I hope you can help me. I'm clueless when it comes to chainsaws but want to surprise my husband for his birthday. He currently has 2 Pulan chainsaws which he hates. We live in Indiana and he cuts wood for our outdoor furnace and for our neighbor who can't get out. So he doesn't need anything along professional lines, just something that will cut right the first time! I'd like to keep it the cost around $400 if at all possible. thanks for any help.
I need help deciding on a chainsaw for my husband's birthday!!
- Thread starter auntmeme
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begleytree
H. sapiens moderatus
auntmeme, welcome to the site!
I am going to move this thread to the chainsaw forum for more specific replies, but will remind everyone that this thread comes from the homeowner helper forum, so keep the replies polite, and greared towards the needs of the homeowner firewood cutter.
-Ralph
I am going to move this thread to the chainsaw forum for more specific replies, but will remind everyone that this thread comes from the homeowner helper forum, so keep the replies polite, and greared towards the needs of the homeowner firewood cutter.
-Ralph
begleytree
H. sapiens moderatus
Aunt meme, for the record, of the outdoor power equipment shops that you see around town, what brand of saw do they sell? This answer will help us point you towards models made by that brand and will ensure that your husband has a local dealer from which to receive service if needed/desired.
Maybe also tell us what town you live in ,or what town you live close to and others can point you to a great dealer in your area. We have many members from indiana on this site.
-Ralph
Maybe also tell us what town you live in ,or what town you live close to and others can point you to a great dealer in your area. We have many members from indiana on this site.
-Ralph
ktoom
ArboristSite Guru
Do you know of any chainsaw dealers in your area? Stihl or Husqvarna? Is there a lowes in your area?
wdchuck
Addicted to ArboristSite
Welcome to AS, lots of great help here.
If there's a good Stihl dealer nearby, the MS280 makes a nice firewood saw with the budget you have in mind and some PPE-(Personal Protection Equipment) would be a nice stocking stuffer also; chaps, eye/hearing protection.
Although, an MS361 would be an ideal size, but more money.
With an outdoor furnace and a neighbors needs, just guessing, around 8-10 cords of wood.
If there's a good Stihl dealer nearby, the MS280 makes a nice firewood saw with the budget you have in mind and some PPE-(Personal Protection Equipment) would be a nice stocking stuffer also; chaps, eye/hearing protection.
Although, an MS361 would be an ideal size, but more money.
With an outdoor furnace and a neighbors needs, just guessing, around 8-10 cords of wood.
Assuming that your budgetary cap is a firm, here's the analysis:
First question to ask: which brands are supported by local dealers. It will probably come down to Stihl or Husqvarna. Go with the brand that has the better local dealer support.
Second: what is he cutting? This may be a moot point since you have a firm $400 price limit, but if he was cutting huge logs that would suggest one class of saws and if he was cutting lots of little stuff, another class of saw would be suggested.
Anyway, your best bets for a $400 saw for a homeowner woodcutter would be:
Stihl - MS270/280, or MS290/310. I'd probably go with the 280, since it has a fair amount of power for its size, good anti-vibration, and a magnesium crakcase. The 270 is its smaller cousin (engine displacement-wise, not physical size) that comes in at a few bucks less. Another new member here just bought a 270 for firewood duties and has been very pleased with it. The 290/310 saws are bigger, heavier, have plastic crankcases, have relatively poor anti-vibration and are a bit underpowered for their weight. That said, they are dead reliable and make a fine choice for the occasional saw user who cuts firewood for himself, clears up after storms, helps out neighbors. This is what I used mine for and I was never disappointed with my 290 in the years I owned it; I ran it with a 20" bar and .325" pitch chain. I would recommend the 290 as a great value in a durable saw, without hesitation.
Husqvarna - 350 (plastic crankcase), 353 (magnesium crankcase) or 359 (magnesium crakcase) would be your best choices, with a slight edge being given to the pro-grade construction of the 353 and 359. Lots of guys have been really pleased with the 350, though, and it is a very good value. The 455 Rancher or 460 would be OK, too, they're the analogues to Stihl's 290/310: bigger than they need to be, heavier than they need to be, but reliable and durable.
Any of these saws would be capable of handling a 16"-20" bar. If you're unsure what he would want, get the 16" since it is lighter and more nimble, and he can get a longer bar later if he needs one.
Let us know what you settle on!
First question to ask: which brands are supported by local dealers. It will probably come down to Stihl or Husqvarna. Go with the brand that has the better local dealer support.
Second: what is he cutting? This may be a moot point since you have a firm $400 price limit, but if he was cutting huge logs that would suggest one class of saws and if he was cutting lots of little stuff, another class of saw would be suggested.
Anyway, your best bets for a $400 saw for a homeowner woodcutter would be:
Stihl - MS270/280, or MS290/310. I'd probably go with the 280, since it has a fair amount of power for its size, good anti-vibration, and a magnesium crakcase. The 270 is its smaller cousin (engine displacement-wise, not physical size) that comes in at a few bucks less. Another new member here just bought a 270 for firewood duties and has been very pleased with it. The 290/310 saws are bigger, heavier, have plastic crankcases, have relatively poor anti-vibration and are a bit underpowered for their weight. That said, they are dead reliable and make a fine choice for the occasional saw user who cuts firewood for himself, clears up after storms, helps out neighbors. This is what I used mine for and I was never disappointed with my 290 in the years I owned it; I ran it with a 20" bar and .325" pitch chain. I would recommend the 290 as a great value in a durable saw, without hesitation.
Husqvarna - 350 (plastic crankcase), 353 (magnesium crankcase) or 359 (magnesium crakcase) would be your best choices, with a slight edge being given to the pro-grade construction of the 353 and 359. Lots of guys have been really pleased with the 350, though, and it is a very good value. The 455 Rancher or 460 would be OK, too, they're the analogues to Stihl's 290/310: bigger than they need to be, heavier than they need to be, but reliable and durable.
Any of these saws would be capable of handling a 16"-20" bar. If you're unsure what he would want, get the 16" since it is lighter and more nimble, and he can get a longer bar later if he needs one.
Let us know what you settle on!
ktoom
ArboristSite Guru
For the cost and the power of the saw, i would go with a Husqvarna 359. If u wanna go the stihl route, the MS 290 Farm Boss is also a very good saw for the price.
auntmeme said:
In a single pass, or working from both sides?
If he gets into larger wood more often, I would really think about upping your budget a bit, if possible. Stihl MS361 or MS440 would be more appropriate choices for cutting larger stuff on a regular basis.
Something like the MS290/MS310 would be capable of working on larger wood with a 20" bar, cutting from both sides. I took down lots of 30"+ ash trees with my 20" 290 and it worked well. But having since purchased and run lots of larger saws, I can definitely see the advantage in running the bigger machine.
If I was looking for an all-around saw to tackle bigger stuff, I'd probably grab an MS440.
Have you considered buying a rebuilt saw? One of our site sponsors who is around Indy has a professionally rebuilt MS460 available HERE. At $430 it would be a hell of a value on an $800 saw that would be more than capable of keeping the boiler well-fed!
Woodsrover
ArboristSite Operative
For $400 you can get a Husky 350, a pair of chaps and a helmet and cover all your bases. A 350 with an 18" bar will cover 95% off just about anyone's firewood needs unless you're consistantly in big stuff, 30" around or better.
jim
jim
wdchuck
Addicted to ArboristSite
Auntmeme;
Another question, when your husband cuts, about how many hours is he doing it?
Being a seasonal firewood cutter myself, after an hour or two with the 460 the arms/shoulders/back are a bit tired, and too big of a saw gets to be heavy and becomes a safety hazard.
If his poulons are smaller then they will be a welcome break weightwise, for a tankful, . Bigger saws are nice, but it's something to consider.
Another question, when your husband cuts, about how many hours is he doing it?
Being a seasonal firewood cutter myself, after an hour or two with the 460 the arms/shoulders/back are a bit tired, and too big of a saw gets to be heavy and becomes a safety hazard.
If his poulons are smaller then they will be a welcome break weightwise, for a tankful, . Bigger saws are nice, but it's something to consider.
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THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!! I see I have my work cut out for me. When I go looking today, I'll know better what I'm looking for. I'm also going to call the TreeStuff guys. I'll keep you posted on my search.
wdchuck said:
Very good point. A day of cutting with a 11lb saw is a lot easier on ya than a day of cutting with a 15lb saw. And a day with either of those is easier than even an hour or two with a 30lb or 34lb saw:
Woodsrover also raised a good point - A Husqvarna 350 or Stihl 290 would likely meet all his needs AND allow a few extra bucks for an extra loop of chain, some safety gear, etc. Obviously you know best what he cuts and how often he gets into 30"+ stuff, but if it isn't that often than a really big saw simply isn't necessary.
zemmo
ArboristSite Operative
auntmeme said:
And don't forgo the Dolmar dealer if there's one in your area. The 5100 S sounds like it might be perfect for you, retail is $410. I love mine.
begleytree
H. sapiens moderatus
Too bad there's not a dolmar dealer nearby. The dolmar 5100S with an 18" bar and chain will come in on budget, is very light to work with, and amazingly capable and powerful, especially for its size...
I cannot recommend any huskies as I don't run them. The stihl 290/310/390 are also good reliable (bulletproof) saws. a tad heavy for their size, but only by a pound or so, and would fit the bill quite nicely. If it were me, I would opt for the 18" bar on the 290/310 and would go on up to the 20" on the 390. Even these homeowner grade saws would easily be an upgrade over what he is now using. The 361 is getting great reviews here, and would do nicely, but you will have to increase your budget by $100 to $200.
It's my thought that you would rather buy new and have something for him on christmas day, versus waiting for shipping until after the holidays.
-Ralph
I cannot recommend any huskies as I don't run them. The stihl 290/310/390 are also good reliable (bulletproof) saws. a tad heavy for their size, but only by a pound or so, and would fit the bill quite nicely. If it were me, I would opt for the 18" bar on the 290/310 and would go on up to the 20" on the 390. Even these homeowner grade saws would easily be an upgrade over what he is now using. The 361 is getting great reviews here, and would do nicely, but you will have to increase your budget by $100 to $200.
It's my thought that you would rather buy new and have something for him on christmas day, versus waiting for shipping until after the holidays.
-Ralph
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