just figured a c/s is a TOOL

Craftsman is made by poulan which is owned by Huskvarna. I still think the poulans are not that great but have made a few inprovements the last few years with using the X-torque strato engine from Huskvarna. they have become more reliable with this type of engine but the problem is that it is a good engine in a crappy chassis. I would stay away from the homelites and the would go with the Echo CS370. They are well built with only one drawback. since they do not run a strato type engine they require a catalytic converter which i removed and re-tuned the saw afterwards. If you need a cheap saw go with the poulan but remember that it will fall apart at some point....

 

[RangerDaleXp]

Go with the Husky 435. It's the first step into a saw with a steel cylinder, super light and Husky reliability. 16" bar. The Rancher is a nice saw but pretty heavy for throwing around all day.

I just picked up the 435 for $325 with a spare chain and 3 year warranty.

And PPE is no joke. Saw pants, steel toes, ear and eye protection. A hard hat with muffs and a mesh visor is a great investment.

I'll try and find a pic of my saw pants after a mis-step while limbing with an 046 Stihl. Glad I had them and s so is my thigh. . .

That is another good small alternative that uses the stratotype engine. The only problem is almost no chainsaw motors come with steel liners and most come with a nickel silicate coating to protect the bores from wearing....

 

[clarkebd]

I've had a Poulan for for 8 years now. Never an issue with it. Still starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull. Replaced the bar 1x and the chain about 6 times until I got a file sharpener finally.

I've got a lot of trees with it, branches, etc. Even use it in the ground on some roots that were exposed and I couldn't get through. Loaned it out to neighbors a few times too.

For what it sounds like you are going to use it for, save your money.

 

[Bkf350SD]

Stihl is the way to go with chainsaws if you want top of the line, Husky is a close second when you are talking pro saws. Ive got a decent amount of stihl saws, also have a Dolmar with a 32 inch bar on it. I would look for a good condition used stihl saw. I would stay away from the new craftsman and poulan junk.

 

[JamesBill]

That saw is no longer made and the new one is called the Rancher 455 now. It is sold a lowes. I have had one since 2005 and it has ran great except for bad fuel one time and I had to go through the carburetor. I removed all the EPA **** and it has ran great ever since. They go for around $399 now....

What did it have on it?


We have witnessed the end of an era among outdoor power products. I have a MS361 and MS260 and will hold on to them till I die. These things will get more complicated, heavier, less powerful, and harder to fix. The MS362 is already a step in that direction.

 

[Sureshot]

Buy a chain file and sharpen the chain midway through jobs depending on the size of course. Putting the edge back on before it gets too dull makes for alot less work and alot safer saw.

 

[JamesBill]

Buy a chain file and sharpen the chain midway through jobs depending on the size of course. Putting the edge back on before it gets too dull makes for alot less work and alot safer saw.

Why not just swap chains? Seems like it would be faster.

 

[R-132 Fan]

If you go with a gas powered saw, always use clean fresh fuel. Fuel today is **** and goes bad fast. My Stihl saw didn't want to stay running today and would stall when I tried to cut with it.
Pouring out the old fuel in the saw tank and my gas can and replacing it with fresh fuel (preiumn) and Stihl two cycle mix oil got it up and running again this evening.
I use a Dremel tool with the saw chain sharpening stone to keep the chain sharp. Plenty of older Dremel tools on Craigslist availbe for cheap over the crappy new ones. The file will work, but I'm lazy.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Why pay 5-10 bucks to have chains sharpened when you can do it your self with a 5 dollar file and do a better job, keep better tooth profile and take off less material. Also it only takes about 5-10 minutes to sharpen a chain in the woods .

Sure, if you know what you are doing and have a lot of practice !

For a homeowner who is going to drag a saw out a couple of time a year, they will never get the angles and depths correct.

You must have forgotten, that a file in the wrong hands can make a saw chain worse !

 

[theoldwizard1]

Buy a chain file and sharpen the chain midway through jobs depending on the size of course. Putting the edge back on before it gets too dull makes for alot less work and alot safer saw.

A sharp saw chain is much safer than a dull one, but we are talking an occasional user. They will never get enough practice to do "touch ups".

I'm not an expert and I know it. Knowing what you are NOT good at is important in life !

 

[theoldwizard1]

x2 on that. You may find yourself needing to sharpen a chain now, even if you have 2-3 spares. Cut enough wood at once and you will need to learn how to do it.

And that is the point ! We are talking about someone who might get 2-3 hours of cutting a year !

 

[Alchymist]

I have a Poulan, and it's been a pretty good machine. I'd recommend it for a lower end chainsaw. As been said, keeping it sharp makes all the difference in the world as far as your cutting goes.

I'm still hoping to step up to a Stihl one of these days.

^^^ What he said^^^^

Why pay 5-10 bucks to have chains sharpened when you can do it your self with a 5 dollar file and do a better job, keep better tooth profile and take off less material. Also it only takes about 5-10 minutes to sharpen a chain in the woods .

Keep the file with you, every time you fuel up, touch up the chain. Just a few strokes keeps it super sharp.

 

[BMS]

I have an Echo 20" bar and love the thing. Just around the house/yard work, but we have a pretty heavily wooded 2acre lot. Starts on the 2nd pull every time and cuts through stuff like butter. It wasn't cheap, but when you buy a cheap saw, you get a cheap saw. I tried a Homelite and went through 2 of them, the first impossible to start so I returned, the second took 10-15 pulls to start so I returned. Bought the Echo and haven't looked back. I did a landscaping project with railroad ties and bought a 16" Poulan for that. I left it with the homeowner and for the 1 or 2 times a year they used it afterwards, it still works fine. It was fine but those railroad ties dull chains very very quick. Have extra chains, keep them sharp (I hand file mine and can do it in just a couple mins each) and keep the chain oiled and the tension adjusted. Wear good gloves, eye protection, and use proper technique.

Good luck.

 

[GarageEnvy]

If you hadn't already ruled out Stihl I would have suggested it. So playing by your rules, I'd recommend a small Homelite. I had one for years and it was fine for chopping up an old deck or scrap lumber. IMO you really need at least two saws. You need a big one with enough power to mow through a good size tree trunk and you need a nice small one for pruning and limbing. The arborists around here are partial to Echo for the smaller saws and Stihl for the larger ones. I borrowed a neighbor's Echo for use up in the basket of a scissor lift and was really impressed with how nimble it was.

 

[novi408]

I got a deal on a Husky 445 refurb from: http://www.vminnovations.com/Browse_560/Chainsaws.html
last year for $197. Looked almost brand new when I got it. Have finally gotten a chance to use it a few times and have been happy so far. They have some refurbs of some of the other Husky models mentioned here that aren't much more than some of the cheapo brands.

 

[78pimpala]

ive had the craftsman 18" for about 3 years now, absolulty awesome chainsaw, no issues whatsoever, just replaced the bar and chain, cant stop it. i also picked up the 20" and it runs great aswell, i did notice it takes about 2 outtings before the motor is completly broken in, but after that th things wiz threw wood. and i cut allot6 of wood, heat a 40'x 80'x 20' block building all winter, end up using them about every weekend in the winter. i recomend them to anyone

 

[78pimpala]

btw think i got the 18" for $150, and the 20" for $200. i plan on getting another 18" next year so i can tripple up the wood cuttin lol