OT -- Chainsaw

[Tom N MS]

Going to sell my Husqvarna 142-don"t like it, chain jumps, too heavy for what I want. I just need the lightest weight saw I can find..I guess most folks would call it a limb saw..I want to pay as little as I can..I just need a saw that will work but I"m not going to do serious wood cutting or clearing...I see Sears has a cheap one on sale right now-16 or 18" for $138..planning to look at it. Don"t know how heavy it is-I want LIGHT...Any other thoughts or suggestions? Thanks

 

[JMOR]

Will you be where an electrical outlet is available? Lighter & cheaper & you will probably be surprised at performance.

 

[duey]

I've had three STIHL saws, and I guess what I'd recommend would be the equivalent of the "010" that was my first saw. Don't know if they make that one any more even, but it was a great little saw..

Guess they'd have to pry my Stihl outa my cold, dead hands

duey

 

[Ron-MO]

I have to agree with duey on the Stihl saws. I have one I inherited from my father in 1999. I have done nothing to it other than put gas/oil, one bar, and several chains and cleaned the air filter, and it fires up just as good as it did in 99. Won't start on the first pull, but always starts the same way. Full choke, 4 pulls and it will hit and die. Take off the choke, and it will fire and run on about the third pull. After that it usually fires on the first pull as long as it does not sit for long, then it is back to the cold start method.

 

[Gaspump]

I have a Husky 136 that I have beat the heck out of for about 15 years now. Light wt, easy start, real great cutter in fact there is so little it won't do I use it is my primary saw. Your chain jumping issue may be a worn sprocket, chains and sprockets require oil and can't tolerate sand. If they get dirt they stretch, wear sprockets and jump off. Sears often are from the same maker as the Husky, Poulan and some other brands. All 2-cycle tool are not what they used to be.

 

[Tom N MS]

No won"t be elec. available but I agree, if it was, an electric one would cut anything I"d ever want to cut.

 

[Tom N MS]

Not the chain or sprocket unless somehow it was bad from the beginning. I bet the saw has not been run for an hour(total) since I got it

 

[Tom N MS]

Stihl would be my choice but might be a little more $ than I will put in one. My Nephew has worked for a logger for yrs and he says nothing stays with them better than Stihl.

 

[Tom N MS]

Many yrs ago, my first job just out of college was with Roses dept store and we sold a little baby homelite..Tough little saw 12 or 14" bar..sold a jillion of them..wish you could still get them.

 

[Jimmyjack]

Ive got a tree farm and maintain 3 chainsaws. I quit on Stihl because they wont stock parts after 10 years, and at least one of my saws generally is that old. Also you have to go to a dealer for most parts, you wont get much by mail. They did cut good. Now I use Husqvarna and Jonsered which come out of the same factory. If your chain is jumping off, dont blame the saw, something has been neglected. Get it fixed and save some money.

 

[Den N Ms]

Tom,If the chain keeps jumping off,and you have only used it an hour.Maybe it came with the wrong pitch chain on it.Check it out,and look at the clutch sprocket for abnormal wear.

 

[36 Coupe]

Cheap is always bad.

 

[duey]

I can't argue what works for you.... these have worked for me.

What ever floats your boat.

duey

 

[Tom N MS]

Good point-If it is the wrong chain, it came from the factory like that. I bought it new in an unopened box. Anything is possible. Thanks

 

[Anonymous-0]

I would not buy another Stihl. The older ones may be good but the one I have now is a piece of junk. I would go with Husky or a small throw away if it wont be used much.

 

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

I too vote for a stihl - money is high, but it will outlast a marriage! Just ask me! I have a 24 year 028 super wood boss, works just as good as it did then (lasted 8 more years - and IT still works!).

Here is one - 8.5 pounds...
Stihl Chain Saws

 

[Lamar Fudd]

Get a big inverter and an electric chainsaw. Bonus is you can use the inverter to run a sump pump if power is out. It hooks to your truck battery and sure is handier than a generator that may not start after sitting for several months.

 

[lastcamp2]

I agree with whoever it was about the little 12" Homelite. I have had one for a long time and it is light and handy and works very well - EXCEPT it doesn"t start worth a hoot at first.

I take out the plug and shoot some starting fluid in, replace the plug and it takes off. From there on it starts just fine. I think it is that the fuel pump is not strong enough. I took it in for service and it didn"t make any difference.

So, if you can put up with that, it is a good small, handy saw to have.

I also have a Stihl 250, and it is a great saw. And it starts. But it is hard to use one-handed, like for pruning and such.

 

[rmlarsen]

Stihl 290 for sure

 

[fuzzyswede]

I have and am still using a John Deere chain saw (I don"t know who manufactured it) that was my dads and he passed away in 1974. It is a little hard to start but works great.

 

[dje5717]

My husquvarna farm boss has thrown the chain since day one. took it back and got another one...same thing, next time I'll spend the money and get a Stihl

 

[JerryS]

I have a Stihl Magnum for my heavy duty work, but I've had good luck with the Poulan Pro for just a cheap saw ($130 or so bucks) that you don't worry about abusing. Just use Stabil in your tank.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 20:42:07 03/25/11) My husquvarna farm boss has thrown the chain since day one. took it back and got another one...same thing, next time I'll spend the money and get a Stihl

The Farm Boss is a Stihl - the Rancher is a Husky., I have three Huskys including the Rancher and none of them throw the chain. I don't let them run dry on chain oil and I retension in the field if the chain start to wear and get loose. The newly designed tensioner on the Rancher which has the adjusting screw on the out side of the bar cover is more convenient and easier to use than any other saw I've ever owned.

TOH

 

[Tom N MS]

Thanks to all for the input..will be selling the Husq for sure-one bad experience is enough so won"t be getting another Husq. I know they use to be good but now This One ain"t..I bought it because I was tired of working on the small McCullough I had had for yrs...No need to think I"m trading up but just get something Newer to work on all the time..Whatever I get I will be letting one of my friends run it a weekend or two(he does a lot of firewood and clearing)--and if it ain"t right it will go right back where it came from..Thanks to all again.

 

[Plane Bart]

I would spend the money on Sthil my frist was a Farm Boss 029 it was stolen from my pick up replaced it with a Pro 036 same weight but more Hp use a 24" blade for limbing and a 18" for the small stuff the 036 was thorwing the chain found it was a worn needle bearing cheap fix saw was 8 years old first and only repair always starts when I need it.

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 08:18:12 03/26/11) Thanks to all for the input..will be selling the Husq for sure-one bad experience is enough so won"t be getting another Husq. I know they use to be good but now This One ain"t..I bought it because I was tired of working on the small McCullough I had had for yrs...No need to think I"m trading up but just get something Newer to work on all the time..Whatever I get I will be letting one of my friends run it a weekend or two(he does a lot of firewood and clearing)--and if it ain"t right it will go right back where it came from..Thanks to all again.

I still have a McCullough Eager Beaver 3.5 that I bought almost 30 years ago and it will out cut my 455 Rancher hands down. The downside to the Mac is it weighs almost twice what the Rancher weighs and I can't swing it like I used to. Chainsaws are just like cars, pickups, and tractors - everybody has a favorite brand and/or model and for many everything else is crap.

TOH

 

[Kyle (nwpa)]

Bought one of these at a auction, Extremely happy with it. Power is great, nice balance, and after i bought it found there is quite a large dealership net work. Might be worth a look, just my 2sense.
Untitled URL Link

 

[Mr. Bob]

we use a stihl 260 pro and a little stihl 170 in our firewood operation. for us, they pretty well cover all our needs. my wife is very fond of the little 170, nice to handle, light, and plenty of power for smaller cutting. the stihls cost more, but they are well worth it. i learned this the hard way by trying to "go cheap".

 

[gahorN]

I have a Poulan 1625 ELECTRIC I've been using for the last 22 years with only a few chain replaceements and NO other maintenance.

It's QUIETer than gasoline and therefore SAFER. It's LIGHTER. It ALWAYS STARTS.

And when I"m nowhere near the out let....... I USE MY PORTABLE GENERATOR!

 

[duey]

OK, I'll buy that..

What kind of generator is it that doesn't use that UNSAFE gasoline, I wonder.. or extension cords...

But you can have LIGHTS for evening work...

Guess I'd be happy being unsafe...

Don't mind me... just jerkin' your chain..
duey

 

[lha]

I have a Poulan 42cc chainsaw that I bought 6yrs ago,and it still starts in 2-3 pulls,runs and cuts well and is fairly well balanced and light,It might not hold up to logging use everyday,but is very good for what you describe.---lha

 

[Tom N MS]

Thanks-going to be looking at Walmart next time I go-they use to keep a few at the local Walmart(10 miles).

 

[douglloyd]

Two Poulans and an electric Remington get the job done here. The Poulans are cheap but seem to run OK once you modify the case to allow manual adjustments to the carb (comes factory preset but doesn't last). People on other boards make fun of Poulans, but like anything, if you maintain the tool...
I put the electric saw on a 2x4 and use it like a pole saw - lot easier to use electric than gas in tight spots. Lighter too. Chain has never oiled properly, so I just dip it in a coffee can 1/2 full of bar lube every so often. For remote power the DC to AC inverter in the truck seems to do OK although I don't run the saw for more than a few minutes at a time.

Doug

 

[Mr. Bob]

i bought my first poulan in "85. it was an excellent saw. it finally wore out after years of heavy usage. it cost twice new what a poulan costs today and was well worth it. these newer poulans gave me nothing but trouble, so that"s why i went to stihl who has a dealer 1/2 hour away in 3 different directions.

 

[stewartr]

I just love my stihl 180C (I believe that's the model, just the next model above the 170). One pull full choke, one pull half choke, go! Light weight, nice case, easy to adjust the chain without any tools, and very little vibration. Not cheap, and not the heaviest use saw, but it has seen a LOT of use here in the past year with no problems.

I use a bar oil that's canola or veggie based, and impregnated with shiitake mushroom spores. It's a great solution as the shiitake feeds on wood, and can break down a stump into delicious treats! I believe there is a variety that feeds on conifers as well. Way easier than pulling or grinding a stump, plus it's more fun! Check it out, it's at the bottom of the page:

http://www.fungi.com/plugs/plugs.html#LANDOWNERS

 

[gahorN]

(quoted from post at 16:09:00 03/26/11) OK, I'll buy that..

What kind of generator is it that doesn't use that UNSAFE gasoline, I wonder.. or extension cords...

But you can have LIGHTS for evening work...

Guess I'd be happy being unsafe...

Don't mind me... just jerkin' your chain..
duey

HA. LOL. Yeah....
.. but seriously, the electric doesn't sit there idling making noise. And the gasoline in a generator is FAR away not at the end of your arm. No mixing of gas/oil. Virtually NO VIBRATION from an electric. You can HEAR your companion give you warning or help and HE/SHE can hear YOU. It doesn't NEED pulling to start. Ever.
BEST PART OF ELECTRIC.... even the WIFE can use it! :lol:

 

[DollarBill]

Tom, I have an 18" McCullough Mini-Mac that's probably 30 years old - The only thing it's ever needed was the fuel line replaced. It starts and runs quite well for it's vintage. (It does seem to vibrate more than the Poulan mentioned below)

I inherited a 16" Poulan (sold by Sears) from my dad when he passed away in 1993. It starts the 2nd or 3rd pull every time and I've used it a lot clearing our 7 acres. I've worn out 2 bars and untold number of chains - (It's had a lot of use). I won't hesitate to buy another one when this one quits. It's reliable, starts easy, is lightweight and replacement parts are readily available.

One recommendation is not to buy your replacement saw from any of the big box stores and particularly Wal Mart. The manufacturers build a cheaper made version to sell at a reduced price. It will look the same but have an additional character in the the model number. I found this out when shopping for repair parts for my Coleman stove.

 

[Tom N MS]

Thanks-have heard it said before about cheaper models(JD lawnmowers etc) being made for big box stores but really didn"t believe it. Now I know from someone who has BTDT..

 

[Tom N MS]

Tried to email Poulan and ask them if they sell a different quality at the BB stores--just curious what they would say.--On their site you hit contact us and it says EMAIL but there is no email address--pretty cool huh??

 

[DollarBill]

On their site you hit contact us and it says EMAIL but there is no email address--pretty cool huh??

Some disgruntled buyer probably sent them a virus that took out their Email server

 

[TheOldHokie]

(quoted from post at 19:06:08 03/27/11) Tried to email Poulan and ask them if they sell a different quality at the BB stores--just curious what they would say.--On their site you hit contact us and it says EMAIL but there is no email address--pretty cool huh??

Check the model numbers on the data plate of one in a box store and one at a dealer. If they are the same the machines are the same. Lowes sells the exact same LA-120 mower you will find at the JD dealer. The Lincoln AC 225 welder on the shelf at Home Depot is the exact same welder you will get at a welding supply house. All of these companies make low end consumer models that are sold in the box stores AND at the dealer. The dealer prices for those units are generally higher - we can if you want argue about whether you get anyrthing "extra" to go with the added cost. The dealers will also sell a higher end "commercial /professional"/industrial" line that you cannot get at the box stores. They will cost you even more.

You want quality and relaibilty and you want it cheap- that usually doesn't come as a package regardless of where you shop. Poulan may make some great saws - I don't know. I do know I purchased one low end ($150) Poulan - it ran fine but lacked the power to pull the 14" chain it came with and it was hard to start. IMO it was a total waste of money.

TOH