What chainsaw to buy?

Re: What chainsaw to buy?

Either one looks serviceable... I just rebuilt the carb in my old tired Poulon (pull on it) which I believe was a private label variation on a Husky design. Good old soldier again, ready to tear up some trees.

They both look like they have the modern anti-kick shock absorbers and modern safety features. Really old chain saws can tear you up even easier than modern ones, especially if you do something stupid... "hey watch this".

A few weeks ago when I tried to start mine, all my fuel lines disintegrated on the spot, and spoo pissed out of the bottom casing. That evil ethanol can trash fuel lines and even carb diaphragms.. Do not leave the funny gas sitting in your saw or mower over the winter... For you yankees same advice applies to leaving the spoo sitting in you snow blower over the summer.

JR

PS: I like the husky name better too, but only because they made kick ass dirt bikes.
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

John Roberts said:
Either one looks serviceable... I just rebuilt the carb in my old tired Poulon (pull on it) which I believe was a private label variation on a Husky design. Good old soldier again, ready to tear up some trees.

They both look like they have the modern anti-kick shock absorbers and modern safety features. Really old chain saws can tear you up even easier than modern ones, especially if you do something stupid... "hey watch this".

A few weeks ago when I tried to start mine, all my fuel lines disintegrated on the spot, and spoo pissed out of the bottom casing. That evil ethanol can trash fuel lines and even carb diaphragms.. Do not leave the funny gas sitting in your saw or mower over the winter... For you yankees same advice applies to leaving the spoo sitting in you snow blower over the summer.

JR

PS: I like the husky name better too, but only because they made kick ass dirt bikes.
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Husqvarna, Bultaco, Hodaka..Where did all the good motocross bikes go? LOL
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

John Roberts said:
PS: I like the husky name better too, but only because they made kick ass dirt bikes.
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They started out (1689) making kick ass rifles, then moved to sewing machines, kitchen appliances and motocycles. Now they make chainsaws, lawn mowers, and construction tools.

Mac
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

I've got a husqy and I have no regrets. Good solid machine. When I went to buy I also looked at the Stihl's and in the end, I thought they were as good as each other. Sure the Stihl guys would say theirs are better and same with Husqy but to a guy who needed to cut wood with a machine that would last the distance and start easily, they were both the same. I guess my decision partly came down to the sales guys - both shops were nice but the Husqy guys were nicer.


Andrew
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

1. Stihl
2. Husqvarna

Both built like brick shithouses and will last for your lifetime and another. I still have a few of my Dad's old Stihl and Husq saws. He used to own a logging corporation before he passed.

Some of these are over twenty years old and will still fire on the first pull. All except that beast of mother, Husqvarna 181!! That saw was a monster!
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

mackerr said:
They started out (1689) making kick ass rifles, then moved to sewing machines, ...

Mac
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My dad's got a Husqvarna deer rifle in 30-06 built on a Mauser pattern action. Great rifle but pretty light. Hurts to shoot it! Great for hunting though - when you do 99.99 % carrying the gun around, and .01% shooting.

I had a Husky chainsaw - just a small one for cutting up fallen branches, etc. when I lived in CT. Probably one model up from the smallest they made at the time. Great saw - always started, ran like crazy. Only probably was all the damn hardwood out there - had to sharpen the chain more often than I'd have liked.

Stihl makes great chainsaws, too, no doubt.
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

I've run both stihl and husky consumer saws for my whole life, I'm looking to get a bigger saw with a 28''s bar to make life easier. My biggest concern i guess are the new carbs that self adjust, we went to husk's at work and we are having issues, some peopl I know bought stihl, and they are having issues also. These are all consumer based saws. It may come down to what saw feels better in my hands I guess.
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

Alan Sledzieski said:
I've run both stihl and husky consumer saws for my whole life, I'm looking to get a bigger saw with a 28''s bar to make life easier. My biggest concern i guess are the new carbs that self adjust, we went to husk's at work and we are having issues, some peopl I know bought stihl, and they are having issues also. These are all consumer based saws. It may come down to what saw feels better in my hands I guess.
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Wish they still built them like they used to!
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

Pat Latimer said:
Wish they still built them like they used to!
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That's why i rebuilt my old Poulon instead of buying a new (cheap) one. I replaced the bar several years ago with a sear's replacement bar that had chain tensioning built in because the poulon strategy for chain tensioning was not robust (plastic housing broke). So not much left to break now.

My only concern with new improved chainsaws is that they didn't get too clever with the easy-start carb modification, The Poulon has always been a balky starter and the carb adjustment is twitchy, so improved design is welcome if it works, and can tolerate the evil ethanol.

JR
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

mackerr said:
They started out (1689) making kick ass rifles, then moved to sewing machines, kitchen appliances and motocycles. Now they make chainsaws, lawn mowers, and construction tools.

Mac
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I had a McCullough for years. Lent it to a neighbor who used straight gas in it. Came back dead. Thanks dude!
Went to the store, the new Mac's looked like junk so I bought a Husky due to their reputation (and the bad ass moto cross bikes they used to make)
Warranty was only a year and it died about 30 days after its warranty was out. (I did work it very hard that year)
The local service place that proclaimed my Husky as DOA, said they'd been bought out and the new models were no better than Poulan anymore.

I bought an Echo. 5 year warranty. It starts and works as it's supposed to. Chain easy to adjust and change, not too loud. Good power....I like it.
3 years into ownership currently. I'd buy another currently.

My experience is only one of each brand saw so results may be completely random!
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

John Roberts said:
That's why i rebuilt my old Poulon instead of buying a new (cheap) one. I replaced the bar several years ago with a sear's replacement bar that had chain tensioning built in because the poulon strategy for chain tensioning was not robust (plastic housing broke). So not much left to break now.

My only concern with new improved chainsaws is that they didn't get too clever with the easy-start carb modification, The Poulon has always been a balky starter and the carb adjustment is twitchy, so improved design is welcome if it works, and can tolerate the evil ethanol.

JR
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The issues with new engines is meeting the exhaust emissions. They have to run everything so lean and on the edge.
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

Steve Hurt said:
I had a McCullough for years. Lent it to a neighbor who used straight gas in it. Came back dead. Thanks dude!

I bought an Echo. 5 year warranty. It starts and works as it's supposed to. Chain easy to adjust and change, not too loud. Good power....I like it.
3 years into ownership currently. I'd buy another currently.

My experience is only one of each brand saw so results may be completely random!
Click to expand...

I worked at Echo for a few summers back in my college days. My mom was an executive admin for 15 years there. I've seen the insides of a lot of their saws and other gear. They were the first to manufacture a two cylinder saw for the "pro" market-amazingly smooth, less vibration at the hands, and torque like much larger machines.

I've been a fan for many years.

Best regards,

John
 
Re: What chainsaw to buy?

Went through this exercise about two years ago and ended up with a Husqvarna 240e. It's light, doesn't vibrate much, has a primer and is easy to start and has tool-less chain tensioners. I've used it quite a bit, for periods ranging from a few minutes to several hours and it hasn't disappointed.
 
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