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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: terravista on July 06, 2016, 07:12:57 AM
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I have read a couple of previous chainsaw threads and was going to ask my question there but red writing said it was over 120 days old and maybe I should start a new thread.
I have a need for a chainsaw and would be happy for a 16" bar (what male wouldn't)
I need a chainsaw for use between home/hobby /camping use and semi pro. I know Stihl are considered the best but have no desire to spend over $600 and a half decent Stihl is over a grand.
Huskies have a good reputation also, but based on current research are turning to Chinese quality. I can get a Huskie for $399 including a hard case and $100 rebate. Cases are $70 so that makes a 16"Huskie effectively $230. Sounds good but the reviews suck.
Plastic saws are available from Bunnings and the like for $300 but I figure quality shops don't sell them just because they would be a little bit dearer.
The local three mower shops are pushing me towards either Shindaiwa 352S or 452S(Japanese) or Oleo Mac 935 (Italian)
Both around $500 to $650, and one place is adding an Echo into the equation.
Service for all three would be within 40 minutes from home.
Do any of our knowlegable members have any input on these brands or particular saws?
Cheers
Ian
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We have an Echo chainsaw, hedge trimmer and wippersnipper, their brilliant. The chainsaw is now about 12 to 15 years old and has never skipped a beat :cup: . Bang for buck we're very happy and it's got plenty of power ! Last Saturday we bought a Shindaiwa blower.........the guy in the mower shop told me they have the same parent company as Echo, and the two factories are accross the road from each other in Japan. It came with a 5 year warranty which I thought was bloody good :cheers: !
Good luck with your research and purchase !
Cheers
John K
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There are some good deals on the smaller stihls sat the moment, $349 for a ms180 16 inch bar, not really a ball tearer but will do a Shit load of work for that sort of money. Ms 170 for $249, it's a baby saw but you won't find a bad word said about them for that sort of money. Check out The Mower Place web site.
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There are some good deals on the smaller stihls sat the moment, $349 for a ms180 16 inch bar, not really a ball tearer but will do a Shit load of work for that sort of money. Ms 170 for $249, it's a baby saw but you won't find a bad word said about them for that sort of money. Check out The Mower Place web site.
Thanks.
I checked out some reviews for the cheaper Stihls and they don't come up all that favorable (much like the cheaper Husqvarna's). Review ratings between 2 to 2.9 stars out of five.
Oil leaking out when in storage, easy flooding on starts, and hard to start other times.
It may be Stihl and Husqvarna's way of keeping market share but sound like the quality in the cheaper range is suspect.
Older ones and much dearer ones sound unbreakable, but sub $1000 range and there appears to be troubles.
Cheers
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Yeah, for that sort of money the saws are built to a price but they still represent good value, with average use you will get years and years out of one and you needn't worry about having too much cash tied up in one.
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Shindawa and echo are good and have been around for years. My dad had a shindawa brush cutter, bought it over 20 years ago and flogged it around the farm, now it is doing service at my sisters farm, in that time it has had a carb rebuild and a few new blades.
Don't be tempted to get a realy cheap one from bunnings, I had a cheap plastic one* and it did the job, but if you are using it a lot then you will appreciate the extra money that goes into vibration dampening. The cheap saw gave me sore hands and numb fingers, so I couldn't use it for more than 1/2 an hour.
*I bought it broken for $50, spent $6 on parts and got it going. I got 5 years out of it and then sold it for $100 ;D
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I purchased an elchepo McCulloch, had some good reviews and some bad, bad were seizing after running for awhile
and hard to start.
The saw is made by Husqvarna, hard to start, nope starts fine if you follow the instructions, like my other McCulloch gear,
choke and turn over, when it coughs set the choke to half and away it goes, if you leave the choke on full you'll never
get it started. Seizing, I actually think a lot of inexperienced persons are not using the correct fuel oil mix causing that
issue, I find its a great little saw for the price.
As for oil leaking, all chainsaws leak oil, if you look after your saw you'll clean it after you use it and drain the oil anyway
so a major leak shouldn't be a problem, if you just chuck it in the car or bag after using then you'll just end up with blocked
oil passages and oil everywhere.
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Seizing, I actually think a lot of inexperienced persons are not using the correct fuel oil mix causing that issue, I find its a great little saw for the price.
As for oil leaking, all chainsaws leak oil, if you look after your ............
I think you've hit the nail on the head here for a LOT of bad reviews.
When a large % of those who now purchase these types of product have the mechanical aptitude of a jelly fish and the expectations of the product being a joyful experience to use, well you're going to have bad reviews. 'It's very noisy, smelly, hard to start, gets hot and smoke comes from the bar after only cutting small tree roots in the soil. It was only very soft soil too.'
These same people would leave a bad review of a crowbar, because 'it is too heavy and gave me blisters.'
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A few years back I bought a makita 16inch chainsaw. It cost me about $400 from memory and came with a bonus Pressure Washer, which worked twice then died! The only time the saw has let me down is when one of the fuel hoses off the back of the priming bulb came loose and it wouldnt pump fuel through. easy fix though. I give this thing absolute curry, out on mates farms chopping branches I probably shouldnt be, and cutting cross grain on big stumps so I can get them down to size to fit in my fireplace(yes I know it blunts the saw).
According to salesman at Total Tools it was a well known German saw Branded by Makita, and for $400 im more than happy
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I think you've hit the nail on the head here for a LOT of bad reviews.
When a large % of those who now purchase these types of product have the mechanical aptitude of a jelly fish and the expectations of the product being a joyful experience to use, well you're going to have bad reviews. 'It's very noisy, smelly, hard to start, gets hot and smoke comes from the bar after only cutting small tree roots in the soil. It was only very soft soil too.'
These same people would leave a bad review of a crowbar, because 'it is too heavy and gave me blisters.'
I agree on the quality of reviews when they are from Amazon, Whirlpool and the like but some of the worst reports were from aborist and landscaping sites etc.
Many of these may well be morons, but when a post is generally written intelligently, and they say all the oil leaks out of the chain reservoir after the saw has been stopped, cleaned and the reservoir caps loosened to reduce pressure then done up tight again, or the saw just won't start when warm, I start to take notice.
Some of the complaints on the less reputable sites can be good for a laugh though.
Cheers
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Several years when we tree changed, I bought a 15" Makita DCS4610. I use the saw on our property to cut fallen trees for firewood. Mainly peppermint gums and stringy bark. The Makita was easy to operate, but was gutless and could handle no more than 300 mm diameter trees. After one season the plastic chain tensioner broke and I retired the saw. I replaced it with an 18" Stihl MS291 and never looked back. From memory, the Stihl was more than twice the price of the Makita, but it is well worth it. It is now in its 5th season and still going strong. Never missed a beat, easy to start, even in very cold winters. It has tremendous power. The largest trunk I cut was well over 1m in diameter (had to cut from opposite ends). Each season it cuts around 15 cubic meters of fire wood. It gets serviced once a year by the local dealer. If you are looking for power and reliability, get a Stihl.
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Thanks core420.
That model Stihl is now advertised around $1200 and that seems to put it in the Stihl price range where you still (not a pun) get the quality expected from the brand.
Unfortunately that is $600 more than I feel comfortable paying for something that will likely not get the use to justify the expense.
On the other hand, the Oleo Mac is Ferrari red in colour, and that can't be a bad thing.
Cheers
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I used to have a very old Tanaka, was a ripper saw.
Might be worth looking at.
http://www.parklands.net/products/chainsaws/TCS-40EA-18 (http://www.parklands.net/products/chainsaws/TCS-40EA-18)
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Thanks.
I checked out some reviews for the cheaper Stihls and they don't come up all that favorable (much like the cheaper Husqvarna's). Review ratings between 2 to 2.9 stars out of five.
Oil leaking out when in storage, easy flooding on starts, and hard to start other times.
It may be Stihl and Husqvarna's way of keeping market share but sound like the quality in the cheaper range is suspect.
Older ones and much dearer ones sound unbreakable, but sub $1000 range and there appears to be troubles.
Cheers
Ive got a couple of Stihls a 340 and a smaller 171 and personally I use the 171 far far more, yes it is a smaller saw, yes it has less power and yes it is a lot lower cost, but it certainly isn't a "Cheap" saw.
I really love it and have no complaints about oil leaking from it (that would be my big one) or any build quality, you can tell it's DNA is Stihl through and through.
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All saws leak oil, put an old towel in the bottom of the case and forget about it.
Buy a saw around $500-600, this seems to be the sweet spot between price and quality. You'll end up owning it for 20 years if you look after it.
I have an Echo saw that I haven't been able to kill in over 10 years. Mate has a Husky and Stihl, they go ok too.
I can start my Echo first time every time, even on stale fuel. I can't start my mates Husky or Stihl, but he can start them first time every time. It's what you get used to.
Invest in a good hand sharpener and learn how to sharpen your chain, this is the most important thing to do, besides making sure you have bar oil. Sharp chains cut wood, blunt chains break saws.
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My 031? Stihl ( bought new around 2001) must be a faulty unit as it has never ever leaked oil.
It saw often use when we were on 2 acres for 4 years, only 2 visits to the shop in it's life, starts 2nd pull very regularly
Love it!
Cheers
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Try treestuff.com, they do send saws to Oz even though the ads say they don't.
Jack
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You have researched very well terravista and sorted the wheat from the chaff.
Unfortunately chainsaws are like everything we buy, you get what you pay for.
A STIHL middle range saw round 55cc - 65cc will most likely last you a lifetime
and give minimal problems with some luck.
They are roughly sorted into Home Owner, Farmer and then Pro level. I wouldn't
touch a Home Owner saw, just haven't got the quality of manufacture.
If you had a good local STIHL dealer perhaps he would have the odd S/H saw he
would check over and warranty that suited your specs.
Maybe read up on ARBORISTESITE - some good info there, the chainsaw forum
discusses your exact question many times. ( http://www.arboristsite.com/community/forums/chainsaw.9/ (http://www.arboristsite.com/community/forums/chainsaw.9/) )
Something like a lightly used MS271 / MS291 would do the job for you, don't be afraid
to go a bit bigger.
Work or domestic use, I always wear P.P.E.
Edit - Only STIHL owned this neck of the woods. ;D
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All saws leak oil, put an old towel in the bottom of the case and forget about it.
Invest in a good hand sharpener and learn how to sharpen your chain, this is the most important thing to do, besides making sure you have bar oil. Sharp chains cut wood, blunt chains break kill saws.
Coudn't agree more :cup:
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Thanks core420.
That model Stihl is now advertised around $1200 and that seems to put it in the Stihl price range where you still (not a pun) get the quality expected from the brand.
Unfortunately that is $600 more than I feel comfortable paying for something that will likely not get the use to justify the expense.
On the other hand, the Oleo Mac is Ferrari red in colour, and that can't be a bad thing.
Cheers
Just as a price guide, less than a year ago I paid $900 for an ms311 brand new with 4 years warrantee. This saw from memory was rrp $1349 from the mower place. I had to be patient for the right deal to pop up but this will give an idea of how little you can pay if you hunt around. When stihl do cash back deals this is on top of whatever deal the dealer is willing to do.
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I've only used Stihls so can't comment on others but don't be put off by their smaller ones. I use the little MS170 as a partner to my 381 Magnum and it's a great little thing - I use it whenever I can and try to save the Magnum for the big stuff.
Check out the latest deals as they have the MS181 for $479 (bit more grunt but still a 16in. bar) and you get a free hand sharpener and carry case. Comfortably under your $600 so change for an excellent Fiskar splitter!
Cheers,
Mark.
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Forget the Fiskers, you want one of these ;D :cup: http://www.neemantools.com/en/products/axes/finnish-splitting-maul (http://www.neemantools.com/en/products/axes/finnish-splitting-maul) I've been looking at some of the overseas tools lately, cool stuff but bring your money ;D
Whatever you end up buying, make sure it's going to suite your needs. If it's only going to get lite use then don't over capitalise on your investment. I only use our Echo for camping and firewood collection for home, so it's lasted well. But if used in a professional workplace then it would most likely be found wanting as it's not designed for that type of use.
Cheers
John K
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Forget the Fiskers, you want one of these ;D :cup: http://www.neemantools.com/en/products/axes/finnish-splitting-maul (http://www.neemantools.com/en/products/axes/finnish-splitting-maul) I've been looking at some of the overseas tool lately, cool stuff but bring your money ;D
Wow, talk about quality, they look brilliant. Problem is there's too many I like - if I bought one of their splitters, plus an axe and a wildlife knife, I'd be carrying tools that are worth more than my old ute!
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Thanks for the input people, much appreciated.
For the sake of a few hundred dollars I didn't feel like losing any warranty on a used machine no matter what brand, and I can't get my head around spending $1500+ for a top brand. It is a small petrol engine stuck on a flat blade and chain.
In my mind 10 chainsaws does not equal a brand new Hyundai car.
I took a leap of faith and paid $540 for a Oleo Mac 16" 41cc engine, a hard case, 500ml of Oleo Mac oil (which then qualifies for a 5 year warranty) and a sharpening kit.
The most important part is the Ferrari colour.
Yep it is Italian, just like Ducati's, Alfa Romeo's and the like which hold world records for the shortest distance between tune ups, but time will tell.
Cheers
Ian
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http://www.stihlusa.com/products/hand-tools/axes/prosplitaxe/?rev=BVSpotlights (http://www.stihlusa.com/products/hand-tools/axes/prosplitaxe/?rev=BVSpotlights)
Stihl shop near me has these splitters... about $100 but built in handle protector which i really liked (and need)
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Ian I have been a rural fencer for many years. stihl are just rubbish echo are the best anything else will just let u down or be hard to tune.
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echo are the best
Love my Echo saw and blower :)
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I agree on the quality of reviews when they are from Amazon, Whirlpool and the like but some of the worst reports were from aborist and landscaping sites etc.
I would be somewhat concerned about professionals using consumer grade equipment for professional use, and then complaining when the equipment doesn't perform to their expectations. Use the right tool for the job, the low end of the range is for light use, maybe once or twice a month. If you use it seriously then fork out the extra coin and get serious equipment.
My brother has the Stihl 170 and I have the 181, both have worked flawlessly for felling trees around the house, and camping use which is what they were designed for.
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Oleo mac are great. I've got a whippy and a mate a chainsaw. Both over 3 years old never even looked like missing a beat.
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I am probably Stihl biased inheriting my fathers 021 thank I have been using for about 20 years. Stihl performs flawlessly and starts easily! I have to say though that maintenance of saw and chain is probably the most important things for longevity and reliability.
I recently bought a Victa/Kobalt 80V chainsaw to use with my batteries from the lawnmower (picked it up on clearance for $99) and I have to say it performs at 90-95% of the Stihl and run time is great. Will it last forever probably not but with reasonable maintenance should get a decent life. Mine is the Victa so 3yr warranty but if bought under Kobalt it comes with a 5yr warranty which is more than Stihl/Huskie etc when you do the oil purchase.
If buying a new saw, I would probably stump the approx $1,000 to get a non-chinese made Stihl but haggle hard on price. It should continue to give a service life as long as your own and if you ever need parts they are easily obtained (even after 20+ years) and if you want to sell it you will get reasonable money for it. They are complex things so they either work or don't and fixing is straight forward(ish). To get into this range I think it is the MS231. That being said I probably wouldn't hesitate on an upmarket spec of the Huskies except I like the setup of Stihl (what you are used to) and the Jap stuff is also very good quality just less main stream. I would stay away from Italian gear as whilst they are usually great when going and look the goods, I have had too many bad experiences with Italian marques even the high profiles like Piaggio/Aprillia.
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I purchased an elchepo McCulloch, had some good reviews and some bad, bad were seizing after running for awhile
and hard to start.
The saw is made by Husqvarna, hard to start, nope starts fine if you follow the instructions, like my other McCulloch gear,
choke and turn over, when it coughs set the choke to half and away it goes, if you leave the choke on full you'll never
get it started.
I bought a McCulloch back in 1998 for my first saw. A 38cc MacCat with an 18" bar. This saw went onto be copied / rebranded by just about everyone.
A little under powered, but reliable as all hell if you religiously followed the start procedure HKB shows above. At the advice of a tree lopper, I dropped the bar size to 16" and then 14" which improved it massively. Never leaked a drop and had a neat little case which made it great for 4wding/camping.
Last year I grabbed it out of the shed and the fill neck on the bar oil tank had snapped clean off. Not replaceable as the tank forms part of the saw body. Stripped the bar and sold the saw for $20.
Now got a 2nd hand Stihl US made 017. The model right before they renamed them ms170. Great little saw and so much nicer to use than the trusty MacCat.
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Looking for a small chainsaw to live in the back of the 4wd.
Been looking at a Stihl MS 181 C, the US made version, these are currently $579 on special.
The alternative is to go to a battery chainsaw, thinking of the Victa 80 volt.
What are peoples thoughts on the electric chainsaws, anyone got one and used it in anger?
Thanks
ATC
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Recently bought the 80V Victa. I was really impressed with its power and run time from the battery. It will hopefully get another workout this weekend.
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Do not try this at home children
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NRmYzLrvfM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NRmYzLrvfM)
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Recently bought the 80V Victa. I was really impressed with its power and run time from the battery. It will hopefully get another workout this weekend.
What sort of stuff have you used the victa 80v on?
I just want one to live in the back of the car, for cutting stuff of tracks, occasional bit of firewood when camping.
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I am a little surprised that the safety of a quality saw is not even considered here just the price.
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I fire up the old promac and safety ensues all over the place. If you don't respect an old beast like that you're going to have a fist full of trouble. We got a $99 Ozito mini saw about 5 years ago to quickly replace the shindiawa climbing saw which suffered an untimely death on a job. It would be one of the better value for money purchases we have made. It came with an Oregon blade and all. I'll buy another when this one goes.
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I am a little surprised that the safety of a quality saw is not even considered here just the price.
I am not sure I get your statement.
What safety do you expect just by paying more, and when does having a more expensive saw necessarily enhance the quality?
Stihl are getting up in prices but don't have air bags, seat belts or crumple zones, and
$2 000 saws don't have GPS systems to make sure the tree falls in the correct direction.
I had a $90 Hardware special with a chain brake, but the biggest safety feature was it breaking down after a couple of years. Now all I can do is stub my toe on it because it is still in the garage just in case I get around to fixing it. I guess that makes it pretty safe.
Heaps of the cheapo saws make big noises that they come with Oregon blades and chains, but the quality of the blade or chain seems to more reflect the frequency of sharpening required.
Cheers
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mate I think you are missing the point. it is not about the price its just some saws are better built than others.I could name various faults with many brands, the major fault at the moment is tuning due to emission laws.A saw out of tune is very very dangerous . You asked what is the best saw and I told u free from bias, echo have not changed there design in years because it works and if u replace the half turn mix screw you will have a much better saw
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25yo Shindaiwa 488 here, 50cc, 20 inch bar (came with a 16) its done a Shit ton of work and never missed a beat, I rate them very highly, and it gives nothing away when working side by side with may mate and his still......and my saw is easier to start!
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I am a little surprised that the safety of a quality saw is not even considered here just the price.
Of course safety is important, but it doesn't make any difference if its electric or petrol.
A poorly maintained saw with no chain break, loose chain, blunt etc, used in a careless manner, without suitable safety equipment etc....
In my case not having to carry petrol improves safety ( does that help?)
As for safety....
First chainsaw I used 35+ years was poorly maintained, with a blunt loose chain.
The chain came off, thankfully as it was slowing down, only grazed the skin.
Last one i used was a commercial series Husquarna well maintained, damn that thing was nice to use.
Everything (but safety) is a compromise, particularly if its just going to live in the back if a car.
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Picked up another saw on the weekend to make my Stihl family grow. A MS460 Magnum is now in the shed and with a 20 inch bar it sings along. Will pick up a more suitable and longer bar over the weekend to make sure that it does the saw justice and also allow me to cut the bigger logs.
A dual port muffler may find it way onto the saw as well to give it a bit more zing
GG
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Knew a bloke who had a Stihl, can't remember the model, but he took off the 20" bar and put a 12" inch on. Didn't cut big logs, but the ones he cut, man, that thing sliced through like butter !!
Heard a story ( 2nd hand ) from a Huskie dealer that while the cheaper Huskies, Stihls etc are made in China, the trusty old Echo are all still made in Japan, and generally are quality compared to built to a price.
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I bought a Husky 450 for about $1100 for 4wding. Been very happy. Happy with my Shindaiwa tools too. I bought more expensive for size and safety.
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the trusty old Echo are all still made in Japan, and generally are quality compared to built to a price.
Shindaiwa and Echo merged about 10 years ago. Both top quality stuff and popular with the pros.
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Picked up another saw on the weekend to make my Stihl family grow. A MS460 Magnum is now in the shed and with a 20 inch bar it sings along. Will pick up a more suitable and longer bar over the weekend to make sure that it does the saw justice and also allow me to cut the bigger logs.
A dual port muffler may find it way onto the saw as well to give it a bit more zing
GG
22" cutter bar suits a 460 to perfection GGV8, 24" can work them to hard in tough dry euc's.
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Go to Treestuff.com, as they ship Huskies to Oz and about half price probably more.
Jack
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I fire up the old promac and safety ensues all over the place. If you don't respect an old beast like that you're going to have a fist full of trouble. We got a $99 Ozito mini saw about 5 years ago to quickly replace the shindiawa climbing saw which suffered an untimely death on a job. It would be one of the better value for money purchases we have made. It came with an Oregon blade and all. I'll buy another when this one goes.
I had an elcheapo Ozito for five years before it stopped working. Never looked at what was wrong with it as I'd got my moneys worth out of it. It's still in the shed. Went out and got a Stihl ms170. Goes pretty hard for a little saw.
Cheers, Mike.
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I have a stihl ms170 thats about 15 years old. Starts second time everytime.
I have just re discovered trade tools. I had a cheap 2 stroke leaf blower that started to run a little rough after 12 years without a service.
I took it into them for a service, no more than $50 and probably only $35 to $40 including a carby kit.
Anyway they have these
https://www.tradetools.com/product-range/outdoor-power-equipment/chainsaws/tradetools-45cc-chainsaw-18-bar (https://www.tradetools.com/product-range/outdoor-power-equipment/chainsaws/tradetools-45cc-chainsaw-18-bar)
I thought they would be worth throwing into the mix
Yep prbably made in china but for $198 worth a look.
What I like about Tradetools is that they stick by their product, will service in house and there are a few around the place.
Cheers
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Trade tools services all our petrol gear, maybe 20 items? It all goes down to Yatala these days. The same mechanic who was at eagle farm for years. I also have a trade tools blower (built for bloody left handers) but it doesn't miss a beat. We use them blowing concrete dust which tries them out. We have a bit of their imported gear - mig, gensets x2, jackhammers etc - as stated they support their product and they go well too. The 2000w renegade genny would be 12 years old and has been belted commercially. We cannot kill it.
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About 3 years ago I brought a 16inch ryobi saw from bunnings and I'm really impressed with how it runs and handles, never had a problem with it, also have a 22inch baus saw from eBay, I was a bit concerned about it but when it got here it was way better then I thought and use it all the time, for my needs these saws do me,
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Hi All, I bought a ms 170 for $249 six months ago I have cut down 30 big royal palms with it then cut them up it to 2m lengths and over time cut up heaps of dead firewood with it, and today I put 5 tanks of fuel through it ripping the royal palms in half trying to dry them out so I can burn the flaming things, its a great well balanced saw with ample power for its size and easy to work on, with the old stile screw on fuel and oil caps that I like, Craig
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Give it a good bath Craig, palm sap kills saws quick just in case you weren't aware.
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Thanks GBC great tip, I blow it out with compressor and wash with 2/ fuel then squirt it with inox, Craig
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I managed to pick up the Victa 80v cordless chainsaw on the runout yellow sticker sale at Bunnings for $20 ;D. It's a brilliant saw with plenty of grunt and it'll do a surprising amount of cuts from one charge. As far as safety goes, they are brilliant because as soon as your finger leaves the trigger, they come to a dead stop. I also have the little 10" bar Ryobi 18v cordless that I always have in the campers toolbox. It's not a speed demon, but with a sharp chain it still cuts through tough hardwood with no dramas and it's so small and quite it can be used just about anywhere >:D. I noticed today at bunnos that Ryobi has brought out a brushless version of this 18v saw so that should be a ripper too.
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Like with 4wd's I reckon whatever suits your pocket and is safe while doing the job is perfectly fine :) I waited 2 years before buying mine as I wanted a Husky. Never been sorry for one day. I'm a firm believer in buy right - buy once
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As a member of NSW SES I would spend the extra money and get a stihl they just keep going. One thing I have noticed in general is that men pick the biggest saw and women pick the one fit for purpose. The bigger the bar the bigger the motor the heavy it gets. I would go for something in the middle. They would be more times the big ones are a pain then helpful. If you know what you are doing a med saw will cut down just about anything.
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As a member of NSW SES I would spend the extra money and get a stihl they just keep going. One thing I have noticed in general is that men pick the biggest saw and women pick the one fit for purpose. The bigger the bar the bigger the motor the heavy it gets. I would go for something in the middle. They would be more times the big ones are a pain then helpful. If you know what you are doing a med saw will cut down just about anything.
Wife uses a Stihl MS231... she's 5' on a good day, but has been using chainsaw for a fair few years, and isn't afraid to learn new things. One dealer tried to get her to go up to the next size, but she was happy with the 231 and it seems to be doing everything we ask of it. On the other hand I use one of these (https://www.bunnings.com.au/fiskars-30in-76-cm-bow-saw_p3360955)... works well for what I need it to, but I could do with getting some new blades for it.
On the subject of sharp things, with whatever chainsaw you go with keeping it sharp makes life much easier and safer - they're like a knife in that respect, they're safer sharp rather than blunt. We picked up one of the little $50 Ozito sharpeners (https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-85w-chainsaw-sharpener_p3370035) for ours, and we run 3 chains now to make it easier to keep going safely.
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As a member of NSW SES I would spend the extra money and get a stihl they just keep going. One thing I have noticed in general is that men pick the biggest saw and women pick the one fit for purpose. The bigger the bar the bigger the motor the heavy it gets. I would go for something in the middle. They would be more times the big ones are a pain then helpful. If you know what you are doing a med saw will cut down just about anything.
I also got the Stihl, Stihl story but narrowed it down to what works best for you as the top two brands both have advocates of them. In certain ranges Husky has more models but its servicing dealers that helped me decide - our local Stihl dealers are hopeless. Do I think less of the brand - no. Most Vic emergency services use them too.
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I've officially got saw envy now.
Went away for the weekend with a few mates firewood cutting.
Had a crack a my mates 880 Magnum fitted with a 46 inch bar. What a beast. It produces kindling, not sawdust...
That's 2 170's end to end and they're still shorter. In the background is a 390.
I'm now tossing up between a MS291 or MS391 in addition to my 017.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170507/c42bdf507f63db71f0283eab01492c35.jpg)
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My mrs works in the pawn industry >:D and someone has got a loan on a big old Husky with a bar on it like that Stihl. I said i'll take it if he fails to make the payments or wants to hock it. ;D
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yea nothing like a big bar ;D
(http://www.gupatrol.com/myswag/murraysunset/chainy.jpg)
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Hi Bird, I had an 090 but not with a bar that long, great old saw I use rip fence posts with it flaming heavy old buggers, Craig
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Hi Bird, I had an 090 but not with a bar that long, great old saw I use rip fence posts with it flaming heavy old buggers, Craig
Ditto that... The bar on mine was about 28 inches from memory... Definitely a pig if it decided to kick on a knot...
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Hi Drew, But Man the power that thing had running on super fuel was unreel I could not stall it out, it was a beast, My brother has the 880 Magnum but the 090 seemed to have better grunt, Craig
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Hi Drew, But Man the power that thing had running on super fuel was unreel I could not stall it out, it was a beast, My brother has the 880 Magnum but the 090 seemed to have better grunt, Craig
Oh yeah, torque on tap...
Bought my current Husky as a limbing saw, and it's been terrific too
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I like the Huskies too mate has one around 60cc great saw, Craig