May Need a New Chainsaw - Any Suggestions?

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May Need a New Chainsaw - Any Suggestions?
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JohnB

Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:21 pm Post subject: May Need a New Chainsaw - Any Suggestions?

My chainsaw may need replacing. We'll be looking at it tomorrow to see if it can be rescued

. So I may need a new one. Has anyone got any recommendations?

I've got between 3 and 5 acres of rubbish woodland to sort out. Most of the work I need to do is clearing fallen and dead trees, and coppicing hazel that hasn't been touched for many years. Plus cutting it up for firewood. There will be some bigger trees to cut occasionally as well, but it's mainly coppicing and clearance. I've been told I don't need anything bigger than a 15" bar, and it needs to be lightweight so I can work all day without needing to develop big muscles!

And it's urgent as I've got lots of coppicing to do before it's too late!

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9020
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:25 pm Post subject:
How far are you from Fishguard? I have a friend near there who uses his chainsaw a lot, could possibly give you good advice or tell you who could..

misty07

Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Posts: 2223
Location: swindon wiltshire

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:26 pm Post subject:
stihl or husky only is my advice

bodrighy

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 2159
Location: Near Devizes

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:28 pm Post subject:

misty07 wrote:

stihl or husky only is my advice

Mine too. I think you have to have a certificate for over a certain size as well. Worth checking though I think it's a lot bigger than 15"

Pete

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:29 pm Post subject:
I have a 17 year old stihl. 20" bar. Great saw, not the lightest though. Don't know if they still make them like they used to, but I would buy another. Local fencing contractor has 2 Husqvarna saws.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42223
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:32 pm Post subject:
vickersdc teaches people about chainsaws and the like for a living. You could PM him via here. He's also got a chainsaw related blog with lots of useful advice which is here.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:35 pm Post subject:
Stihl every time.

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:37 pm Post subject:
Stihl for reliability, Husquie for speed IMO. If it was me I'd go for either the Stihl MS 290 if money was tight, and the Stihl MS 391 if I could afford it. The 391 is more powerful and therefore less likely to get the chain jammed.

JohnB

Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:37 pm Post subject:

gz wrote:

How far are you from Fishguard?
I have a friend near there who uses his chainsaw a lot, could possibly give you good advice or tell you who could..

Newcastle Emlyn, so quite a long way.

I've currently got a Husqvarna 141, bought when I only had � acre.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9020
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 9:42 pm Post subject:
I'll ask him anyway, will let you know. Will have to do by phone as he has internet/computer virus problems at present!!

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18420

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 10:17 pm Post subject:
Another vote for Stihl for 'domestic' purposes. Husqvarna if you make your living working in the woods. Sort of fits with what BB said about speed.

Mr O

Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Posts: 5512
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 10:40 pm Post subject:
I have 3 saws, Stihl MS 170, great for cutting up wood and felling up to 14 inches, very light weight. Husky 349 Great for felling bigger trees and for chainsaw milling, but a bit heavy. Poulan 33cc cheap crappy saw, more likely to cut me than a tree.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 10:53 pm Post subject:
Stihl. Very reliable, easy to start & maintain, and spares easy to come by. Quite good prices can be had if you hunt around. I have an MS 170 and even though it's small it can handle all the jobs I need included felling trees up to 18" diameter.

JohnB

Joined: 09 Jul 2005
Posts: 685
Location: Beautiful sunny West Wales!

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 11:39 pm Post subject:
From what I've seen on the web, you can't buy Stihl online any more.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15464
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 11 11:49 pm Post subject:

Brownbear wrote:

If it was me I'd go for either the Stihl MS 290 if money was tight, and the Stihl MS 391 if I could afford it. The 391 is more powerful and therefore less likely to get the chain jammed.

I forget which saw is which, but they sound bigger than he needs. If you need to you can fell a 35" tree with a 14" bar.
OTOH, a bigger saw will cut quicker and more easily, so may be less effort overall.
I would suggest you go down the shop and have a feel of them. See which weight you are comfortable with.

Stihl and Husqvarna are the market leaders, but I have heard that Echo are not bad, and are substantially cheaper.

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