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Cheap Chinese made chainsaw has finally died. Therefore I need a new saw. I use it for felling smallish trees but mainly cutting logs for my two wood-burners. Was looking at Stihl but there is a bewildering selection. What do the experts on here recommend for the reasonably regular domestic user who seems to get roped into cutting loads of wood for mates/neighbours and just wants a saw that is reliable and durable and does not take massive amounts of maintanence.
Sorry if this has already been done but I did search and can't find any relevant threads.
Sounds like my saw usage is more or less identical to what you describe.
Stihl MS 390 here. Bought it second hand three years ago for £250 inc new trousers / gloves / boots and hat from a pal who works for the FC so it saw (pardon the pun) a fair amount of use before I got it.
I've not done much in terms of maintenance other than clean the filters and give everything a good clean at the end of the fire wood season. Starts easily and runs smoothly with no excessive vibration. I can use it for 6+hr a day without any discomfort in my hands. There are lighter saws out there but I'm happy with mine.
Sounds ideal but can't find any reference to an MS 390 on website and have not got forestry mate who sells off second hand kit!
Oh sorry found one at world of power but £552. Was hoping to sneak under £300.
MS 181 -CBE with a 12" bar
Rich.
MS181 will do you.
Can pull a 16'' bar but 12/14'' is ideal and will stop you getting carried away.
An older MS260 if you can find a goodun. Proper workhorse.
Tim
Ms260 or 261
Last you ages.
I have 2 in my kit that get abused most days and the just keep on going.
Mmm, those 261s are a bit fickle aren't they?
Needle bearings and crank shafts keep breaking????
MS-181 here too, can't go wrong with it. They do an entry level one called an MS170 but it's a bit poxy - the 181 has steel dogs on the blade and is a much better built saw.
I have the 181 CBE, 16" bar and would not recommend it. Underpowered, chain seems too lightweight. I have problems cutting firewood. A few people on the Stihl website expressed similar views. I changed the chain and it was just OK for a bit but back to square one now, struggling to cut anything. I wondered whether a 12" bar would improve performance at all.
Smaller bar and chain makes a big difference.
16" is too much for the saw if you want to work it.
14" worked for me but let the saw do the work and don't push it.
Eager little beaver with a 12" I'd imagine.
My 260 only has a 15" and she's a ripper.
In the finest stw tradition, I can only recommend what I've had. I've only had one saw, a husky 240e - had it for 5 years, hasn't missed a beat, buy my chains from mister saw on eBay for much cheapness. Got me thinking, after 5 years, must be due a service, no?.
I've got a Husky 340. Like Nobeerinthefridge, zero problems. I put fuel and oil in, use it, sometimes give it a clean. I guess I should look at the filter and plug sometime.
I'd go above the ms181 in the stihl range as they use the pico chain and it's pants.
I'd look at a little bit more and see if you could stretch to a MS231 c-be, it's got the duro chain and the easy start system is amazing! You can get them at around the £350 mark. They also have the new easy to adjust chain tensioner on them
Stihl have black handles on the cheap
white handles on the more expensive
and black and white handles on the really expensive stuff.
Edit
£315 here, but stihl do not allow sales by post, (like Trek)
Stihl MS260 user here. You'll struggle to better a semi-pro husky or stihl, but Mitox, Efco and Makita are all well regarded too.
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/subprod/efco-chainsaws-0003634.aspx
http://www.toolstop.co.uk/chainsaws-b207#&brand=90&pricelower=69&pricehigher=350
Another Husqvarna fan here - in my case a 242XP with 12"and 16" bars.
It's been a good little saw for me over the last ten years - for work, firewood and trail building and clearing.
That 390 is a huge beast of a saw and probably too much for your needs. Something with a smaller engine and the ability to take a smaller bar would be my choice. I use a Stihl and they get my vote but Husqvarna are equally as good and up to the job.
Another cheaper brand that seems to fare reasonably well are Echo - might be worth a look.
I use both Husky and Stihl saws at work, both fine, like anything need cleaning maintenance and will last years. I picked up a cheap Ryobi from B&Q in a sale 4 years back for home use chopping logs for woodburner etc. I never thought it would last but that too has been fine, always starts, runs & cuts well.
Sounds from your username that you might be quite near me. I've got a Stihl MS391 if you want a play with it before you buy anything.
Email is in my profile.
MrGrim YGM
Interested in why people are going for the c-be models. Local dealer in Perth intimated that the c-be was for those who had trouble starting a normal saw. Consensus seems to be that 12" gives a significant power advantage over 16" or 14". Would be interested in more views on this. The second question is whether a MS 181 is enough or whether I go up the range?
Thanks for the posts so far.
Smaller bar gives higher chain speed and in turn, more cutting.
Like small chainring to small sprocket rather than large sprocket on bike.
No idea of Stihls as a Husqvarna user, but would go with what the local dealer sells as they will have the parts when it needs them and the know how to fix it.
You won't want more than a 50cc saw. They start gaining weight quickly after that point too.
Surely chain speed is a function of RPM and size of sprocket?
Having used Stihls and currently Huskys my 2 pence is I like Huskys for cutting clean wood but miss the Stihl for cutting wood thats in water as I found the Stihl had more torque and just kept going with the bar in the water but you can't go wrong really with either.
With your legs spinning at the same speed, the smaller rear sprocket will take you further/faster than the big one, chainsaw bars are the same principle.
Previous place I worked favoured Husqvarna for water work as they didn't suck up water so readily.
Only Stihl we have now is a 066 and we find it a bit gutless for its size, not to mention temperamental.
I think I get the whole bar length thing. Tempted by the 14" bar as a good compromise. Still would be interested in the whole c-be versus standard if anybody knows.