saw for a girl????

matty f · Oct 11, 2008

Got off the phone to my dad last night who is currently doing a lot of small contracts for the forrestry commision,he has to have some one with him at all times working in the forrest so 6 months ago my mum packed up her job and now works with him...
shes really enjoying it and actually suprisingly working out well between them so they have decided to put her through her felling and chainsaw tickets so she can work the saws instead of just moving brash.

Ok here is the problem hes down to just one small felling saw a ms361 having just melted a 3 year old ms 260 wich he feels would of been a very suitable saw for her but ive told him a husky 346 would be a better replacment as the dealer support is better where he is and its a nicer saw but hes worried it could be to much for her,but having never used a 346 are selfs and only what ive read on here to go by what would in peoples opinions would be a better choice or more suitably balanced for the female form doing small thinng and felling and as a ground saw for tree work?? is there any other saws recommended?

toddstreeservic · Oct 11, 2008

matty f said:
Got off the phone to my dad last night who is currently doing a lot of small contracts for the forrestry commision,he has to have some one with him at all times working in the forrest so 6 months ago my mum packed up her job and now works with him...
shes really enjoying it and actually suprisingly working out well between them so they have decided to put her through her felling and chainsaw tickets so she can work the saws instead of just moving brash.

Ok here is the problem hes down to just one small felling saw a ms361 having just melted a 3 year old ms 260 wich he feels would of been a very suitable saw for her but ive told him a husky 346 would be a better replacment as the dealer support is better where he is and its a nicer saw but hes worried it could be to much for her,but having never used a 346 are selfs and only what ive read on here to go by what would in peoples opinions would be a better choice or more suitably balanced for the female form doing small thinng and felling and as a ground saw for tree work?? is there any other saws recommended?

A 346 would be an excellent saw for a female. The power to weight is unmatched. :clap:

SawTroll · Oct 11, 2008

toddstreeservic said:
A 346 would be an excellent saw for a female. .....

+1 :agree2:

matty f · Oct 11, 2008

what about witchy's dolmar saw troll, or does she prefere your 346??

dancan · Oct 11, 2008

Or a 5100 but if he's paying the bill and likes the 260 ...

echoman8 · Oct 11, 2008

Small saw

Hi,

Of course, the small Stihl, Husky, or Dolmar saws would be good.

From the standpoint of quality and importantly easy starting, I would consider an Echo from 36cc to 45cc. Lightweight and have the rep of being the easiest to start in the conventional 2 cycle engine.

echoman

toddstreeservic · Oct 11, 2008

Another possibility would be the shindaiwa 488. Light, durable, easy starting, good air filter, high rev, reliable, etc.

SawTroll · Oct 11, 2008

matty f said:
what about witchy's dolmar saw troll, or does she prefere your 346??

I got the 346 after she became ill, so she hasn't had a chance to use it...... :cry:

The lack of decomp valve on the Dolmar may be a problem for a woman, but it is fixable......

- she used to handle the 361, no probs - before she bacame ill as well.......

... but was not able to start it ......

...and the 372xp in the wood pit........-same story about starting

Poley4 · Oct 11, 2008

toddstreeservic said:
Another possibility would be the shindaiwa 488. Light, durable, easy starting, good air filter, high rev, reliable, etc.

Yes, the 488 is probably unmatched in ease of starting, which I think is important for most girls. I have two sisters that own chainsaws; one has a Stihl 026 the other a 025, but they both frequently use larger saw as well. My wife, who is more of a girly-girl, likes her 017.

Poley4 · Oct 11, 2008

SawTroll said:
I got the 346 after she became ill, so she hasn't had a chance to use it......

The lack of decomp valve on the Dolmar may be a problem for a woman, but it is fixable........

Troll, I hope she is doing better.

slowp · Oct 11, 2008

I love my 440s. With the 28" bar, they feel balanced and I like the power. I have not run a bigger saw, was sent out with a 660 once but it wouldn't start.
My friend runs a 361 with a 28 inch bar and works a lot cleaning up their place. A decomp button is extremely important. I hate my 032 because it doesn't have one. Let me see, I was up to almost 5 hours of running Twinkle this spring. I pooped out and called it quits on the day massive road clearing when I couldn't lift the saw up high anymore.

I use a saw in the winter when logging is slow or non-existent and keep busy cutting the snow break and blowdown out of our roads. I have packed in with the 032 and that's another thing. We don't have as much muscle/padding on our shoulders so I pad the saw bar instead of my shoulder and can switch it back and forth on a long carry in. I'll have the tools, wedges and munchies in a small backpack and the sawhead can rest on the backpack and that helps distribute the weight packing in too.

Then, apres work, a hot tub is a very nice thing.

toddstreeservic · Oct 11, 2008

slowp said:
Then, apres work, a hot tub is a very nice thing.

:agree2:

2000ssm6 · Oct 11, 2008

Yup, a 440! :clap:

Maybe a MS250 with the "easy2start" system for a few weeks while she builds up some arm strenght then step her up to a 260 pro(decomp) or the most powerful small felling/bucking saw, the 5100. Only dowside to the 5100 is no decomp, there was a thread back where one member was replacing the cylinders or drilling/tapping for a decomp.

I don't see a need for a decomp on a 50cc though. Any of the 3 wood be fine, 260, 5100, 346.

Erick · Oct 11, 2008

Either one would be fine, if he has better dealer support for the Husky then go with it. It should have a little more power than the 260 but not really enough to make a big difference, she'll be fine with it.

BloodOnTheIce · Oct 11, 2008

I sell a lot of 250 Easy Starts to women and they all love them. But if something more pro oriented is needed, a 346 or 260 would also be very good.

serial killer · Oct 11, 2008

Chicks always seem to dig the little top handles because they're so cute. I've had to convince a couple that they are not allowed to use them because a 200t is a much eviler machine than it appears to be. Then they try to grab the 335 because it is rounder and more plasticky and the saw they were really looking at in the first place and oh look you can wave it around with one hand. I have to forcibly pry that one away from them and stick a 361 in their hands. I would go for a 260 if I owned one. It doesn't matter anyway, they cut for about 15 minutes and get bored and pouty because I won't let them use the little girly saws.

Lakeside53 · Oct 11, 2008

What's all this "weak girl" stuff? Buy the saw for the job, not the supposed weakness of the fairer sex... Decomp? Starting a saw is much more about technique, not strength. On a small saw, a decomp make them easier to pull, but harder to start. If she is really into chainsawing, the strength and coordination will follow.

For an older neigbor that is challenged in both the strength and coordination departments, I bought her an MS192 with the new EZ start system. She loved it, but now uses the MS260 for anything other then branches.

BTW.. My wife is 110lbs dripping wet, but.... she can out ski you all (except for RBTree who drinks a gallon of testosterone before skiing

) and handstand for an hour... Oh yes, she strong also:greenchainsaw: I could show her how to use a 361 without decomp in a heat-beat, if she wanted to - which she doesn't (that's why I'm here - to cut wood and fix the cars).

Saw Bones · Oct 11, 2008

Saw for a girl

Kinda depends on the "Girl" I would imagine some women can keep up with or pass up some of the "Boys" here. :chainsaw:

funky sawman · Oct 11, 2008

I always suggest getting the biggest saw that they can handle. Let her run a larger saw and she will get built up to it. I had a young girl on my crew that I showed her everything about sawing, kinda like my side kick in the woods. The first saw I had her using is pinky the 2083 jonsered with a 28" bar on it. After about 6 months of everday sawing, she got built up to it then I had her running my 394 but that was too much saw, even for me at the time.
She liked the 2083 so much that she had to personalize it, or should I say "girlize" by painting the top covers on my jonnyred pink!!!
My best suggestion for the not so able is to go with the proven and very excellent handling 346xp husqvarna with a lazer lite 20" .325 bar. :clap:

Banshee · Oct 11, 2008

What'w wrong with his 260? Is it beyond repair? If not why not just fix it and let her use it?

Sounds to me like you mom is a hard worker and will do well with any saw you put in her hands. I tell your dad to let her go and pick one out, that she likes.
I like Husky, but I've always thought the Stihls were easier to start. But they all seem easy to start once warmed up, so maybe your dad could start it for her at first.

saw for a girl????

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