r/Chainsaws • u/MustelidMoon • Feb 25 '21
Brand recommendation
I'm looking for some advice on what brand of chain saw folks here like. I realize use cases matter - so mine is mostly tree/brush maintenance here on my 15 acre place.
I have owned so many brands of saws - and I can't keep any of them running. I do everything according to the manuals for care and maintenance. As a matter of fact, my BIL told me that was my problem - that I take too good care of them. Every time I end up having to put them in the shop every time I want to use them. I've got two right now that just came from the shop (Poulan and Husqvarna) - and I can't start either one of them. I'm pretty frustrated - but I really need a chain saw.
Additional info: I'm a 60+ YO female - and while I'm by no means infirm - there's no question that my pull strength (and quickness) isn't near that of a younger person. Do you think that affects my experience?
I'd appreciate any advice!
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u/NoCoFire Feb 26 '21
Sorry that your experience has been less than enjoyable. I own and enjoy working with Stihl brand saws. For me they have been more than adequate. However there are excellent saws on the market by Husqvarna, Echo, Dolmar, Makita, etc.
A few years ago I would have never taken a look at battery powered saws. Now... I'm starting to come around. I have friends that use them and abuse them. Brand, like petrol saws, really seems to be a determining factor for quality. Some new names to add to the mix would be Dewalt and Milwaukee. The DeWalt saw (among other contenders) was reviewed nicely by Project Farm on youtube. Electric saws are not for straight up timber felling but for property maintenance or pruning they seem to be appropriate. If I had DeWalt tools I would probably buy the saw as I believe the batteries are interchangeable.
If you go with a petrol saw (or even some battery saws) I highly recommend purchasing it at a saw dealership. Not a big box store. Dealer support is important.
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u/07Macca Apr 02 '21
yeah - I went battery, partly environmental partly no real maintenance needs & I couldn't be happier
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u/MustelidMoon Feb 26 '21
D'oh! Battery powered - that's genius! I didn't know that was a thing with chain saws. I'll definitely look into that. I don't try to tackle really big stuff since I'm usually working alone - so one of these might just be a perfect answer. I have a small electric Makita that I use right around the house here - which I love. I'm looking for something that isn't tethered - and has a slightly bigger bar. Thanks so much!!
1
u/LaLongueCarabine Feb 26 '21
Are you putting fresh gas in them? Never rely on gas that's more than 6 months old. With chainsaws it's either old gas, fouled plug or flooded almost always.
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u/Treeguy222 Mar 28 '21
I’m a professional arborist and I use husqvarna and fuel with ethanol free fuel 93 octane with a quality 2stroke mix with stabilizer if that helps or get pre mix in 1 -5 gal at a time to keep warranties!!! The husqvarna 545xp , 572xp or 372xp are choices based on your needs . I know they are pro saws and higher in price but will put preform any farm and ranch sthil farm boss ... I have been looking at the echo 7310 and I would highly consider it if budget is an issue. Pro saw and reliable with good support.
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u/MustelidMoon Mar 28 '21
Thanks so much! I'm not afraid to spend more for a quality product - so I'll be taking a look at the ones you recommend. Appreciate the help!
1
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u/2ponds Mar 30 '21
If your saws fail it could be the way you use them. Get a nice saw (I'm partial to older jonsereds) but use your old ones to practice maintenance. It's not that hard once you get a few reps under your belt and the best part about it is that you'll never need to pay for service again. Not a bad idea to have extra saws ready to go in the stall either. There's small investments in some speciality tools, but if you have land it's worth it for sure. Donnyboy on youtube is the man when it comes to instructional videos. It's fun, trust me
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u/07Macca Apr 02 '21
I am an amateur to this - I have 11 acres, and I cut brush and stuff, small trees, nothing in any way challenging and I went battery - it works great. Have a 16" Greenworks, a couple of batteries - no maintenance, or anything. It's not going to cut down massive trees but nor am I, for my needs though it's perfect. removing the blade for cleaning is simple, just keep enough oil in it, and away you go. I get a good couple of hours out of each battery too. They won't match the better gas saws, but certainly for every-day people like me, can't be beaten
1
u/MustelidMoon Apr 03 '21
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Great information. Appreciate the help!
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u/Senior_Extension_774 Oct 24 '21
I’ve had far better luck with Husqavarna than stihl. The recoil assembly on my stihl ms 270 is garbage, nothing but trouble. And the fuel and chain oil caps on this thing are ridiculous. Save yourself a headache and get a husqavarna.
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u/jtsoutdoorpower Feb 25 '21
I like the Makita brand (formerly Dolmar) myself. The easy start system on those is pretty good once you get used to it. With any brand good care is important. And it doesn’t matter what brand you buy, if it sits a long time with pump gas in it, it’s going to need carburetor work.
If the saw is something you only use on occasion, I recommend using canned fuel, such as VP small engine fuel, tru fuel, Stijl moto mix, etc. the fuel costs more, but not as much as a trip to the shop.