Need to buy a chainsaw

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asoduk

asoduk

Joined
Jan 26, 2011
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9
Location
Canton, OH
I need to buy a chainsaw. I got home from work today to find that a rotten tree trunk had fallen sometime today. I got lucky and it only took out a scrub bush and made a mess. I don't want to borrow because borrowing leads to issues if anything happens. In my reading I have found that Stihl is the preferred brand these days. The dealer here has some MC 170s for $179. Thoughts? From reviews I'm pretty sure I don't want a Poulan. My dad always gets Craftsman saws that last a few seasons before the carbs either get gummed up or fall apart. Opinions?
 
Man up and get a Bacho 36" bow saw, and a pair of leather gloves. You don't want a Poulan, echo, Sthil, Husqarvana is preferred..
 
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I've seen guys use the Craftman 18" for commercial usage, granted it has it's limitation. Cutting hardwood Kiawe took much longer to cut but was was amazed the abuse it took before kicking out. The saw took it's limit. The saw buckled a bit lot of tightning bolts but given the hardness of the wood I really thought it would kick the bucket sooner. The Craftman would not had made without a skilled mechanic fixing the address problems. They no longer use the Craftman their view was buy cheap abuse it and buy another. The problem was it took too long to cut labor cost...Presently they use the Echo CS-550 and the Echo CS-800P.
 
If small tree buy an electric chain saw. Much easier to use and maintain if you have small trees and pruning to do. If its just one big tree, suggest you rent as posted by others, or call in a local cheap landscaper that has a chipper. Using a chainsaw is not for the faint of heart and there are lots of emergency room visits for first time chainsaw users. Small mistake can cause BEEG problem and ruin your whole day wink
 
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if you are going to use it once i would rent, then you don't have to worry about a place to keep it or maintaining it.
 
The Poulan Pro saws are actually made by Husqvarna and are considered great buys for those on a budget. http://www.lowes.com/pd_182191-86886-PP4...fo=Poulan%20Pro The Husky 240 is a solid value at $199 http://www.lowes.com/pd_110053-86886-240...sqvarna|Hitachi The Hitachi saws (made by Tanaka, a good commercial brand) are a great value and come with a 7 year warranty. http://www.lowes.com/pd_360038-67702-CS3...cetInfo=Hitachi Most homeowners don't need more than a 14-16 inch bar for most uses. Remember to drain the fuel tank when done and it will last a long time and not give you a headache next time you go to start it.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
The Poulan Pro saws are actually made by Husqvarna and are considered great buys for those on a budget. http://www.lowes.com/pd_182191-86886-PP4...fo=Poulan%20Pro The Husky 240 is a solid value at $199 http://www.lowes.com/pd_110053-86886-240...sqvarna|Hitachi The Hitachi saws (made by Tanaka, a good commercial brand) are a great value and come with a 7 year warranty. http://www.lowes.com/pd_360038-67702-CS3...cetInfo=Hitachi Most homeowners don't need more than a 14-16 inch bar for most uses. Remember to drain the fuel tank when done and it will last a long time and not give you a headache next time you go to start it.
+1 on the Poulan Pro for occasional use. I got one about 7 years ago and beat the snot out of it. I asked way more of it than what should have been expected. It's just now finally gave up. Keeping a good sharp chain and non-ethanol fuel had a lot to do with it I think.....
 
I had a 46cc Poulan Pro that broke with less than two hours of use. There was a little cast metal piece that was part if the tensioning setup that failed... and wasn't available as a replacement part. I then ordered the entire assembly that the part came in, and it came without the part. $199 piece of junk. Stihl, Husqvarna/Jonsered, and Echo are good. I have a Husqvarna 460 Rancher that has been working well. I'll probably get a Stihl next.
 
I've got a 180 Mini Boss I've had for 7 years and it's still running great. I've also got a 290 Farm Boss for bigger jobs and it's a nice saw as well. We burn wood all winter and I would recommend either depending on the size of the job.
 
Quote:
You don't want a Poulan, echo, Sthil, Husqarvana is preferred..
If one ever wondered why the semi-colon was invented, this is a perfect example where it could come in handy.
 
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I have a Husky 346XP and 345. The XP is a real saw, with metal crankcase. It is light, powerful, smooth and easy to use. Well made, wonderful saw. Does everything right. The 345 is a plastic homeowner saw. Not as good, and it's been a bit of trouble over the years (as is typical of homeowner grade saws) It has a cheezy plastic chain oil system and under oils the chain. So it goes through chains rapidly and constantly needs adjustment. Many of the new Stihl saws have plastic crankcases too.
 
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Bingo. But for $100 or so, you can get a decent consumer chainsaw. But if you can rent one for far less than that, it may be worth it to just rent one.
Originally Posted By: Rand
If you only need to use it once.. rent one.
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:
You don't want a Poulan, echo, Sthil, Husqarvana is preferred..
If one ever wondered why the semi-colon was invented, this is a perfect example where it could come in handy.
you, my friend, just made me laugh out loud
 
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