Hi all:

I am still working on clean up from storm damage over the Summer. I have all but destroyed my two cheap chain saws in the process. Rather than repair the cheapies, I am thinking about buying something commercial grade as I have LOTS more work to do.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a chainsaw with at least a 24" bar.

Thanks

GarlyDog

Look at Stihl. They make chain saws for fire departments and rescue teams. Not familiar with the various models though.

Agreed. My uncle worked for a shop that repaired many, many chainsaws. He swears by Stihl because of their quality.

I'm curious, in what manner were your two chainsaws "destroyed"? I wonder if that's a typical weak point in cheaper chainsaws?

Stihl or Husqvarna. Both are made to work hard, and with basic maintenance they keep going for years and years. When you look at the price tag, spread that out over a decade, it helps with the sticker shock. Junk saws are actually more expensive over time.

BTW: I'm also curious about how the cheaper saws "gave up the ghost."

By the way, one of the little tidbits of knowledge that my uncle gave me about chainsaws was “use premium gasoline”. From his point of view, chainsaws filled with premium gasoline remain drastically cleaner and run much longer than the ones filled with normal gasoline. Apparently is has something to do with the gasoline-oil mixture of the two-stroke engines.

His advice has seemed to work well in my experience, as I’ve had a couple friends whose chainsaws were starting to sputter and spit, but ran like a dream after swapping out the gasoline for premium.

Echo the Stihl and Husqvarna- my grandfather had one of each (little Stihl, full sized Husqvarna), and despite being over 25 years old and run fine despite regular use by my dad and brother.

Thanks guys.

I will check out both Stihl and Husqvarna. This purchase is long overdue. I am ready to spend the money.

Also thanks for the tip on the premium gas.

I have a few more questions.

Does anyone have any thoughts about the chainsaw chaps or other specific safety equipment? The chaps seem like cheap insurance at $59.

Regarding the modes of failure on the saws...all of the above.

I am wasting too much time using and repairing the saws. They seem to just rattle apart.

I initially started out with three similar cheap lime green saws that the previous property owner left behind. Two are identical and one is slightly different.

From the three, I was able to make two working saws. The engine of the third saw, one of the twins, is seized up. I have canabilized many parts, including the housing, grip bar, chain bar, chains, adjustment screws, hand start recoil mechanism and chord to replace broken items I can remember.

On both working saw the bar adjustment screw rattled loose and disappeared.

On any given day one or the other won't start so I am swapping the remaining bar adjustment screw depending on which saw is in the mood to work.

Neither saw likes to come up to speed and has to be nursed.

The crankier saw leaks chain oil pretty bad.

Right now both saws are on my bench and I am out of cheap parts. I need a recoil chord for one saw and a chain bar and probably a chain to get other saw working.

Even when the saws are working, the blades dull very fast going through oak. It seems that I am spending more time sharpening than sawing.

The chains don't stand up to much sharpening either. I have used hand files and a Dremel to sharpen and destroy the blades. I am also considering a bench sharpener. Any thoughts?

Besides the saws' mechanical shortcomings,
The trees I am clearing are bigger than the twenty inch bar can handle, going all the way around. I need at least three more inches of bar to get through some trunks.

The one cool thing about this project is that I live in a rural area and I have a well tested burn spot on my property where I can safely and legally burn the debris as I go along. We are having some nice evening bon fires.

Thanks for all of your advice.

Would also recommend the Stihl, if you decide to go the Echo or the Husky check with your local shop for parts availability. Echo and Husky are now sold at big box stores and little shops usually don't like working on big box cast offs. I know that my favorite shop stopped stocking and servicing echo products when home depot started selling echo's.

Also pick up a spare chain, if the bar on your new saw can be flipped when you go though a jug of fuel swap chains and flip the bar. Clean, sharpen, and oil the chain before storing it. When you wear out the chains it is time to replace the bar and the drive sprocket. You should be able to get years out of the chains unless you have a tree cutting business.

I also recommend the premium gas and the premium mix oil with the fuel stabilizer added in to it. Sharpen my own chains with a file, if you are swapping chains take the dull one to your favorite lawn company and have them sharpened. You will like the better quality chains, years ago i cut the head off of a 16 penny nail that was grown about 6" into a pine tree (if i had cut half an inch higher i would have missed it), it did dull the chain. Took the chain in and had it sharpened, didn't want to file that much, and i am still using that chain.

Most importantly remember the rule. Don't let anybody borrow the girlfriend, the Stihl, or the Kubota. And not necessarily in that order.

OK. The deed is done. I decided to go with the Husqvarna 24in. Bar, 3.9 HP, Model# 359. I got an extra blade too.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200325000_200325000

Ouch at $509, but I will never finish this work without a better and larger saw.

Great pointers on the maintenance and usage too.

Thanks