Slash Chainsaw Recommendation

[Scyry]

For 1 Ac? That's nuts. Didn't know it had gone up to that degree.

I’m close to Denver. With insurance companies forcing mitigation, a lot of people are throwing money at it to try and keep their policies. When we got dropped by Travelers I called and 2 of the 4 who were willing to write a new policy wanted me to clear 200’ (Allstate) or 100’ (AmFam) away from the house. No trees, brush or combustibles. I called a couple mitigation companies for quotes and that’s what I got. State Farm came out and asked me to drop a couple trees and do a better slash clean up, so did that myself. Took a whole day of chipping with a trailered chipper rental to get rid of the slash.

I’m still losing 3-5 conifers 12”-18” dia. a year. Aspens seems like the deer kill half of them before they hit 10’. If they make it to 10’ they generally keep going. I still want to clear up slash further out than the insurance required. Weekend warrioring until I’m happy.

As far as mitigation in general. There’s grants for 50/50 matching up to $12,000 in the area. The ‘Hardened Home’ status line is some thing being thrown around here. Fire Department has a trained person come out and make a list of what need to be done, mitigation, siding, deck, and roofing materials. Building Department changed material requirements in 2018, think no wood on exterior. You have to do all the mitigation on their list. Insurance is throwing around this is what you have to do. So the mitigation companies know what will need to happen and the grant matching money. So magically quotes are double the grant amount. Oh and there is a list of approved companies that qualify you for the mitigation grant. There’s only ~15 on the list.

 

[Scyry]

For the record, primer-bulb-saws can be re-plumbed without the primer.

Anyway, good choice on the Echo.

Roy

Hand me down saw from my Dad who sold his place he needed it for. Realistically I needed a bigger saw too for firewood. I didn’t ever do anything but basic maintenance and run a saw when he needed help prior to 7 years ago. Anything past spark plug and air filter, took it to a shop. Even had them sharpen chains for me.

Bought the Rancher, Husky has a sale and liked the old saw so went with it. Happy with the saw for firewood. If I had done some research may have gone another way. Randomly found this website. Learning a lot. Often through headaches.

 

[Scyry]

To continue the conversation. Went down a rabbit hole and read into the almost small engine ban in Colorado. Sounds like they are going to continue the conversation about how to enact on the public side. On the government side they band the use of all 25hp and less gas engines late spring to fall. Denver has had air quality issues the past few summers, and well Denver is all that matters in Colorado so must be implemented statewide. I'm reading this as they will be forcing most things to electric.

In my mind I need to be ready for the ban, and want to set myself up for the long run while electric catches up. My thought is buy multiples of the same saw so if one goes down I turn it in to a parts saw if parts become limited. I've been trying to read what makes a robust saw. I'm not looking for a hotrod, I want dependable. Seems you want not a clamshell, two rings, and inside sprocket clutch? Do I have that right? Seems like past that less plastic parts, and some saw are just more durable. I've never needed a giant bar, most everything around here is soft wood. I don't like autotune with my experience with my Stihl MS 261CM, one more thing to break. I'd rather stick to Husky or Echo based on the Stihl warranty experience. I also am cost conscious. My Dad's Husky 435 and Rancher from the mid nineties made it almost 25 years, and I'll probably have similar use, so maybe I am over thinking everything? They also were used by hired high schoolers over multiple summers to help him clean up around his 40 acres.

There's nine Echo CS-4910s available locally. Would two or three of those be a good starting point? Then I'll probably snag a second Rancher (I know it is a clamshell, but they've been around forever so easy to find parts?) that matches my current one or Timberwolves?