I've been lurking here for a long time. I'm reading the 'Best Saw Ever' thread now, and I read another thread like it about a year ago.
Best saw (for me) details:
I'm clearing three acres of heavily overgrown land in my spare time. Everything from 1-inch honeysuckle I use loppers on, to their trunks, which can be a foot around (and wet) to larger hardwoods, to a few oaks and maples that are several feet in diameter.
I might cut up some firewood if the opportunity presents itself.
I might work for a week straight in the summer and one year I used the saw maybe 80 or 90 days total. I've also gone a year not touching it when my real job was busy.
I'm using a Poulan Pro 4218 that's flaking out on me again. I've been nursing it, but I HATE that thing. It's all plastic and it feels like the saw was designed to cut up someone's nursery tree that fell over, then trash. But it's got an engine and I'm at least kinda competent at keeping it going (until today) so I've been toughing it out.
More than anything I want a saw I won't NEED to replace again. If I upgrade, I want it to be a choice. I want it to be serviceable--preferably EASILY serviceable--by me. I want parts to be available. I'd like them to not be six times more expensive than another brand. I'd like it to say tuned once it's tuned.
So it can be small now (like 30cc, 12-14 inch bar) because that's big enough to cut most of the stuff I want to clear and I can either call a guy with a $1500 saw to cut the big ones, or I can buy a bigger saw when i get to those trees.
Or I can buy a 40-ish cc, 16-18 inch bar saw now and use it for the smaller stuff and some larger stuff if that's where all the quality equipment is.
I'm going to maintain it. No--I'm going to baby it. I mean, I'll use it pretty good, but it'll get maintained just as good. In exchange for maintaining it religiously, I want it to last. I'll take care of it, I want it to take care of me.
I'd like to buy it used--I can't justify dropping big money on something just to avoid frustrating myself with the Poulan. I can also buy used Poulans all day long for $50. They're...not great, but they work and they're $50, and I'm not a pro and don't ahve anybody to impress with my chainsaw.
The thread from last year had someone asking kind of the same question about Stihl 0XX saws. I started looking at those online (they're cheap, and they must be tough if they lasted that long) but a lot of the answers here were, "those were great when they were new but they're too heavy and buzzy now. We (on this forum) collect them because they're cool and because we collect saws, but I wouldn't actually USE one now. Also parts might be hard to get." so I stopped looking at those. But I'm not making a living with this thing every day, so buzzy and heavy aren't really a deterrent. If it gets too heavy I can just go do something else for a while.
Anyway, the Poulan flaked on me again this afternoon (hard start, flooding. Got it started eventually and won't stay running. Won't rev at full throttle, down on top end power, and gas tank is pressurized (blowing air OUT) when I take off the cap--like an aerosol can. It didn't run any better when I took off the cap while it was runnung. It's also leaking bar oil like a seive. There's a lot going on there. It's been sitting for six months, but I ran it dry last time I used it and cleaned it before I put it up. Blew out the cap vents) and I don't want to tear it down again and it was getting late so I stomped in and started looking on Facebook so I can finally buy a decent saw.
I know (a little) about Stihls. There are a LOT of 170 saws for sale around $100. For $100 if it's half decent and I can maintain it into lasting forever, I'll get one of those. I think I saw a 180 and a 192, too.
There's a 260 for $300. I think it's a 260C, not the new C-M-whatever it is. But the 260 should last me until I give it to my kid in twenty years. It's almost definitey more saw than I need, but it'll feel like going from working on a 1992 Kia to working on a Benz, I assume. $300 is more than I want to spend, but if I'll be happy I bought it and it's the last saw I need to buy I could be happy with that. I understand the 260s are meant to be serviced. That's worth some money.
There are a lot of 250s for $200 - $300. I think I understand enough about the 250 vs. 260 that I think the 260 is worth the extra $100. There's a 250 that won't oil for $100. Now, a $100 250 sounds like catnip to me, and I'll bet it's that oil key behind the clutch and I could fix that quick. But if it's not that and it's A Thing to fix than I've got myself another project. A nicer project than the 4218, but still a project. I'd like to clear some honeysuckle and a fallen maple before it gets cold. Maybe I should avoid the $100 250.
There's a Dolmar PS540 for $260. I don't know anything about Dolmars except people here have mentioned them.
There was a Stihl 034 for cheap--like $150.
An MS162 and MS193, both for around $200. The "62" makes me think that's the smaller version of the 260--it's built well? Meant to be maintained? I know nothing about a 193.
A McCulloch Pro Mac 610--61cc!!! but with a 16-inch bar. I know nothing about that brand but that seems like a big engine for a 16-inch bar.
An Echo CS-300 for $75.
A LOT of Husky 440, 445, 450, 455 saws. I don't know anything specific about Huskys except some guys like them. I looked for 347xps because someone mentioned them in another thread but I didn't see any.
Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts for the best saw for me--I want it to be durable, reliable, and maintainable. I'd like it to be nice to use--to do its job well without frustrating the hell out of me. It doesn't need to be big, but big is fine if it needs to be big to be the first three things (for all I know the small saws are all designed to be disposable). It can be old and heavy and buzzy if it's durable and relaible and maintainable and I can get parts.
So what makes and models should I be searching for on Facebook? Thoughts on price are also welcome if you want to hazard those.
Thanks for reading all that. Any advice welcome.
Best saw (for me) details:
I'm clearing three acres of heavily overgrown land in my spare time. Everything from 1-inch honeysuckle I use loppers on, to their trunks, which can be a foot around (and wet) to larger hardwoods, to a few oaks and maples that are several feet in diameter.
I might cut up some firewood if the opportunity presents itself.
I might work for a week straight in the summer and one year I used the saw maybe 80 or 90 days total. I've also gone a year not touching it when my real job was busy.
I'm using a Poulan Pro 4218 that's flaking out on me again. I've been nursing it, but I HATE that thing. It's all plastic and it feels like the saw was designed to cut up someone's nursery tree that fell over, then trash. But it's got an engine and I'm at least kinda competent at keeping it going (until today) so I've been toughing it out.
More than anything I want a saw I won't NEED to replace again. If I upgrade, I want it to be a choice. I want it to be serviceable--preferably EASILY serviceable--by me. I want parts to be available. I'd like them to not be six times more expensive than another brand. I'd like it to say tuned once it's tuned.
So it can be small now (like 30cc, 12-14 inch bar) because that's big enough to cut most of the stuff I want to clear and I can either call a guy with a $1500 saw to cut the big ones, or I can buy a bigger saw when i get to those trees.
Or I can buy a 40-ish cc, 16-18 inch bar saw now and use it for the smaller stuff and some larger stuff if that's where all the quality equipment is.
I'm going to maintain it. No--I'm going to baby it. I mean, I'll use it pretty good, but it'll get maintained just as good. In exchange for maintaining it religiously, I want it to last. I'll take care of it, I want it to take care of me.
I'd like to buy it used--I can't justify dropping big money on something just to avoid frustrating myself with the Poulan. I can also buy used Poulans all day long for $50. They're...not great, but they work and they're $50, and I'm not a pro and don't ahve anybody to impress with my chainsaw.
The thread from last year had someone asking kind of the same question about Stihl 0XX saws. I started looking at those online (they're cheap, and they must be tough if they lasted that long) but a lot of the answers here were, "those were great when they were new but they're too heavy and buzzy now. We (on this forum) collect them because they're cool and because we collect saws, but I wouldn't actually USE one now. Also parts might be hard to get." so I stopped looking at those. But I'm not making a living with this thing every day, so buzzy and heavy aren't really a deterrent. If it gets too heavy I can just go do something else for a while.
Anyway, the Poulan flaked on me again this afternoon (hard start, flooding. Got it started eventually and won't stay running. Won't rev at full throttle, down on top end power, and gas tank is pressurized (blowing air OUT) when I take off the cap--like an aerosol can. It didn't run any better when I took off the cap while it was runnung. It's also leaking bar oil like a seive. There's a lot going on there. It's been sitting for six months, but I ran it dry last time I used it and cleaned it before I put it up. Blew out the cap vents) and I don't want to tear it down again and it was getting late so I stomped in and started looking on Facebook so I can finally buy a decent saw.
I know (a little) about Stihls. There are a LOT of 170 saws for sale around $100. For $100 if it's half decent and I can maintain it into lasting forever, I'll get one of those. I think I saw a 180 and a 192, too.
There's a 260 for $300. I think it's a 260C, not the new C-M-whatever it is. But the 260 should last me until I give it to my kid in twenty years. It's almost definitey more saw than I need, but it'll feel like going from working on a 1992 Kia to working on a Benz, I assume. $300 is more than I want to spend, but if I'll be happy I bought it and it's the last saw I need to buy I could be happy with that. I understand the 260s are meant to be serviced. That's worth some money.
There are a lot of 250s for $200 - $300. I think I understand enough about the 250 vs. 260 that I think the 260 is worth the extra $100. There's a 250 that won't oil for $100. Now, a $100 250 sounds like catnip to me, and I'll bet it's that oil key behind the clutch and I could fix that quick. But if it's not that and it's A Thing to fix than I've got myself another project. A nicer project than the 4218, but still a project. I'd like to clear some honeysuckle and a fallen maple before it gets cold. Maybe I should avoid the $100 250.
There's a Dolmar PS540 for $260. I don't know anything about Dolmars except people here have mentioned them.
There was a Stihl 034 for cheap--like $150.
An MS162 and MS193, both for around $200. The "62" makes me think that's the smaller version of the 260--it's built well? Meant to be maintained? I know nothing about a 193.
A McCulloch Pro Mac 610--61cc!!! but with a 16-inch bar. I know nothing about that brand but that seems like a big engine for a 16-inch bar.
An Echo CS-300 for $75.
A LOT of Husky 440, 445, 450, 455 saws. I don't know anything specific about Huskys except some guys like them. I looked for 347xps because someone mentioned them in another thread but I didn't see any.
Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts for the best saw for me--I want it to be durable, reliable, and maintainable. I'd like it to be nice to use--to do its job well without frustrating the hell out of me. It doesn't need to be big, but big is fine if it needs to be big to be the first three things (for all I know the small saws are all designed to be disposable). It can be old and heavy and buzzy if it's durable and relaible and maintainable and I can get parts.
So what makes and models should I be searching for on Facebook? Thoughts on price are also welcome if you want to hazard those.
Thanks for reading all that. Any advice welcome.