In article PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06, SteveB
wrote:

We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area where I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo, Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?

Stihl or Husqvarna. Been using them for over 20 years. I've *never*
worn out a Stihl, someone has always stolen them first :-( The Huskys
are IMO these days a better saw, less plastic, less vibration. Since I
badly broke my elbow I appreciate the Husky's low compression starting.

Which brand lasts the longest?

See above.

Which has the least downtime?

Never had any downtime on my Stihls.

Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Never bought spares for my Stihls.

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

For your size wood, the 16.

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

I use a 55cc power head with 18" bar. The longer the bar, the worse the
balance and the more teeth you have to sharpen.

Get at least 2 chains with the saw. Hitting a rock, embedded nail etc
will trash the cutting teeth instantly, and bring you to a full stop.

PDW

"Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions. "
-- Gunner

Do you know how to file those saws? I can't get them anywhere nearly as
sharp as the factory does.

jw

I have a pet beaver that takes down trees of that size for me just to
stay in shape.......

ABout the only spare parts needed would be an extra chain and
bar.......and if the saw you have uses a rim type drive instead of
spur drive, then a spare spur is nice to have handy as they only cost
3 or 4 bucks and have been known to crack, but usually they are about
as trouble free as a stone.......Any other extra parts is a waste of
money and storage space......

The extra bar is nice for those occasaions when you may get one wedged
in a cut even though you may have had bucking wedges in use, hell ****
happens, so at least you can cut your old bar out of the wedged
cut........The spare bar could be either smaller or larger, so you
have more versatility........and of course your gonna need a chain to
fit, as well as a fileing guide and files to sharpen the chain and
dress the bar as they will get wire edged after use.

A 6" saw is able to take down trees of 32 or so inchs or more in
diameter if you know what your doing................the big difference
is in the amount of time it takes with a smaller saw as compared to a
large saw..........but small saws are far from being a toy.........

On 28 Sep 2005 04:33:54 -0700, wrote:

==="Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
===saw on many occasions. "
=== -- Gunner
===
===Do you know how to file those saws? I can't get them anywhere nearly as
===sharp as the factory does.
===
===jw


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

" wrote:

I would get a 16 inch bar if you are not going to cut down good sized
trees. Mine has a longer bar ( 20 inch ) which is proving handy right
now.

I like a longer bar so I don't have to bend over so far when limbing a
downed tree.

Wes

wrote:
"Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions. "
-- Gunner

Do you know how to file those saws? I can't get them anywhere nearly as
sharp as the factory does.

jw


Been sharpening my own chains since the late 70s, having said that I
would add that they are never really as sharp as from the factory but
they work good for me none the less, saving me the expence of driving
miles, down time, and having it sharpened.

granpaw

RoyJ wrote:
Right. I have THREE of them sitting under the bench!! All with clogged
carbs.


It was SOP once a month or so at the small engine place I worked
summers at to have an employee, come running downstairs from the 'used
parts' area (where the dead/traded/obsolete machinery was cannibalized)
shouting that someone had broken in during the night. The boss's eyes
would go wide and he'd ask what had been taken. The reply was always;

" They didn't take anything, but they left a bunch of minimacs!"

--
__
Pete Snell
Royal Military College
Kingston Ontario


The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
- George Bernard Shaw

On 28 Sep 2005 04:33:54 -0700, wrote:

"Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions. "
-- Gunner

Do you know how to file those saws? I can't get them anywhere nearly as
sharp as the factory does.

jw

Its a very arcane art. In fact...sawyers in the days when such tools
were common..often worked in closed shops so no one could see how they
did it. Ive fumbled around at it over the years and generally made em
"sharper"...but....

Axes of course are simple.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

Ok, I'll be the "Girly Man" on the block!
My neighbours all have decent machines, so a few years ago, I bought
an electric chain saw to fill the gap. I think it's a 16" Remminton.
Truth is, it's a dandy little machine and is borrowed regularly by the
neighbors. Apart from it's obvious drawbacks, it's quiet, starts
everytime and is very light.
As a suggestion, consider getting one to compliment your main saw, you
won't regret it ..... and your neighbours will love you on Sunday
mornings when you want to clean up the small stuff.

Ditto on the electric, and the HD has a cordless as part of a set, mebee
Hitachi, that might be my next.

My favorite was a sears electric with a built in sharpener, talk about
handy, but they don't make it anymore

I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and two
spare chains. All new in box with warranty.

Try to sway me.................

Steve

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:51:42 GMT, ~Roy wrote:
HUSKY, HUSKY HUSKY or a HUSKY in no special order......

I have 9 Husky;'s and I can bet I can go start anyone of them in less
than 3 pulls no matter how long they have set. Srtihls are great
saws, but all of my Stihls will give fits if unused for a period of
time, and they get cantankerous......

Jonsered is yet another good saw, and its built almost like the
Husky.....which is also parent company of Jonsered. Husky, Jonsered
and Poulan are owned by Electrolux Corp.........

I wouldn't wish a Poulan on my worst enemy.

Poulans are nothing but junk to day, even the so called Poulan Pros.
ONe time a good Poulan Pro would run with the top dogs, but no so
anymore.

Ah, good. We agree on that one. I guess the point I'd make is, just
because they're owned by the same company doesn't mean they're all good.
They're designed to sell at a price point. No clue about Jonserud,
never tried one, but Husky is top-notch.

I can use any of my Husky saws for 8 or more hours and not have a
problem, but any size Stihl will make my left arm numb as well as my
fingers in a few hours of use..Not good.

That's a good point, but with good gloves, that may be minimized for
you. But yes, my Husky does feel smoother and is less tiring to use
than my Stihl.

I would recomend a Husky in the 45 to 55 model sizes as they can pull
a chain on a 18 inch bar and come with a 16 inch bar. NIcely balanced
and dependable.

Mine is a "51". 15-20 years old, on it's third bar, and no problems at
all. Either Husky or Stihl would be just fine, if I were to buy a third
"good" saw it'd be a Husky.

SteveB wrote:

I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and two
spare chains. All new in box with warranty.

Try to sway me.................

Steve

I already done my best pal, you're headed in the right direction I
figure, just don't have the kind of luck I do and lose it like the other
stuff last week.

granpaw

"granpaw" wrote in message
...


SteveB wrote:

I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and
two spare chains. All new in box with warranty.

Try to sway me.................

Steve
I already done my best pal, you're headed in the right direction I
figure, just don't have the kind of luck I do and lose it like the other
stuff last week.

granpaw



Thanks. Just discovered a new Makita 14" chop saw is gone too. I am now in
the process of securing the place.

It was some bad luck, and some real stupidity on my part. Both happen.

We will be going back up to the cabin this weekend, and I doubt that this
will ship in time to get here. I have been really considering this, and
know what I want now.

Only one last question .......... someone said to get the .375" chain, and
this saw comes with .3125", IIRC. Is there any real differences in chain
besides dimensions?

Steve

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:25:44 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and two
spare chains. All new in box with warranty.

Try to sway me.................

Steve

One of the guys I was working with last week had one of those. It's a
nice saw. I bet you'll love it.

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 04:04:48 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 13:43:08 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 08:41:30 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

16 is a toy.

Gunner

The pros don't seem to think so. The guys from Des Moines used a 14"
or 16" saw to clear the 8" to 10" branches from the 8KV line behind my
house. Weight counts with extended usage, unnecessary weight is not
a plus. The guy mentioned something about "pain pills tonight".
They'd been working 16-hour shifts for several days.

When I've looked in the trucks of arborists, I usually see a 20 and a
couple of 16's, sometimes a 14. They seldom use the 20's unless the
size of the work requires it.

Saw one in a truck today that must have been a 36", maybe a 48".
Husq.


When you are trimming branchs..even an electric will work. Which is
why arborists tend to keep trimming saws on hand. But they dont cut
trees worth a ****.

Now you can have a saw you can trim with..or a saw you can trim with
AND cut down a tree. If you can afford only one..which will it be?

Gunner
\


My old Remington auto 8 or my Partner 400. The Remington is fine to
use on the ground, but it is a royal pain to start on a ladder or in a
tree due to its extreme compression kickback when starting. The
Partner is much easier to pull - and at 40cc vs the Remington's 38 has
almost the same power. The Partner has a chain brake and
anti-vibration mounting, which is nice, but a mostly plastic case -
compared to the alloy case of the Remington.(Alloy is much more
durable) I'ce got a 20" bar on the Remington.
"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

SteveB wrote:
"granpaw" wrote in message
...


SteveB wrote:

snip

Only one last question .......... someone said to get the .375" chain, and
this saw comes with .3125", IIRC. Is there any real differences in chain
besides dimensions?

Steve

AFAIK the chain you are getting will be a tad narrower on the cut
Steve...Or it could be "square tooth" chain instead of "round tooth" .
I haven't had any experience with the smaller totthed chains.

I do not think you will regret it. Thats a great saw, and a spin off
of Huskys famous Rancher 44 model I have a Husky 44 rancher, thats
over 30 some years old and still does a good days work and has never
cost me a dime except for converting it to rim drive and bars and
chains. This was made when Husky saws were orange with a white
top.......it was ahead of the game over a Stihl back then and its been
carried on over the years in the 44, 45 and 345 models........

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:25:44 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

===I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and two
===spare chains. All new in box with warranty.
===
===Try to sway me.................
===
===Steve
===


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

On 28 Sep 2005 17:46:46 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

snip

===
===I wouldn't wish a Poulan on my worst enemy.

They were named Poulan as thats what you all ways have to do to get
one started, keep poulan and poulan and poulan than rope.

We call Homelites Homalots as if you own one your gonna spend more
time at home than cutting wood.

We just call McColloughs junk, plain and simple and as stated by
someone before, they are good for boat anchors in most cases.



=== Poulans are nothing but junk to day, even the so called Poulan Pros.
=== ONe time a good Poulan Pro would run with the top dogs, but no so
=== anymore.
===
===Ah, good. We agree on that one. I guess the point I'd make is, just
===because they're owned by the same company doesn't mean they're all good.
===They're designed to sell at a price point. No clue about Jonserud,
===never tried one, but Husky is top-notch.

Yep, Poulans are targeted at occasional use by home owners who may
happen to have a tree fall down in their yard and want to cut it
up......

Husky, Jonsered and Stihl are big names in the saw business, and all
three also make consumer grade as well as commercial pro grade saws. I
am not all that familiar with Stihls new method of naming their saws,
but saws before their new system with odd numbers were
consumer/backyard / occassional use grade and those with even numbers
were commercial grade. The Husky 029 and o31 and 039 were big pieces
of junk.......but the 028, 040 saws were fine saws any wood cutter
would be proud to use and carry in the woods for a living.

Jonsereds are clones of a Husky, with a different color and sytle
housing for the most part and in some areas of the USA are major
players......but are a big player like Husky and Stihl in European
countries...... They made a Turbo action saw one year which was a
pretty neat saw, and they came out with the fan cleaned air cleaner
system and electric handlebars long before Husky or Stihl did.
===
=== I can use any of my Husky saws for 8 or more hours and not have a
=== problem, but any size Stihl will make my left arm numb as well as my
=== fingers in a few hours of use..Not good.
===
===That's a good point, but with good gloves, that may be minimized for
===you. But yes, my Husky does feel smoother and is less tiring to use
===than my Stihl.
===

The reason I can tell so good is I had my left elbow crushed, and had
a lot o=f nerve damage. They tried to repair the Ulnar nerve after
they repaired the elbow, and they screwed it up worse. So after yet
another surgery the elbow is as good as its gonna be, but the three
main nerves that transverse the arm are all repositioned in my left
arm and near the surface just barely under the arms fatty tissue, so
they are prone to all kinds of sensitivity.... Just one of those
things...

A good Gel filled glove makes for a good shock absorber and
eliminmates lots of vibrations, but I have never been a guy that wears
gloves for any reason be it super cold or welding, I just do not like
or wear gloves......
=== I would recomend a Husky in the 45 to 55 model sizes as they can pull
=== a chain on a 18 inch bar and come with a 16 inch bar. NIcely balanced
=== and dependable.
===
===Mine is a "51". 15-20 years old, on it's third bar, and no problems at
===all. Either Husky or Stihl would be just fine, if I were to buy a third
==="good" saw it'd be a Husky.


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

The chain it comes with is fine. Its a smaller pitch chain and has
more cutters to the inch than the 3/8" pitch chain does, so cutting
is much smoother espeically on smaller diameter stuff like limbs. I
would use it like it comes, and get a spare chain, and when you wear
your sprocket out and bar, then convert it to a rim type drive instead
of the sprocket or spur drive, and then still go with the original
sized pitch chain which is .325 IIRC. I would not go with .375"
(3/8" ) pitch on a smaller saw, as most times its used on small stuff
and not just large diameter stuff as most larger saws are.

IIRC that saw comes with an asymetrical bar, (top and bottom is same
and the end is rounded, not tapered) so don;t forget to flip the bar
every now and then so uyou do not wear in one spot on the bar. It will
cut just as good with the name Husky upside down as it will right side
up. Pay attention to your chains tension and take it ewasy for a
little while to allow chaian to break in, and keep it tenisoned
correctly. AFter about 10 or so sharpenings your sprocket or spur
drive will probably start to look ragged..........The biggest thing
that wears them is an improperly adjusted chain or a chain that has
stretched and is now no longer the specified pitch from the stretch,
so just because a chain has some meat left to sharpen it a few more
times it may not really be worth it as its stretched. A simle check
with another unused chain will tell you if its stretched or simply
measure the pitch and look at the rivets and pull and twist and you
can readily see slop if its worn.

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 13:11:51 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

===
==="granpaw" wrote in message
...
===
===
=== SteveB wrote:
===
=== I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and
=== two spare chains. All new in box with warranty.
===
=== Try to sway me.................
===
=== Steve
=== I already done my best pal, you're headed in the right direction I
=== figure, just don't have the kind of luck I do and lose it like the other
=== stuff last week.
===
=== granpaw
===
===
===
===Thanks. Just discovered a new Makita 14" chop saw is gone too. I am now in
===the process of securing the place.
===
===It was some bad luck, and some real stupidity on my part. Both happen.
===
===We will be going back up to the cabin this weekend, and I doubt that this
===will ship in time to get here. I have been really considering this, and
===know what I want now.
===
===Only one last question .......... someone said to get the .375" chain, and
===this saw comes with .3125", IIRC. Is there any real differences in chain
===besides dimensions?
===
===Steve
===


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06...
We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area where
I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a
cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to
buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo,
Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?
Which brand lasts the longest?
Which has the least downtime?
Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

I like the Stihl Farm Boss
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS290.html

This chain saw kicks ass. A little pricey, but way better than the typical
borg models.


The Stihl is a good chain saw - lots of power - but all the ones I've
used/seen shake like a dog ****tin' bones... I hate the vibration and
they install all kinds of rubber mounts to absorb some of it. Then the
rubber mounts go bad and the thing acts like it's going to fall apart.
I needed a couple of parts to repair one for a guy one time, and
called the factory - response was "If it's more than 10 years old,
throw it away - we have no paperwork, parts, or tech support for the
old stuff." From that time one - I would never recommend someone to
buy from them. I personally have a Poulan 18" and have had no
problems with it (and I cut a *lot* of firewood, about 13 cords/year
or more).
Hope this helps.
Ken.

p.s. I have a steel frame to hold up logs while sawing so I don't have to
bend over. Bought it on sale at the local hardware outlet 2 years ago and
it's the best invention ever.

As you are cutting at your waist height and the log is held securely, there
is no back strain and you are not holding a screaming saw at some horrible
rate of revs next to your foot.
Sissy..... G
Ken.


Hope this helps,
Peter

"Bushy Pete" wrote in message
...
Just to be different I have an Echo 440ESP (electronic security protection
=
plug that stops the saw from running and you can take with you and put
somewhere safe... where you can't find it...) with a 16" bar and have used
it for the past fifteen years since buying my farm. The security plug
could
be bypassed with a crimp joiner to reconnect the wires on the back of the
socket underneath the air cleaner, but it stops the kids from playing
without supervision.

Had the bar reground once and share the wear between two chains. Starts
readily, cold pull the rope with the choke on till it coughs and then turn
down the choke and away she goes. Hot starts are a single pull. It's a
comfortable saw to use with a nice chain brake.

I use it mainly for firewood from gum, ironbark and assorted other outback
Australian scrub wood. I'd buy another tomorrow if it was stolen.

Hope this helps,
Peter


"SteveB" wrote in message
news:PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06...
We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw
for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area
where
I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a
cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to

buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo,
Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger
engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?
Which brand lasts the longest?
Which has the least downtime?
Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Buy from the local dealer if possible.
And you are planning on cutting what with it ?

Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



SteveB wrote:
I am leaning towards the Husky 345, 16". $243 online, $10 shipping, and two
spare chains. All new in box with warranty.

Try to sway me.................

Steve



----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
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Just before we sold and moved out of Redwood country, a storm hit and a large
(24" at 4') oak decided to fall across my 45 degree down slope driveway. The power
company paid for the extraction of it - most of it anyway - as it was 'posed danger to their pole'
(key concept there!) The skilled person on the bucket truck used an arbor saw. He cut limbs
and trunks with that beauty. They swung logs over and down into a dumping area - not to roll
or bust the thin blacktop on the road. The tree was hung up through two redwoods that both
provided swing ties and props.

Only wish I have taken a movie of the whole process.

Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



Gunner wrote:
On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 13:43:08 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:


On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 08:41:30 GMT, Gunner
wrote:


16 is a toy.

Gunner


The pros don't seem to think so. The guys from Des Moines used a 14"
or 16" saw to clear the 8" to 10" branches from the 8KV line behind my
house. Weight counts with extended usage, unnecessary weight is not
a plus. The guy mentioned something about "pain pills tonight".
They'd been working 16-hour shifts for several days.

When I've looked in the trucks of arborists, I usually see a 20 and a
couple of 16's, sometimes a 14. They seldom use the 20's unless the
size of the work requires it.

Saw one in a truck today that must have been a 36", maybe a 48".
Husq.



When you are trimming branchs..even an electric will work. Which is
why arborists tend to keep trimming saws on hand. But they dont cut
trees worth a ****.

Now you can have a saw you can trim with..or a saw you can trim with
AND cut down a tree. If you can afford only one..which will it be?

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...
Buy from the local dealer if possible.
And you are planning on cutting what with it ?

Martin


Wood?

"SteveB" skrev i en meddelelse
news:PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06...
We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area where
I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a
cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to
buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

The longer the chain bar is, the less control you will have over the saw...
If you arent cutting anything bigger than 8", you could easily do with a 15
or 16" bar..

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo,
Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger engines
better?

Bigger engines usually have more power, but also weigh more... I regularly
cut pine, beech, birch and oak upto 12" or so with a 40CC, 15" Husquarna...
I have bigger saws, but I prefer the smallest one due to the handling and
reduced weight..

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?

I have 3 Husquarna saws and love them.... one of them is 15 years old.. Zero
problems, starts every time.
I bought a cheapo Mc Cullogh to use around the house ( I usually cut the
trees in 3 or 6 ft sections and cut them up for firewood outside the
house ).. It died after a few weeks of non intensive cutting..


Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Not a problem with the Husquarna saws here.. The local farm supply store has
a good selection of spare parts..

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

For 8" firewood I'd get the 16"... If you decide you need a longer bar, you
can just replace the bar and chain for something longer.. Most pro saws will
let you do this..

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

No: It will weigh more
Yes: It has more power

For 8" firewood you shouldnt need the extra power aslong as your chain is
sharpened regularly..

IOW: You decide :-)

/peter

As pitch of the chain increases or decreases so does the width of the
cutters, as well as the spacing out of the cutters.


On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:04:45 -0500, granpaw
wrote:

===
===
===SteveB wrote:
=== "granpaw" wrote in message
=== ...
===
===
===SteveB wrote:
===
===snip
===
=== Only one last question .......... someone said to get the .375" chain, and
=== this saw comes with .3125", IIRC. Is there any real differences in chain
=== besides dimensions?
===
=== Steve
===
===AFAIK the chain you are getting will be a tad narrower on the cut
===Steve...Or it could be "square tooth" chain instead of "round tooth" .
===I haven't had any experience with the smaller totthed chains.


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 15:32:06 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Gunner
quickly quoth:

On 28 Sep 2005 04:33:54 -0700, wrote:

"Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions. "
-- Gunner

Do you know how to file those saws? I can't get them anywhere nearly as
sharp as the factory does.

jw

Its a very arcane art. In fact...sawyers in the days when such tools
were common..often worked in closed shops so no one could see how they
did it. Ive fumbled around at it over the years and generally made em
"sharper"...but....

Mount it in a saw vise or whatever you have available to keep the
section of teeth rigid.

Put on your magnifying glasses and check the set (if any) and cutting
angle of each tooth. You'll see that they alternate since they're
crosscutting saws.

Use a small file (diamond file for hardened teeth) and take a few
strokes toward the cutting edge. Again, working toward the edge, stone
the wire-edge burrs off the side of the cutting edge with a fine
stone, emery cloth, or a diamond plate/file. Watch your angles at all
times or roundover will getcha.

You'll be done in no time at all.

Here's a good link with pictures for standard saws. The concept is
similar for the odd-shaped teeth in the crosscuts.
http://www.vintagesaws.com/library/primer/sharp.html


Axes of course are simple.

Right. An 8" mill ******* file will take care of those.

--
"Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not misery but
the very foundation of refinement." --William Morris
-----------------------------------
www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

Right - a 47" 4' measurement Maple I guess.
A 20" purple Heart rose wood tree.
A stand of bamboo.

Not.

I have cut from Post Oak to mighty Coastal Redwood (on the ground already) Mid-pacific Ironwood,
and sadly a 120 year old Holly. Have some of the Holly on this desk, wife's desk, and living room.
Redwood - in the backyard - brought it with me. Madrone is the toughest to cut - it splits and twists
as it is cut.
So saying wood indicates you are in trouble :-)

Martin

Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



SteveB wrote:
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...

Buy from the local dealer if possible.
And you are planning on cutting what with it ?

Martin



Wood?



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"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote

And you are planning on cutting what with it ?

Martin




Firewood and dead limbs. Mostly dead downed juniper, quakies, and a little
pine. Nothing over 8"-10" in diameter because I can't lift a lot anymore
since two guys with masks took a stainless steel chain saw to my sternum.
Not sure of the brand name of saw they used.

Sorry I was not specific in answering your question, but at that moment, I
did not catch exactly what you were asking, and why. Hence, the question
mark after Wood.

Steve

Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote in message
...

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06...
We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw
for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area
where
I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a
cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to
buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo,
Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger
engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?
Which brand lasts the longest?
Which has the least downtime?
Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

I like the Stihl Farm Boss
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS290.html

This chain saw kicks ass. A little pricey, but way better than the typical
borg models.


The Stihl is a good chain saw - lots of power - but all the ones I've
used/seen shake like a dog ****tin' bones... I hate the vibration and
they install all kinds of rubber mounts to absorb some of it. Then the
rubber mounts go bad and the thing acts like it's going to fall apart.
I needed a couple of parts to repair one for a guy one time, and
called the factory - response was "If it's more than 10 years old,
throw it away - we have no paperwork, parts, or tech support for the
old stuff." From that time one - I would never recommend someone to
buy from them. I personally have a Poulan 18" and have had no
problems with it (and I cut a *lot* of firewood, about 13 cords/year
or more).
Hope this helps.
Ken.

The new stihls seem pretty smooth and well put together.

Let the record show that Gunner wrote back on
Wed, 28 Sep 2005 11:03:36 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :

When you are trimming branchs..even an electric will work. Which is
why arborists tend to keep trimming saws on hand. But they dont cut
trees worth a ****.

Now you can have a saw you can trim with..or a saw you can trim with
AND cut down a tree. If you can afford only one..which will it be?

I cut down about 12" thick tree with an electric chainsaw.


Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions.

Does this make any of the above the prefered tools?

Sounds like the preferred tools to have Someone Else(tm) use. Some
Else(tm): greatest labor saving device known to man or woman. Next time
there is a big or messy project, have Someone Else(tm) do it!

:-)

pyotr

--
pyotr filipivich.
as an explaination for the decline in the US's tech edge, James
Niccol wrote "It used to be that the USA was pretty good at
producing stuff teenaged boys could lose a finger or two playing with."

Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote in message
...

"SteveB" wrote in message
news:PW3_e.81984$DW1.77009@fed1read06...
We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw
for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area
where
I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a
cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to
buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo,
Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger
engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?
Which brand lasts the longest?
Which has the least downtime?
Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

I like the Stihl Farm Boss
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS290.html

This chain saw kicks ass. A little pricey, but way better than the typical
borg models.


The Stihl is a good chain saw - lots of power - but all the ones I've
used/seen shake like a dog ****tin' bones... I hate the vibration and
they install all kinds of rubber mounts to absorb some of it. Then the
rubber mounts go bad and the thing acts like it's going to fall apart.
I needed a couple of parts to repair one for a guy one time, and
called the factory - response was "If it's more than 10 years old,
throw it away - we have no paperwork, parts, or tech support for the
old stuff." From that time one - I would never recommend someone to
buy from them. I personally have a Poulan 18" and have had no
problems with it (and I cut a *lot* of firewood, about 13 cords/year
or more).
Hope this helps.
Ken.

The new stihls seem pretty smooth and well put together.


Maybe they've made some design changes.... I know the older Stihl saws
would cut like a banshee - ya just couldn't seem to stall 'em out.
And throw chips like chunks of 2 x 4's. Awesome cutting - it's was
always just a problem with the shaking.... A friend had one where the
rubber bushings were worn somewhat - and every time you tried to rock
the saw into the cut - the frame of the saw would "move" up until it
shorted out the top of the spark plug cap. Junk ! sigh
Ken.

On Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:56:34 GMT, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

Let the record show that Gunner wrote back on
Wed, 28 Sep 2005 11:03:36 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :

When you are trimming branchs..even an electric will work. Which is
why arborists tend to keep trimming saws on hand. But they dont cut
trees worth a ****.

Now you can have a saw you can trim with..or a saw you can trim with
AND cut down a tree. If you can afford only one..which will it be?

I cut down about 12" thick tree with an electric chainsaw.


Ive cut down 24"+ trees with a bowsaw, an ax, and a two man cross cut
saw on many occasions.

Does this make any of the above the prefered tools?

Sounds like the preferred tools to have Someone Else(tm) use. Some
Else(tm): greatest labor saving device known to man or woman. Next time
there is a big or messy project, have Someone Else(tm) do it!

:-)

pyotr


Indeed. Also a large Roundtuit is handy, particularly with the bowsaw.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

"Pete C." wrote:

SteveB wrote:

We went to the cabin this past weekend. I am going to need a chainsaw for
cutting firewood, and clearing some dead wood. None of the dead wood is
more than 8" in diameter. I have plenty of downed wood in the area where I
live, and don't want to cut anything bigger than about 8" for firewood,
because I don't want all the work of splitting it. I would cut about a cord
a year.

Therefore, I am thinking 16" chainsaw. BUT, I always have a tendency to buy
a little bigger for that once in a while when you need the bigger.

BUT, I goes to the stores, and see Poulan, Husqvarna, Homelite, Echo, Stihl,
etc. with prices all over the map.

I also see engines with different cc displacements, from 37 to 55 on
chainsaws with the same bar length. What's up with that? Bigger engines
better?

I would like to ask:

Which brand do you like and why?
Which brand lasts the longest?
Which has the least downtime?
Does any have a problem with getting spare parts?

Would you do the 16, 18, or 20 inch?

Would you go for the bigger cc engine and why?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Shindaiwa 488 with an 18" bar. Do *not* use the crappy anti-kickbak
chains. With a good chain my 488 will go through an 18" dia tree in
about 3 seconds, spewing a stream of inch long cuttings.

The Shindaiwa's have about the best engines I've ever seen / used. I've
given my 488 quite a bit of use / abuse and it's never complained or let
me down. I also have one of their line trimmer / brush cutters (T270)
that is downright scary with what it can do when loaded with the brush
cutter blade.

http://www.shindaiwa.com to find a local dealer. You will not find them
at a Home Depot or Lowe's.

Pete C.

Am I the only one who has used (or even heard of) Shindaiwa?

They have dealers across the country and I've seen plenty of their
products in use by professionals. Their rubber flap drum brushes seem
pretty popular with pro landscapers.

Pete C.

In article ,
Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote:
A friend had one where the
rubber bushings were worn somewhat - and every time you tried to rock
the saw into the cut - the frame of the saw would "move" up until it
shorted out the top of the spark plug cap. Junk ! sigh

Ah, yes.

Lack of maintenance = saw is junk. logic, indeed.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Pete C. wrote:


Am I the only one who has used (or even heard of) Shindaiwa?

They have dealers across the country and I've seen plenty of their
products in use by professionals. Their rubber flap drum brushes seem
pretty popular with pro landscapers.

Pete C.

Can't speak of their chainsaws, but the string trimmer I bought has
served flawlessly for 8-9 years. Afriend of mine was going to fix her
trimmer. I told her to get a real one and toss the pos she had been
using. I let her use my Shindaiwa and she was very pleasantly impressed
that it did not bog down like hers had done while taking heavier cuts
than she was used to. The time spent on project was another happy thing.

michael

In article ,
Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote:
A friend had one where the
rubber bushings were worn somewhat - and every time you tried to rock
the saw into the cut - the frame of the saw would "move" up until it
shorted out the top of the spark plug cap. Junk ! sigh

Ah, yes.

Lack of maintenance = saw is junk. logic, indeed.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Correct.... He should have put brand new vibration isolation bushings
all throughout his saw (about 6 of them, and about an hours work)
every single time before he would start it. Even between
truckloads.... That may have prevented it..... but then again, maybe
not.....
Ken.

michael wrote:

Pete C. wrote:


Am I the only one who has used (or even heard of) Shindaiwa?

They have dealers across the country and I've seen plenty of their
products in use by professionals. Their rubber flap drum brushes seem
pretty popular with pro landscapers.

Pete C.

Can't speak of their chainsaws, but the string trimmer I bought has
served flawlessly for 8-9 years. Afriend of mine was going to fix her
trimmer. I told her to get a real one and toss the pos she had been
using. I let her use my Shindaiwa and she was very pleasantly impressed
that it did not bog down like hers had done while taking heavier cuts
than she was used to. The time spent on project was another happy thing.

michael

When I put a Sandvik brush blade on my T270 trimmer it will go through
2" dia saplings in a fraction of a second. I found this when clearing
some brush. I was swinging along through relatively light brush and
wasn't being careful of the 2" dia 12' tall sapling there since I was
going to get the saw to take it down after. Swung towards it, expecting
the blade to bounce off, instead stood there kind of shocked as it went
straight through. Came out of my shock a second later in time to duck
out of the way as the sapling came crashing down. This was even after I
had caught the blade on some rusty wire fencing mixed in with raspberry
bushes and dulled it considerably.

Pete C.

In article ,
"Pete C." wrote:

And you should
be careful about taking advice to avoid safety chain - it's one thing
for a logger who does a lot of cutting, knows what to expect, and sees a
direct financial benefit from saws that cut a lot faster, it's another
for someone who runs a saw 50 hours a year or less. Anything that cuts
wood cuts flesh. A _sharp_ safety chain will cut perfectly well, and has
much better manners for an occasional user.

Well, I certainly qualify as an occasional user, and I've had no
problems with a non safety chain. The saw came with one standard, but
the folks at the dealer said I wouldn't like it and to just be careful
with the non safety chain. They were 100% correct, the non safety chain
performance is vastly superior.

Begin meandering, only marginally related response:
The safety chain is mostly just geared to stupid proof (as much as
you can with a friggin' chain saw) the machine. The links have risers
added that keep you from cramming the saw in too quickly, and reduce the
tendency for the saw to kick back if you bump the nose into something.
But you can still pinch the chain, and it does kick back enough to get
your face.
That said, if you're going significantly faster with the standard
chain you might want to check and make sure that you're not pushing the
saw too fast. Standard chain does cut faster, but make sure you are
within the margin. Properly sharpened blades self-feed a bit and you
can just go with that to get proper speed. Bearing down indicates a
problem.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
movies.crooksandliars.com/Countdown-Timeline-Katrina.mov

"B.B." wrote:

In article ,
"Pete C." wrote:

And you should
be careful about taking advice to avoid safety chain - it's one thing
for a logger who does a lot of cutting, knows what to expect, and sees a
direct financial benefit from saws that cut a lot faster, it's another
for someone who runs a saw 50 hours a year or less. Anything that cuts
wood cuts flesh. A _sharp_ safety chain will cut perfectly well, and has
much better manners for an occasional user.

Well, I certainly qualify as an occasional user, and I've had no
problems with a non safety chain. The saw came with one standard, but
the folks at the dealer said I wouldn't like it and to just be careful
with the non safety chain. They were 100% correct, the non safety chain
performance is vastly superior.

Begin meandering, only marginally related response:
The safety chain is mostly just geared to stupid proof (as much as
you can with a friggin' chain saw) the machine. The links have risers
added that keep you from cramming the saw in too quickly, and reduce the
tendency for the saw to kick back if you bump the nose into something.
But you can still pinch the chain, and it does kick back enough to get
your face.
That said, if you're going significantly faster with the standard
chain you might want to check and make sure that you're not pushing the
saw too fast. Standard chain does cut faster, but make sure you are
within the margin. Properly sharpened blades self-feed a bit and you
can just go with that to get proper speed. Bearing down indicates a
problem.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
movies.crooksandliars.com/Countdown-Timeline-Katrina.mov

Well, the engine wasn't bogging down at all and I didn't have to "cam"
the bar into the tree to get it to cut fast either. About a 12" dia fir
and I was able to hold the saw slightly back off the spikes and with
just modest downward pressure cut through the whole thing in seconds.
The stream of elongated chips coming off was semi spectacular. Obviously
the target being freshly dropped fir helps a bit.

Pete C.

In article 4OC_e.84002$DW1.76538@fed1read06,
"SteveB" wrote:

Only one last question .......... someone said to get the .375" chain, and
this saw comes with .3125", IIRC. Is there any real differences in chain
besides dimensions?

That number is the pitch, or spacing between rivets. Measure across
_three_ rivets, and divide by two. There's a second number that goes
along with the pitch: gauge. It's how wide the drive links are where
they fit the bar groove. Usually one size of pitch has a corresponding
gauge and no others, but you can get chains of thicker or thinner gauges
in the same pitch. .050" is typical for homeowner saws, IIRC. Changing
pitch means changing sprockets, and changing gauge means changing bars.
Keep that in mind when you shop.
You also have different cutter arrangements. Standard has a cutter,
spacer, cutter, spacer around the full length of the chain. Semi-skip
will have one spacer, then two spacers, then one again, with cutters in
between. Skip has two spacers between each cutter. Standard is more
aggressive, full skip is best for really long bars that will need the
most room for chips and you can drive a longer chain with the same
powerhead without bogging down. Semi-skip is pretty common as a
compromise.
"Safety chain" or low-kickback has the exact same sizing system. The
obvious physical difference is that the spacer links have a hump on 'em.
That hump causes pretty lousy cutting performance after you sharpen the
chain a few times.
The cutters themselves are available in various profiles. The oldest
is square ground chisel, which is extremely aggressive. It's also
fickle about sharpening and will go dull in an instant. The new rounded
and semi-chisel profiles are easier to sharpen, hold and edge longer,
and take less horsepower to run. Just have to cut a bit slower.
For fast cutting with a little saw, but reasonable maintenance, .050
gauge, whatever pitch as long as it matches your sprocket, standard or
semi-skip, non low-kickback chain. (assuming you're able to locate some
in that size) If you can choose between 7 or 8 tooth sprocket, get 7.
It lets a little engine keep its revs up.
There are two varieties of sprockets out there. One that looks like
a spur and is called a spur drive, the other looks like a washer with
slots around the edges, called a rim drive sprocket. The second type is
removable from the clutch bell, so it's cheaper if you plan to keep the
saw long enough to wear out a few chains and a sprocket or more. Also
marginally more tolerant of a stretched chain.
Or do it the easy way and just go by trade name. Oregon micro chisel
ripping chain is probably what you'd want. I don't have a cross-ref to
tell you the equivalents from other manufacturers. Sorry.
Disclaimer: The above is based on lots of maintenance experience and
medium-low actual chain sawing experience. Could be biased somewhat.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
movies.crooksandliars.com/Countdown-Timeline-Katrina.mov