just got a signed contract back (8th one since friday- i ain't complaining...)- and if any job merits purchasing a chainsaw, this is it. ain't never seen stuff so thick, and since i hafta go through 22 acres of it...
mainly used for clearing line (in case that needed to be stated)- tree requirements around here these days pretty much prevent us from cutting ANYTHING over 8"- will probably go with a 16", maybe 18" if i can be convinced i need it.
usual suspects are all in play- internet reviews are all pretty much a wash. so, what do surveyors have to say?
Stihl all the way.
Jeff
which one? i don't want to get all artsy with it, but i also don't want to lug around something that'll take down a sequoia.
I'd say Husqvarna or Stihl. Used both, have a Husq. in the garage, it's a workhorse.
Stihl makes good saws. My favorite saw though is my little 12" Echo. It's about 35 years old and I don't know if they still make them or not.
We have two husq's and no problems with either but I have used stihl and like them just as well if not better. Can't go wrong with either of those brands.
http://www.pecobrushcutters.com/
And offer an additional price for under brushing the boundary line as well.
:good:
Often the length of the bar is not chosen for the size of the tree. An 18" bar beats the heck out of a smaller bar if you have to reach through the brush to get to the trunk or limb. A bigger saw may be heavier, but is not as likely to kick back. I have two Husqvarna 61 Ranchers that I wouldn't take for. One is 31 years old and will outrun the newer one. I bought the newer one in 2005, because I thought the older one would soon need to be replaced. Oh well, I still have two great saws.
14" Echo. Home Depot, less than $200. Starts on first pull. I'm sold on it.
Echo, Poulan, Crafstman, Homelite, McCullough, all good saws for occasional use, we call them "disposa-saws". Take a Stihl or a Husky ANYTIME over the others.
-JD-
> usual suspects are all in play- internet reviews are all pretty much a wash. so, what do surveyors have to say?
Three words.... Service, service, service. What is your local dealer stocking parts for, Husquvarna or Stihl? Learn how to keep it sharp, adjusted, and clean.
I really like the Stihl professional series saws in the 40 to 50 cc size with a 20" bar. Light enough to run all day, long enough to reach out without having to stoop over or extend your arms excessivily, and powerful enough for real production.
Over the years the Stihl models in this size range have been the 024, 026, 240, 260, 241, 261.
Be careful to get the pro series. Stihl also markets home owners models which are not set up the same. Steer clear of the models such as the 025 or 250, those are the homeowner models and are not of the same caliber.
If you're looking for saw advice, I'd go with a guy called clearcut:-)
Don
Never had an Echo chainsaw, but their weedeaters are the best I've ever used.
For surveying I like the smallest chainsaw I can find. The best I've ever had for line clearing was a 14" McCullough, but someone decided they needed it worse than I did.
I bought a Tanaka (Japanese) saw a few years ago. I wanted a small, packable saw. It came out ahead of the Stihl and Husqvarna because, at that size, it was the only one that had a magnesium chain case instead of plastic. It also had a better hp to weight ratio by quite a margin. Anyway, I was skeptical at first, but the thing has been a rockstar. 16" bar, great power band, quality components. I actually paid a little more than the comparable Stihl or Husky, but it's way more saw.
I'm not up on the current models of Stihl. The Stihl 017 I have has been going strong for about 15 years. Lightweight and powerful.
I also have a Husqvarna weedeater that won't quit after 22 years.
Neither has taken more than routine maintenance.
My brother has an antique McCullough that's big, heavy and powerful. Cuts like a SOB and you can't kill it, but that's from before the company was bought and run into the ground. Very difficult to find parts for it these days.
I'm the kind of guy that likes to buy quality items and keep them for a long time.
I still regret selling my John Deere 318 lawn tractor. It was 10 years old when I bought it and 30 years old when I sold it 5 years ago. The current owner let's it sit out in the weather. An ignominious end to what was a great machine.
Best advice: every saw works better with a sharp chain.
Sorry, lots of talking but not a lot of help in choosing a new saw.
I agree with others below. Get one that's easily serviced by shops in your area.
Jeff
Flyin
Stihl. The 260 (formerly the 026) is the smallest in the professional grade. Get ready to drop about $550 (and up) for this baby but man it's fast and is truly a professional grade. I have two of these (one is the older 026 but there is not difference).
If you're worried about weight, and the 260 isn't really very heavy, and the brush is smaller, then you may want to step back one notch to a 250 (formerly the 025). It is noticeably lighter, but still has plenty of rear end for what you may need. I have two of the older models (I always look for the older models at auctions and many people don't know what they are glossing over for literally pennies on the dollar).
As far as the other incidentals, I recommend getting multiple chains. For me, I sharpen my own, but if you've never sharpened one (regularly) you can do more harm than good by over sharpening and losing longevity. So, maybe 6 chains. Drop three off in the morning at the local saw shop and they will be sharp the next evening. Rinse and repeat. If you run the saw long periods with a dull chain, it will loosen and if you keep tightening them on a dull blade, you'll actually do harm to the sprocket in the motor that is a costly fix. These things are exactly like a machete, they are exceedingly dangerous if they are dull. They are only very dangerous if they are sharp. 🙂 I have a lovely injury (almost healed now) from one where I only had to cut a few more branches to I pushed it when I was tired and almost took my leg off.
On the gas/oil mix, I mix mine a little rich. Keeps it lubed up well. When the project is done, don't forget to "winterize" it with draining the tank and then putting some chemical in there to keep the little rubber dohickies in the motor from becoming very hard. Stihl makes a compound they recommend and it works well. I've done this to all of mine and even after long periods of inactivity, they crank after the second pull.
I will say that Stihl had some issues with recalls on gas and oil caps. Make sure they get tight well and ask the rep about if they are the new ones or old ones. If they are the old ones, get them to replace them before you go to the woods.
Hope that helps.
> I really like the Stihl professional series saws in the 40 to 50 cc size with a 20" bar. Light enough to run all day, long enough to reach out without having to stoop over or extend your arms excessivily, and powerful enough for real production.
>
> Over the years the Stihl models in this size range have been the 024, 026, 240, 260, 241, 261.
>
> Be careful to get the pro series. Stihl also markets home owners models which are not set up the same. Steer clear of the models such as the 025 or 250, those are the homeowner models and are not of the same caliber.
I agree inasumch as the 250 (025) isn't the pro grade but it is lighter and almost as fast as the bigger 260 (026). I love both of mine but they both have their jobs they perform. Depends on the task as whether I get the 026 or 025.
