Please recommend a good firewood saw

[litefoot]

Please recommend a good firewood saw (Decision made!)

Money is an issue, but I'd still like a good quality saw. Here's the deal:

1) Present saw is a Jonsered 2050. Excellent saw, but I now have kids old enough to cut instead of just stacking. Need another saw.

2) Most wood I cut are pine blowdowns up to 18" with ocassional firs.

3) I haul about 5 cords each season.

4) I'd like a saw with a magnesium crankcase that will last forever (50-60cc).

5) Stihls feel pretty solid to me, but the orange Husky's (probably all home models) I've seen at the hardware store all feel cheap to me compared to my 12 yr old Jonsered. Have they changed that much in the last few years?

I'm not in big hurry. Is there a new "got-to-have" saw out there, or should I look for an older model Stihl, Husky or Joney.

 

[HiOctane]

Why not a 2152 Jred.Thats an excellent saw(same as 353 Husqui )built for pro and very reliable,not heavy and strong enough to do your job i think.Or the 2156(like a 357 Husqui),thats an awsome saw,lots of power and light,but a more expensive that 2152.I dont have the US price,check on Jonsered site.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I recommend a 353, 359, or a 346XP, all of which are good saws from Husky. the 359, has a decent power to weight ratio, and is very well liked by some here if its modified.

 

[keith c raymond]

Do you have a local dealer?Todays saws have more plastic in them to reduce weight ,hence the "light feel".Their durability is not in question.You will get lots of varied input from this site, reflecting personal experience from all backrounds.My two cents,go with a known name ,you know the ones,look at all the midrange saws they offer,go with a local dealer who you can rely on and obtain parts and accessories from.And most importantaly ,dont forget personal protective gear!

 

[GASoline71]

Do you have a local dealer?

Good question to make a point.... If you go through a local dealer, be it Stihl, Husky, Jred, Echo, etc., you will also be able to have the saw serviced (if you wish to not do it yourself) on a regular basis, and parts will be readily available. I'm a firewood cutter myself, and use primarily Stihls, but there are many other good quality saws out there. Just stay out of Wal-Mart and the big warehouse-type hardware stores. Just my two cents.

Gary

 

[Lobo]

I'm a firewood cutter myself, and use primarily Stihls, but there are many other good quality saws out there. Just stay out of Wal-Mart and the big warehouse-type hardware stores. Just my two cents.

Gary

I fully agree with Gary , Stihl, Jonsered, Echo, Husky, Makita, Shindaiwa all make good saws, IMHO it comes down to a few simple things:

1- How good does the saw feel in my hands.

2- How long has the dealer been in business, how long has he carried the line and how is his reputation out there among common folk and pro users ?

3- How good is his parts supply and the quality of his service technicien's.


There are several tech's who are members here, some from Stihl, some Husky, some others. The one point that keeps coming out from the Stihl boys who earn their living servicing these things is that the MS290 has got to be one of Stihls thoughess saws even if it is in the semi-pro line-up. If you like Stihl's and do not want to go and dish out for a all pro model, you should maybe consider a MS290, MS310 or something along those lines.

 

[lillrowdy]

Litefoot,
Rule #1: The “best saw” is the one your favorite AUTHORISED DEALER sells.
Rule #2: The “Got to have saw” is the one you would grab most often if you owned every current production saw made.
Rule #3 You can probably buy every saw made with one serious visit to the hospital so SAFETY should be your first criteria.
Rule #4 You get what you pay for! The EPA has squeezed these guys “two stroke” death but they have responded with cleaner and better technology and it isn’t cheap.

If I wanted reliability, I would buy a Shindiawa 488 which is slightly smaller than your criteria. If I wanted a performance I would buy a Husqvarna 357XP.

 

[tony marks]

another good saw with pro qualities and sometimes an cheaper price,is the saws by
oleomak emak. made in italy, they really are a good saw. if it was me id look used.
deere is selling them under their name but i dont know if they are reasonable or not.
i have two dealers here that will work onum. but mines old and really dependable. i did have it modded by dave niager. but it was pretty good before he did his thing to it.
now,, well ive said it before dave dave can really make a saw, a lot stronger,while keeping the durability in. one of my favorite im real pleased with it..
but ,u mite want to have your son run it stock for a while. . after mods it needs to be operated by an good experienced chainsaw user.

 

[litefoot]

Thanks everyone for the replies AND the reminders about safety. I have always liked the way my 2050 handles, and I've been thinking about another Joney. But I have been also looking at the Shind 488 and the J.D. Efco saws.

The only dealers in town are J. Deere (which does carry saws) and Stihl. The JD dealer charges about 30% more for his saws than I can get them on the internet. I believe in supporting the local dealers, but I'm not THAT willing. The Stihl guy will not budge off MSRP on anything (even though I bought an expensive stirng trimmer from him earllier in the year) and his services charges on saws are exorbitant. I'm not expecting anyone to give me a saw, but it would be nice for these guys to work with me at least a little. There are no Husky dealers within 100 miles. Why can't I find Jonsered saws anywhere here in the West?

 

[Lawn Masters]

go with whichever dealer makes you feel best, or you can buy online, if you're able to repair it yourself if something breaks.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I like the comment above about how it feels in your hand. That's an important factor alot of guys overlook. I'm a Stihl guy. Stihls feel good in my hands. I know it could all be in my head, but that's what I feel when I pick one up, compared to picking up a different brand. If you want specific models, you could look at the MS 260 or the MS 361. Both are good saws that will more than do what you're asking them. Also the 290/310/390 series from Stihl would work too, but those are homeowner saws, and would work fine, but you mentioned the mag case, and lasting forever, so my call for the 260 or 361 stands.

Alot of other good saws mentioned in this thread. I think it'd come down to your dealer, how they treat you, and what just feels good. You're fortunate that it's fairly easy to find a saw that will handle a non-professional firewood work load.

Jeff

 

[begleytree]

Go grab a MS440/MS460 and never look back!
jmho, with anything smaller, it just takes more time to do the same thing.
-Ralph

 

[Patrick62]

Go grab a MS440/MS460 and never look back!
jmho, with anything smaller, it just takes more time to do the same thing.
-Ralph

Speed is not always the answer, but OVERKILL can be a good thing.
I am not sure if that is in his budget. I used to think 1 saw was enough. Then, two, a big one and a little one. Now I think three is about right. Little one with top handle for the small stuff, and a mid sized machine for limbing, average blocking, etc. Plus the monster for serious work.

After I got the comments about the Shindawhat?? Why not get something I have never had before. And then this thread was a excellent idea.
I ordered a Jonsered today. 2145, for my "middle" saw. Echo fits my little spot, and the MS460 fits the big spot.

 

[tophopper]

Go grab a MS440/MS460 and never look back!
jmho, with anything smaller, it just takes more time to do the same thing.
-Ralph

Begely, Hes looking for something his boys can run too, do you really think a 44 or 46 is a good choice for boys to cut firewood with? Probably a bit too much saw, and also costs alot more than hed like to spend

 

[Lawn Masters]

For a young man to be running, an MS260, or 361 is probably the safest bet, neither saw has too much power, but they have enough to get the job done. you dont want to give a kid too big of a saw. either one would be fine from my point of view.

 

[Marky Mark]

From all the saws that I own to me a Husqvarna feels much more ergonomical to operate. They have a much better anti vibration system. The saw of the last few months has been the Husqvarna 359. Running neck and neck with the 357xp. They can be had for a relatively inexpensive price right now. Another saw is the 372xp with the bargain basement price from our sponsor Baileys.
www.baileysonline.com If you ask nice they might even set it up for you then ship it.
If the hat is 5 cords a year the 359 should be a good balance for the price and the use per year.

 

[ross_scott]

Dolmar have pretty nice saws I have the SP-34 which is a budget model and maxed out with a 16" bar it nice and light to use I did have a hold of the 7xxx series and)very nice aswell and also very light but for any heavy duty cutting (over 16") I like my pioneer 11-30

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

...an MS260, or 361 is probably the safest bet, neither saw has too much power...

Compared to an 084, no. But for their weight, especially opened up, they do quite nicely IMO.

Jeff

 

[SawTroll]

Litefoot, to me you seem like a perfect candidate for either the Stihl MS361 or Husky 359/Jred 2159, depending on how much money you are willing to spend.
There is little point in considering another 3-cube saw (260, 353 or 2152), as long as you have the 2050.

Please read posts 11 and 16 carefully - lots of good advice there.

 

[begleytree]

44/46 is overkill huh? I've cut more than my share of wood, and after using various saws, bigger is better. imo, the 26 is too small and anything with a 36 in the number by stihl is overpriced junk, but to each their own. I'm mid 30s 6' 195lbs, and if I need to cut, out of all the saws I own, I will grab the 046 and get the job done. I just asume that everyone else is the same, average build, and has other things to do besides play with cutting wood all day, verses a couple hours. Weight is why I suggested the 044, little better than the 046. The 26 is no longer produced, so you have to buy used, not the best option but you could get lucky, and a new 361 will run you in the mid $500s, a port job to make it run like it should will run anther $200 with muffler and filter, and you can buy a new MS460 for $750, and a new MS440 for less than that, so how does he save money by going with a smaller saw?
As far as his boys running it, I reread the man's posts, and didn't see that mentioned anywhere.
-Ralph