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Lets Talk Saws

TORX

TORX

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
NWC
Like everything I do, I'm currently nerding out on chainsaws before pulling the trigger on buying one.

I figure there are a few things every guy needs, and a chainsaw is one of them. I'm looking at buying one mostly to carry in the jeep for snow/spring wheeling, cut firewood for camp, and clearing any down trees across the trails (size within reason).

My dad's always been a Stihl guy, so naturally I have my eye on their line. While the MS170 would probably work great for my needs, I have to wonder if it would be worth it to step up in CC's and bar size for something a bit larger.

Currently looking at the MS250 and MS251, with 18" bar. Stihl resale values are really good, so picking up a used one really isn't all that appealing. I'd also consider a Husqvarna, but don't know much about there line.

What do you guys pack in the Jeep, or use at home? I know we got a lot of chainsaw guru's on here.

Any tips or tricks you want to share?
Do you carry spare gas, or just a full tank?
Any cool mounts for inside the Jeep?
 
Re: Lets Talk Saws.

I run a stihl 180 with the quick chain tensioner

It's got a 16" bar and I feel it has adequate power if the chain is kept sharp

It's very reliable and pretty light weight, In my opinion it's the perfect trail saw..

The only "Con" is the somewhat smaller fuel tank, I find it needs fuel every 30 minutes when running hard.. But that probably also helps keep it lightweight..
 
I have this one

c253b4a89ecdb1296c1ee8d5a218b0db_zpsa6516aa1.jpg


It's less expensive and has never let me down till now but it's mt fault I left it close to empty for a year now the prime ball won't fill.

I'm sure it just gunk and I know after I clean it it will fire ion the first pull
 
I have friends that are loggers and they all use Stihl. Another friend bought a home use saw, a Stihl. I've met tons of people with chainsaws and the ones that always work and never get complaints are the ones that are the industry standard. Just like with a lot of other things, look at what the professionals /industry uses.

There is my $. 02. Cherish it!
 
http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/chainsaws/460-rancher/

This is the saw I use. It always starts, always runs like a champ and with the 26 inch bar you can pretty much take care of anything. I always make sure the tank is full, never used a whole tank on the trail yet.

I have been wanting to get a shorter bar and chain, probably 16" or 18"--this would make it easier to pack in the jeep. Plus, every time I have had to use it on the trail, a 16" or 18" bar would have been fine. The only downside I have found with this saw is that its too big for the Husky case, even with a shorter bar--the motor is too big.

One of my buddies used to compete in the Stihl series, competition logger sports. His motto was, "Big motor-short bar/chain equals a faster saw". He used to compete with a Stihl 440Mag with a 12" bar and hot saw kit on the motor. That thing would cut a 10" log in under 1 sec, and his saw was not always the fastest.
 
Last edited:
Stihl and husqvarna are the two main brands

My next saw will likely be a husqvarna rancher 460 with 20" bar.. But that's because I like that particular model

For trail use with minimal space and weight, I'm sticking with my versatile small stihl

Edit: dammit jo LOL
 
I`m on the cheep side I carry a Homelight with a 16 in. bar , wish it had alittle more power and an 18 in bar . This is a replacement for the Homelight I carried and used hard for everything for 20 years , but I don`t think the new one has the same power that the old one did . I don`t think it would handle a chipper chain .
 
Check out home depot rental area. They sell their rentals which are makitas made by dolmar. I have one and a "real" Dolmar. Good saws but not aa popular as Stihl and Husky. I was in the tree care industry for 10+ years. We used Husky except for the climbing saws. After 7 years we started buying more stihls. Echos are good homeowner saws also. I would stay away from new poulans and homelites, they are kinda throw away saws. Don't count out your local saw shop (if you have one). Big box huskys are made with cheaper material than "pro" grade saws. I have older homelites, echos, stihl, dolmar, Mall and Disston.
 
Stopped by the local saw shop the other day to see what they had on display. Ended up talking to one of the guys for a bit comparing the models.

The new Stihl XX1 saws are the new models. These all feature a four stroke motor (head) that still runs on two stroke gas. This makes them much more efficient because of the added exhaust stroke. A two stroke motor spinning at 12,000 rpm actually tends to dump fuel straight out the exhaust.

The new models definitely felt like they had more plastic to them which I'm not a fan of, but this also helps keep the weight down on the power head. Looking at bar sizes I definitely think 18" is the largest I would want to carry around in the Jeep, and should be able to handle 99% of what I'll be using it for.

Hard case would be nice, but they do take up a lot more space. I'm thinking I'll build a mount over one of the rear wheel wells where it can be strapped down.
 
I have an early 60's mcullock with a 28" bar. It is slow, takes a while to start. I really wish it had an automatic oiler. But on the good side it is so loud that it scares away bears
 
I have a huskvarna, under 200$ at Home Depot. Works great for me. Some years ago I paid a company to cut down 20 huge trees on my lot, he used a little husky to limb them all, and a bigger one to fall them.
 
I've been in landscaping industry for 18 years now, mainstay has always been stihl for all power tools. I have just in the last few years switched to husky saws. I am not a fan of stihls new style cap for oil and gas, nor the way its tensioner is. Im used to using older, late 90's early 2000's style stihls. Simple, and functional. Stihl and husky dont make em like they used to with all metal type parts, I think dolmar is really one of the only manufacturers that still use metal type housings.

With that said, my newset recent purchase as of 2 weeks ago was the husky 450 with 22" bar iirc. I've only used it for 3 small branches, and a total of maybe 30 seconds of run time. I am now thinking of just selling it to recoup costs lost on a job we are working on. Sucks to have to contemplate selling tools, but I may need to so I can get back into positive.
 
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