Chainsaw buying guide?????

Home Depot rents a 20" saw (I think it's a rebranded Dolmar) that people rave about. Maybe just renting the saw is an option.

290 with .325 chain would pull 20" bar without a lot of problem in poplar. @ $ 200.00 if it's a decent saw, I might be inclined to buy it, use it, clean it, & resell it if it's not gonna get a lot of use down the road. Sell it complete with the safety gear, & get most if not all of your money back. A C

DexterDay said:

Craiglist is a good spot to look... 2 Brand New Husqvarna 460 Ranchers w/ 20" Bar, went up for $250 today. Both new and never used.

I have a 455 Rancher and for general firewood cutting, its all you need. I recently took off the 20" and put a 16" B & C on it. Big difference. Made a good saw, much better...

I also own a 036 Stihl and MS 460. They are also great (read: GREAT! !!) saws. But they are in a different league.

For $250 you can find a nice running 55 cc + or - w/ 18"-20" bar for $250. And not have to "settle". That will pull in a nice saw....

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I have the same 455. It does a great job with either bar.

Scott2373 said:

... The first use this saw will see is going to be cutting up a 100' Tulip tree to give you an idea. It's probably about 5-6' in diameter at the base. ....

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Gonna be rough cutting 5' trunks with a 20" bar. Especially on a MS290. If you're serious about cutting up a trunk that massive, buck up (literally, ) and buy a used 70+cc saw. If that trunk really is 5'+ you're looking for a 28" bar, minimum, 32"-36" would be better. You should be able to buy any saw in this class, get your work done, and re-sell for the same price if you take care of the machine and keep it cleaned up. Easiest to sell if it says Stihl or Husqvarna on the side. Hell you could buy a new saw and maybe only take a $150-$200 hit (on a $800 - $1000 saw) if the saw looked new when you were done. Unless you buy a new saw, you most likely will be buying a big bar for whatever you pick up.

Saws to keep an eye out for:

Stihl

051, 056AV, 056AV Super or 056AV Magnum
041AV Super (maybe), 044, 046 or MS440/MS460
MS441
064, 066, MS650, MS660

You wouldn't be crazy to pick up a 084/088/MS880 for a trunk that size but anything you buy for it (bars, chains, etc) will be more $$ than smaller saws and harder to sell since it will fit only a limited number of models.

Husqvarna

272XP, 372XP, 575XP, 576XP
281XP, 288XP, 385XP, 394XP, 390XP, 395XP

3120XP - Heed same warning I issued for the big Stihls.

btuser said:

I've got a ms250 and was initially disappointed with the performance until I switched to a more aggressive chain. It made 2x the difference. At first I figured it was the smaller CC size but I'm glad I didn't go for a "do it all" saw in the middle. The 250 is light and easily controllable for me. I'm not cutting for a living so a little more of my time is not that valuable.

Chaps are about $60. Gloves, helmet w/ face shield, gloves, wedges etc.

Good luck getting through a 5' round with 100 bucks.

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Im thinking of getting that saw, what chain did you switch to that made a difference?

weatherguy said:

Im thinking of getting that saw, what chain did you switch to that made a difference?

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I'm guessing it was 26RSC-68 for the 18" bar. Anything that fits the saw/bar and says RSC for the type should do nicely.

weatherguy said:

Im thinking of getting that saw, what chain did you switch to that made a difference?

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Unfortunately, you're about to expose my ignorance(don't look at me!).

It comes stock with a saftey chain. Keep it for stumps/dirty wood. When I bought two new chains they asked me "full, semi, or saftey" and I said semi (I thought it would be a bad walking around full-throttle with a running chainsaw). I don't think a full chisel would be that much harder to control but with the different chain it cuts like a different saw, no doubt, yet still nice and light. I only cut 2 cord/year max, and most everything is 16" or below, so a single saw is good for me. If I was cutting more I'd got for a light saw for limbing and a larger saw for felling/bucking, but this is enough.

Could I cut up a 5' trunk with it? I'd rent a larger saw or do the craigstreet hustle like others have suggested. I know you're staring at that large tree thinking about all the free wood, but try to keep a level head about the cost/return of the project. The best trees for firewood are 16" round, swiggly things and not monsters. Having to noodle rounds and getting your saw in the dirt cuz you can't roll the trunk is a lot of work for the same btu count.

btuser said:

I've got a ms250 and was initially disappointed with the performance until I switched to a more aggressive chain. It made 2x the difference. At first I figured it was the smaller CC size but I'm glad I didn't go for a "do it all" saw in the middle. The 250 is light and easily controllable for me. I'm not cutting for a living so a little more of my time is not that valuable.

Chaps are about $60. Gloves, helmet w/ face shield, gloves, wedges etc.

Good luck getting through a 5' round with 100 bucks.

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BTUSER,

I just got an MS250 and, like you, am a little disappointed in the performance (still on its first tank of gas). Can you provide me with the exact description (part number) of the "more aggressive" chain you are using? I'd like to get one, but don't want to waste $25-30 on the wrong chain. Thanks!

Look at post #31. Stihl has made it easy. Just make sure your chain DOES NOT have a "3" after the description ex. RSC3 or RMC3 this is the safety chain. Safety chain will also have a green mark and packaging, you want Yellow.

Or just buy Oregon LGX in the right gauge and driver links configuration for your saw (should be marked on the bar).... I'm guessing .325 / 68 DL for an 18" bar.

HittinSteel said:

Look at post #31. Stihl has made it easy. Just make sure your chain DOES NOT have a "3" after the description ex. RSC3 or RMC3 this is the safety chain. Safety chain will also have a green mark and packaging, you want Yellow.

Or just buy Oregon LGX in the right gauge and driver links configuration for your saw (should be marked on the bar).... I'm guessing .325 / 68 DL for an 18" bar.

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Yeah, btuser and I were both posting at the same time. When I bought the saw, I bought 2 extra chains that I haven't opened. I want to exchange them at my dealer for 2 new Stihl chains, non-safety. From my research, it looks as though I should get Stihl #3629, 26-RM-68, for my 18-inch bar. Can anyone confirm this?

If 26 and 68 are on your current extra chain boxes then:

I would get 26 RSC 68 for clean cutting conditions (this is "full" chisel non safety chain)

or

26 RMC 68 for dirty conditions (this is semi chisel non safety)

I bought a Makita DCS 6401(Dolmar PS6400) from Home Depot rental department a few years back for something like $215 out the door.
It has been a great saw.

Blue Max is a Made in China nightmare. It's easier to get parts for that 30 year old 041AV than the Blue Max. PM (Start a conversation) with Danno77. He's a BlueMax owner and will give it to ya straight.

45cc/18" for $150? I'd be looking for a good used Stihl 025 or MS250. Should be able to find saws like the 031AV around for that price too.

Sometimes when it comes to the wife's approval, it's better to beg forgiveness rather than ask for permission. They usually come around when it's 70+ in the house, 0 outside, and the heating bills are non-existant. Think about how many MS362's you could buy with all the money you save on oil/propane/NG! ;

Tell your wife she can only spend $150 on clothes/shoes for the next 20 years....... (the minimum life of good quality chainsaw).

Having worked with big trees, both felling and blocking them up for firewood, this thread has been...interesting. $150 for a BlueMax chainsaw to address a 5' tulip poplar? Right.

It's simple: buy the right tools for the job or pay someone who has the tools to do it for you. The things that get cut from big trees are heavy, bulky, and dangerous.

Just finished blocking up a 36"dbh/80' tall cottonwood that I had taken down with a crane earlier this week. For the trunk pieces, 80cc/28" was enough, but the resulting rounds were still 250lbs+ and had to be quartered before I could carry them off or put them through the splitter. Rounds out of a 5' white oak from a few years back required a Bobcat to move and even then were a tipping load.

If you're going to only buy one saw, buy a 60cc-class saw. Buy a 16-18" bar for regular use, and a 24" bar with skip chain for occasional bigger cuts. This will cut 90% of what you will ever encounter. Skip the remaining 10% and call it good.

computeruser said:

Having worked with big trees, both felling and blocking them up for firewood, this thread has been...interesting. $150 for a BlueMax chainsaw to address a 5' tulip poplar? Right.

It's simple: buy the right tools for the job or pay someone who has the tools to do it for you. The things that get cut from big trees are heavy, bulky, and dangerous.

Just finished blocking up a 36"dbh/80' tall cottonwood that I had taken down with a crane earlier this week. For the trunk pieces, 80cc/28" was enough, but the resulting rounds were still 250lbs+ and had to be quartered before I could carry them off or put them through the splitter. Rounds out of a 5' white oak from a few years back required a Bobcat to move and even then were a tipping load.

If you're going to only buy one saw, buy a 60cc-class saw. Buy a 16-18" bar for regular use, and a 24" bar with skip chain for occasional bigger cuts. This will cut 90% of what you will ever encounter. Skip the remaining 10% and call it good.

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ComputerUser is right and I keep forgetting the job is a Five Foot diameter Poplar. Going after that with anything less than a 60cc class saw is just rediculous.

Scott2373 said:

I AM NOT felling this tree. I am only cutting it for a friend after it's down. He generously offered me as much wood as I could take. I DO have experience using a chainsaw, but very limited. I am aware of how to use one safely including the recommended PPE. My questions only pertain to buying one because I don't know what factors go into owning one for the limited use it would see. Thanks for all the replies.

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If it were me (you do as you please), I wouldn't be too concerned about trying to get a lot of hard to deal with (massive trunk) marginally desirable (tulip poplar) wood that's not in my yard (for a friend), using equipment I don't have, and can't (wife) and/or don't want to spend the money ($250) on buying.

I would get a good used saw that says "Stihl" or "Husqvarna XP" on the side (smaller saw, many good examples listed above).

Buck up what you can (from the top down) with a 18" or 20" bar, and leave the rest lay. Unless you are a very experienced cutter, with the proper equipment, you aren't going to have any kind of chance against that trunk. Even if you did have enough saw/bar to do it, those things pinch bars like you wouldn't believe unless you know how and have the stuff to wedge them properly. When you pinch your bar in a 5' trunk on a 100' tree, you are up the creek without a paddle. You can't exactly pick up the end or roll them over to free the bar (unless you have a BIG hoe handy).

Chaps are a good investment. They pay dividends in lack of ER bills.

Scott2373 said:

I found a 024AV Wood Boss, but I don't know anything about it and it's not on the Stihl site, so I'm guessing it's an older model. Can anyone give me the lowdown and specs on this one? The saw, a bunch of chain oil and a set of chaps for $200. Good deal? Thanks!

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Depends on the condition of the saw itself. 024AV is indeed an older model (similar to a 026/MS260 but a tad smaller engine.) The extras are nice but if you're still trying to tackle that 5' trunk, an 024AV (usually runs a 16-18" bar) ain't gonna get it done. I've seen running 024's on CL here for $100-$150.

Stihl 024AV - 41.6 cc, 2.1 kW/2.9 hp, 4.7 kg