Which chainsaw?

limulus

Well-Known Member
The installation of a 30kw fire/boiler/thermonuclear device has made me a wood provider slave.
I have one of these electric chainsaws which are surprisingly good and a cheap chainsaw which again is ok but.......I want a proper boys toy chainsaw.....recommendations please.
i should mention I have about 30tonnes of large logs arriving a week Saturday so it's work will be cut out prepping said logs before splitting and storing.



in edit before the p155 takers arrive....yes I have plenty of kindling :)
 
Husqvarna and Stihl are the best makes, so probably best for boy's toy's material, although there are other ones that will do the job. As for size, then I guess that depends on the sort of logs you are intending to attack.

Second hand ones can be found often on a certain auction site, as well as no doubt locally to you. Although you could make a good saving, or get a better one by buying second hand, often they've had a hard life and could be problematic and they are an often stolen item, so two things to be wary of there.
 
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Oh - and when setting your budget, factor in a bit of dosh for some protective gear. Especially if you'll be using it a fair bit. But I guess you know that. :)
 
Husqvarna and Stihl are the best makes, so probably best for boy's toy's material, although there are other ones that will do the job. As for size, then I guess that depends on the sort of logs you are intending to attack.

Second hand ones can be found often on a certain auction site, as well as no doubt locally to you. Although you could make a good saving, or get a better one by buying second hand, often they've had a hard life and could be problematic and they are an often stolen item, so two things to be wary of there.

+1. Husky or stihl both really good saws, you'll find the husgvarna will run a bit faster but all I have now is stihls in chainsaw, blower, strimmers, hedge cutter decent bit of kit

save your pennies up and get a new one if possible it will last years
 
I have been a Husky proponent and owner for 30 years, but my next saw will probably be a stihl. In North America Husqvarna has moved into the Big Box stores (Lowes Home Improvement - think Giant Walmart for Lumber/Hardware/appliances) and the quality has gone down. Many models are oriented to the homeowner weekend woodcutter, not the farmer/rancher/timberman, and are built cheaper and come equipped with a low efficiency chain (low vibe, anti-kickback - safer but much less efficient than a full chip chain)
 
Want the best? Get a Stihl..period!

99% of pro loggers in Victoria use STIHLS..... period!

They are felling real trees with real saws..get it!
 
I have a Stihl, great piece of kit. I would make sure you have enough power too, nothing more frustrating than the saw struggling through a log. Don't know if you have considered doing the basic crosscutting course, it's not cheap but I would recommend it. I learned a lot including safety and maintenance of the saw, theres a lot to learn that I wasn't able to get from just the internet.
 
There is a good sthil retailer at Carnforth called Dennis barnfield just off junction 35 m6 they offer good deals if going for ppe as well.
Me personally I'm a husqvarna man.
 
Okay, lets start with some basic questions and guide you in.

What size logs are you going to be cutting?
What sort of wood?
Do you have PPE?
 
I have been a Husky proponent and owner for 30 years, but my next saw will probably be a stihl. In North America Husqvarna has moved into the Big Box stores (Lowes Home Improvement - think Giant Walmart for Lumber/Hardware/appliances) and the quality has gone down. Many models are oriented to the homeowner weekend woodcutter, not the farmer/rancher/timberman, and are built cheaper and come equipped with a low efficiency chain (low vibe, anti-kickback - safer but much less efficient than a full chip chain)


Try the Husqvarna XP range. They are the professional range of saws. Not much can hold a candle to a Husky 560xp
 
It would depend on the size and type of wood ur going to be cutting.

U can almost cut double ur bar length, so a 13" bar will cross cut/log a 24ish" log. Which is a fair size of a log
If planning to work with soft woods u could run a smaller cc saw than if working purely in hard (althou wouldnae really make a massive difference).
When i was felling timber in woods just worked with a 16" bar most of time, can take big trees down with a small bar. I'd try to keep ur bar as small as u can for the wood ur working. A 13" would be fine for most hobby users/firewood boys.
Realistically u need a 50+cc saw to run anything bigger than a 15" bar.

Avoid ebay like the plague for saws, go for silly money, far over priced and often are tiny engines with a massive bar bolted on the side to make it look impressive, be lucky to pull the chain never mind cut timber


Stihl and Husky are the best when u get up to pro level 50cc+ saws, but have been told their cheaper budget saws are not really as good.

I'd ask around ur local saw shops, but only 1's with there own 2 stroke mechanic, so will fix wot thier selling u.
Local boy to me sells both husky and stihl but sells a lot of efco and mittox + a chinese make to hobby users and gets very few complaints and he can fix and service them.
In fact i'm thinking of buying a big efco of him (90+cc)


Training is worth while as they can be bloody dangerous in wrong hands as well as PPE, and remember PPE is designed to stop a slowing chain u can still cut ur legs if u hit it with saw going at full pelt


I wouldnae bother with a splitter esp an electric 1, as slow as a week in jail.
I recently treated myself to a fiskars axe, bloody brilliant, swung it foe a few hours the other day without even breaking sweat, compleltely different to my old splitting maul.
Stick ur logs inside an old car tyre when u split them too, saves them flying all over the spot
 
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+ 1 for Husqvarna XP. My smallest saw is a 141 which I use for cutting up knotty logs, strainers etc. I have a 357XP with a 15" bar for logging and it is a pleasure to use. Screaming with power. This is the saw that I would recommend to you. I have an older 266XP which is used for bigger stuff and I also get a shot of a 372XP which is a different beast altogether.
The XP models are the professional grade saws and are in a different class. Metal casings and tanks. I also think they have bigger fuel & oil tanks so you don't have to stop every five minutes to fuel up.

Stihls are not for me I'm afraid.
 
Go for new if you can, although if a Stihl then you have to collect in person.

I was lucky and recently got a 3 month old Stihl MS181 that had only been used a couple of times for £120, like brand new.
 
i have a husky which was US built from our local farmers merchants and it has given 10 yrs faultles service. Get a husky chain sharpener or better still an electric one, lidl sell them occassionaly and are very good. I will send you a picture of an excellent log splitter I saw in action at the Borders show.

Brilliant idea of putting logs in tyres when splitting them.

D
 
Okay, lets start with some basic questions and guide you in.

What size logs are you going to be cutting?
What sort of wood?
Do you have PPE?

This sort of sensible attitude is not good enough! :D

Actually nobody has mentioned getting a decent sawhorse if you are cutting up logs. Good thing for safety and if you get one of the ones that clamps the saw into a swinging bracket, you can set the length so that all your logs end up the same length which makes stacking easier.

Working with that number of logs get a pro level Huskie or Stihl. Both superb, just personal choice.

David.
 
Husqvarna and Stihl are the best makes, so probably best for boy's toy's material, although there are other ones that will do the job. As for size, then I guess that depends on the sort of logs you are intending to attack.

Second hand ones can be found often on a certain auction site, as well as no doubt locally to you. Although you could make a good saving, or get a better one by buying second hand, often they've had a hard life and could be problematic and they are an often stolen item, so two things to be wary of there.

Second that!
 
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