Buying My First Saw

[MrCampbellAHS]

Buying my first saw and looking for advice.

We use wood as our primary heat source and we go through about 3 chords a year. I'm cutting mostly dead White Ash, but I also get into some Oak (and will actually be felling some old Oak trees on my inlaws this summer) as well as some assorted other hardwoods. Occasionally I get into some Hedge, but I try not to cut much of it because it burns too hot in out stove. Im not great at gaging diameter of the logs I mostly am cutting, but most of it is not much bigger around than a 55 gallon barrel.

I've only ever used Stihl and would like to stick with them. My current saw is actually probably 30 years old and a hand-me-down from my dad but it's starting to fall apart. Budget is "get whatever is best" (wife's words) but id like to stay somewhere around the price of an MS 311. Ive got a buddy who has one and really likes it but i wonder if I really need all the bells and whistles (like the decompression valve) or if a 271 would do just as well at a lower price point. Thoughts?

 

[andym]

Buying my first saw and looking for advice.

We use wood as our primary heat source and we go through about 3 chords a year. I'm cutting mostly dead White Ash, but I also get into some Oak (and will actually be felling some old Oak trees on my inlaws this summer) as well as some assorted other hardwoods. Occasionally I get into some Hedge, but I try not to cut much of it because it burns too hot in out stove. Im not great at gaging diameter of the logs I mostly am cutting, but most of it is not much bigger around than a 55 gallon barrel.

I've only ever used Stihl and would like to stick with them. My current saw is actually probably 30 years old and a hand-me-down from my dad but it's starting to fall apart. Budget is "get whatever is best" (wife's words) but id like to stay somewhere around the price of an MS 311. Ive got a buddy who has one and really likes it but i wonder if I really need all the bells and whistles (like the decompression valve) or if a 271 would do just as well at a lower price point. Thoughts?

If it's something you expect to use for many years I would recommend you look into the commercial line. Something like a MS261 or something. That said, a MS271 would be a nice all a round saw.

 

[qwee]

55 gallon sized hardwood is no small task for a chainsaw. I would want a pro saw in the 70cc+ range. Or the Stihl 400.1 which isn't a 70cc saw but acts like one. The ms311 is a homeowner 60cc saw, 13.7 pounds, & 4.2 hp. It can handle up to a 25" bar (?). The cost = $770 approximately.

I've heard some say the Stihl 400.1 is one of the best saws ever made. It is a Pro saw, 5.4 hp, m-tronic, 12.8 lbs, & 63 cc. It is a lot more saw than the ms311. The cost is approximately $1,150. So about 30% more expensive.

Maybe something bigger would be even better compared to these 2 saws.

 

[Turbo89]

As someone that owns a MS391, which is similar to 311, I’d recommend you put that money towards something better. I’d be lookin at the 400, EchoCS-620P, or huaqvarna 562xp, which are all much better saws for about the same price.

 

[shortys7777]

I have a 261c. It's a great saw. It's handled big oak and ash for me. It's light. Keep the chain sharp. I cut 3-4 cords a year for burning and other small stuff here and there.

 

[GG Woody]

60ishcc pro saws have always been my most used saws, I have bigger and smaller but most of the time I will just grab my 362c-m with 18" bar.
Google says about 22.5" for a 55gal barrel, I would still probably be using the 362c-m and 18" bar even though I have a 99cc saw with a 20" and an 88cc saw with a 28 ready to go. 60ishcc's is just a great all around size of saw,

 

[DSSA]

I've cut many, many cords of wood on our new property as we had it logged of mature trees back in 2017 and they loggers left about 120 downed trees on our acreage, and damaged/killed numerous more.

Most of the wood is red oak and ash (which are all dead from the boring beatles..), but there are some big (36+" diameter) poplar as well.

I bought a Rancher 455 and have used it like I've wanted to kill it for several seasons. It's finally starting to show its age and I'll need to do some idle adjustment on it at this point as it stalls now if you fully release the throttle after beating the crap out of it. It is a cheap saw, and nowhere near a commercial unit. It's also a little heavy for what it is (I've put a 20" bar on it as well), but it's impressed me with it's durability and ease of firing it (up until now when it stalls hot, it is starting to be finicky..).

A friend of mine loaned me his 362XP with a 24" bar saying I'd need a bigger saw after seeing how they left the property, and while it made my wee-wee feel slightly bigger when I'd fire it, I think I only actually used it 2-3 times over the two years I had it--with the largest of the trees/stumps around here.

I bought my wife a Dewalt 60V, 16" electric chainsaw so that she could help with the cleanup process a few years back. She had issues starting the gas powered units, and even though she's a fitness freak and in great shape, the gas saws were a little much in the weight department to use hours on end.

At this point, I've been using her saw more than my gas saws. I even make a game out of dropping larger (dead) trees on the property using it, and it's great once I pill lengths I've dragged out of the woods with the tractors into the splitting area. I keep extra batteries that are charged, on-hand, but it's fantastic to lay it down, while after I've bucked enough to split for a while, then grab it, pull the trigger and cut it whenever needed---rinse/repeat.

End point: It depends on your setup/needs, but at only 2 cords of wood needed per year, if I was that lucky, I would possibly only use the electric one 99% of the time. Just food for thought.

 

[bigealta]

Hmm, I prefer the stihl's. I'm still running my 029 Super with 18" bar. I can handle 36" dia. Oak with it with a good chain that cuts straight. I'm happy to stick with it as long as it keeps running strong which it has been for many many years and cords.

 

[John Mc]

I bought my wife a Dewalt 60V, 16" electric chainsaw so that she could help with the cleanup process a few years back. She had issues starting the gas powered units, and even though she's a fitness freak and in great shape, the gas saws were a little much in the weight department to use hours on end.

Battery powered saws are generally not a weight savings over an equivalent power gas chainsaw. Usually just the opposite.

 

[DSSA]

I guess you missed my point. It by far wasn't about Husqvarna vs. Stihl... Just the possibilities of adding an electric saw to your mix if it befits your needs.

If of course also comes down to what you personally are comfortable with.

Someone mentioned above the weight difference between the two, but my Dewalt with the largest battery weighs in at less than my 455 Rancher.

Saw weight has yet to affect me using either one, and I'm 51 at this point, but for some people I suppose that is a considering factor.

I'm just happy with the *convenience* of having an additional saw that is electric with the way I work the property/process my wood. Being able to grab it, and just pull the trigger saves me a lot of time over having to start the saw each time when I'm not using it constantly.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Hmm, I prefer the stihl's. I'm still running my 029 Super with 18" bar. I can handle 36" dia. Oak with it with a good chain that cuts straight. I'm happy to stick with it as long as it keeps running strong which it has been for many many years and cords.

I have a 16” and 20” bar for my 290. The 16” with a semi chisel does all I need. But the 20 is there incase I need it for something larger. I’m not even sure where my chain for the 20” is! I imagine I’ll go to change chains and find one that doesn’t fit sometime, lol.

 

[hobbyheater]

I have a Stihl MSA 300 battery saw with a 20 inch bar and four AP 500S battery's. Two battery's does half a cord! Its a expensive package but it starts every time!

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[qwee]

The world of chainsaws (and some other machinery) is evolving. Yes, electric powered saws are getting pretty usable. In gas powered saws, the trend is 'little brains' in the saws to max out their operation. And now fuel injection is coming online. Also, new metal alloys are being used on the saws which make the saws lighter. A saw like the Husky 564 is doing all of these things. So it runs like a 70cc saw but has the weight of a 50cc saw. And in 10 years?

I would guess that cordless electric saws would equal or pass the gas powered saws. And the lower grade of gas powered saw (the cheaper one) will be made of mostly steel and be heavier. No brains no fuel injection. All of the gas powered higher grade saws will have brains and be fuel injected while being lighter than the old school saws (like the older design Stihl 461 & Husky 372).

 

[Duds13]

Go over to the chainsaw forum on Tractorbynet. There is a poster there who is a big fan of clone saws. May want to check them out.

 

[qwee]

Those new design saws are sitting in the 60cc category - so replacing the Husky 562 with the 564 and the Stihl 400.1 replacing the Stihl 362. The 362 and the 562 are good pro saws. You could probably get these saws - the Husky 562 and the Stihl 362, at a discount now that the new models are rolling in. Customers want the shiny and new even though the old stock is still good. So sellers will need to get these old ones out of the store which equals discount.

 

[salecker]

The world of chainsaws (and some other machinery) is evolving. Yes, electric powered saws are getting pretty usable. In gas powered saws, the trend is 'little brains' in the saws to max out their operation. And now fuel injection is coming online. Also, new metal alloys are being used on the saws which make the saws lighter. A saw like the Husky 564 is doing all of these things. So it runs like a 70cc saw but has the weight of a 50cc saw. And in 10 years?

I would guess that cordless electric saws would equal or pass the gas powered saws. And the lower grade of gas powered saw (the cheaper one) will be made of mostly steel and be heavier. No brains no fuel injection. All of the gas powered higher grade saws will have brains and be fuel injected while being lighter than the old school saws (like the older design Stihl 461 & Husky 372).

in the future a lazer will be used to cut firewood...

 

[stoveliker]

...And burn it at the same time ;-)

 

[DSSA]

I have a Stihl MSA 300 battery saw with a 20 inch bar and four AP 500S battery's. Two battery's does half a cord! Its a expensive package but it starts every time!

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I looked at that saw before I bought my wife's Dewalt. I probably would have bought it had I not already had a slew of the 20/60V Dewalt batteries and chargers. Looks like it works like a champ! I'm happy with her Dewalt saw as well...I've just learned that it doesn't like to do reverse cuts and keep the chain on the bar.

 

[Eman85]

Choosing a Stihl is a good direction if you have a Stihl servicing dealer nearby. I'd ask the dealer if they have demonstration days, many dealers do. They get a large log and let you try a saw before buying. At the least ask around and maybe you can try someone's saw. The weight of the saw means more to me now then it did before.

 

[hedge wood]

I am a little late to the party but I would buy a Stihl 261. I have two one regular carb and one auto tune. Both have been great saws was cutting between 15-20 cord of hedge a year when I had the Garn. Have had zero issues with both. They are a light high power saw. My 461 and 660 hardly ever leave the saw trailer any more since the 261's came into the picture.

 

[all night moe]

I've got a number of Stihls, a Husky, and one Dolmar. Dolmar is done....bought out by Makita. Let's stick with the 1st two brands for sake of conversation. I've run a number of pro model Huskys so I feel my comments are not biased.
Stihl pro saws are my preferred saw. They've been around the block and have an excellent dealer network. Husky pro saws are also a good saw.

Between the two, Huskys tend to weigh a bit more than their Stihl equivalent. This counts after hours of cutting. Since you're already used to a Sthil and want to stick with them, I'll aim my focus there.

A 60cc category saw is said to be an all around good firewood saw. A 50cc is a good lightweight general purpose saw for cuts up to 20''ish in diameter. That's meaning a bar that will cut all the way through in one pass. I don't like having to short a bar and having to cut both sides of the wood. Most tree services will have 50cc saws for ground work and smaller felling. After the 50 they tend to skip the 60cc series and get right into 70cc and up sized saws. For a 60cc sized saw I recommend no bigger than a 24'' bar. I did spin a 28'' on my old 036 Pro to see what it could do. It powered it with a sharp chain no problemo. Trouble is for the saw to keep up with oiling duty. I would cap the 70cc saws at a 28'' bar and the 8occ saws at 30-32 max. Still would rather see the 80cc saw maxed with a 28 or maybe a 30''. The 30'' stuff isn't a widely used length though.

On the 80cc note, everyone loves running a 500i. Even the Husky fanboys. An expensive model with a healthy fuel consumption.....I'd recommend the 60 or 70cc saws. BTW, a 55 gal drum is 30'' in dia if I recall correctly. Your budget will be your deciding factor.

If you look in the used market, note the condition of the bottom of saw. A clean one, with minimum wear marks, will indicate a low hour and well cared for unit.