What's your favorite Chainsaw? (Bethel: buy, camp, dangerous)

[BacktoNE]

Never owned a chainsaw and can't fathom the concept of my DH using one. The man wouldn't have any limbs left!! Guess that means we can't live further north and need to stay in Bangor or south towards WTVL/Augusta...again.


Do you all really use a chainsaw that much??

[Bydand]

Nope. I use mine when out in the woods for a bit, and carry it in the truck when out and about where I may need it. But day to day, I would never use it around the house because all the brush is already cleared and I don't burn wood.

[wordsmith680]

Originally Posted by BobTex

I now have a Husquvarna 357, a heavy professional grade saw. It can be a challenge at times to work with but when there is a big job to do on the farm here that thing will eat some wood. After Hurricane Rita here I had lots of 20" - 40" (diameter) trees to clean up. Was glad to have that saw at that time. My neighbors and I had to cut 6 miles out to a highway and beleive me all our saws got a work out.

For trash stuff I have one of those cheapie WallyWorld Poulans. I don't mind abusing it too much.

When I was a teen and in my 20's ( 60's-70's)I had a big McCulloch saw with a bow blade. I cut a lot of trees with that thing and when cutting up something on the ground that bow took a lot of bending out of the job. Alas they were so dangerous that I think they are outlawed now. I still have that old saw but it needs a total rebuild and I don't want to do it. (If I could get the old McCulloch parts).

I still use a McCulloch Pro 10-10S (about 40lbs worth), its much more of a work out then the 026. I also have an old Stihl 032 that needs parts (Body vibration dampener bushing) The newer saws run at such a higher rpm its amazing how much better they cut. Are both Husky & Stilh marketing a "consumer" models that are not the same quality as years ago?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by wordsmith680

Are both Husky & Stilh marketing a "consumer" models that are not the same quality as years ago?

Yes they are. Sears carries Husqvarna saws that are entirely different from the saws my John Deere dealer sells. Stihl has their Pro series and Husky has their XP series. These are the professional saws. There isn't anything wrong with the home owner's versions but they just don't have the quality the pro models have. I had a Jonsereds homeowners saw once and it was the worst saw I ever had. My friend who was a logger ran Jonsereds saws and could not believe the saw I had was made by the same company as his saws.
The averege homeowner does not need the durability of a professional saw for a couple weekends of work a year. Pros and heavy use homeowners who cut a lot of firewood or do clearing will no doubt go with the higher grade of saw. You can tell by looking which saw is which.

[Bydand]

I didn't know Husky made a "homeowners" version. I learn something new everyday. I forgot to mention, my Husky is the 372XP with either the 16 or 18" bar (Too lazy to trek out to the shed to look right now.) Cuts like no tomorrow, and is easy to handle.

[CreditWitch]

Husqvarna for chainsaw and lawnmower

[cvap]

My newest saw is a Husky 372XP,probably the most popular saw today for the east.I like it's compression release button to save the rope and recoil. Plus it makes it easy to pull when your standin crooked or something.I also have an older Partner 7000plus.Still runs good but i'm not sure if jugs and pistons are still available for it so the next time it needs rebuild i'll junk it.
bobtex, I think the bow blades are still available from Bailey's but just for the most popular saws

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I didn't know Husky made a "homeowners" version. I learn something new everyday. I forgot to mention, my Husky is the 372XP with either the 16 or 18" bar (Too lazy to trek out to the shed to look right now.) Cuts like no tomorrow, and is easy to handle.

I'm thinking of getting a Husqvarna 346XP for my next saw. I like an 18 inch bar. Not too long but big enough to handle a pretty good size tree. I cut down a 30" oak with the 026 and an 18" bar last fall. We seem to lose a couple of big trees like that every year. It's a shame when an old tree dies off but the two cords of firewood come in handy.

[Maineah]

I'd like to find a good working version of a Sachs-Dolmar rotary engine chainsaw,now that was quite a chainsaw! REALLY bad on gas but quite smooth and powerful.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by BacktoNE

Never owned a chainsaw and can't fathom the concept of my DH using one. The man wouldn't have any limbs left!! Guess that means we can't live further north and need to stay in Bangor or south towards WTVL/Augusta...again.


Do you all really use a chainsaw that much??

Not in the winter but that's about it. I have a bunch of old oaks that limb themselves every winter. I use the chainsaw for cutting up those. We cut a few cords of firewood every year. This takes a couple weeks of daily chainsaw use. We usually get some wind damage every year to the big pines we have around the property, we use the saw to cut these up. I take the chainaw when we go camping to cut firewood. Beats trying to do it with an ax or handsaw. In an afternoon I can cut enough firewood with the chainsaw to last several days. I even use the chainsaw to cut the race hole in the ice for my smelt shack. We use it to dismantle old buildings sometimes, cut blocking for boats, prune trees,cut back alder runs. Yes I guess I'd say I use the saw plenty!