Chainsaw brands, full time vs. part time.....

[Oldpath05]

Would someone say there's a plethora of chainsaws out there now. A guy I work with bought a $110.00 45cc Blue Max chainsaw couple years ago, he likes it, say it's all the saw he needs for part time firewood cutting. That same saw is on sale right now at HD for $169.00, come with 2 bars, the only issue I have is it come's from China, which make's sense at that price, then again so don't Apple products and their smart phone's are't cheap

Any taker's out there or would you rather spend $500.00 for a Husqvarna 550xp?
("What I can tell you is that Blue Max chainsaws are made in China and follow the recent trend of cheap Chinese-made chainsaws being introduced in the marketplace. But just because Blue Max chainsaws are made in China doesn稚 mean they aren稚 good. Apple iPhones are made in China and they?*e pretty darn good.")

Blue Max Chainsaw | Affordable Gas Power

 

[adventure bob]

I'm not sure you can get a new 550Xp for $500...
There's nothing wrong with consumer level saws. However when it comes to running a saw all day and having it withstand that type of workload, Id take the pro level saw. Working on the pro level saws is also much easier than the consumer saws. I can get my 550 torn apart in about ten minutes. My neighbors homelite is a jigsaw puzzle. There are a ton of other small things that make a difference if your using it all the time. Plastic parts instead of metal, replacement parts availability, dealer support.
Theres an argument that could be made for just buying two or three cheap saws and just chucking them as they break.

 

[MossRoad]

I wouldn't buy it. And I'm cheap. Super cheap. Read his other article...
Best Cheap Chainsaws | Reviews | Chainsaw Journal

There are better saws with better parts support for similar price range.

I have a 42CC Poulan Pro 18" saw. I've had it for quite a while now. I'm thinking about 10 years?. I got it for under $150. I've had to replace the fuel line ($1.00) and the muffler ($20.00 I think). I just ran it again yesterday for about 4 hours (3 hours run time). We heat our house with wood. So I cut about 6 cords per year with it for that. Plus wind downed trees, cleanup for the school/church, etc.... Its been a dependable saw. I'd buy another one.

 

[KennyG]

I'm a cheapskate on saws. I have a 15+ year old Poulan 14" and a 3+ year old Chinese off brand 18". They both work OK and get the job done, but I wouldn't buy the off brand again. On the other hand, the Poulan just keeps going. Maybe one of these days I'll buy a good one....

 

[LD1]

If you depend on your saw....either to keep you warm or for income....get something that will last. It will be cheaper in the long run.

To buy a saw, just to carry on the tractor or in the back of a UTV, for occasional trail maintenance or whatever....by all means buy a cheap one if you want

 

[MossRoad]

I wouldn't buy it. And I'm cheap. Super cheap. Read his other article...
Best Cheap Chainsaws | Reviews | Chainsaw Journal

There are better saws with better parts support for similar price range.

I have a 42CC Poulan Pro 18" saw. I've had it for quite a while now. I'm thinking about 10 years?. I got it for under $150. I've had to replace the fuel line ($1.00) and the muffler ($20.00 I think). I just ran it again yesterday for about 4 hours (3 hours run time). We heat our house with wood. So I cut about 6 cords per year with it for that. Plus wind downed trees, cleanup for the school/church, etc.... Its been a dependable saw. I'd buy another one.

I went back and looked. I bought the Poulan saw in October of 2009. So about 7 years old now. We bought our wood burning stove in 2008 and I wanted to upgrade from my father's old Craftsman 18" saw (also Poulan made). He died in 95, and he had it well before he retired, so it was probably 20 years old. I wanted something with a chain break.

So, I've got about $150 in a saw that has heated my house for 7 years. $21 per year so far.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I have several saws. My first was a 14 inch Poulan. It lasted a long time...about 5 years in, I bought a used Husqvarna 365 special...ran the heck out of it..... When the Poulan finally died, I bout a dolmar 420......I've had that for 6 years at least....just after I bought my land last year I saw a deal on a still 261c. I snatched it up...It makes a great go to saw for intermediate jobs. And in the spring, when I was clearing a lot of land I bought a Dolmar 7910. I would never buy a saw that doesn't have an inertial break. I also wear a helmet eye protection, ear protection and chaps. You can still kill youself. Saws are dangerous. Buy a good one.. Doesn't have to break the bank....but buy a good one.

 

[Billrog]

I have a HuskyXP for falling, bucking & fire wood. About 10 years a go I bought a 44cc Poulan with a 16" bar for $99.00 for a dowel making project but since have been using it for liming do to the fact it's nice and light compared to the large saw. I probably use between 10 and 20 tanks of fuel a year in it and so far it's ran like a champ. So for part time use most likely a reasonable investment.

 

[hslogger]

I am always constantly amused by the chain saw threads and haven't chimed in on one for long time, so here goes.
Regional differences in trees and wood are a given. So is terrain, and above all, your physical strength and real need to operate a gasoline chain saw in the brush or on your patio.
In the Pacific Northwest, Stihl and Husky have it wrapped up for professional users. You will find a Sachs here and there but by in large, the hobby brands are just that. NO ONE out here wants to work on those things. We call em disposable saws. If you have a local up brand saw shop in your locale, that's the guy you wanna buy it from for service and advice instead of the box stores.

I know some will say " I had a Stihl or husky and is was junk. Well there are models and then are models, some are lesser quality than the others and made for light use or flat *** balls to the walls heavy duty knockem down and buck em all day long. I am glad so many users have gotten good use from a PULL-on or Macattack or homeatnight.
And now my shameless plug for Madsen's logging supply and Baileys. Happy logging to ya'll.

 

[MossRoad]

I guess the question always boils down to someone asking themselves if they can justify purchasing an expensive saw for seldom usage. For me, there's no return on investment in a $500 saw. I'll never see it.

 

[4570Man]

I'd way rather have the $500 550 XP. Although I've never seen a new one at that price. Cutting with a pro saw or even high end homeowner saw is much more enjoyable than a cheap saw. Considering the amount I save on a gas heat bill I can buy as nice of a saw as want.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I had three chain saws and all three were stolen so am replacing. Had a Husky 455 and a 460 that performed for three years; with no service problems. They are a good mid grade saw for the home owner doing 2-4 cords a year. Put a 16" bar on either one and you can do everything. Get a small saw though for limbing though if you want. Lowes has them at MSRP, no dickering; the 455 and 460 are the biggest they sell. If you buy and XP model make sure you repair shop has all the electronic and computer gear for set up and trouble shooting. Back off if they don't.

My dealer gives me 10% discount up front on every thing I buy. Just bought a 562 XP as I need a little more umph for big stuff. Will keep a 20" bar on it and put the 28" on when after those big logs. As soon as the rain lets up I will be trying out the new one.
I have a T435 XP with a 14" bar on order for limbing and cutting small stuff. Replacing 3 with 2.

Ron

 

[motownbrowne]

I went back and looked. I bought the Poulan saw in October of 2009. So about 7 years old now. We bought our wood burning stove in 2008 and I wanted to upgrade from my father's old Craftsman 18" saw (also Poulan made). He died in 95, and he had it well before he retired, so it was probably 20 years old. I wanted something with a chain break.

So, I've got about $150 in a saw that has heated my house for 7 years. $21 per year so far.

I've heard very good things about the Poulan 5020. They can be had under $200.

I like your $21/year figure. I hate to think what mine would be, more like $210/year probably, but I cut a lot of wood and offset other more expensive fuels by burning firewood.

Personally, OP, I would increase my budget to whatever a user Stihl 026 or ms260 costs. Probably about $250. For your extra money, you get a better quality saw with much better parts availability and general support in terms of repair write ups, etc. You also get a saw that you can use for five or ten years and sell for exactly what you paid for it, assuming you keep up on maintenance. That's not gonna happen with a Chinese saw.

 

[MossRoad]

I've heard very good things about the Poulan 5020. They can be had under $200.

I like your $21/year figure. I hate to think what mine would be, more like $210/year probably, but I cut a lot of wood and offset other more expensive fuels by burning firewood.

Personally, OP, I would increase my budget to whatever a user Stihl 026 or ms260 costs. Probably about $250. For your extra money, you get a better quality saw with much better parts availability and general support in terms of repair write ups, etc. You also get a saw that you can use for five or ten years and sell for exactly what you paid for it, assuming you keep up on maintenance. That's not gonna happen with a Chinese saw.

If it lasts through this year, it'll be $18.78. :laughing:

 

[cat fever]

Here's my plug for a Stihl;

Not exactly sure of the model but I think it's a AV32. Bought it about 42-45 years ago, used it nearly every year some more than others.
Never had one problem in all that time. It still starts, just doesn't want to run when I put it to a log. So I bought a MS391 have used it the last 3 years, not one problem.
So cost wise that first Stihl had to be less than 5 to 7 bucks a year. Just don't remember what it cost that long ago.

 

[mcfarmall]

I have 3 Stihl saws. 021, 029, and a very old 028AV. The 028AV was rescued out of my uncles condemned houses wet basement and I had it back up an running after a new fuel line was installed. The other two, I use the 021 10x more than the 029 but both saws are beasts and will perform flawlessly every time. I don't look at payback time, I look at the ability to pick the saw up, start it quickly and get the job done fast. For me, that's the payback.

 

[MF283]

021, 029 & 310 for me, the 021 was bought back in the 90's, nothing but regular maintenance, brother gave me the 029, he cut two trees up with it many years ago & let it sit, $25 in part's & it runs great, bought the 310 several years back, no problems there either.
I have 35 acres, don't heat with wood, cut trees when dead or blown over, give wood away for the price of a few gallons of gas & fuel mix, even some neat trades offered.
The weedwhacker & blower are every bit as dependable as well, the way i figure, they work w/o problems, i've saved money.

Ronnie

 

[Deere Dude]

I went back and looked. I bought the Poulan saw in October of 2009. So about 7 years old now. We bought our wood burning stove in 2008 and I wanted to upgrade from my father's old Craftsman 18" saw (also Poulan made). He died in 95, and he had it well before he retired, so it was probably 20 years old. I wanted something with a chain break.

So, I've got about $150 in a saw that has heated my house for 7 years. $21 per year so far.

If it lasts through this year, it'll be $18.78. :laughing:

Boy you guys are getting off cheap. I had a $400 Echo saw and had it for ten years and a tree fell on it. Bought another $400 Stihl saw which I still have and it still works. A couple months ago I sprung for a $625 Echo to finish the lineup and a small saw for limbing.
But then I had to have a JD tractor for hauling logs out of the woods and then a GN trailer to haul firewood home because I'm not getting any younger and needed to make it easier.

So I figure I burn 4 cord a year max with my new $5000 fireplace for about $44500 over a 20 year period. It is costing me $2225 a year to burn wood what would cost me $800 a year on LP.

But I like to do it?? :dance1::dance1:

 

[LD1]

I paid something like $497 for my 6400, then $99 for the 84cc big bore kit, and another $60 for the HD filter. So have just under $700, in a 84cc 7.0HP saw.

All the rest, the older sachs 116si's, 120si's, 115i's etc.....all less than $200. Mostly off fleabay. If you know what you are looking for, some good deals can be had there.

 

[Toyboy]

Myself, I would never buy a chinese saw.

If you have a price range you want to stay in, the first thing I would do is visit the saw shops and see what they have, and also check out the used saws. Do you really need the 550XP which is the pro grade 50cc saw? Would a smaller cc homeowner saw work for you? You need to answer those two questions first before going saw shopping.

There are a lot of excellent used saws out there that were purchased and rarely used.

If you insist on buying new, stay with the name brand that is is the most popular in your area. If you ever need service, or want to trade up or down, there is a dealer and market for it.