Looking to buy a new chainsaw. How do the low end home owner type
Stihls hold up? I'm not normally cutting firewood, but it seems a few
75 foot trees close to the house have to come down each year so I can
sleep at night. Lets say I cut down about 5 trees a year with diameters
from 12" up to 18", up to 75' tall. Is a low end model with an 18"
chain enough? I'd definitely like one with the newer easy to adjust chain.

I have been using a crapsman/paulon? and the only thing I hated from the
start was adjusting the chain. I bought it for $50 about 10 years ago
at Sears as a refurbished unit someone returned. It always starts in
1 or 2 pulls no matter how long it sits. I'm going to spend $18 on a
new clutch part, the side with the chain sprocket is worn. It'll be
nice to have as a backup for when I screw up and let a chain on a new
saw get pinched.

If anyone remembers I asked about fixing the crapsman recently when the
bolts that hold the bar and chain started pulling through the plastic
case. I fixed that problem and I'm happy with that fix. Two bolts to
remove the muffler was all it took to gain access to the bar bolts and
for my repair. I got two bolts a little longer than the originals and
welded a plate connecting the two bolt heads together (spaced properly
so they would fit in again). It seemed to tighten up nicely but was in
the way of the muffler, so I then heated the bolts and plate to where
the plastic case was melting and snugged the bolts up again. It worked
GREAT and it's possibly stronger than new!