best chainsaw?

theonlybull · Dec 19, 2003

i think you'll be happy with any of the better name brand saws. i love my huskey and wouldn't buy anything else. i personally like the feel of my 257 much more then any stihl i've ever used, i just don't find the stihl comfortable. when i worked in the woods, i started with a pioneer partner 5000, great saw for it's age, but when i saved enough $$ to buy a new saw, i went with huskey.

i think seeing what brands are sold in your area, and what kind of service there is should be your main concern.

if you want a 18"-20" bar, you should be albe to get in included in the pice of the saw. most will just change out the bar and chain and keep the smaller one for re-sale.

good luck

JLD · Dec 19, 2003

I've had a Stihl 026 for about 13 years. Its been used pretty hard on and off and I've gone through three or four bar in that time. Its beem in the shop a couple of times for repairs. Next Stihl saw is going to be a little bigger.

BTW I also have a Stihl leaf blower and weed eater. Its nice to have one can of premix for all the 2-stroke equipment.

wroughtn_harv · Dec 19, 2003

Darn, double darn, even!

I too have an .026 that I love dearly. Along with a Stihl weedeater and blower. I'm sure that if one of my best buds wasn't the Stihl dealer I'd still have Stihl still. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

One of the things that never seems to surprise me is how good tools can be used hard by some people without problem one. Others can abuse the heck out of their tools and not even work them. Maybe that's where they got the term "tough love." /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tomnky · Dec 19, 2003

I also have a Homelite SuperXL that has been a great saw, I think I bought it in 1979 or so . At that time I bought it because of price mainly and fortunately it has been a good one.
If I were buying now i would go with Stihl because I have a trimmer ,blower and a hedgetrimmer that are all Stihl .Never a glitch one in any of them and the trimmer is 16 years old (also extremely well-used).

Maybe it's just me, but I have Always used the manufacturers brand two cycle oil and other lubricants, I like to think this has attributed to my good luck with them.

NIXON · Dec 19, 2003

As has previously been said ... Stihl , Husqvarna , Shindwa make very good and reliable saws . I own a stihl044 and Husky 346 XP . I regulary use a stihl 026 and 029 at work .
If you what a saw for relatively heavy work , the 044 is hard to beat . For lighter stuff , I really like the 346 Xp over the o26 and 029 . I doubt You'd be dissapointed in the performance of any of the above brand saws .
sorta like tractors .... Find one you like in the price range you want . When you buy it , maintain it ,and it wont let you down . One after thought .... Your going to be cutting some pretty large stuff from the sound of it . Then you're most likely going to be limbing it all . 18-20 " is good for felling trees , but you might look for an inexpensive saw in the 14-16" range to do the limbing work . See, we can spend your hard earn $$$$$$ on more than just tractors /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif JMHO . All the best , John

Docsknotinn · Dec 19, 2003

Three or four bars in 13 years, lol MAN do I wish I could get mine to last that long. I went through the 16 and two 18" bars and about 12 chains in 1 year /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif My christmas presant to myself this year is a Oregon bench mounted chain grinder. I can dull 4 chains in a day pretty easy. No more fileing ! yipppeeeeee /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Dave

pruntyc · Dec 19, 2003

My old Stihl is a 031, if I had known Dave liked Stihl, I wouldn't have posted. I hate to have to agree with him. lol. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Docsknotinn · Dec 19, 2003

You old son of a gun, Ive already avoided a couple of posts where you didnt dissagree with me. I guess I need to say something bad about that two popping smoker /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Dave

Docsknotinn · Dec 19, 2003

Hay Dick, its kinda funny when you think about it, your chainsaw probably has more HP than the tractor /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif lol, Dave

RobertN · Dec 19, 2003

I just had a grey pine taken down by an Arborist buddy. He does a LOT of cutting. He has a mix of Husky and Stihl. We used both while cutting today.(He has about 8 saws on his truck...).

I have a mix of Husk and Stihl stuff. Husky brusch cutter, two saws, and blower. Stihl trimmer, with detachable scyth, tiller, trimmer, and pole saw. All work well. It came down more to the local services of dealers than it did the particular brand.

I recently got a Husky 335XP arborist 14" saw. That saw really kicks!