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What brand of chain saw do you guys like? I own a small old McCulloch, but I have some real cutting to do here to clean up after the wind storm.Some of the trees are threatning the garages with our old Stovebolts Husqvarna 20 inch medium duty models are around 300 bucks and seem the best for the price.Stihl is popular around here but, pricey and maybe more saw than I need.Other than cutting up these large fallen Locust tress, I use a saw occasionally for firewood.

Sold both Toni and they were both good brands. I liked the Stihl cause you will probably never buy another one.

Tony, I bought a new Stihl about 10 years ago. I am not sure of the model but it has the 16 inch bar. Like Phat says, you will never need another.

I have seen the tree guys in this area using the Husqvarna. I have never used one, but if those guys are buying them they must be good..

Tony,

Stihl is king here in the forest. I have an 044 with a 36 inch bar, it is overkill if you dont have to cut through big trees, seems like a 32-36 cc job with a 24 inch bar would be better for a homeowner for the rest your life. I also have a homelite with a 16 inch bar for and limbing . . . but anytime the wood is bigger than 6 inches in diameter, out comes the Stihl. I have cut through 48 inch trees with this saw and it goes through like butter. Let me know if you want a good price on a saw, I am good friends with the regional Stihl applications specialist . . . who happens to like cigars and old chevy trucks . . . I might need to stop by Rugo's first to get a few stogies. :p

A Stihl "Farm Boss" is aimed at homeowners with more than a casual interest in a saw. It's at a good price. A pro woulndn't buy one but it would be perfect for you. Don't get one that's too heavy, because you need something that can do it all. High stuff, storm stuff, interior redecorating and everything else. I have an 036 Pro which is a nice machine. A Farm boss should do it for you.

Yeah, I looked at the Stihls, that farm model in a 20 inch bar.The Husqvarna 55R Rancher 20 inch model is similar. 3.2 cu in (55cc),and all the same features as the Stihl model.I felt the Husqvarna had just a little better balance for my taste and at 11.5 pounds was 1 lb lighter. bought the Husky online, paid $295 for it with shipping.The tree trimers in this area use pro model Huskys and Stihls which are in the 500 buck range. Much more saw than I need as K10 says. A friend loaned me an old McCulloch 610 pro model.Noisy, vibrated, heavy ,but cut really well.I used it for a few passes and decided to buy a new saw with vibration control and a chain brake.That dam Mac was like holding a dirt bike with your arms. Got 8 acres of mostly Black Locust here, and that wood is nasty on the chain.Got to sharpen the saw every time I fuel it.Grinding down the rakes on the chain is helpful when cutting Locust, gotta hang onto though.I'll let you guys know how that Swede? saw works.

Husky is a good saw. We have a 50 model at work, ten years and still going.

I grew up with a Homelite Super XL auto. A sixteen pounder with no vibration control or chain brake. New in '75, it just died two years ago. We cut 2-3 cords a year with it all that time.
I rebuilt a McCulloch 610 Pro model. Another good saw, considering it was built in '84. Sold it to my Dad cheap. Got to give your family a break.......

I have run a Stihl 044 with a 28" bar before.....what a saw!! Very powerful. dropped a few oaks with that one, cut them like warm butter.

I'm sure you'll be happy with the Husky.

We had a major ICE storm here last winter. A lot of trees went down everywere. I was with out power for two weeks. So at that time generators and chainsaws everyone had have them both. So I got a Craftman from Sears works good for small jobs. Think its a 16 incher.

Hey GMC, I still have my Dad's Homelite. I love that saw! I had it tuned up and had the handle replaced, (I busted it!) and that saw just keeps running and running well. A local guy had some parts for it. It's balanced, starts on the second pull, and its got balls. Not too safe, but it's the nut behind the wheel, right? It has a 24" bar and I can carry it around in the bed and not worry about it getting stolen or banged up. Not like the new plastic stuff. That has a CASE!

K10, The Stihl 029 "Farm Boss" has a molded plastic crankcase, not aluminum or magnesium.So its either advanced engineering or cheap for its price range.

Just another great saw that noone mentioned is the Johnsered; my dad has one that I've been using for years and it works like a dog and (IMHO) is easier to handle than the stihls. I also have a Partner (old style) that is a great light weight saw.

Tony, another vote for the Stihl. I use a 10-year old 036 with a 20-inch bar. Heck of a saw. But my favorite saw is the little Homelite 16 incher that dad bought new in '69 and is still going strong.
John

How long's your extension cord, Tony? Just kidding. Firewood is so cheap split and delivered in Montana that we quit cutting it ourselves and do more fishing. We had four monster Doug firs taken down in at our place in Washington and have ten years of firewood there. I use a little electric job around the yards and don't miss the old heavy slow Homelite that I had. My brother-in-law, though, is a serious wood cutter and uses Stihl.

Wear gloves! I have a Poulan, same as weed-eater brand I think. It's 16" and I have cut more than a small saw should with it. It's oiler plugs up with sawdust easily sometimes and is a pain. It has more power than most small saws buddies always bring along with them. Problem is with vibration after awhile hands feel numb. I don't like gloves to work in, but do use with this saw. Some Craftsman saws are the Poulans.

Plastic crankcase?? New one on me! I have heard of plastic parts, including rods on weed-eaters before, yet they are tiny. I've heard of plastic engines for racing and testing, maybe that will be the future, like it or not. Engine changes, loosen up, one guy lift out and set in and re-connect! Cool! :rolleyes:

Power Saws? Homelite used to be the best saw in the woods- EVER-. McCullochs would kill you before they ever started, but were great cutting. I used to cut Old Growth with a 2100 Homelite with 80 inch bar and a 120 inch bar with a stinger (two man operation). The biggest tree I ever cut was 14 feet at the stump- used three 80 ton Hyd. jacks to dump it. People would see me (5'11", 165 lbs) and ask how I packed the saw. I would tell them "I drag it up hill and ride it down hill".-LOL The new saws are all RPM- no torque. Used a 750 Homelite with 54" bar for bucking and limbing. Nowadays I think they use "Mini-macs" to fell trees (if that is what they call those tooth picks). Most folks don't even know what a "chisel bit file" is anymore. The best little saw I have ever used for fire wood or brush clearing was a 031 Stilh. Lots of RPMs and good weight. Put a 32" bar on it and you don't bend over so much but you need to use full skip chain. Wife bought a Husky as a gift for me when we were engaged but the 24" bar is kinda short for me. Seems like a good little saw though. For a good firewood saw I once used a friends Shinindawa(SP?) and it was very good and he said it never broke down. I trialed a 090 Stihl with 54" bar once but for the work it did it was to heavy. Homelite was a torque saw and took a nose dive when Husky and Stihl caught the smaller saw world with their RPMs. Homelite sold out to Deere and now Deere sold Homelite to some Hong Kong outfit. A 036 Stihl is the probably the best saw for the "serious" firewood cutter, just a little heavy for me anymore. The old saws are kinda like old trucks- The best ever for the job but nobody does that job anymore-LOL.
I can look out the window from my computer and see large Old Growth trees that will never be cut. What a thrill "felling" those big things used to be. You can see some "Old Growth" in the background of this pic the wife took after the snow melted off.
no more snow

Ok you asked what is the best saw to buy. Well I am a professional logger .I have used Huskys and stihls. Husky are like the almish buggy...slow but dependabal.stihl is like the Cadilac . Faster than the buggy and yet still dependable. Now for what is the best saw...as we logger say...they are all good when "They RUN!".nothing more agrivateing than a saw that doesn't start when ypou pull it and keeps running.
You want to take into consideration...how far to i have to go to get servise...two blocks for a Husky ....or 10 miles for the stihl. Really both are good saws. For your situation.both would work fine. It is the amount you want to spend. If your budget is low then go with the husky. but i will say this also....I would not even consider anything but one of them two. which ever one you choose it's up to you and you can't go wrong

The local Stihl rep in our area has the Northwests largest personal antique chainsaw collection housed in a huge mansion he built on his property. Started in the woods in his teens, got a saw store going when he was in his early 20's now he is in his late 40's and sold the saw shop and works directly for Stihl. On the side he sets up competition saws for logger rodeos around the World - even for loggers in Sweden. I have seen a 36 inch diameter disk cut off the end of a log in less than 20 seconds using one of his prepped saws. The reason he has done as well as he has is because he opened his store in a little town that was the last stop before the real timber forests start in the foothills of Mt. St. Helens. When a logger had a problem with a saw, he was on the other end of a radio and got him fixed up pronto pup. Service with a smile and a good saw line made the guy a ton of money. We still have old growth getting cut around here but there aren't many mills that can handle a log truck with a one log load. Most debarkers, bucking lines and primary breakdown saws just can't handle a log 8 - 9 feet in diameter. . . Most of the tree fallers I know now have a Stihl over their shoulder and bicepts about 30 inches around. . . a lot of fun to watch them work.

During our recent ice storm I broke out my old Remington Might Mite, it has a 12" blade. The old antique Mighty Mite was a lot of fun to use, you could realy get with it! Its so small, and light weight and very powerful.
My Home Depo Mac 32 18" would cut the bigger limps but was always hard to start. Once started I would set the brake and let it run. If it quite you might as well plan on pulling the plug to clean it. I went with a hotter plug and it seem to help. This is not a everyday saw. It just wouldn't last, but a less than $100 you can't expect much. Joe

The new saw made quick work of the toppled trees.I was pulling a long pole of a tree out of the crotch of another tree when the dam tractor quit running.I am not happy here ,feel like GL Perry. No spark,should have replaced the coil last year, but was too lazy to fidgit with the hard to reach front mounted coil on the 2N.Anyway, I just popped the plug wires up so it forces the spark to jump a large gap.Started right up.There are poison ivy vines the size of a mans arms on those trees,horrible sticker bushes, nice.
Not Happy