CHAIN TYPE any saw can run chisel, semi, or chipper, safety or non. As long as the gauge and pitch match, you can do anything. Not a question of hp or size. Most cutters have mutliple types of chains in the bin anyway. I use some full chisel, like on the limbing saws, but for bucking saw am going back to semi chisel. People especially AS board are almost fanatical on full chisel, but many are PNW timber cutters working in fresh green softwood. Full chisel in clean wood is 100% and great and makes a big difference with bigger bars especially. However, in dirty wood it drops its edge really fast. Dirty meaning not hit the dirt, but trees along farm fields, gravel roads, etc have a lot of grit blown into the bark and tree grows around it. Since much of what I get is that, or find an occasional nail or wire, I find the semi holds it edge better. I usually file every tank or two, but sometimes 2 or 3 tanks on semi.
REBUILD Stihl/Husky/Dolmar also make saws with the cylinder as part of the crankcase. Not so much a matter of name, but of the model number and design of the saw. Lower end, i.e built to consumer price points, will be integral cylinder and case half usually. So it depends on the model. I think the ones you referenced are integral cylinders.
Any saw can be rebuilt, it is just that for the integral cylinders it is usually not cost effective to do it. If the saw seizes, the piston can be changed, but if cyl is damageed, the saw is usually toast. On a higher saw, the cylinder is changed, without disturbing the bottom end, and life goes on. There is a manufacturing complexity and cost to that however.
Also, figure the tradeoff with hours of life vs. usage. To cut 10 hours a year, just buy a cheaper saw and keep plenty of synthetic oil in the mix, air filter clean, and it will run forever. If you never run it lean or get air leaks, you will never wear it out or need to rebuild it. Take the money saved and buy another one in 10 years. However, cutting a 100 hours a year, the balance changes. The money is well spent.
I think there is too much snob appeal from many expereienced people to many newbies. If you don't have a 346/5100/026 you are scum. In reality, when I started out I would have been in hog heaven with a nice 42 cc craftsman saw, compared to all the free junk I made do with. So don't let the ego and image get to you. Consider your real needs.
That said, I would never go back to the low end or maybe even mid range equpment. Even with decreasing use now, I love the lighter weight, quicker spool up, more nimble handling, better vibration isolation, easier to work on, fully adjustable carb, etc. Rebuildability is nice (my old 026 is on the third P&C;, second set of crank bearings, after maybe 20 years of use) but not a big issue to me anymore. There is a point where just having a precision tool makes the job fun, and that makes it worth while.
Buy what you really feel at one with when you hold it. Keep it tuned, sharp, and anything works great.
But I'd go with the 55cc pro level if there is only one saw in the plan. The extra cost is swallowed bitterly once, but the joy of using it continues a long time. And save some of the budgeted money for tools, equipment, spare parts, PPE, etc to properly maintain and use it.
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