Buying first saw...

Standard recommendations: Choose a "pro," i.e not homeowner or ranch-grade, saw from either Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, Dolmar or Makita. Engine displacement varies with the size bar you'd prefer to use, but for a first saw I'd go 50cc with a 16" or 18" bar. Can you be more specific about your budget?

That will buy a very nice pro-grade used saw, or a pretty good non-pro new one. If you watch Craigslist you'll find some good deals, but the best deals get snapped up quickly so you don't have a lot of time to assess condition. Since you're not familiar with saws you'd probably be better off buying from a known trustworthy seller. An eBay seller with sterling feedback is a good option, but eBay prices can be kinda high compared to buying through a forum like Arboristsite. (Disclosure:I've sold saws in both places, but don't currently have the sort of think you're looking for.)

FWIW, for a little over $400 this would be a great choice, brand new from a seller with great feedback. That's a fully modern pro-grade 50cc saw.

If you have a Dolmar dealer around you I recommend looking at them. The Dolmar 510 (aluminum case, pro construction, 50cc) may suit your needs and they're tough little saws.

Personally I don't see much wrong with homeowner and rancher type saws. I've owned everything from my first saw, a well used Stihl 028 to a Stihl 046 Mag and a Husky 371XP. We now have a Stihl MS180, great little saw for 8-10" stuff and limbing and we have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher, with the right chain touched up by hand filing it is a heck of a good cutting saw. Yes it weighs about a pound more than it should but when bucking logs does it really matter, the saw is doing the work. My biggest complaint on the lower end Huskys is that stinking outboard clutch, makes it harder than it should change out a chain.

The Echo CS450 is in your price range, worth a look for sure.

Go to a local dealer if you have one, not Home Depot.

There isn't any real need for a pro saw, you'll get along just fine with a homeowner unit. I use a 455 Racher with a 20" bar and it cuts fine with a sharp chain. Are pro saws nicer? Sure, just like BMW is nicer than a Ford - But in the end, they will both get you where you're going.

Agreed, not everyone needs a pro-grade saw. For occasional use a homeowner saw can do just fine, especially with some attention to basic maintenance, i.e. regularly sharpening the chain and cleaning the air filter, occasionally flipping the bar, and avoiding storing it for long periods with gas in the tank..

I have been reading this and wondering what exactly is occasional use. If I am cutting and bucking 4 or 5 cords at 12 inches long of wood a year isn't that a bit more than just casual use? I would think it is enough use to justify a bit more functional saw like the rancher grade at least. Just my opinion but I hate cheap tools that don't last as long.

Well yeah, but some people buy a saw because a tree fell in their yard and they don't want to pay a tree service to clean it up. I've bought professional saws that were 20 years old and barely used at all. There's a big range of needs out there.

Just from a lifetime of experience. (school of hard-knocks mainly).... I find it better to spend a little more up front, rather than try to save a few bucks and later regret not having a finer quality tool to work with.

It is VERY frustrating to wield a sub-par saw while trying to get the tree bucked.


Quality tools make the "work" much less like "work".
As for saws.... they last longer, they start, run, cut, feel better.

Work with a smile, not curse words.

Are you going to do the maintenance yourself? If so, a dealer is less of a requirement. A good place to check prices is vminnovations. They have reburb saws at cheap prices. I've never bought there but they have a good reputation.

I brought a MS-390 about 4 or 5 years ago. Can push a 25" bar with a skip tooth chisel chain. Other wise I run a 18" chisel and it cuts the heck out of anything I lay into. Very happy with the saw. Have never had a problem.

I process about 4 or 5 cords a year all of which is scrounged and often really big pieces no one else wants or can handle. I also go into the local parks which sell permits and get all the big dirty oaks that are buried in the bush that other people leave aside for the easier to buck up smaller downed trees. The saw is heavily abused and has never let me down. No reason to spend the money on the pro unless you want a lighter and faster saw. Yes the pros feel and cut better but, that is why they are pros and several hundred more. Someone mentioned a "sub par" saw; An MS series Stihl is not sub par by any measure. I have bucked 30"+ all day with my MS-390 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Technique and having the proper chain (replace the "safety chain" asap) makes a world of difference. I prefer the Stihl Rapid Super. http://www.stihl.com/saw-chain-types.aspx

Just my 2-cents.

I think the name says it all. Are you a home owner and use it for basic home needs? Do you abuse it, but not everyday? Or do you abuse it every day as a career? I think those are the 3 levels of saw (home, ranch, pro) IMO. Or, if you have cash laying around, buy the pro saw to look cool to the %1 of folks who know the difference

petes_sakes said:

I think the name says it all. Are you a home owner and use it for basic home needs? Do you abuse it, but not everyday? Or do you abuse it every day as a career? I think those are the 3 levels of saw (home, ranch, pro) IMO. Or, if you have cash laying around, buy the pro saw to look cool to the %1 of folks who know the difference

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The terms "home owner, ranch, pro" are generally just marketing ploys anyway.
Shop for features and quality and be satisfied when you know you need to do some cutting.

I personally would be buying a saw for MYSELF,,,,NOT to look cool for others.
(besides, I look cool even without a saw in hand)

A "pro saw" is NOT only for those in the trade of cutting lumber everyday.

They have features and quality-of-build that can and will be appreciated by the guy who is cutting just around his own land on occasion. Money WELL spent,,,IMHO.

Don't forget the personal safety protection equipment too.

Happy cutting, be safe.

Arlo. said:

Someone mentioned a "sub par" saw; An MS series Stihl is not sub par by any measure.

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Unless you are referring to saws over 30 years old, all Stihl saws (homeowner, farm/ranch, pro) are MS saws. MS simply stands for Motorsägen (the German word for chainsaw).

Your MS-390 is a member of the 1127 series of Stihl chainsaws.

My first saw, still running strong on its 3rd bar now. I like the lighter weight and the 5yr homeowner warranty. My next saw was a CS-670, felling big trees takes big bars........

http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Chain-Saws/CS-400

If you cut 5+ cords of wood for heating, consider a pro saw (or a non-pro saw with important pro features). When comparing similar displacement saws, many advantages of pro saws are as follows:

lighter overall weight, more horse power, better power-to-weight, better antivibration (springs vs. rubber spacers), fuel efficiency (modern saws), better torque, quicker throttle response, faster linear chain speed, magnesium crankcase, fully adjustable carburetors, adjustable oilers, better air filtration.

Now, a pro saw isn't guaranteed to have all these features, and many modern midlevel and even some homeowner saws have some of these features. For example, some of latest Craftsman models have spring AV and the Stihl 290 always had an adjustable oiler.

I had a Stihl 290 for a while and it got the job done, but it was heavy for it's power, didn't have good grunt for finishing stumps, and the poor AV was really getting to me. I sold the 290 and upgraded to 361, and it made a world of difference. Some will do just fine with a 290, but for my cutting volume and type of wood, I should have gotten the a 361 in the beginning.

Go with the echo CS-590.its a 60cc saw and IMHO best bang for the buck. 5 yr. warranty and from what im reading will cut anything your going to get .by the way I believe it's still $399.99 from what I've seen of it ( a friend owns one ) it's worth every penny

Sounds like you aren't gonna stress a saw at all. The 024 is a pretty small saw. Has an older Tillotson carb. Read specs here:
http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.n...11378d82227cd24c88256dee005c8898?OpenDocument
$200 for that is pretty steep. Eg: I got a Stihl 011AVT for $20 - all it needed was carb cleaning and fuel lines. If I buy older Stihl, it's gonna be tiny money.

If I were in the market for a good value/bang-for-buck firewood saw today, I'd be looking at Husqvarna 545 (50cc) and 555 (60cc) models. They are have AutoTune carburetors and are actually detuned versions of their pro siblings, the 550XP and 562XP, respectively.

A good 50cc saw will handle most firewood sized rounds under 20". If you cut a lot of 20"+ wood, I'd recommend a minimum 60cc class saw that can competently pull 3/8 pitch chain.