What Chainsaw Do You Run?

[44hunter45]

We had a guy working for us like that once, he broke everything. One day he put a 30* bend in my favorite 1" wrecking bar, we starting calling him "been-there-broke-that". He was a carney in a former life, made me really question how smart it is to go on the carnival rides...

On topic...I have a Stihl ms250 that my dad bought many years ago, still runs and cuts great, easy maintenance...

Yup. When I was a strapping young weight lifter, I bent my Dad's favorite wrecking bar doing a fencing project on the ranch. Lots of granite boulders in the way of any straight fence in the California foothills. I tried to pry a big one out of our line with his bar. I put my legs into it and the bar just bent. Boy, was he ticked.

I tell Mrs45 that tools are made for normal folk, not specimens such as myself.

 

[diamond hitch]

For my big wood I run a 576 Husky. For the ranch and lodgepole I've had an 038 super for 40 years. Don't get too small of a saw. I have to admit we have been using a Stihl 170 for trail work and at 8 lbs its a real cutting fool. The bar is a little short for a big guy bent over.

 

[shannerdrake]

I have owned both Huskys and Stihls. For what it's worth, my experience with Husky's is they cut quicker and spin faster and cut extremely fast. However, my Huskys don't seem to have the torque the my Stihls do. I feel like I can lay into a Stihl when the chain gets a little dull and it will power through. My Husky's not so much. My Huskys are lighter too. I like a Husky running on smaller stuff but like a Stihl for bigger stuff.

 

[Okbow87]

Have ran a stihl ms310 for a number of years now. My parents heat their house with firewood and I cut a lot of hardwoods; oak, blackjack, etc and I can not complain one bit about that saw. Keep the blades sharp and it burns through a trees worth of felling, limbing, and cutting rounds like it's nothing. Starts every time I pull it out, and I'm notoriously bad about taking care of my stuff.

 

[ccc23454]

Ms251 with easy start and tension adjustment.. great saw just takes getting use to starting it, so much easier now.

 

[schmalts]

Stihl....

 

[pabearhunter]

You should never run with a chainsaw !!!!!

 

[Mainer207]

Ms251 with easy start and tension adjustment.. great saw just takes getting use to starting it, so much easier now.

this is the saw I picked up.Perfect for most of what I do and is a good truck saw.

My next saw will probably be one of the bigger pro models to round out the arsenal.

 

[Mainer207]

You should never run with a chainsaw !!!!!

Dad jokes for the win!

 

[runningmt]

I won a Makita electric chainsaw at a Walleyes Unlimited Banquet this Winter......super impressed so far.

 

[sbhooper]

I won a Makita electric chainsaw at a Walleyes Unlimited Banquet this Winter......super impressed so far.

Makita (used to be Dolmar) makes good saws. My kid was running them on a fire crew last year. They cut well, but had a terrible chain brake system that was not durable. The electric should serve you well, for light-duty stuff.

 

[geetar]

My best experience has been with Stihl. I have used Homelite, Husqvarna, and Poulan also but Stihl tops them all in my opinion.

 

[Scott85]

I’ve been running a Stihl Farm Boss 250 since 1999. I will say this; no matter what saw you guy always run ethanol free gas in it. I’ve ran high test ethanol free gas since the saw was new.

 

[Lasiocarpa]

Husky 371, 32" bar here. A longer bar is safer and easier on your back.
A sharp chain will be easier on you and your saw.

 

[mountainlaurel3]

Looking to buy a piece of property soon, will need a chainsaw. Any advice on buying used? Yay or nay? Things to look for?

 

[buckbull]

Stihl 038AV is what I run for big stuff. It's almost 40 years old and starts easier than my newer Stihl 025. The only thing I have replaced on the 038 is the muffler, burnt it out after 30 years of use. I had to replace the ignition module on the 025. Damn thing was $106,

 

[bcar]

 

[stillkickin]

I have been running the same Jonsered 670 Champ for 30+years. Never skipped a beat in that whole time.
Just gave it a 4 hour run the other day clearing out a road with my youngest who has turned out to be a good wood hauler. The Draht is a good supervisor

 

[Mainer207]

Looking to buy a piece of property soon, will need a chainsaw. Any advice on buying used? Yay or nay? Things to look for?

Im sure you can find a decent used one. I’d bet guys are selling tools left and right with the current economic climate... However, I view it as a tool I’ll have forever, so I invested in a new one up front. For $400 I know I have something that’ll last.

 

[manitou1]

Do yourself a favor and research the Echo 590. Lots of aborists give positive reviews. 60cc, magnesium, oiler, easy starting... can run a 18", 20", or 27 on it. Guys that do the muffler mod say it is a real beast. I have kept mine stock as ot does all I ask with ease.