modern chain saws

[scott_vt]

For $400 to $500 you can get a Stihl or Husky that will last 20+ years, start every time, and work like a dog. It's just not worth the frustration and hassle to do anything else.

Mornin Hayden,
I have to agree, I have had my Stihl 025 and lost track how many cord of firewood I have cut with that saw !!! My next saw is going to be the Stihl Farm Boss, next larger saw, Im not even going to think about buying anything else ! If I have real good luck with one product why bother to experiment with something unproven !

 

[RobJ]

Man I still have an Pouland 16" I bought used in a pawn shop about 12 years ago. Cranks with a few pulls and goes. No it doesn't always idle the best but once it's started it's just a single pull to restart. I really don't need one to idle much anyway, seems I'm either cutting or hauling.

For around the city house, you can't beat an electric saw.

 

[Richard]

A plug for Stihl...

Was cutting some stuff in a field, moving stuff with my backhoe (full sized industrial JCB).

While moving some things, ran over a rock

ROCK??? There are no rocks in this field...

The "rock" I'd backed over (with the rear tire and all the backhoe weight) was my Stihl 044.

Bent the bar 90 degrees, squashed the handle and smashed the pull starter clutch.

Don't recall price of parts, but new bar (for chain), new bar (for holding) and new starter assembly and today, you'd have NO idea anything happened to it. Still runs like a bat outta ****.

 

[ScottOkla]

I've had problems with my light duty Stihl 170, but no problems with my two Stihl 360s. I use them about 20 full days each winter for 5 years, rotating back and forth to let them cool a bit each day. About 5 tanks of fuel mix each per day. Nice machines.

 

[Podunkadunk]

The names Homelite, Poulan, and McCulloch have been ruined by their getting contracts to sell to big retailers such as Wmart, HDepot, etc.

That is why I cringe when I see Husky being sold at Lowe's(?) It is only a matter of time before the price pressure applied by the big box store leads to a decrease in quality of the tool.

CP,
You aren't too far off on your prediction at all. I posted a while back that my Poulan Wildthing had died and that I got a new Husqvarna. I took the Poulan in to get it serviced (figured I'd use it to cut "junk" wood and in places where I would get the chain and bar dirty). The guy at the shop told me that Poulan and Husky had gone into business together. He said Husky now has 2 different kinds of saws...one made by Poulan with a Husky label, the other, still a genuine Husky.

He said the way to tell the difference is by the metal tag rivited to it. If it has the metal tag, it's a "true" husky, made in Sweden. Those are the one's to look for. The others are Poulans in disguise. Buyer Beware!

Podunk

 

[Redbug]

I have had Homelite, McCulloch, Poulan and Stihl. The older models of the Homelites and McCulloch were well mad saws. But parts are impossible to find nowdays. The newer saws are not very good and cheaply made. All I have now are 4 Stihls, (a couple 017's an 026 and a Farm Boss). I have never had a Husky or Echo, and am happy with the Stihls. For the money, the Stihls are worth it, although the 017's can be cranky at times. The larger Stihls are more dependable.

However, whenever I do any wood cutting I always take at least 2 saws. It does not make sense to get where your going and start cutting, only to have the saw quit...without a backup.

 

[jimg]

I think Jonsered still makes a good saw. Anyone own/use one? They were very popular in new england.

 

[L4400]

I had a 16" McCullugh that was junk from the first day I got it. I went out and purchased a Poulan 3450 20" saw to replace the first one. That saw was great. I cut a ton of wood with that saw. I had that saw about 7 years and the spark plug had never been pulled. Never had to adjust the carb either. That saw would start on the 2nd pull when it was new, and after 7 years of use cutting firewood for our firewood heating only house, it would take 3 pulls to start. Unfortunately, my wife's uncle had a downed tree in his loader bucket and I was cutting the stump off. Just as I got through, the tree rolled out of the bucket and pulled the saw out of my hands. The tree landed on top of the saw and broke the case in half. Checked around for a new one, but they didn't make that model any more. Bought a Stihl MS250 to replace it, 16" bar. Wasn't too impressed with the performance. Straight piped the exhaust and readjusted the carb, it's a wood cutting monster now.

 

[WTA]

I've got a really old stihl out in the shop that used to be a chainsaw till my father converted it to a pipe cutter. He did it with a factory kit so it was done right. Now it's got a big 14 inch cut off wheel on it. I rarely use that thing and it is at least 10 years old. It was very well used when my dad gave it to me too. Now it just sits in the shop and I might use it once or twice a year to cut a pipe or something. That thing has always started on the first or second pull no matter how long it sat or how old the fuel was in it. It's amazing!

That junk poulan was the 3314 model. I forgot the number earlier. I just saw it again though as it went from the back of my truck into the dumpster.
I thought about taking it back to walmart the first time I had to adjust the carb but I thought it was an easy fix. It did have the spark arrestor catalyst type muffler too BTW. That has a lot to do with the problems. Still I know that motor didn't have more than 2 or 3 hours on it when I tossed it. It wasn't worth the price of diesel to drive 40 miles to take it back though. It's just disappointing. I've had two old poulans now. One was my fathers and he bought it in about 74 or 75. I got it back in the late 80's I think and used it hard for a few years till giving it to a friend of mine. That was when I bought the big poulan. I ran the tar out of that thing wearing out more chains and bars than I can remember. It's still running fine too. It just needs a new chain guide that they say isn't available. I'll bet if I pushed a little it would be but they'd tell me it has to go to an authorized service center. I just refuse to keep things that I can't fix myself. That old chainsaw that my dad gave me a long time ago is still running too BTW. I talked to the guy I gave it to recently and he is still using it. Knowing him he hasn't even changed the spark plug in it.

I think the reason that things aren't made like they used to be are many but the big one is companies are trying to make a profit so it has to be made cheap. Cheap is not a good thing when you need to rely on a tool to get the job done. We're too far out in the sticks to run into town for parts every time something breaks. I guess I learned my lesson though. You get what you pay for.

I sure like this new husky though. My arms are so sore now!!! It's heavy but I ran it about 12 hours yesterday and had to resharpen the chain 3 times. It's a chain eating work horse.

I wonder if I should start something on the chains being made today. This has been a slow change but my first saw was definitely not an anti kickback chain. That thing would stay sharp forever it seemed and also if you weren't careful take a dive right into your forehead when it bit into something. I miss that old saw.

Has anyone noticed how hard it is to get specialty chains these days? By specialty chains, I mean ones with no or very limited numbers of anti kickback teeth, resaw chains, and chains with no depth gauge teeth on it. Those were nice but you really had to hang on to them. These modern ones that are being made with so much safety in mind sure don't seem like they hold up long. I am needing a good rip chain too for cutting planks. I've got a big jig for cutting planks and beams that I used to use a lot but I tried it once with an oregon brand chain and didn't get halfway through the board before it quit cutting. I sure wish they could make some that would at least stay sharp longer. Sharp would be safer wouldn't it? Probably not cheaper though.

I do got one minor complaint about that new husky saw I have. It's a gas hog! It goes maybe 10 minutes and runs out of gas. It holds a quarter gallon too. For the amount of power It's putting out though that's really not too bad. I'd rather have a gas hog that runs than an efficient one that doesn't.

Starting next month this saw is getting put to the test. I have a half mile road to clear. It hasn't been used much in 30 years and is only half as wide as it used to be. Also two pastures and our homesite. It's going to take me a couple years working on weekends and holidays but I think this one is up to it. I might even go buy another one for my son.

 

[cp1969]

However, whenever I do any wood cutting I always take at least 2 saws. It does not make sense to get where your going and start cutting, only to have the saw quit...without a backup.

I have to take two saws and an axe. There has been more than one occasion I've had both saws stuck and had to chop one out.