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

"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.

Same saw I have, keep it sharp and it melts through 18" oak. It
replaced my 30 year old Culluch Mac 10-10 that ate a wrist oin bearing
while runing a chain saw lumbermill.

ATP* wrote:

"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.

"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.

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.

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.

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

I can't answer most of your questions. I bought a Sears chain saw back
in about 1965 and when it finally quit I bought a factory reconditioned
Homelite from Harbor Freight.

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. A good sized fir close to the house died and I cut it down last
month. I am still cleaning up and splitting the wood. The trunk was
35 to 36 inches across where I cut it so had to cut from both sides.
This could be done with a 16 inch bar with only a little more work.
The larger engine is nice for big cuts, but a lighter chain saw is nice
most of the time.

Dan

" 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

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:31:47 -0700, "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?

Good questions.

I like the Stihl 180C "Mini Boss" for work like you describe. It
replaced a Homelite that clanged the can after the 27th pull one day
last autumn. It was a cheap saw to begin with, worked OK for a
few years, though it never worked as well as the Stihl does.

The Stihl is a joy. It starts first pull every time. It then idles
quietly and steadily without any nursing, waiting for me to pull the
trigger and start making chips. It goes thru an 8" elm log (chewy
stuff) in just a few seconds. I don't hesitate to shut it off when I
set it down (safe practice) because I know a wristflick will start
'er up again.

It's very lightweight, has ample power for 8" logs. Mine has a 14"
bar. It has ample power for anything a 14" saw will cut, which
absolutely includes 8" logs. I cut a *bunch* of timber 6" to 10" dia
in the past week, helping neighbors buck and swamp down trees after a
storm. It was under $200. No problem with spare parts. A
Husqvaarna or Jonesred might (or might not) outlast a Stihl. The
Stihl will definitely outlast and outperform the "price leader" saws
like Homelite, McCulloch, Craftsman, etc. I don't know anything
about Poulan.

I bought the saw from a good dealer that sells and services all of
the better brands. When I told him what I wanted, a lightweight saw
that "works, dammit" for occasional cutting of 10" and less
timber at home and at the cabin he nodded and immediately
recommended the Stihl 180C with a 14" bar.

I have a 20" Jonesred that is very powerful, but I find it too heavy
to enjoy using for anything but felling and bucking larger trees up
north. I only use it when I need that size bar and the power to
drive it. That is quite seldom.

I would not go for a larger displacement engine. It weighs more and
won't work any better for your stated needs. Ya don't need arty to
shoot squirrels. If you occasionally need to cut something larger,
the smaller saw will do it, it'll just take a bit longer. If most of
your use is 10" and smaller, you'll appreciate the lighter weight.
Given some attention to "pinch", a good 14" saw can cut 20" down
timber with no problem. I've found that the little Stihl has no
tendency to kick or buck when cutting with the top of the chain to
avoid binding in sits where the cut ends will fall. Easy peasy.
It has ample power to do the job with a grin and a yawn. Did I
mention that l'm liking my little Stihl?

A key to chainsaw performance is to have a good sharp chain. Good
name-brand chains only cost a coupla bux more than cheapos, stay
sharp a lot longer, and don't stretch as much or require frequent
readjustment. One or two readjustments per chain is usually enough
with a good chain. If the saw is making chips like oatmeal or
larger, it's working right. If it's making sawdust, time to change
blades and sharpen the old one, have it sharpened or buy a new one.

Another tip: never store a saw with gas in it. When you're done
with the job or trip, dump the tank and run the saw dry. Don't
store mixed fuel either. Mix it fresh every trip. It'll keep for a
week or three but not more, stabilized or not. It didn't used
to be thus, but I guess they've changed how gasoline is formulated or
something. A dealer told me that -- three times: once when I
paid him to overhaul the carb on the Jonesred, agan when I had him do
it again a year later, and then again when I bought the Stihl. I
finally "got it". It used to be that I could mix up a gallon of
fuel and use it until it was gone. Not any more! It must be the
fuel because my basis of comparison is the old Jonesred that my FIL
used for years and I've used occasionally for a decade since he died.

I've heard that Echo is OK though I don't know about parts. I don't
know anyone who owns one. The dealer that recommended the Stihl to
fit my spec sells Echo, Husq, Jon and Poulan. You'll pay more for
Husq and Jon. I see tree pros using Stihl, Husq and Jon, more Stihl
in the smaller saws. A log sculptor I talked to at a county fair
currently prefers Husq though he used to use Stihl. He puts a *lot*
of hours on his saws, probably more in a week than we would in a year
or more. There may have been a hidden agenda there, like tourney
pro fishermen who must state preference for the mfrs of tackle,
boats, motors and elex that currently sponsor them.

HTH

Foreman

Don Foreman wrote:
[...]
The Stihl is a joy. It starts first pull every time. It then idles
quietly and steadily without any nursing, waiting for me to pull the
trigger and start making chips.
[...]

My Stihl has always taken five or six pulls since day one and sometimes
dies for no reason.

On 27 Sep 2005 08:30:40 -0700, Dave wrote:
Don Foreman wrote:
[...]
The Stihl is a joy. It starts first pull every time. It then idles
quietly and steadily without any nursing, waiting for me to pull the
trigger and start making chips.
[...]

My Stihl has always taken five or six pulls since day one and sometimes
dies for no reason.

That's strange. Both my Stihl and my Husqvarna start on the second
pull, and only die when they're out of fuel. Still don't have a
preference between the two, they're both great. If your stihl is acting
up, it might be time for a tuneup.

Dave wrote:
Don Foreman wrote:

[...]
The Stihl is a joy. It starts first pull every time. It then idles
quietly and steadily without any nursing, waiting for me to pull the
trigger and start making chips.


My Stihl has always taken five or six pulls since day one and sometimes
dies for no reason.

HEY mine does that also! Damn west germans didn't
know how to make a chainsaw. I can't wait for it
to die so i can replace it with another new lighter
Stihl, but it is only 20 years old, so i'll just
keep warming it up by the fire before starting it.



laz

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:31:47 -0700, "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


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.

I have a big Stehl with 20" bar but my two Remington Electric saws get a
regular workout. Very nice for dealing with the smaller branches as well
as basic pruning up in the tree.

Derek wrote:
On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:31:47 -0700, "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



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.

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

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

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.

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

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



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

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



No matter what logs you cut , if the wood is on the ground a 20" bar is
the way to go and is far less tiring . For most people this reduces the
amount you have to bend as well 20" seems to be just short enough to
stay away from your toes . Also get one with 3/8 chain . You can then
later move up a size on the drivers and get about two more chains before
replacing the bar . On bigger falling saws I go for 404 chain and bars .
For bucking saws I like D handlebars , on falling saws I much prefer O
bars . A good bar , Windsor or Oregon should last about 400 hours with
proper maintenance . Service your bar and flip it over every 25 hours .
Cannon bars last longer yet but are real pricey , still very nice bars .
The bar should have a roller tip . I prefer the one rivet tips over the
three rivet tips . Have Oregon or Windsor chain on it . I prefer ring
drive sprocket over a paddle wheel style . I doubt I would buy any saw
under 50 cc if I had to cut much wood . There are some very good small
saws out there but power speeds up the job . I still own a lot of saws ,
from about 60cc up to 118 cc . Balance is very important in a saw . Pick
up the saw , see how it feels as you move it around . You will know
right away when you find one with the right balance for you . Much
cutting , esp limbing is done at awkward angles . A poorly balance saw
will tire you out and be far less safe . I used to buy 2 to 3 dozen new
saws a year . I really did not care what brand as long as it was one of
these four . Husky , Johnsered ( owned by Husky ) , Stihl or Sacks
Dolmar . All make pretty good Pro saws . Luck
Ken Cutt

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 21:31:47 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:


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?

Sthil followed closely by Husky

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

I like the 20" for cutting railroad ties and telephone poles for
landscaping. Works fine for most everything else, though a 18 is
handier. 16 is a toy.

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

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.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...&R= 200239874

Note the one-hand grip.

jw

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.........
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.

Echo makes a nice saw in the size range a 3000 or 3400 series light,
got good power and can take up to a 18 inch bar, comes with a 16 IIRC
and the price is right.......I use Echo 3400 top handle saws in tree
removals and we use them pretty darn hard, and most if not all have
been dropped and thrown around numerous times and they all work just
fine..........Side by side and comparable models/sizes etc, you will
find the Husky saw will not vibrate anywhere near as much as any other
saw, and they do have the best anti-vibration system going........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. Stihls seem to have a higher
reving engine to get the power out of than husky does, but then that
also depends on the models.......

I prefer to get a saw that will not loose its guts if a larger bar is
installed, so I usually tend to buy a larger saw and fit a smaller
shorter bar to them if need be. Easier to fit a bar of shorter length
than try and run a saw with a bigger bar/ chain than it wa designed to
use.

If you feel comfortable with a chainsaw, try some commercial grade
chain instead of the crap sold in HOme Depot and other big box
stores...The best chain in my opinion is Carlton brand which is a
spin off of Oregon brand chain. Carlton will out cut and out last as
far as sharpness is concerned any day over Oregon chain. Same for
their bars. Another good bar is a Windsor, but odds are your gonna get
whatever chain and bar comes factory installed on the saw you get.

Don't forget some bucking wedges (plastic or aluminum) as your gonna
need them sooner or later, and odds are you'll need them and ot have
them. They are cheap and considered expendable items......I never cut
wood without having a few with me.

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.

Last count I had a total of 17 chainsaws with the majority being
Husky..Followed by Stihl which I have 5 of, and the rest are Echo,
except for one old Poulan 3700 which is over 25 years old and runs
like new. Its used mainly for dirty work with a carbide tipped chain
and refuses to die.

I also have one hydraulic powered chainsaw which is attached to my
hydraulics on my log splitter as its inevitablke that yo get a log
just a hair too long on occasion. I used to use a electric up until I
got the hydraulic saw.......Awesome saw and since the splitter is
already running its just like picking up any air or hydraulic powered
tool and doing what needs doing......No extension cords to fall over
or big gas saws......just a nice lite heavy duty hydraulic saw in its
holder on the end of the log splitter.





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

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.

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

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

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

Post script: I noted today that the saws the power company guys used
were Stihl 027's with 16" bars. The application was sawing off poles.
They were installing a new pole. They planted the new one next to the
old one. They first moved the (hot) 8000 volt line to the top of the
new pole. Then they sawed off the old pole down to the level of the
220 distribution wires. Moved the insulator stack and wires from old
pole to new. Sawed off the pole down to the xfmr. Dropped old
xfmr, sawed off old pole down to the cable company's box. Hung new
xfmr (325 lb, 25 KVA) on new pole. Loosely lashed the cable
company's box to new pole with ground wire, sawed off 6" of the old
pole and let the cable box, pole piece and all, hang on the lashing.
LOL! Perhaps the power company guys don't care to do the cable
company's work for them?

Then one guy gave the old pole a poosh and it fell over. It was
rotted at the base. Whoa! This pole had supported an 8000 volt line!

They bucked the pole up with same 027 Stihl 16" saw. Tossed the
debris and detritus in the truck and then it was Miller time.

Those linemen were a hoot. Got an interesting view of the power
company thru the eyes of the guys out there doing the work that keeps
our lights on. Not grumbly or bitchy, these guys are pros. I
doubt if dummys get to work with hot 8000 volt lines. Some of
the dry/wry satirical humor and observations were wonderful.

Cutting note that most will already know: they started with a cut
from one side about 1/3 thru, then made another cut slightly above it
thru to slightly past it. No pinch, no loss of control. They then
just bumped the stub a bit, the remaining wood sheared and the stub
fell right where they wanted it -- could have easily been belayed with
a line if safe drop zone was limited in extent. It's SOP,
described in the instructions that some with some chainsaws.

I now know why neighbor Dan didn't want any help. He doesn't know
WTF he's doing and would rather work alone than accept a helping hand
twice offered. Oh well! He was bucking his leaning down tree,
cut only from the top clear thru -- which resulted in a resounding
CRAAAAKKKKK... WHUMP! It worked, he got away with it, but it could
have punted him to Fargo if it'd had some crazy grain or unsuspected
damage. Metro boy lucked out.

The best saws ever built were McCullough. I finally retired my 16"
MiniMac after over 40 years, for lack of repair parts, not because it
is worn out.
Just bought a 20" Stihl. So far [3 weeks] it cuts like a champ.
Bugs

Bugs wrote:

The best saws ever built were McCullough. I finally retired my 16"
MiniMac after over 40 years, for lack of repair parts, not because it
is worn out.
Just bought a 20" Stihl. So far [3 weeks] it cuts like a champ.
Bugs

Gack! You must have gotten the only minimac in the world that went
more than a couple of years. Oh wait. A 40 year old minimac. That musta
been a lot different than the minimacs the sold in the 80's

--
__
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

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

Pete Snell wrote:

Bugs wrote:

The best saws ever built were McCullough. I finally retired my 16"
MiniMac after over 40 years, for lack of repair parts, not because it
is worn out.
Just bought a 20" Stihl. So far [3 weeks] it cuts like a champ.
Bugs

Gack! You must have gotten the only minimac in the world that went more
than a couple of years. Oh wait. A 40 year old minimac. That musta been
a lot different than the minimacs the sold in the 80's

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

They built them well in the early sixties. Can't speak for later
models. The whole world seemed to go into a competitive/quality decline
after that.
Only Sears has invariantly sold lousy tools from the beginning of
time.G
Bugs

McCullough quite making anything that quality assoicated with it over
25 or more years ago.......


On 27 Sep 2005 04:07:17 -0700, "Bugs" wrote:

===The best saws ever built were McCullough. I finally retired my 16"
===MiniMac after over 40 years, for lack of repair parts, not because it
===is worn out.
===Just bought a 20" Stihl. So far [3 weeks] it cuts like a champ.
===Bugs


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

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:29:35 GMT, (~Roy)
wrote:

McCullough quite making anything that quality assoicated with it over
25 or more years ago.......

True of a number of once-respected brands, too bad. Ya gotta keep
paying attention. Ariens once made really good mowers and
snowblowers. Not any more. There are many other examples.

I regard with healthy skepticism anything sold by Home Depot or
Wal-Mart, maybe Lowe's as well. They all carry some excellent stuff
at attractive prices, also drive some namebrand vendors into
mediocrity with pricepoint pressure they exert with volume purchasing
power and threat.

~Roy wrote:
McCullough quite making anything that quality assoicated with it
over 25 or more years ago.......

Not true at all . They made thousands of boat anchors . Heavy and
guaranteed to sink to the bottom every time :-)
Ken Cutt

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.

I bought a McCulloch (no longer made) with a 20" bar about 20 years ago.
It was an excellent saw, lots of power, 60+ cc's IIRC, and weighed
about 23 pounds. I pulled it out of mothballs a few months ago and went
around trimming some small branches on overgrown trees. What was easy
to heft when I was 28 is a real bear now that I'm 50. Clearly, I'm
going to need a smaller saw for trimming and will only use the Big Mac
for cutting logs on the ground (which I don't do much of anyway).

Make sure you weigh the weight and portability against cutting capacity.

Gary Brady
Austin, TX