Saw selection.

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Microduck17

Burning Hunk
Dec 21, 2017
241
New Concord Ohio
IMO, both powerheads shown here have more bar on them than they should handle. That 57cc shouldn't see more than a 20 in bar in my opinion. That 46cc shouldn't see more than a 16 inch, in my mind.

What are you currently working with for a saw and having trouble with? Maybe we could help you revive that?

Otherwise, Sears isn't the place to buy a saw. I can watch the local husqvarna dealer sell someone a brand new blower, saw, weed wacker, etc, and pull it out of the box, run it, adjust the carb and hand it off to the buyer never to come back again.

Then I have seen the exact same equipment sold by Lowes or Tractor Supply show up at my house as the original owners didn't adjust the equipment out of the box, and they wind up running too lean in short order.

The irony is, the saw sold at our husqvarna shop in town (or blower, etc) is the same money from him as it is from the big box stores. Difference being, the husqvarna dealer will take care of the folks that bought a saw from him first, if there ever is a problem, and all those from the big boxes sit until he has the time.

Understand the card being down being the motivation, but I think your money could be better spent elsewhere.
 
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I second everything he said. I would not waste any money on those saws. Even with $200 you could buy a much more capable saw used on craigslist. A quick search in the Youngstown OH craigslist under farm & garden shows a Jonsered CS2150 for $260. That is a 52cc saw and has a 20" bar. Personally I wouldnt run more than an 18" on it but it would work circles around that junk blue Chinese saw you listed.
 
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Can you provide a bit more detail on the volume and type of logs you are bucking and what your budget is? If its just a one time thing then nursing your current saw along will be the money saver however if you are going to be doing this frequently then a bigger saw will be worth the investment.

I second @Marshy 's post on craigslist. That CS2150 will more than get the job done for $260.
 
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My current saw is a Dewalt 60 volt max 16 inch. And a Dewalt 20 volt max 12 inch. I stick with cordless most if the time because my neighbors are so close a gas saw bothers them early in the mornings or late evenings. I don't usually do much sawing. Most of the wood I get comes from cut ends from a local sawmill that makes barrel staves for whisky barrels or from what the township road crew cuts from along the road and dumps on a family members property. But now and then something huge lands in my lap I have to cut up. Last year I cut up a red oak that was over 50 inches at the base. I borrowed a big saw from someone for that job. Now my neighbor cut a tree across the road from my house and let me have it for firewood. Not sure what kind it is, mostly dead and the remaining leaves are too shriveled to identify. I think its a soft wood based on how easy the living portions cut. Anyway the bottom 8 feet of trunk is about 30 inches across with a mass of knots and limb stumps at the upper end that is way larger. Both my cordless saws work fine for cutting almost everything I need to cut, so I'm looking for a now and then saw to deal with monster size stuff. Speed and power aren't really that important to me just the ability to get through the big stuff. Thanks for all the input.

Mike.

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50 inch wood is the territory of $1000+ saws. You’d likely be better just rejecting that stuff, than investing in a saw of that class for such occasional use.

If you want to cut that size, think 28 inch bar and 85cc or greater. You’re into 064, 066, 056 Mag, or 660 territory. You can pick up old 064 and 066’s for $500, but they’re going to have some serious hours on them. Leave the 056 Mag for the collectors, it has some parts that are hard to come by, today.

What’s a new 660 with 28” rollertip today, $1200?

A completely reasonable compromise would be a 44x (75cc) with a 24” bar for regular use, and a 28” bar for the rare occasion you’re cutting 50 inches. It will be slow with the 28” bar, but I believe the oiler has sufficient capacity to swing that chain. You might pick up that rig for under $800 new.

Me? If I only needed a big saw once per year, and cash were tight, I’d be looking for a reliable rental option.
 
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If you are only encountering those monster size logs now and then you could have someone with a big saw cut them up and share the wood.

On the other hand for a lot of folks (including myself) see this as an opportunity to add a bigger saw to the collection, along the lines of what @Ashful recommended, or if you are into Husqvarna's a 395xp.
 
A decent saw will last you for a verry long time. In that time you never know what you will run into so that being said a saw that will take a 20in bar would be the way to go. You dont need to go with a pro saw like the xp but the mid grade line of the Husqvarna will do you fine. I would worry about getting service for a sears brand saw. There are plenty of husky service people around. Plus you not talking alot more money
 
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OP reports 50” logs, a 20” bar sounds short for that application.
 
Ashful said:
OP reports 50” logs, a 20” bar sounds short for that application.
Click to expand...

Your correct, but when reading his post he has about 200 bucks and dosent fell or cut trees that often and only dose the occasional scrounge. The tree he is working with right now is aprox 30in and the saw recommended would be good for that
 
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I might be able to spring for a Husqvarna in a month or two. I don't want something that is going to break down in the middle of a job. Would be able to go after bigger stuff if I had a good solid saw. After reading what you all have to say I think it would be worth saving up for good quality saw that should last a long time. Just going to use the tractor to roll this big log up onto some pallets until I get something to cut it up with.

I'm sort of wary of getting a used saw I don't want to get something someone has abused and have it not hold up if I start taking on bigger jobs.

We have a Husqvarna dealer in town probably get one there and have them tune it for me. Are the ranchers good saws? Probably would get a smaller bar to use for bucking when not at the house, and use my cordless saws for limbs and small stuff at home.

You guys are great. I'm glad I joined this site. Thanks again for all the replies.
453916c6968375b1857e49f1b6fce091.jpg


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My friend runs the rancher one size down from this,,, the 450 maybe? With an 18 inch bar. He has beaten the poo out of it for about a decade, and it's still a good saw. My uncle has one as well, same with another acquaintance. Never seen one with a good chain on it that didn't do the job.

Also, I suggest running high test gas in your 2 stroke mix, non-ethanol if available, in case you don't currently do that.

Buy a good saw, treat it right, and it will pay you back. Good choice in my opinion.

pen
 
Do those ranchers have the outboard clutch? Be sure to unlock the chain brake before opening the over otherwise it'll get stuck. A lot of folks buy rancher series saws for one time projects such as storm cleanup so they are widely available on the used market.

Check ebay for a guy who rebuilds 372XP's and sells them for around $500. Very impressive saw that will last you for a long time and parts are always available to repair them.
 
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I always ran high test in my outboard back when I had a boat, used stabil marine which continued an ethanol treatment that was supposed to prevent the oil from dropping out of the mix during storage. Never had any issue with my outboard and it was a 1956. No non ethanol near me that I know of. There is a small airport nearby that might sell me some avgas witch is 110 octane with no ethanol.
pen said:
My friend runs the rancher one size down from this,,, the 450 maybe? With an 18 inch bar. He has beaten the poo out of it for about a decade, and it's still a good saw. My uncle has one as well, same with another acquaintance. Never seen one with a good chain on it that didn't do the job.

Also, I suggest running high test gas in your 2 stroke mix, non-ethanol if available, in case you don't currently do that.

Buy a good saw, treat it right, and it will pay you back. Good choice in my opinion.

pen
Click to expand...

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Microduck17 said:
I always ran high test in my outboard back when I had a boat, used stabil marine which continued an ethanol treatment that was supposed to prevent the oil from dropping out of the mix during storage. Never had any issue with my outboard and it was a 1956. No non ethanol near me that I know of. There is a small airport nearby that might sell me some avgas witch is 110 octane with no ethanol.

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Click to expand...

Looks like there is a place in Warren, OH.. not sure how close that is to you.

upload_2018-10-9_16-3-49.png
 
Microduck17 said:
I always ran high test in my outboard back when I had a boat, used stabil marine which continued an ethanol treatment that was supposed to prevent the oil from dropping out of the mix during storage. Never had any issue with my outboard and it was a 1956. No non ethanol near me that I know of. There is a small airport nearby that might sell me some avgas witch is 110 octane with no ethanol.

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Click to expand...

Just looked on buyrealgas.com If you are near the Mosquito Creek Wilderness area, it looks like your nearest source of nonethanol gas is a hike away, at 420 Water St, Chardon, OH.

If you can't get the good stuff, I have had and seen good luck with that Marine grade Stabil as well.
 
Zack R said:
Do those ranchers have the outboard clutch? Be sure to unlock the chain brake before opening the over otherwise it'll get stuck.. . .
Click to expand...

Been there, done that . . . saw the movie.
 
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I'll have to check out that site you listed. I would like to get some non ethanol gas for longterm storage for my generator. I think ethanol in the gas is a plot by the oil company's to prevent gas hording so consumers are at the mercy of price hikes. I might be nuts though. I ran some of my outboard gas in my dads Poulan wood shark after I sold the boat. It was richer on the oil than the regular mix we had for the saw but ran great just smoked a bit more.
pen said:
Just looked on buyrealgas.com If you are near the Mosquito Creek Wilderness area, it looks like your nearest source of nonethanol gas is a hike away, at 420 Water St, Chardon, OH.

If you can't get the good stuff, I have had and seen good luck with that Marine grade Stabil as well.
Click to expand...

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Microduck17 said:
I might be able to spring for a Husqvarna in a month or two. I don't want something that is going to break down in the middle of a job. Would be able to go after bigger stuff if I had a good solid saw. After reading what you all have to say I think it would be worth saving up for good quality saw that should last a long time. Just going to use the tractor to roll this big log up onto some pallets until I get something to cut it up with.

I'm sort of wary of getting a used saw I don't want to get something someone has abused and have it not hold up if I start taking on bigger jobs.

We have a Husqvarna dealer in town probably get one there and have them tune it for me. Are the ranchers good saws? Probably would get a smaller bar to use for bucking when not at the house, and use my cordless saws for limbs and small stuff at home.

You guys are great. I'm glad I joined this site. Thanks again for all the replies.
View attachment 230554

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Click to expand...

So heres my thought on the saw your listing. Its a little big. Large saws get heavy after a while. Your looking for a mid size all around saw untill you save enough for your next saw. I have a 450 x torq at my shop for the men to use. Its light and is verry versatile. Its a 380 doller saw. Light and will except a number of bars. The money you saved from the 460 your looking at will allow you to purchas different bars additional chain and files to keep you going. Then at this point your set up for a while. The first pic below is some 40in stuff that this saw will cut. Keep in mined that your not going to be cutting like this all the time so no real worries on over working the saw, you not cutting like this all the time. This will buy you time to upgrade to more specific equipment if you fined your self cutting more often. Getting fully set up can get costly so take it slow. The 2nd pic is my son in the trac, age 8, lifting up some oak. I was using the 450 on that tree, thats 24 to 28in stuff. From reading above @pen is saying the same. Its a good starter saw
IMG_30821.jpg
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Woodsplitter67 said:
So heres my thought on the saw your listing. Its a little big. Large saws get heavy after a while.
Click to expand...
A 60cc saw is “big”? Honestly? That’s mid-sized saw, if not in the lower half of that range, in most books. Here’s how I’ve always called mine:

Small: less than 50cc
Mid-size: 55 - 75cc
Big: more than 80cc

If I were buying new saws today, it’d be the following:

30cc top handle with picco chain on 12” bar
65cc with 20” full-chisel on rollertip bar
90cc with 28” full-chisel on rollertip bar

If I wanted to pinch pennies, it’d be this:

30cc top handle with picco chain on 12” bar
75cc with 24” full chisel on rollertip bar

I wouldn’t even bother owning a rear-handle saw under 60cc. I don’t see much point in having them. The OP’s best saw plan (IMO) would be:

Keep both electric saws, add a 75cc saw with 24” and 28” bars.
 
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Ashful said:
A 60cc saw is “big”? Honestly? That’s mid-sized saw, if not in the lower half of that range, in most books. Here’s how I’ve always called mine:

Small: less than 50cc
Mid-size: 55 - 75cc
Big: more than 80cc

If I were buying new saws today, it’d be the following:

30cc top handle with picco chain on 12” bar
65cc with 20” full-chisel on rollertip bar
90cc with 28” full-chisel on rollertip bar

If I wanted to pinch pennies, it’d be this:

30cc top handle with picco chain on 12” bar
75cc with 24” full chisel on rollertip bar

I wouldn’t even bother owning a rear-handle saw under 60cc. I don’t see much point in having them. The OP’s best saw plan (IMO) would be:

Keep both electric saws, add a 75cc saw with 24” and 28” bars.
Click to expand...

I think "big" is relative for most homeowner type saws since they are usually less than 60cc. I think most folks doing occasional firewood cutting are comfortable with a a 40-50cc saw, the 60-70cc pro style saws can be more of a handful. Again, all relative depending on the person.

For example when I walk into my local Stihl dealer which is homeowner focused the biggest saw they sell is a MS311(59cc). I'd wager most folks are buying something in the MS211(35cc) to MS271(50cc) range.

I agree that a "big" saw is really in the 75cc and up range but the people that want/need those likely have a specific use in mind.

For anyone considering a pro grade saw I'd say it's worth it. More expensive initially but the ease of maintenance and the built in durability means it can last a really long time. In addition the resale value is high if you end up never using it.
 
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Somehow we went from a Cheap Crapsman POS saw to a track loader with an 8 year old operator lol. By the way I am putting a track loader with an 8 year old operator on my Christmas list.
 
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