Chainsaw recommendations please

[Bravo]

Well dammit.

We are sitting here at about 7:00 with cocktails.

The wife and I hear a deep thunderclap. I go outside and bring in our awning.

Probably just a passing rumbler.

Ten minutes later she is on the phone with her sister and I look out the front windows and it is just zero visibility and coming straight at us.

We have french doors in the front and the wind is coming so strong in the crack between them that I think they are going to blow open.

And this is really weird because this dude is coming from the Southeast - not the West or Southwest. You learn these things living around tornados.

Tornados - 90% of the time track due east or northeast. So you learn to look for bad weather coming from the west- southwest.

I get her off the phone and grab the liitle one and we run to the bathroom and get in the shower. I have NO basement. I am on a ridge of solid rock.

Outside it is hailing - which in the southeast is somewhat unusual. We don't have hailstorms like out west.

Five minutes later - all gone.

Back to the TV.

Then, time to run to the store for a quick errand.

The tree that partially blew down over my driveway in Hurricane (Tropical Storm by the time it got to us) Dennis - is completely down over the drive.

WTF. So I drive over the yard.

I get 100 yards down the street. Blocked due to a tree down.

Go back the other way...power line partially down. Drive around it.

Go down about two miles to get out of the area to the grocery store. Huge trees down. Six feet (2M) in diameter.

I think my brother is going to pop if I ask him to borrow the chainsaw again.

Time to pony up for one of my own.

Anybody got any recommendations out there on a good chainsaw?

 

[Slingblade61]

In your case, I think a sharp one would do.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Get into an argument with someone about politics who doesn't actually know anything about politics. As they're chattering away, just steer them in the general direction of the target debris. Earmuffs are cheaper than chainsaws.

 

[Rockford35]

Either a Stihl or Husqvarna.

I used chainsaws for an entire summer. These two brands are by far the most reliable. I prefer Stihl, but that 's just a personal choice. Husq makes great stuff too.

A 24" bar will do you just fine. Not made for huge ass trees, but for everyday work it's a great saw. Buy a second chain as well. And buy the case for it. It's worth it's weight in gold in terms of keeping the chain sharp instead of banging it on everything in the shed, plus it holds the tool kit (spare spark plugs, wrench, ect). Get a mask, a good set of gloves and if you have crazy money, a set of pants. I've never had problem breaking a chain and needing the pants, but if you buy a bigger bar (36"+) it's highly recommended as the chain gets pretty long by that point.

Keep your oil mixture perfect. If it's off by +/-5%, you'll know by the performance, and if you let it sit more than a week. And always use fresh gas, it'll run better.

Always keep the chain sharp. Buying your own honing files is worth it. Sharpening is a pain in the ass, but it'll cost you 15 bucks every time you want to get it done. Buy the honers, they're about 10 bucks for the set.

Just my 2 cents.

R35

 

[Bravo]

Either a Stihl or Husqvarna.

I used chainsaws for an entire summer. These two brands are by far the most reliable. I prefer Stihl, but that 's just a personal choice. Husq makes great stuff too.

A 24" bar will do you just fine. Not made for huge ass trees, but for everyday work it's a great saw. Buy a second chain as well. And buy the case for it. It's worth it's weight in gold in terms of keeping the chain sharp instead of banging it on everything in the shed, plus it holds the tool kit (spare spark plugs, wrench, ect). Get a mask, a good set of gloves and if you have crazy money, a set of pants. I've never had problem breaking a chain and needing the pants, but if you buy a bigger bar (36"+) it's highly recommended as the chain gets pretty long by that point.

Keep your oil mixture perfect. If it's off by +/-5%, you'll know by the performance, and if you let it sit more than a week. And always use fresh gas, it'll run better.

Always keep the chain sharp. Buying your own honing files is worth it. Sharpening is a pain in the ass, but it'll cost you 15 bucks every time you want to get it done. Buy the honers, they're about 10 bucks for the set.

Just my 2 cents.

R35

I should have read your post first.

I go to Consumer Reports (which I have used for years for any/all purchases over $100). They say that Craftsman is a best buy saw at $170. The Stihls and Husqys are pretty expensive.

I go to Sears and pick one up. It starts and runs fine for about 90 minutes. Chain comes off. No problem.

I take it to the shed and put it back on. Adjust bar etc.

The saw will Not restart.

Go back to Sears - exchange.

Bring the next saw home. Starts like a champ but the chain will not move a centimeter. Will Not Budge.

Am playing golf tomorrow morning. Returning it to Sears and buying one of the brands you recommended from Home Depot or Lowe's.

The good news is I got the driveway cleared before the first saw broke. At least we don't have to drive over the lawn to get out.

My next door neighbor got it bad. Huge tree went down and penetrated the roof about a foot. Tree company came out with bucket truck and worked all day on it...

 

[Rockford35]

I have a tough time with consumer reports. Sure, the thing works great out of the box and cuts trees, but how's it for longevity?

Look at any arborist crew and they have all Stihl or Husqy stuff. That pretty much says it all.

I will agree, however, that they are expensive. Just remember that bigger isn't always better. Two cuts work just as well as one if you go with a 21" instead of a 27", as an example....

R35

 

[BentGrass]

Chainsaws are a tempermental animal. If you haven't worked with them much before, your Craftsman may have been fine and just needed some fine tuning. I know I was ready to take mine back because everytime it would get hot it would stop running and not restart. Turns out it just needed the air filter blown out. Doh'!

I agree with Rockford in that Stihl or Husq are the best out there, but if you only use it once or twice a year that may be overkill. I'm generally one to buy good tools, but I settled for a Poulan with an 18" bar. For it's limited use, it's been fine for me. (other then that air cleaner. )

Good luck!

 

[Bravo]

Chainsaws are a tempermental animal. If you haven't worked with them much before, your Craftsman may have been fine and just needed some fine tuning. I know I was ready to take mine back because everytime it would get hot it would stop running and not restart. Turns out it just needed the air filter blown out. Doh'!

I agree with Rockford in that Stihl or Husq are the best out there, but if you only use it once or twice a year that may be overkill. I'm generally one to buy good tools, but I settled for a Poulan with an 18" bar. For it's limited use, it's been fine for me. (other then that air cleaner. )

Good luck!

This is what I thought too and I probably would have been more patient with it except that they were both new - right out of the box.

I went to Lowe's yesterday and got a Husqvarna. The salesman there said that MTD makes the Poulan and the Sears models as well as Murray mowers and Cub Cadet. Apparently MTD makes most of their stuff for other companies to whatever specs the company wants. He said it could be very good to very average equipment depending on which specs were required. I have a Poulan blower that I love and is very dependable.

I am going to fire up the new Husqy today and give it a go. I should be able to finish this up in about 4 hours or so.

 

[Kilted Arab]

I like this thread very much! Using a golf forum to get recommendations on chain saws - superb!


I may get one for the next time I get stuck behind a palm tree...

 

[DaveE]

It took me awhile to figure it out but quality is the only way to go when buying tools. After burning up the cheap stuff a few times I went with a Lawn Boy mower the last time, (my dad's lasted 30 years) and a professional model Shindaiwa weed trimmer.

Both have been perfect for about six years so even though they were about double most other brands it all worked out.

I have a good friend who is a remodeling contractor so I use him as my consumer report concerning tools.

 

[Rockford35]

I have a good friend who is a remodeling contractor so I use him as my consumer report concerning tools.

Isn't this the truth.

When you want the real dope, ask someone who's used it personally for a period of time. It's totally worth hearing "it's total garbage, all plastic and doesn't start" rather than "This is a sensible buy for a weekend sawer." That's total BS, plain and simple.

You know, someone should make a site where people ask others that have tried golf equipment out about their experiences....

R35

 

[DaveE]

You know, someone should make a site where people ask others that have tried golf equipment out about their experiences....

R35

Pure genious!!!! You're gonna be rich.

 

[BentGrass]

I went to Lowe's yesterday and got a Husqvarna.

Nice, I'm orange with envy. I have a Husq snow blower. That thing is so over engineered it's crazy. Never a lick of trouble either.

 

[Bravo]

Well - my only damage is a tree down in the front yard.

Gonna fire up my new Husqvarna today and give that dude a test drive...

 

[Rockford35]

Good to hear that's the extent.

Be careful - good chainsawyering is addicting.....

R35