Chainsaw choice- help decision going forward

[FrugalFirewoodDad]

Hello all contributing members. It looks like you have a good site here, thanks for sharing your collective experience and contributing to this resource.

This winter we moved and I began transitioning to firewood as a supplement to primary heat source. 40-50% wood this year, looking to realistically bump that to 60-75% going forward. (FWIW, as a kid we were 100% wood heat for 18 years.) Running 2 fireplaces now, getting wood stove insert for one this spring. I think we burned about 2-3 cords this winter, but its hard to estimate as I often just bought a load of wood home in the truck and burned it without stacking/measuring.


I am finding that there is a lot of wood available but much of it is on the bigger side.

So I am a homeowner looking to upgrade current saw(s) to one of higher quality and that is more capable.

I just began shopping, and of course Stihl, Husqvarna, and Echo are all names that come up early and often.

Looking in the low $400ish range. Of course less would be great, but I feel I got sold a bill of goods on the Stihl 021 many years ago and dont want to repeat that. Buy once, cry once this time. Still undecided on 18 v s 20" bar.

Pros and Cons of the Farm Boss vs Rancher vs Echo equivalent product?

I have MUCH more info to post that factors in, including current chainsaws and their adequacy. More later.

Thanks in advance.
greg

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

Echo 590 Timberwolf- best value for about $400-430.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

In your price range the only (and best) option is the Echo CS-590. Won’t find a better saw for the money.

 

[7echo]

There are a lot of good comments in this thread...

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/need-a-saw-need-recommendations-please.365930/

 

[Birchcrick]

Pretty limited options in your price range. I’ve never owned an Echo 590, but many people have and bad reviews are hard to find. I have had a few of the Husqvarna Ranchers and they are ok at best. The 450 can be found in that price range. Personally, I would step up to a pro saw. The money I spent not buying pro saws added up quickly over the years.

 

[Seachaser]

Years ago I wish someone had told me to get a pro saw. I had no idea what a pro saw was. Just went with the stores advice. Nothing worse than having a saw that can’t do the job.

 

[ericm979]

What diameter trees are you going to be cutting with this saw? Average and max.

That's the #1 factor for recommending saws but so many guys just say they're cutting "firewood" like everyone's firewood trees are the same diameter.

Pro saws are generally lighter and more powerful than their homeowner/ranch counterparts, have better anti vibe and are easier to start. But people have done a lot of work with homeowner saws.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

The Echo cs590 Timberwolf is in Echo's "Farm & Ranch" middle range, so it's not a "Pro", top range saw, but it's definitely not a bottom range "consumer" saw either. Many HomeDepots have 590 Timberwolves as their bigger rental saws.

 

[Bubster]

Save up an extra $200 and go with the 550 XP or 545 Mark II. Stihl 250 is also a nice saw for the $400 price range. I would choose a 250 over a 271 anyday.

 

[Birchcrick]

What diameter trees are you going to be cutting with this saw? Average and max.

That's the #1 factor for recommending saws but so many guys just say they're cutting "firewood" like everyone's firewood trees are the same diameter.

Pro saws are generally lighter and more powerful than their homeowner/ranch counterparts, have better anti vibe and are easier to start. But people have done a lot of work with homeowner saws.

Weight is a factor that is quickly forgotten when comparing the two categories. My last attempt at not buying a pro saw was a 460 rancher. Several weeks after I bought it a 550xp found it’s way in to my hands and it was all over.

 

[computeruser]

How big is the wood you’re talking about?

At $400, it is either the 590 or something used.

A 590 with 16” and 24” bar would be the most practical setup for what you want to do at or around the pricepoint you are working with, unless you are working with truly large hardwood 30”+, in which case you need to grow the budget and get a bigger powerhead.

 

[FrugalFirewoodDad]

There are a lot of good comments in this thread...

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/need-a-saw-need-recommendations-please.365930/

Excellent. I know more reading will do me better than flailing questions out there. Thnks.

Pretty limited options in your price range..... Personally, I would step up to a pro saw. The money I spent not buying pro saws added up quickly over the years.

This is exactly what I am looking for. What would you do had you known now sort of thing.

Years ago I wish someone had told me to get a pro saw. I had no idea what a pro saw was. Just went with the stores advice. Nothing worse than having a saw that can’t do the job.

^ When i bought my first house I went with the store's advice and was sold a saw that was completely inadequate. Dont want that again.

What diameter trees are you going to be cutting with this saw? Average and max.



Pro saws are generally lighter and more powerful than their homeowner/ranch counterparts, have better anti vibe and are easier to start. But people have done a lot of work with homeowner saws.

Guys, thanks for the prompt replies. Here's more info, but what I am getting already is that I should save and go up to a pro saw.

Some more info:
Most of the stuff I'd be felling in the neighborhood is chestnut oak & hickory. I was going to say its mostly 18-22 inches diameter, but I just walked around and double checked with a tape and its more like 12-18", with most on the upper end of that.

That said, the overwhelming majority of wood would not be from me felling trees in the yard. Instead it will be sourced from stuff thats already down: storm damage in peoples yards and the huge ash trees that the town next door pre-emptively cuts down and dumps. They are typically in 5-10' lengths and range from big to massive diameter. This is the source I'd like to tap into. The biggest stuff is big indeed (36" diameter... I'll load up some photos. its massive stuff) but I dont need to be able to do that. Being able to handle 20-22" diamter logs that are already on the ground would open up a pretty huge steady source of good wood for me. I can just about do that now with my current saw, but its tough.

My current saws:
Stihl 021 with a 16" bar that I bought at the local Stihl dealer place back in maybe 2008ish. It cost more than I wanted to spend, never wanted to start right up, and didnt impress me like I thought it would. (Frankly I liked the old Homelite 16" that I had as a kid quite a bit more.) I have not been impressed with the 021 power, reliability, nor durability. I used it rarely for a few years, always had to work on it to get it started, and now the fuel lines are all brittle up and I think the gas tank may be cracked or at least is leaking.

I replaced it 4 or so years ago with a $109 Grizzly black max from walmart. 55cc range, 18" bar, and that thing has been (knock on a lot of wood) very reliable so far. We recently moved to a new place and I started using wood as a supplmental heat source and I cut probably 3+ cords with it this fall and winter. It Starts easy whether frigid or after running it hot, bar adjusts easily, seems to have good power, and I am not at all unhappy with my cheap saw. Being realistic, at $109, its not made to last, right? I assume this thing will break in a way that I cant fix.

I also snagged a craftsman 36cc (?) 18" saw in what looks to be mint condition from someones trash. Its not seized up, but has no fluids in it at all and its been that way, sitting next to the little Stihl unused.

So I have 3 saws, 2 of which are cheaper entry level brands that are going to be used way above their "basic homeowner" level and one of which (stihl 021) is more suited for small trimming than what I have been asking of the Grizzly. Right now, only 1 of them works, though its working well.

I figure at some point this blackmax grizzly thing will kick the bucket, and at that point I'd like to have something that I dont have to worry about.

Tentative Plan:
What I am hearing here is to skip the upper end of the consumer market and get a pro saw?
If I did that I would probably go up to a 20" bar.
I can sell the craftsman and maybe the grizzly to defer costs a little. Keep the 021 with a small bar on it for more casual use/small stuff.

But first I am going to read the link with lots of info in it and educate myself some more.

To be continued...

 

[Birchcrick]

Excellent. I know more reading will do me better than flailing questions out there. Thnks.


This is exactly what I am looking for. What would you do had you known now sort of thing.


^ When i bought my first house I went with the store's advice and was sold a saw that was completely inadequate. Dont want that again.



Guys, thanks for the prompt replies. Here's more info, but what I am getting already is that I should save and go up to a pro saw.

Some more info:
Most of the stuff I'd be felling in the neighborhood is chestnut oak & hickory. I was going to say its mostly 18-22 inches diameter, but I just walked around and double checked with a tape and its more like 12-18", with most on the upper end of that.

That said, the overwhelming majority of wood would not be from me felling trees in the yard. Instead it will be sourced from stuff thats already down: storm damage in peoples yards and the huge ash trees that the town next door pre-emptively cuts down and dumps. They are typically in 5-10' lengths and range from big to massive diameter. This is the source I'd like to tap into. The biggest stuff is big indeed (36" diameter... I'll load up some photos. its massive stuff) but I dont need to be able to do that. Being able to handle 20-22" diamter logs that are already on the ground would open up a pretty huge steady source of good wood for me. I can just about do that now with my current saw, but its tough.

My current saws:
Stihl 021 with a 16" bar that I bought at the local Stihl dealer place back in maybe 2008ish. It cost more than I wanted to spend, never wanted to start right up, and didnt impress me like I thought it would. (Frankly I liked the old Homelite 16" that I had as a kid quite a bit more.) I have not been impressed with the 021 power, reliability, nor durability. I used it rarely for a few years, always had to work on it to get it started, and now the fuel lines are all brittle up and I think the gas tank may be cracked or at least is leaking.

I replaced it 4 or so years ago with a $109 Grizzly black max from walmart. 55cc range, 18" bar, and that thing has been (knock on a lot of wood) very reliable so far. We recently moved to a new place and I started using wood as a supplmental heat source and I cut probably 3+ cords with it this fall and winter. It Starts easy whether frigid or after running it hot, bar adjusts easily, seems to have good power, and I am not at all unhappy with my cheap saw. Being realistic, at $109, its not made to last, right? I assume this thing will break in a way that I cant fix.

I also snagged a craftsman 36cc (?) 18" saw in what looks to be mint condition from someones trash. Its not seized up, but has no fluids in it at all and its been that way, sitting next to the little Stihl unused.

So I have 3 saws, 2 of which are cheaper entry level brands that are going to be used way above their "basic homeowner" level and one of which (stihl 021) is more suited for small trimming than what I have been asking of the Grizzly. Right now, only 1 of them works, though its working well.

I figure at some point this blackmax grizzly thing will kick the bucket, and at that point I'd like to have something that I dont have to worry about.

Tentative Plan:
What I am hearing here is to skip the upper end of the consumer market and get a pro saw?
If I did that I would probably go up to a 20" bar.
I can sell the craftsman and maybe the grizzly to defer costs a little. Keep the 021 with a small bar on it for more casual use/small stuff.

But first I am going to read the link with lots of info in it and educate myself some more.

To be continued...

In the spirit of frugality look at the 50cc class. Prices jump a lot after that. I’d go buy a Husqvarna 550xp mk2 or a Stihl 261. Either option will do great with a 20in bar. They will start every time, parts availability is great, light weight, and very reliable.

The 550xp mk2 was my first pro saw. It’s had a hard life and has never let me down. I believe they are around $600 these days. You will forget about the extra $200 quickly when you start using it.

 

[coffeebrk]

But first I am going to read the link with lots of info in it and educate myself some more.

To be continued...

Stihl ms261, or if not in the budget then ms250.

 

[FrugalFirewoodDad]

Lotta good info on this site. Still reading threads.

FWIW, here's a shot of the typical oak/hickory in the neighborhood. 12-18" diameter that I mentioned.

 

[FrugalFirewoodDad]

... and here is the town dump that is like a never ending source of oak, beech, and ASH ASH ASH.

This is my real target. As of now, I scrap around the edges looking for the smallest stuff. Handling these would open up an unlimited supply of wood, as the big stuff just sits since no one can handle it.

 

[FrugalFirewoodDad]

... and here's my $109 BlackMax Chinesium saw. 18" bar, so you can see that some of the stuff is really just massive.

 

[irhunter]

That is nice looking country...and, wood.

Sorry to hear of your bad luck with the 021. You should have kept taking it back to the dealer until they made it run right. I think those are very reasonable, small, homeowner saws.

As far as what you buy next...all suggestions which have been made so far would work out fine. I would say, however, buy from a local servicing dealer.

Roy

 

[Bubster]

I say this with tears in my eyes ,but the size of that wood could be a good excuse for an 80cc saw. In the form of a Holzforma. 80ccs for less than $400. Not anyones first choice, but fix up the Stihl for the small stuff and have the China saw for those big ones and you would be set up pretty good.

 

[Lionsfan]

... and here's my $109 BlackMax Chinesium saw. 18" bar, so you can see that some of the stuff is really just massive. View attachment 1057043

That's 70cc class wood at the minimum. I wouldn't waste my time picking at that stuff with a 50cc saw. Get a decent used 372xp and you'll be in business.