need help buying a new saw

[bennett]

I need help buying a new saw and can see there are a lot of opinions out there. I just threw away an old McCulloch (piece of **** ... got tired of throwing my arm out of socket and not getting anything done.) I have decided I want a Stihl or Husky (either would be a good saw from what I am hearing.) My problem is not what brand but how big? I have 38 acres of mostly pine trees with some hard wood mixed that I like to keep cleaned up. I am building a house next year and need a new saw to help do some clearing and general maintenance. The house will not have a wood-burning fireplace but we do like to start up an out door-fire from time to time. Trees range from 12-year old pines to 150+ year old oaks. (Don't plan to cut down the oaks but big limbs do fall etc.) I have been leaning toward the Husky 357XP but don't know if that saw might be too much for what I have to cut. I am a novice saw handler so any advice will be greatly appreciated. I am looking for advice in horse power, size (weight) and bar length. I'm not rich but do not plan on skimping on this purchase.

 

[davefr]

The "sweet spot" in chain saws is approx. 50 cc, 10-11 lbs, 16-20" bars. And the reason for it is that these will do 95% of most tasks.

You can go down in power but you won't save much weight so try and stick to 50 cc - "ish" unless your doing very light pruning. You can go up in power but you'll probably find that the additional capability isn't needed that often and there will be a definate weight penalty. (weight=fatigue=reduced safety).

I'd look at Stihl 026, Husky 346XP, Shindaiwa 488, Solo 651, Makita/Dolmar DCS 540, or Jonsared 2149. They are all great saws. If you need more capability just suplement it with a larger "stumping" saw like a Stihl 046.

 

[John in MA]

That's about what I've found. I use my Stihl 032 (51cc) w/ 20" bar for most of of my cutting, although it's a lot less than you plan on doing. You might want a hair more power out there with the pines and big oaks. See if you can test drive a saw or two. Other brands to consider are Echo and pro John Deer (Efco/Olympik).

Also have a little 31cc Poulan XX POS I use for limbing and an 82cc Homelite SXL-925 for the big jobs. I just seem to have bought a 110cc Jonsered 111s, but I'll have a hard time finding anything big enough to take down in suburbia.

 

[toolmaker]

The Stihl 036 Pro, now the MS360, is one of the best "all around" saws money can buy. In my OPINION! Retails for about $499.00. Remember the key word is "all around". Light enough to do limbing and clearing, yet powerful enough to get into the bigger stuff when needed. I just sold mine to get an MS460, and I regret it every day. Don't get me wrong, I love the 460, it is a fantastic saw, just a little heavier to do the small stuff. My two cents worth.

 

[confused]

bennett,

All of these guys are right. The MS360, Jonsy 2149, etc.. are all great saws and more than likely would be a perfect fit for your needs. But for what you seem to be needing is the 50cc saw and just look at these websites and you should get a decent idea.

Husky
www.usa.husqvarna.com/node234.asp

Jonsered
www.usa.jonsered.com/index.asp?skip_intro=true&skip_map=true

Solo
www.solousa.com/

The best for last Stihl
www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/

 

[seesaw]

Better Site

www.solo-germany.com

Better than the USA site. More stats and pics. You need to click the British flag for English unless you read German.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Bennett, you have missed the Cardinal Rule of chainsaws.
You can never have too much saw
Seriously the 357 is an excellent choice. It only weighs one pound more then the 50cc saws and greatly outclasses them in power. I say go for it.

 

[treeclimber165]

I gotta disagree, Huskyman. There IS such thing as 'too much saw'. I know from years of practice in the trees and on the ground, too big of a saw will wear me out and cause me to work slower. Not to mention less safely. Just considering groundwork, not climbing- I might flop a big tree with the 046 but I'm gonna grab the 026 or my climbing saw to brush it out for the chipper. Once it's brushed out, I might grab the 046 again for cutting the trunk if the 026 won't handle it easily. I run 10 tanks of fuel in my climbing saw for 1 tank in the big saw. I would be a lot more dangerous to myself and others trying to brush out a 'flopper' with an 046 while 2 groundmen are trying to grab the brush out of my way.
If, on the other hand, you are working the woodyard where the tree guys dump their big wood, you wouldn't need a smaller saw. You need to size the saw to the job at hand.

 

[Mack]

I always thought the rule was: "you can never have too many saws"

 

[confused]

I have to agree with Treeclimber. though i use my 046 for everything, since i havent sold enough firewood yet to afford the 026 or 2149. But using my 046 does give me a great work out and if i get tired i just set the horse down.

 

[stihltech]

new saw

Before buying, ask around and find out what dealer has the best service and is close enough to get to quickly. You will thank yourself on those days that things didn't go so well.

 

[Newfie]

I thought the rule of thumb went " if you never wished you had a bigger saw, then the saw you have is probably too big". I got a 346xp for limbing and bucking up small stuff. Works great but now I think the next purchase might be the 357, since my 288 is just too heavy unless its sinking its teeth into wood! I'm a Husky fan, good service close at hand, no Stihl nearby. Good Luck!

 

[dbabcock]

You know, after going to the Solo USA site that Huskyman posted the link to, it seems that these things are awful expensive. Are these prices just hugely inflated MSRP's and you can actually get them cheaper from dealers? Actually, I've never seen if Husky and Stihl advertise MSRP's. They may be inflated as well.

 

[CMBetz]

For what you are faced with (my own lot is quite similar), I would own two saws -- a 357XP (or Stihl 026) and a 136 -- if that is in the general price range. Though I own several saws, all of them but the 136 gather dust in the basement except when put to their ideal task. The 136 is too handy for cleaning up limbs and ripping the occasional fire log that's too big or twisted for the maul. That said, there is no replacement for displacement. A 55+cc saw will handle the jobs you mentioned with room to spare, and I would not subject the "consumer-grade" 136 to extended duty (though I have completely dismembered a 36" dbh maple windfall -- a tribute to the saw, not to my prowess). The 357XP I have not owned or tried, the 026, I have. I cannot say enough good about the 026. I agree with others on the forum tha tthe 026 is a superior product to the 026Pro. I have run the 357's bigger and littler brothers, and from my experience with those, I'm sure you can't go wrong.

 

[toolmaker]

I have read several comments that the 026 is superior to the 026 Pro. Why???????????? Explain please!

 

[stihltech]

026 pro

The Pro has accessories, compression release, adjustable oil pump, compensating air filter. Don't ask me why, but most owners seem to like the standard model better. I call them the same as A/C on a car. The person that can no longer start a saw without compression release loves the Pro. The professional operators buy the standard, they don't need accessories. The power is advertised as the same, and it has the same carb, muffler, and cylinder and piston. I think they may be comparing pre and post emissions models. Even then, there should be no difference IF the dealer checked the hi speed adjustment (JET) before it left the shop.

 

[toolmaker]

Thanks Stihltech. I am aware of the physical differences between the two saws. I am looking to buy an 026 right now, when the right deal comes along. (Do you have one for sale?) The pro has more "bells & whistles". But, I could not understand why the standard model would be better in performance.

 

[seesaw]

Doug

You're right, way inflated MSRP on that site. I think since Solo is going with two-step distrib. now instead of direct. I also think they didn't want to cut their existing customers off from a source for those saws so they made the price so ridiculous that you would go to a dealer.
Isn't it ironic, with more and more companies going direct these days, Solo tried that and is now going the other way???

 

[Dagger]

399

Stopped into a large Saw dealer today..has Husky,,,Stihl..Echo..and Solo on the racks..a whole wall of em.
We were talking biz when a customer came in, who obviously has been in before, and the dealer excused himself from me and went to help him...he apparantly had been looking at saws for some time and had his choices narrowed down..when he left, he carried out a Solo 651 pro with an 18" bar on it, a saw case, a 6-pack, an extra chain and a pair of gloves I think. I heard the last of the haggleing, and the dealer pitch the 2 year pro warrenty that the solo had ,and he also said something about no matter what the warranty period was on the others, which was shorter apparantly, that ALL warranty from them had to be pre-approved, and Solo's did not...the final price was 399.00 plus tax.

I questioned him about that little warranty conversation when the guy left. The Dealer said that he is very nervous about telling a customer who brings in a busted saw...when within the warranty period..that it will be covered because of the Husky and Echo and Stihl habits of denial of a repair payment weather the dealer says it should be or not, and Solo never questions him..and assigns the dealer the authority of ALL warranty decisions, which the others do not.
Apparantly this had come up with this particular pro customer before and he told me that he never thought the guy would be back after the fellas last new saw developed a seal leak, and galded the cyl, and the factory denied the claim.

 

[woodsjunkie]

toolmaker,
I have 026 for sale, if your intrested e-mail me