How to pick a chainsaw

[Roy14]

You’ve got a good one. The old stihl’s, like the old husky’s, are bulletproof. The newer Stihl units are unreliable, outfitted with junk Chinese carbs. For a new product, Efco seems to be the best off the shelf option.

 

[Seadog]

View attachment 265148

Those dead trees will dull a chainsaw blade quick.

 

[2busy]

I've got 2 sthil 034's one has the chain brake broke off. I have never had one kick back to activate the chain brake. Been using them since the early 90's. Let the saw do the work and don't force it.

 

[1911DA]

Anything with Sthil on it along with all other hand held lawn and garden equipment

 

[dlbleak]

If you have one of the older Husqvarna’s that has the little brass tag that says ‘made in Sweden’, it’s a good saw.
Everything else should say Stihl. However, get an older saw with low hours if you can.

 

[okierider]

I have a 24 inch Homalite textron super xl that is a beast . Was given to me because it didn't run.... Needed cleaned up and fuel... Cannot beat that deal.

 

[Bocephus123]

A few simple steps


1) Move to Nebraska next to an abandoned lot with lots of dangerous looking trees along the property line/near one of your buildings

2) Decide to take care of the mess and start with the small stuff

3) Do as much as you can with your DeWalt sawsall


4) Get tired of charging batteries, decide you wanna also cut some real trees too

5) Start researching saws, realize there's way more options than you ever realized, get overwhelmed

6) Solicit advice from your old man on what to look for and what to avoid

7) Enjoy your "new to you" Stihl 031 that your old man wasn't using any more and decide that's the perfect saw for you

It's not pretty or new but it got about a dozen trees yesterday, a few of which were the biggest ones I will need to deal with so it's all gravy from here in out

View attachment 265147

Got a 1970 Homelite made by Tetron runs like a scalded dog. And can still get parts for it

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

I have two Stihl chainsaws. The first is an 029 Farm Boss that I found in the barn when we moved into our second home in the mountains in Colorado in 2002. I called the people we bought it from to see if they wanted it back. They said it wasn't theirs and was in the barn when they moved in 10 years earlier.

It looked OK. I put some fuel in it and started pulling the cord and the damn thing started. I took it to a buddy for a little cleaning and tune up to the tune of about $25. I used it to cut wood for winter heating from 2002 thru half the winter of 2015. Stihl have it...

Bought a 362 around 2009 for some bigger trees I had to take care of. It's a real beast. It's heavy and powerful...about all I care to handle any more. Probably put it back to work on the Ada property.

I had a buddy that cut about 10 cords a year and he said he wouldn't have anything but Husqvarna saws. I ran a load of wood up to the house when we were bucking up firewood one day and came back to find him using my 362. "Damn... That's a pretty nice saw." He had one a week later.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

Well I know a little something about saws ,there is a reason people don’t keep using the old Stihls

A lot of people I know use old Stihls. Including me... I keep using it because it keeps working.

 

[Cowbaby]

I have a Stihl MS310 I have had for maybe 20 years. Its kind of a farm type homeowner model but I have never had to do jack to it. Just fog the cylinder after its sat for a while choke and off she goes then when I am done I run the tank dry.. Possibly the most trouble free thing I own.
But if I want to really get down and cut some wood, I have an old ancient McCullock super 250 with a 24". Still runs good and that thing will pull you clean through a log if you can hang on to it. But you got to keep getting up on it because if you ever stop and kill it, forget it you won't get it started again after its hot.
That looks like a old bois D' Arc tree you cut down from the wood. Those things are like sawing cement after they are dry.