Old saw or new?

[ross01]

Hello everyone I am new to the site and to chainsaws. I have started getting some firewood this year and am needing a chainsaw. Borrowing one just isn't going to work. I have an old Pioneer P50 that was my dads but I am having trouble getting it to run. When it did run it cut pretty good, so I was thinking I might find another pioneer or a different older saw for cheap, since I don't get alot of wood.

Would I be ahead to find a newer used saw or should I just find another cheap runner. I don't know much about chainsaws but have heard the pioneers were good saws in their day. I would like to get a bigger saw something to run a 24-36 inch bar. We cut alot of big wood trees.

I am just looking for a few ideas and opinions, any info will be appreciated.

 

[GASoline71]

Look for a used Stihl 046/460. Or a used Husqvarna 372. If you are really needing somehing that will pull a 36" bar... you're lookin' at used 066/660, or a Husqvarna 395. Even used,these saws won't come cheap.

What size wood are you actually cutting a lot? You're in Idaho... so cutting mostly softwoods? Pine, Fir, Spruce???

You could prolly get by with a used 046/460.

Gary

 

[SmokinDodge]

older saw for cheap, since I don't get alot of wood.

We cut alot of big wood trees.

Welcome to AS!

If you'll narrow down your parameters it will help. Do you get one 3' tree every week, year?

It all comes down to how much you want to spend.

Best bet, probably the cheapest, pick the minds of AS and get your Pioneer back up and running. If it had served well this long, and only run it a few hours a year it might last quite a bit more. It will all depend on what the trouble is.

It would take at least 3-4 hundred to replace it with another used 5 cube saw

 

[ross01]

Thanks for the replys. I guess I should have been a little more clear, I have been helping the neighbors and friends get wood this year while getting a little for myself. I would guess that we have cut down around 20-25 or so this year, ranging from 2 ft to close to 4ft diameter fir trees. The people I go with like to get the biggest trees we can get to.

The guy that has been helping me told me to get a saw that could run a 36 inch bar, for the bigger trees. I haven't done a lot of saw work so I was thinking of getting a 24 inch bar then once I got better and more comfortable I could move up to a bigger bar with out getting a new saw.

I have looked on E-bay and found some old pioneers but I am a little worried about being able to find parts for them and they seem really expensive. How big of bar could my P50 run if I got it running good? I had the carb rebuilt and did some tuning on it and had it running pretty good. I went up and fell 5 smaller trees and went to blocking them, then it just started sputtering and wouldn't hardly run. It will start and run good until you stick it in some wood then it sputters and dies. I am trying to get some fuel line and a filter and see if that helps.

I am just learning to fell trees so I have been starting on the smaller ones, less than 20 inches. I probably don't really need a big saw just yet but I figure I will need one someday so might as well start out with one instead of getting a new saw all the time. If that makes any sense at all. Thanks for your help, jake.

 

[TDunk]

In a husky, i'd probably go with nothing smaller than a 372. As for a sthil probably nothing smaller than a 440. You'll have better luck trying to find a used 044/440 because nobody wants to get rid of a 372. The cheapest way would be fix up your old saw, but i don't know squat about pionneers.

 

[Log Splitter]

Ross01, as on firewood cutter to another I'll jump in here. You are considering one of the jobs that you need to do when deciding on your saw purchase, which is felling. But you should think about bucking and limbing as well. Lot's of the 'pros' like a long bar for limbing since it minimizes how much bending over is required. So if holding a big heavy saw with a long bar while limbing does not concern you, then I suppose you are heading down the right path.

A lot of us part time cutters, however, like a small lightweight saw for limbing after we get the tree on the ground. I use a MS 270 (18" bar)for felling / bucking, and a MS 180 for limbing. These saws are new, before I used a Poulan 3450 (20" bar, 54 CC) and a Poulan 1950 (14" bar, 30 CC). Almost all the firewood I cut is hickory, and I'll cut an occasional 25" DBH tree with these two saws.

Given your situation, if I had to choose just one saw for all three jobs, I'd be looking at something that would pull an 18" bar somewhere in the power range that a good 50 cc saw can deliver. That would be plenty of bar to cut down the occasional large tree you would be getting into, but you would not be fighting all that weight while you did the limbing work. You would not have the power to impress all your friends with how fast you can sail through the big logs, but like I've said before - cutting is fun, unless you are getting paid by the log why hurry.

But that's just me....

 

[rb_in_va]

ross01,
Welcome to AS, and where in Idaho are you from? I grew up near Lewiston.

 

[046]

old or new depends upon your budget.

this will not change which saw to get...
if you go with top brands like stihl, husky, etc
assuming you get a healthy saw with low hours.
there not much risk going with a used saw.

general consensuses on AS is if you can only have one saw.
best choice is stihl 361 or husky 359. or 59cc class saw

best two saw combo would be stihl 026/046 or husky 346/372
ignore exact model, more important, size combo of 50cc / 72cc

for example, stihl 034 super, 036, MS360, MS361, husky 359, etc are all good rugged saws in same displacement/weight class.

 

[GASoline71]

If you want a saw that will occasionally wear a 36" bar, but mostly have say a 28" bar... I say a used 046/460 .

Gary

 

[SawTroll]

If you want a saw that will occasionally wear a 36" bar, but mostly have say a 28" bar... I say a used 046/460 .

Gary

Or maybe a 90cc saw, like 066/660 or 394/395xp, or Jonsered 2094/2095...........

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Acres Site says a P50 CAN pull a 18"-36" bar, running 3/8 Chain.

It is an 82cc Reed engine...

 

[GASoline71]

Or maybe a 90cc saw, like 066/660 or 394/395xp, or Jonsered 2094/2095...........

Out here in the softwoods Niko, a 046/460 could handle that.

Gary

 

[046]

ross01, you have not stated a budget.... it's all worthless unless you know how much to spend.

old antique chainsaws are commonly sold for $50???
but that's not always true, look how much 090's sell for...

 

[GASoline71]

I am just learning to fell trees so I have been starting on the smaller ones, less than 20 inches. I probably don't really need a big saw just yet but I figure I will need one someday so might as well start out with one instead of getting a new saw all the time. If that makes any sense at all. Thanks for your help, jake.

Hmm... I guess I didn't read that part of this post... The saws I have recommended are all big powerful Pro saws. Be careful fallin' those trees. These bigger saws with longer bars are unbalanced and the potential for kickback is very high. When fallin' BIG timber, you really need to know what you are doin'. A small mistake could be fatal. Hell even a small mistake on small trees can be fatal.

I'm not going to go into the ins-and-outs of fallin' trees on this thread... if you do a "search" for it on this board there will be enough reading to keep you busy for a while.

Good luck... and be careful!

Gary

 

[ValleyO'Giants]

I have looked on E-bay and found some old pioneers but I am a little worried about being able to find parts for them

Soundls like you need a Stihl
:biggrinbounce2:
IMHO

I say go with what you can find parts/Good dealer for in your area.

As far as the model...
I just bought an MS310 (400.00) and it is great for what I do, but I wont be cutting any 4ft diameter trees down here!

A buddy of mine also swears by his stihl 440 magnum, but those where out of my price range.
Although he said he got if from our local dealer as used and paid half for it!
So...
Check you local dealer for good used saws if price is an issue.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Lakeside53]

Or maybe a 90cc saw, like 066/660 or 394/395xp, or Jonsered 2094/2095...........

Certainly not for someone "learning how to fell trees", and in any case, a 440/460 is fine for mainly a 28, and the occasional use of a 36.

 

[timberrat]

saw ?????????????????????

check the arborist trading post sometimes you can find a good deal on a used saw:biggrinbounce2:

 

[B_Turner]

Hello everyone I am new to the site and to chainsaws. I have started getting some firewood this year and am needing a chainsaw. Borrowing one just isn't going to work. I have an old Pioneer P50 that was my dads but I am having trouble getting it to run. When it did run it cut pretty good, so I was thinking I might find another pioneer or a different older saw for cheap, since I don't get alot of wood.

Would I be ahead to find a newer used saw or should I just find another cheap runner. I don't know much about chainsaws but have heard the pioneers were good saws in their day. I would like to get a bigger saw something to run a 24-36 inch bar. We cut alot of big wood trees.

I am just looking for a few ideas and opinions, any info will be appreciated.

I think is mostwly depends on your personality. Some people enjoy working on their saws and scrounging parts, but I don't have time as I have plenty of other stuff to work on.

I tend to treat equipment well, but buy new and use it for a long time. It is not time efficient enough for me to mess around with saws that need much fiddling, and I don't enjoy it. Would rather be cutting, and greatly prefer the smoother running quality newer saws.

So it really depends on your budget and what's fun. Within those limits, don't let anyone else make your choices.

 

[romeo]

I think that most of these folks suggesting a 372 or a 044/440 are correct. Both of these saws have been around for a few years and both are tried and true. Also, both of these saws are still currently produced and parts are cheap. Dont give up on the Pioneer, we got one lying around here that wears a 40" bar, it just gets pulled out for big jobs every now and then, it pulls chips fine.

 

[GASoline71]

Keep the old Pioneer for the coolness factor too!!!

Gary