Help Me Decide to Buy or Not

[johneh]

I have a chance to buy a Jonsered CS2137 Turbo chain saw
At what looks like a good price but know nothing about
them . The saw is in good shape lightly used and like I said
what seems to be a very good price Help

 

[jetsam]

Seems to have lukewarm reviews from owners (there's a couple threads on arboristsite about this saw). Didn't really see too much bad about it. 42cc, 2.4 HP. Might be a good saw if you need something smaller and the price is right!

 

[Jon1270]

It's a low-end homeowner saw, worth very little no matter its condition. How much are they asking?

 

[dougand3]

It's a Poulan in red clothes. It's a decent little limbing and minor firewood saw if REAL CHEAP price. Around here, running great, it'd bring $50-$70. Needing work - I wouldn't give but $10 for it - and that's with decent compression.

 

[johneh]

Thank you all
Now it is not such a good deal at 150 Dol.
One thing about this forum is no one pulls
punches every thing is presented in an honest
and straight forward manor
Thank again

 

[sportbikerider78]

I've seen new Poulan saws (refurbished by factory) for $40...with free shipping.

 

[johneh]

I've seen new Poulan saws (refurbished by factory) for $40...with free shipping.

The saw is not for me . My youngest is doing his own fire wood now
and uses my saws so when I need a saw I have to drive to his place
and pick them up of coarse there is no fuel or oil in them .
Was thinking I'd buy him a used saw for his up coming birthday
so mine would stay in the rack until I needed them with sharp
chains and fuel and oil close by I'll keep looking for what I no to
be a good saw for him

 

[Jon1270]

What size trees does he cut, and what price point can you tolerate?

 

[johneh]

What size trees does he cut, and what price point can you tolerate?

A 16 to 18 in bar is more than enough for anything we cut
Going to keep an eye open foe a stihl 271 or 291
he likes my 291 with the 18 in bar the most
I'll try to find a used one but a new one at
under 600 up here won't break the bank

 

[Jon1270]

Okay, so 45-55cc. The Stihl models you mentioned are both clamshell saws. It's fine if you find a good deal on one of those secondhand, but I wouldn't buy either one new.

When you're cruising the classifieds, keep an eye out for a Stihl 026 or MS260/261, 034, 036, MS360/361/362. If you luck into a Husqvarna 545 or 550XP, those would be ideal. There are excellent Jonsered and Dolmar/Makita models as well -- I'm not sure which brands are most common in your area.

 

[Diabel]

There was a 026 for sale on the local classifieds for 250. It was posted yesterday and today is no longer there. You got to be quick. Deals do come by.

 

[Jon1270]

There was a 026 for sale on the local classifieds for 250. It was posted yesterday and today is no longer there. You got to be quick. Deals do come by.

I completely agree. If there's time to do research on the thing you see advertised, it's probably not a good deal.

 

[Jags]

If you will never exceed the need for an 18" bar I would seriously consider the 26X in the Stihl line up. One sweet little saw. There are comparably 50cc models in other brands also, but that Stihl is a pretty proven firewood saw.
(Full disclosure - I am a Stihl head - I am very lucky to have an excellent dealer to do my bidding if need be).

 

[woodhog73]

That little Jonsered is like everyone else said a rebadged Poulan. Not worth it unless it's less than $50 bucks.

If you want to spend $150 I think Stihl is selling new MS170 for around $160 but it's a tiny little saw.

Jonsered ( and Poulan) are owned by Husky. The Jonsered brand has a fairly great line of home/farm saws based on Husky Ranchers, and they also have a great line of Pro saws based on Husky XPs saws.

I agree with Jags the Stihl 26x line of pro 50cc saws would be great. Used 026 and 260s are well proven, been around awhile, and used ones are affordable. However a new Stihl 261 is too pricy in my opinion in the face of a Husky 550xp or Jonsered 2253 and even a Dolmar 5105 it's just too darn expensive, heavy compared to the others, but mainly just priced about $75 to $100 too much and will not outperform the others.

If your looking at used in any brand I saw a Jonsered 2153 ( pro 50cc saw) for sale used for $200 bucks. That's equivalent to a stihl 026 and I almost grabbed it myself. Other good used options to look for in addition to a 026 or 260 would be a Husky 346xp and Jonsered 2153/2152 should all be in the $200 to $300 used price range and all pretty much equivalent.

 

[johneh]

Hunt is over just got back from looking at a Stihl 026
Older saw looks like new ,compression good ,new 16 in bar and
2 chains . Young lad selling for his dad health reasons he wanted 225
I paid 190 only because he had not been able to sell . Everyone in his
area uses Husky . Also a 2hr. return drive for me . Wife was happy
Road Trip

 

[Jags]

Niiice! That will be a strong runner on a 16" bar.

 

[Diabel]

That is a great price for the saw!!
Congrats!

 

[Jon1270]

just got back from looking at a Stihl 026
Older saw looks like new

I've got one like that, and it's one of the few saws I have that I'm not interested in selling. I recommend you carefully examine the fuel, impulse and oiler output hoses. Those were all badly degraded on my early 026, despite it's having barely ever been used. Congrats!

 

[woodhog73]

Now you have another decision to make.

Give the 026 to your son ? Or keep it and give him the 291 that you have.

I know what I would do. But I'm staying quiet on that one. glad you found a good saw. Price seems very fair too as I'm sure it's in good condition.

 

[fabsroman]

The saw is not for me . My youngest is doing his own fire wood now
and uses my saws so when I need a saw I have to drive to his place
and pick them up of coarse there is no fuel or oil in them .
Was thinking I'd buy him a used saw for his up coming birthday
so mine would stay in the rack until I needed them with sharp
chains and fuel and oil close by I'll keep looking for what I no to
be a good saw for him

Take your saws back and have him buy his own saw. One thing my dad taught me is that when you borrow something, you bring it back looking just like when you borrowed it, or better, and if it takes fuel you fill up a little more than when you borrowed it. My dad has a 16" Craftsman that he has used for quite a while. I never borrowed it. When I got my wood burning furnace, I bought a Stihl MS261 and MS660. Now, my dad calls me when he wants me to bring my saws around.

My brother "borrowed" a cutoff tool from me once. He did not bring it back. Then, I needed it one evening and it was cheaper and quicker to go to Home Depot and buy a new one than to drive to his place and pick mine back up. I don't loan him tools anymore. He had over a year to return it.

Is your son really so destitute that he cannot afford his own chainsaw, or is it just better to spend money on other things when daddy's chainsaws can remain in his garage?

 

[jetsam]

I'd buy him a few parts saws and tell him to make a working saw out of them.

The real gift there is leaning to be able to take care of your own saws!

 

[johneh]

Maybe I shouldn't have vented about the saw . Let me give you a little background
I and my 2 boys are farmers together we farm just over 1100 acres . Both cash crop
and a cow and calf operation . The home farm of 400 acres has been in my family over
150 years. the other 2 farms were my family but sold in the 1950s . my eldest bought
back one farm after university in 2003 . My youngest bought the other after schooling in
2005 Both Farms took extensive work to get back into production including a new house
and barns on the youngest. We share equipment as the costs are outrages so the saw is just
an other shared piece of equipment . My eldest holds degrees in Animal Husbandry and horticulture
My youngest is a lic auto teck and lic electrician ,and has a diploma in horticulture
so we are what is called cash poor and land rich
So don't bad mouth my boys or tell me how to bring them up
They work a whole lot harder than most people I know

 

[RusselB]

Maybe I shouldn't have vented about the saw . Let me give you a little background
I and my 2 boys are farmers together we farm just over 1100 acres . Both cash crop and a cow and calf operation . The home farm of 400 acres has been in my family over 150 years. the other 2 farms were my family but sold in the 1950s . my eldest bought
back one farm after university in 2003 . My youngest bought the other after schooling in
2005 Both Farms took extensive work to get back into production including a new house
and barns on the youngest. We share equipment as the costs are outrages so the saw is just
an other shared piece of equipment . My eldest holds degrees in Animal Husbandry and horticulture
My youngest is a lic auto teck and lic electrician ,and has a diploma in horticulture
so we are what is called cash poor and land rich
So don't bad mouth my boys or tell me how to bring them up

Thats awesome, always like to see families who can work together and really seem to help each other out.

Reading this thread is making me look at saws. I know there is one on craigslist that looks decent condition, a MS291 with a 20" bar, guy wants $450 for it, dont know if its worth the $150 savings just to save a couple years off buying a new version myself. How do you find your 291 personally? (sorry for highjacking thread a bit)

Glad you were able to find the 026.

 

[Jazzberry]

Hunt is over just got back from looking at a Stihl 026
Older saw looks like new ,compression good ,new 16 in bar and
2 chains . Young lad selling for his dad health reasons he wanted 225
I paid 190 only because he had not been able to sell . Everyone in his
area uses Husky . Also a 2hr. return drive for me . Wife was happy
Road Trip

You did good. 026 is one of Stihls all time greats. I used to pick them up around 150 or so sometimes cheaper but not no more. The word is out on the 026 and its up around 250 and up now in my territory. People are getting wise on which saws work the best.