What is the good Chainsaw for clearing?

[mudking]

Stihl MS250 is marketed as "Homeowner Grade" but is a very good and reliable saw, and what I use for limbing and most of my brush clearing, especially in tight quarters. Stay away from the MS 271 "Farm Boss": It has a cool name, poor power to weight ratio, and a less than stellar reputation for reliability.

Stihl MS261 is considered "Pro Grade". Best power-to weight Stihl offers, and I find it great for most of my felling and bucking with a 20" bar. Stay away from the ones with any suffix as they add cost, complication, and potential reliability issues for no useful reason. If I had to take "One Saw" to the proverbial desert island, It would be a Stihl MS261 with no question.

I also have a big old (heavy) twin-cylinder Echo and a small top-handle Echo climbing saw, both made in the 1980s, just won't die, but that I seldom use.

Always, always, always wear chaps.

 

[big bubba]

The name brand pro grade saws are all pretty close to the same for reliability, and cost for the same capability.

Last I knew, Echo, and most homeowner saws are pretty much all made by MTD and don’t vary much. I’m not aware of anything that could be called a Pro-Sumer class chain saw.

Number one thing is get a couple of spare chains, and stop to change chains as soon as the one on the saw gets dull. It is lots easier to tune-up a slightly dull chain than one that is really dull.

And as a chain gets dull it is a lot more likely to decide to bounce over and whack you in the leg so it can take a break, than a nice sharp saw.

yup to your point of pro grade saws & keeping them sharp. same applies to brush hog use
as to the OP's job task itself, will let others advise the approach. as far as the OP's question on what saw(s) to use for that job, sounds like the OP is on the right track choosing a name brand pro saw(s) that will last a lifetime if properly maintained. more importantly, please be safe & take your time. & post your progress, bb

 

[Storm56]

Echo chainsaws are not made by MTD. Yamiboko Corp owns Echo. The only chainsaw I could find on a google search owned by MTD is Remington. Echo builds quality equipment although they are often set up lean from the factory. A good tune and muffler mod wakes them right up. They do fall a bit short of Pro Models from Stihl and Husqvarna but are still quite good performers with a bit of good setup work done.

 

[civilian]

Someone suggested a battery operated or elctric saw as easy starting. When looking at chaps from Stihl, they commented that their chaps would not protect from electric or battery saws. Torque was too high to be stopped by the chaps' fibers. Something to think about. Especially for someone asking about chain saws to purchase. Jon

 

[oosik]

I have two Stihl saws. A 280 with a longer bar and a 192 with a short bar. I quit felling my pines for firewood about thirty years ago. My ancient Ponderosa pines are just too much work. Converting these large trees into firewood became a real PITA.

Now I use the smaller Stihl to thin my young pine stands. It's light, easy to handle - the short bar will not "zip" the toes of my boots should I get tired. The bigger Stihl - cut up those bigger pines that Mother Nature will occasionally bring down.

Things to consider -
- how old are you
- how long do you expect to work at clearing, in one day
- will this project go on - day after day until finished. Or will there be breaks in your work
- weight of the saw
- reliability of the saw
- will you need to resharpen the saw. In the field or back at your shop.

These factor will definitely affect your overall daily activities.

 

[5030]

All good so long as you can sharpen the loops when they get dull.

 

[warrendeere]

Love My Stihl MS400. 70CC Saw that only weighs 12.8LBS. I run a 32" Bar on it for really large stuff, but most of the time i'm using a 16 or 20 inch. I would say stihl all the way, but both echo and husqvarna make good chainsaws, i just havent had good luck with husqvarna, but they still make good saws

 

[Reddogs]

Someone suggested a battery operated or elctric saw as easy starting. When looking at chaps from Stihl, they commented that their chaps would not protect from electric or battery saws. Torque was too high to be stopped by the chaps' fibers. Something to think about. Especially for someone asking about chain saws to purchase. Jon

I was just looking at those to avoid carrying around more things in the tractor out in the fields, interesting to say the least..

 

[JohnnyMX]

Like everything, electric saws have their place and will become more useful as the battery technology improves. They do seem VERY easy to use and maintain as long as you aren't clear-cutting a forest. I wear my chaps based on what I'm doing and how long I'll be doing it. I know that isn't smart, but I'm being honest. If it is going to be hours behind the saw and fatigue is going to be an issue or I need to move quickly (felling) they are on. If I just need to make a cut to clear a trail. I have a gas saw so I wouldn't replace it until it dies. Maybe by the time it does the batteries will be even better and they'll figure out how to solve the chap problem (or I'll be too damn old to be using a chainsaw).

 

[bud70706]

As I posted before, I am clearing several lots, and need a good chainsaw to tackle the bigger trees and can grind them down afterward with a stump grinder. But you really cant find out much of anything out of the stores on what works for solid pine and oak that we have down here. What is a good Chainsaw that starts on the first pull, lightweight but powerful, and doesnt breakdown after a day or two of heavy cutting..?

I se a Husq 460 for felling mature oaks & pines (60-85 feet) & lopping large limbs. I have a 440 for smaller trees & limbing or trimming. Both start on about the THIRD pull. I also use a Woodland Mills stump grinder on my JD 3046R.