I need help deciding on a chainsaw for my husband's birthday!!

[Ed in Maine]

Don't do the card with picture, you have come this far, don't stop until you pick out a saw and buy it! If my wife did research and bought me a saw based on opinions from 50 people online, it would be just right for me and I'd love telling the guys at camp the story after I read the thread!
I'm sticking with the MS290 though. Besides, orange and white is more perrtty than solid orange (I'm thinking of stuff my wife would point out).
Ed

 

[Scooterbum]

Some model numbers of his saw would be very helpful.

She did say one had a 24" bar.Tends to make me think it might be a real poulon.You don't see that size bar on the cheap plastic ones.

 

[bytehoven]

I would 2nd the suggestion of safety gear. Even if you would consider making it a seperate present that you might give him.

Chainsaw safe gloves, helmet with ear protection and mesh face shield, OSHA certified chaps and steel toe boots. (chain saw boots are even better. I have a nice pair of Jonsenred boots I wear for most of my other serious outdoor activities like snow blowing, etc)

Does you husband tinker with his 2 cycle engines? Even if he does, buying your saw from a shop with a good service department is a real bonus. You can kinda tell which shops are customer friendly and look like their doing alot of business. Such a place will be there to stand behind the product for warranty service or routine service.

I cast another vote for the MS361, which I just bought for myself for Christmas. However, I'm sure I would have been very happy with a MS280/310, a Husqvarna 346XP/353/359, Dolmar 5100S or Echo 520.

Think back on which dealers seemed to have their act together and made you feel comfortable. I would probably put those shop's brand at the top of my short list. How well they responded to any $$$ negotiation is also something to consider. I might very well have bought the Dolmar 5100S had the local dealer been willing to budge a tiny bit off the MSRP list price.

Take your time and enjoy the ride. Who knows, maybe you'll pick up a nice chainsaw for yourself down the road.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I dont know why everyone keeps saying the 290 but I would stay away from that saw!! There are much better machines out there!

In a firewood/homeowner niche for that money, with dealer support, it's a fine series (290/310/390) of saw.

For timber, no. For what we're talking about here, that's what it was designed for.

Jeff

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Don't do the card with picture, you have come this far, don't stop until you pick out a saw and buy it! If my wife did research and bought me a saw based on opinions from 50 people online, it would be just right for me and I'd love telling the guys at camp the story after I read the thread!
I'm sticking with the MS290 though. Besides, orange and white is more perrtty than solid orange (I'm thinking of stuff my wife would point out).
Ed

Great post! Especially about coming this far already!

 

[SawTroll]

If he is cutting for an outdoor wood furnace plus a neighbor get him a Stihl MS361.

It's a little more than $400 but he will be very happy and it will last him at least a decade.

I agree, but with proper maintenanse it should last more than one decade for that application......

 

[SawTroll]

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!

Very good post again, of course - but a MS361 would be nicer, but more money .....:greenchainsaw:

 

[auntmeme]

You guys are so awesome...and funny! I'll definitely let him read this thread after giving him his chainsaw. It's a birthday present (January 4) so it'll still be a couple of weeks. Okay, here's what he has...2 Poulans...one with a 14" blade and one with an 18" blade (don't even ask how I came up with 24"!)...sorry bar They're both bright green The little one says its a Wood Shark and the bigger says Super Clean. The tag on the bigger one says YPWES for the Family and 46cc Disp. I don't know if all of this helps or not. There's a hardware store in town that sells Husqvarna and Stihl, I'm going in today to see what kind of prices they have. I'll keep reading and responding to your suggestions though as long as you all post them! HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS!!

 

[SawTroll]

Yeah, I'm going to chime in here recommend looking at a Sthil MS 290 or MS 310. ....

Poor man, if she buys one of those .......:sword: :greenchainsaw:

 

[wdchuck]

Auntmeme, there is another way to look at this, and REALLY blow his mind.

Get him a smaller saw of whats recommended, so far, MS280, and all the safety wear, files, file guide, extra chain, and such. Then next fall, with the cookie jar money and just in time for cuttin' season to start, have an MS361 or 460 show up for him. Then, in a year or two, a nice small 30cc saw, that'll set him up for life if they are given lots of TLC.

We'll talk to him about mod's, later.:hmm3grin2orange:

I'm sure he'd do something you'd love in return.

 

[Scooterbum]

Now that we know what he's been cutting with my choices in order would be
1. 5100s Dolmar (it's a Screamer)
2.MS280 Stihl (probably the most dependable)
3. 353 Husqvarna
]
Your husband is a very lucky man.I'm sure he'll be happy with which ever saw you choose.Have a Merry Christmas ! Steve

 

[turnkey4099]

I vote for letting him pick out his own saw. I know I would. Maybe find a toy chainsaw so you can wrap a package with a gift certificate in it plus the printouts from this thread. That sets the spending limit (of course he may dig into his "stash" to supplement it ).

Maybe you can dicker with different dealers for some way so that he isn't restricted to one brand.

Definitely buy from a local dealer. He won't want an 'orphan' saw.

Buying a chainsaw for a man is about the same as trying to pick out a husband for your daughter. If 'he' makes the choice, you will never hear 'I wish you had bought a...."

Harry K

 

[ASETECH]

I live in Indiana as well. Love it here. I would stronly urge you to look at teh 361. I had a 290 that I hated. The things weighs to much for the amount of power it has. The 361 will cut cicles around. My 290 was reliable and run good, but jumping uup to the pro class saw is an unreal jump in using the saw. I gurantee he will love it. i good dealer will make you a reasonable deal. If you can't swing the extra money a 290 will do with limited gains over teh saws he is running. Just my thoughts.

 

[SawTroll]

Now that we know what he's been cutting with my choices in order would be
1. 5100s Dolmar (it's a Screamer)
2.MS280 Stihl (probably the most dependable)
3. 353 Husqvarna
]
Your husband is a very lucky man.I'm sure he'll be happy with which ever saw you choose.Have a Merry Christmas ! Steve

The 353 is utterly dependable, but a bit small for his needs I believe.........:biggrinbounce2:

If the Stihl MS361 is too much money, take a look at the Husky 359, and not the heavy vibration monsters with bad air filtration and plastic crank-case (Stihl MS 290/310/390). :yoyo: :yoyo:

 

[Scooterbum]

Poor woman is gonna be sooo...... confused.

 

[ktoom]

I found, the key to the MS 290 is an 18 inch bar and an aggressive chain. Thats the setup on my saw and it works great. In New York, the MS 290 would cost u almost $400 after tax. If money is tight, then this saw is the way to go. If can spend the extra cash, get the MS 361-$560. If the price of that scares you, go for the MS 390-$480.

 

[Cut4fun]

Well i guessed right on the green poulans.

So now i know for a fact i would get a Dolmar 5100S.
7 dealers within 60 miles of her. some as close as 12 miles.

I am against the stihl 290's too. i let a friend that had just bought a new 290 try out my stock poulan 3750 with a exhaust side scoring at one time. After running them back to back in some maple with a 22" bar on the 3750 and a 18" bar on his 290, he couldnt believe that he had just paid $360 out the door for such a slow pig as the 290. Yes both chains were sharp.

 

[SawWitch]

Another vote for the Dollmar 5100, I really want one of those after reading about the on this forum, even though we have no dealers here........

With the US prices, it should be a bargain - and the same power as a Husky 359, but a lot lighter.....

We have both a 353 and a 361, and some others, but that is the one I want as my personal saw......

 

[Trigger-Time]

I vote for letting him pick out his own saw. I know I would. Maybe find a toy chainsaw so you can wrap a package with a gift certificate in it plus the printouts from this thread. That sets the spending limit (of course he may dig into his "stash" to supplement it ).

Maybe you can dicker with different dealers for some way so that he isn't restricted to one brand.

Definitely buy from a local dealer. He won't want an 'orphan' saw.

Buying a chainsaw for a man is about the same as trying to pick out a husband for your daughter. If 'he' makes the choice, you will never hear 'I wish you had bought a...."

Harry K

What Harry said.

Good luck.

 

[sawinredneck]

Why not, everybody else did it (STUPID PEER PRESURE!!!)

My .02, if you can find a Dolmar 5100, thats number one. Next I would say a Husky 350/353, sta awa from the 346, he wont like it for what he will want to do with it. Then look at the Stihl 290-390 lineup. I am not a fan of them, but for what he is going to do and what he has been doing, it would be a huge step up! And the 390 WILL pull a 25" bar in hardwood, not a 361, but look at the costs/use factor. Dand went from an 026 to wildthings to a 350, and LOVES that 350!!! The cost factor of the 350 allows some room for other things as well, chaps, chains etc. But from what I hear, never run one yet, dollar for dollar, the 5100 seems to fit the bill the best!
Good luck!
Andy