Chainsaws

[mtnwrunner]

I have a stihl ms 271 farm boss with 20 in bar that I absolutely love!

I run this saw ^^ and the ms170 for a backup. Both are excellent. Had all kinds of issues with huskys. Went stihl and never looked back.

Randy

 

[Catahoula]

I have a Stihl MS 250 with an 18” bar. Solid saw for what it is. Always fires too.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

MS261 for me. Smallest commercial grade turkey cutter (18”bar) has been great

 

[rbljack]

as a lawn care guy, I run stihl equipment, and have my eye on a commercial Stihl saw, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Id like to add one comment: it doesn't matter which brand you get....certain things need to be cared for. I only run the stihl Ultra oil for my mix. For items like chainsaws that will only see occasional use, I recommend draining the gas after each use and run them dry. If not that...in my opinion the second best option is to use the Stihl Moto mix if you aren't going through a lot of fuel. its more expensive, but if I remember correctly, no ethanol in it. Because I go through so much fuel, its not economical for me to run that. Each year before putting each handheld piece of equipment away, we drain the fuel and run them dry. Then, we pull the plug and fog the cylinder. These tips will prevent carb issues and ensure your saw starts when ya need it to. Just my 2 cents.. Like others have said, stihl has three different levels of equipment when it comes to chain saws. homeowner, farm/ranch, and Commercial. im eyeing up that 261 for sure...that and the 441 or 462 for heavier work

 

[*zap*]

I have a stihl farm boss and a smaller arborist top control stihl for chainsaws and a stihl kombi with limb cutting attachments. I use the top control and the kombi for 95% of tree maintenance jobs.

 

[Mosby]

I haven't had a bad saw since my dad bought a pos Homelite in the 70's. That thing vapor locked all the time. I used to throw it against trees trying to bust it. This thread is a good reminder though to clean my saws up, sharpen, buy some new chain and order a new bar for one of my saws. I am taking a few of those pre mixed cans of fuel with me during hunting season this year. Less fumes and easier to store in my truck than a gas can.

 

[IN_Varmntr]

I personally favor my 70cc Stihl MS460 with a 24" bar and chain.

Those little saws may be nice and light, but bending over all day with a 16" saw wears on my lower back in a hurry.

You can remain much more upright with a longer powerhead/bar combo, within reason. Obviously I'm not lugging around my 088 Stihl with a 42" bar because the powerhead alone weighs 20+ pounds. 123cc's will sure pull a chain though

The ethanol is the biggest obstacle when storing saws for any length of time. It stiffens the diaphragms in the carbs so they no longer meter fuel correctly and cause startup/run issues. It also causes the rubber fuel and pulse lines and carb boots to crack over time.

Best bet is to buy non ethanol trufuel or the like, or make sure it is dry of fuel before storing it long periods of time.

 

[flyinsquirel]

I've cut more cord's of wood than I can remember with an old white top Husky 64 and a 24" bar. Have since moved on to bigger Husky's that make for quicker work. Spent many hours throwing chips with a Stihl as well, just prefer the way the Husky's rev for my $$. Not that it really makes a hoot worth of difference in the end.

I don't know why people seem to have problems with one over the other, they are both great saws just different features. Maybe it's the cheap consumer level saws? I've happily run either with no real difference in maintenance. My hunting partner who was a feller for around 15yrs ran both, but had a slight preference for Stihl.

That MS170 is a little small for clearing trees out of the road, but you should be able to get the job done unless it's a big tree. Biggest problem with road clearing is pinching the bar and not having the wedges/tools to extract yourself. Good technique will prevent most pinch situations though. I prefer to run a bit larger saw for road clearing, at least a 70cc or better yet a 90cc if there is potential for large trees. Preference doesn't = necessity though, and you most definitely pay-to-play here.

If end up with a wood stove I would recommend something above 50cc for firewood cutting. My preference is the Husky 372xp with a lightweight 32", but that's due to my height and like IN_Varmntr says above, it's nice not to be bending over all day to limb a log.

Any saw approaching or above 100cc with a good sharp chain will definitely put a smile on your face, that's for certain.

 

[Trial153]

Most likely more then what your need. Your fine.

 

[Chordeiles]

I’ve had a MS180 for seven years. My dad has been running a MS170 for the past 10-12 years. Best saws pound for pound IMO.
Unless you get a pro model.

 

[mpg07]

I love my farm Boss

 

[BRTreedogs]

You mite have to cut from each side on a thicker down fall but Id say that's a fine truck saw. Mine is a 20" but I wouldn't spend unneccesary money.
Make sure to use ethanol free premium and stabil.

If you end up with a home that has a wood stove your gonna wanna step way up to a big boy professional saw. 30-32" bar. Im a sthil guy but whatever you spend for extra horsepower will reward you with less working time.

 

[elkchsr]

Husky 562 XP and don’t look back. When I bought the husky, I went to the Stihl dealer first. The dude was such a prick that I left and went to the husky. I feel like I owe the stihl dealer.

 

[SPC]

I have a husquvarana 345 that gets more use than my Stihl 066. It's a great medium sized saw, 20" bar and a 45 cc motor. Light weight and lots of power. Great little saw.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

I need a new saw. My stihl kombi with a pole saw attachment is what I use now. Need to find a good used farm boss or similar


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[huntsman22]

my needs are covered...

 

[Ryan Avery]

If it's not going to run a lot get an echo. They seem to be ok with long sits. Not my experience with Huskies or Stihls.

 

[dla]

I've been needing a saw for occasional use and for incase a trees over the road when heading to and from the trailheads.
I impulse bought a Stihl MS170.
I guess it's just a home owner light use saw. It only has a 16" bar. So this probably would limit me, right? It was on sale for $160 so the price was right.

Would I be better off looking for a pawn shop deal with a longer bar/bigger motor.

This would be OK for cutting small firewood for car camping with the family but I'm guessing that's about it.

Later on I may get a place with a wood stove but honestly I don't have time to just spend a weekend cutting wood. But it'd suck to not be able to get where I wanted to hunt because of a big snag across the road.

If I get a bigger saw I can always put a smaller bar on it, can't I?

How are Hunsky saws compared to Stihl?

Thanks

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16" bar and 45cc (~3hp) will cover 99% of your cutting tasks. And you'll appreciate the light weight. Sometimes guys buy too big a saw and then groan everytime they need to use it.
I use an old Husqvarna 345 and love it. Drain the fuel and run it dry for storage and it will last forever.

 

[Kaseman]

If your in the 50cc range stihl 261 or the husky 550xp. If your gunna roll with the 60cc - husky 562xp all day long. Stihl don’t come close in that range. If your gunna have a wood boiler go 60cc if you have a wood stove/ fireplace and use that moderately a 50cc should get your cutting needs met. You can change bar and chain pitches to fit your needs with any saw. My advise is to buy once cry once. Go with a pro saw. You won’t regret it.

 

[Muttly]

Run a Stihl 440, go back and forth between a 25" and a 32" bar. A 28 would likely be the Goldilocks size for that particular saw. The 32 let's me avoid some bending over, and at 50 with the usual wear and tear, every little bit helps.
Usually run avgas in it. Stay far far away from ethanol in a saw.
Just my opinion, run that smaller saw, get a feel for what it will and will not do. If you start running a wood stove, wood furnace with a boiler system, down the road, be a good time to look real hard at the mid and bigger pro saws. And a decent splitter.
And just for the fun of it, wouldn't be a terrible thing to get some decent chaps.