suggestions

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Occo370

Member
Jan 23, 2010
170
Jersey Shore
i am a new burner, second year. i am trying to have the stove work for me. i scrounge, have a maul that was given to me, finally bought an electric splitter. Not that i don't have a few extra dollars laying around, but i want to have the stove work for me. So i am looking for a cheap chainsaw. right now i am borrowing as needed. any ideas ? most of the wood i get is already cut down and bucked into 16 - 20" sections. i am in ocean county in NJ which my 1/2 acre lot is a very fair size so my wood is scrounged from someone who takes a tree down.. So. please recommend a saw that is fine for someone who doesn't want to spend alot i'd appreciate it....
 
Stihl 017 is 180 in Ohio. Check Craigslist and see whats out there found a Dolmar for 40 that needed a carb cleaning and thats it.
 
A used Sthil MS290 usually runs about $200-250 on CL. It's not the best saw ever made, but it will get the job done.
 
Ok. Today I Picked up a stihl 170. For $179 cot up some logs today. So far love the saw. Thanks for the recommendation.
 
Keep your eye out at any local home depot rental sections. They will sell their Makita 6401s after a certain period of rental. I picked up one for less than you paid for the 170 and have twice the cc's and its a pro saw. Plus it's an easy upgrade to 79 or 84 cc's. At 30cc's your going to have a tuff time on anything with some size to it. I'm basically a scrounger (meaning I get what I can get), so I don't have the luxury of picking and choosing wood based on what my saw can handle. I was running a poulan 4620 (46 cc) and bogging down on everything I was trying to cut. You end up pushing the saw too hard. I'm not saying you won't be able to cut up some wood, but definitely keep your eye out for the Makita. You won't be sorry.
 
Use craigslist. I bought a used ms290 for $190 with an 18" bar and carry case in very good condition.
 
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