Homeowner chainsaw rec.

[4570Man]

Maybe because Stihl's get used more? In other words... rack up more hours per saw vs. others? Not trying to argue, just curious and trying to be fair.

I think if you take the “professional” users out the hours used are pretty low on any brand of saw.

 

[dragoneggs]

I just got my new HF Insider Monthly. They have that Lynx 40V saw at 20 bucks off again so I just may take them up on one. I have two big trees close to the house we bought last spring to take down before they leaf out again. I have to tie off several branches to swing them away from the house. I had a third tree that I did that way with my ~20 year old 029. Minimal noise, no pull on the starter rope and ease of tying the saw off while I reposition sound pretty appealing.

I see it at $119.99 w/coupon now. Is that what you are seeing?

 

[Rock Crawler]

I think if you take the “professional” users out the hours used are pretty low on any brand of saw.

I don't know that I agree. I live in a rural area and just about everyone I know has a chainsaw, based just in my small view of the world, I see at least 4 out of 5 saws being Stihl. Most are not commercial grade, but they are at least it's and white saws. Hardware stores stock Stihl, tractor stores stock them, you can buy Stihl branded equipment just about everywhere but the gas station. So I'm guessing that there are a ton more of Stihl branded equipment out there being used, abused, neglected and worn out from both commercial and home owner users.

Maybe it's geographic and other places don't show the Stihl brand as strong, but around Western Pa., you see lots of Orange.

 

[RandyT]

Maybe because Stihl's get used more? In other words... rack up more hours per saw vs. others? Not trying to argue, just curious and trying to be fair.

Actually the opposite is true for me. Most of the problems I see with Stihl is due to not being used enough, So bad fuel, bad fuel lines, carb issues. And damaged cylinders, which happens to all brands. Most of the Stihls that I see have a lot less hours on them then the Dolmar saws that I have sold. Most of the Dolmar issues that I see are more major, but they tend to have 5-10 times the number of hours on them compared to the Stihl saws I work on.

My personal saw line up is actually another brand that I sold prior to Dolmar called Solo. I have a 650,662,667, and a 694 and one Dolmar ps-5105. the 5105 will out cut the 662 and 667 even though it is only 50 cc compared to the 62 and 67 cc of the other saws. the newest of the solo saws is 2004. My first saw that I purchased was a 1995 029 that I had taken to the woods to cut firewood, and then had to turn around and go a mile back through the woods to get a small screwdriver to adjust the carb, because the dealer had see it too rich, and was 4 stroking under load. Then I purchased the 017 which I had mentioned before which I owned about 3 years, Besides the carb issues, I had issues with it breaking the cutters off of the chain when cutting oak. That is a problem with the .043 narrow kerf chain used on those small saws. I won't even stock a saw on the shelf if it has that chain on it. .050 gauge or else.

 

[RandyT]

I think if you take the “professional” users out the hours used are pretty low on any brand of saw.

Actually the hardest people on saws are serious firewood cutters. Loggers will start a saw notch and drop a tree, shut off the saw, walk down the log, start the saw and buck off the log, and then shut off the saw, and continue to the next tree. Firewood cutters will start the saw and basically not let go of the trigger until the saw runs out of gas.

 

[4570Man]

Actually the hardest people on saws are serious firewood cutters. Loggers will start a saw notch and drop a tree, shut off the saw, walk down the log, start the saw and buck off the log, and then shut off the saw, and continue to the next tree. Firewood cutters will start the saw and basically not let go of the trigger until the saw runs out of gas.

But how many people that burn firewood use their saws more than a couple days a year. I can cut a years worth of firewood inside of week.

 

[Creamer]

Actually the opposite is true for me. Most of the problems I see with Stihl is due to not being used enough, So bad fuel, bad fuel lines, carb issues. And damaged cylinders, which happens to all brands. Most of the Stihls that I see have a lot less hours on them then the Dolmar saws that I have sold. Most of the Dolmar issues that I see are more major, but they tend to have 5-10 times the number of hours on them compared to the Stihl saws I work on.

My personal saw line up is actually another brand that I sold prior to Dolmar called Solo. I have a 650,662,667, and a 694 and one Dolmar ps-5105. the 5105 will out cut the 662 and 667 even though it is only 50 cc compared to the 62 and 67 cc of the other saws. the newest of the solo saws is 2004. My first saw that I purchased was a 1995 029 that I had taken to the woods to cut firewood, and then had to turn around and go a mile back through the woods to get a small screwdriver to adjust the carb, because the dealer had see it too rich, and was 4 stroking under load. Then I purchased the 017 which I had mentioned before which I owned about 3 years, Besides the carb issues, I had issues with it breaking the cutters off of the chain when cutting oak. That is a problem with the .043 narrow kerf chain used on those small saws. I won't even stock a saw on the shelf if it has that chain on it. .050 gauge or else.

Do you think the Dolmar owners are more professionals? They are a highly rated saw but not well known. Stihl on the other hand is very well known and, as somebody said, sold in lots of hardware and farm fleet type stores as well as Stihl dealers. i.e much more available. Husqavarna are the same - sold in lots of places just not as big a name as Stihl.

Actually you are not the first person to talk about the cutters coming off the chain with the Stihl pica chain when it gets into hard cutting. Is there not another brand of chain that does better in this regard?

 

[hosspuller]

Don't sell the Poulan saws short. I had a Poulan "wild thing" for 15 years. Trimming, felling and firewood. I worn it out. It would start but would gradually die as it warmed at the end. It served well... only replaced fuel lines, chain and a bar. I flipped the bar with every chain sharpening. The fuel lines and cap were done in by the gasohol. Only used oil with fuel stabilizer. Would use it at least once a month, through the years so never had carb issues. As previous poster said, when cutting firewood, saw ran until it was out of gas. A break for me and a fill for the saw.

 

[4570Man]

You’re not the only pro Poulan person here. How many of you have ever got your hands on a pro saw?

 

[hosspuller]

You’re not the only pro Poulan person here. How many of you have ever got your hands on a pro saw?

A pro saw is not just an expensive saw. Depends is certainly applicable. Full chisel vs semi. skip vs full ... Heavy vs light. 16 inch bar vs 18 inch vs 20 inch vs light saber length ...That "PRO" saw is not always the best for a user. Though many sales have been made on that premise.