Suggestions for quality chainsaw

ImMadAsHell

Hi All,

Can anyone suggest a good brand of chainsaw, I had a look in B&Q and they have a few, Ryobi, McCullogh etc. Any brands I should steer clear off or features I should look for when buying.

Daniel O Donnel

Always use Stihl myself. Good reliable saw. Probably more expensive than the ones you mentioned but well worth it.

Git101

Makita do an excellent range of chainsaws at very reasonable prices.

CJhaughey

The ones you mentioned at B+Q, Homebase and Woodies are the worst, stay away from them.
You say a quality saw, what size wood are you cutting? how much do you want to spend?
If you need a petrol saw then for light useage up to 12" or so then the old MS180 Stihl would be a good contender, and cheap enough if you can find one.
They are now discontinued and replaced with the MS181.
Stepping up you would get a MS211 which is more powerful.
Husqvarna do a broadly similar lineup with the 435 and 440 saws.
Git101 is correct Makita do some good quality saws made by Dolmar in Germany, the only problem here is finding a good dealer to service them.
The DCS401 are a good small saw and probably a little more reasonable then the prices charged here for Stihl/Husky.
I find that the UK has much better prices on that stuff.
Get a spare chain at the same time and a bottle of chain oil as well.
Don't forget to budget for Safety gear, Helmet Faceshield, earmuffs and gloves and some safety pants.
Hard to cut wood with one leg or a shredded hand.

ImMadAsHell

Cheers Lads,

I need to remove some old tree stumps and also cut back some badly overgrown hedgerows, hawthorn etc. The tree stumps are dead but about 2-3 ft across so the plan is to cut them down to about 6" above ground (currently about 5 ft tall. Maybe try to drill and chemically kill although I might leave them since they are quite sizable and close to the house. Risk of subsidence etc once roots die off.

This will really only be a one time deal, once the stumps are removed and the hedgerows cut back to a maintainable level I won't (I hope) be neading the brute force of a chainsaw again. Its a toss up between spending €50-€70 to rent a good quality one to get the job done or spend €100-€150 to get an OK one that will get the job done but that I will have in the shed if I need it again.

ozzirt

I'm not in Ireland, but i have no doubt that chainsaws are much the same the world over. Our club used to cut firewood to raise money and there were a good range of chainsaws being used.

After 3 -4 years I came to the opinion that there are no real "Duds", you pretty much get what you pay for An occasional light duty user will be best served by cheaper, less sophisticated brands, Homelite, McCulloch etc., then there is a very large middle ground (in no particular order) Poulan, Partner (made by Electrolux, Sweden), Jonsered "home user" Stihls and a dozen others, and finally there are professional saws by Stihl Jonsered and probably nmost popular here among serious professional users the Husquvarna Pro series.

Having said that, I still say that all that I have seen, enquired about and used are good value for money from top to bottom.

I personally have a 50cc Partner with a 16" roller nosed bar, 22 years old that has probably cut close to a 1000 tonnes of firewood (with a new bar). I also have a 122cc 074AV Stihl with a 36" bar (not the pro model) I bought this secondhand ex Forestry service. Both are excellent saws and have caused me no worries. Keep them clean and the chains sharp and they will give you a lifetime of good service, unless of course you are a professional timber feller, or an idiot who tries to cut the dirt (instant "death" for a sharp chain)

I would say buy the best you can easily afford, and spend a few extra dollars on an electric post mounted chain sharpener and at least one spare chain, I have about 7 in my box when I go out. A sharp chain can make more difference than an extra 10ccs of motor. Change your chain the instant it starts to show signs of slowing down. You will cut more timber and your back and your chainsaw and bar will last much longer.:)

jimmyparke

Husqvarna are meant to be a very good brand. Readily available in Ireland. I was informed by a maintenance dude that they are semi-professional.(And he wasn't trying to sell me one,he was just servicing it for me)

ozzirt

jimmyparke wrote: »

Husqvarna are meant to be a very good brand. Readily available in Ireland. I was informed by a maintenance dude that they are semi-professional.(And he wasn't trying to sell me one,he was just servicing it for me)

They do also have a Pro series that are probably top of the heap. I'd like to own one, but cannot justify it.

Brmmm, brmmm, I feel a case of serious chainsaw envy coming on.:D

Naux

Daniel O Donnel wrote: »

Always use Stihl myself. Good reliable saw. Probably more expensive than the ones you mentioned but well worth it.

I second this. I have a Stihl and it is an excellent saw.

Well worth the extra money.

I have cleared a site with mine and I'd hate to think what it would have been like using a less powerful saw!

Naux

ImMadAsHell wrote: »

Cheers Lads,

I need to remove some old tree stumps and also cut back some badly overgrown hedgerows, hawthorn etc. The tree stumps are dead but about 2-3 ft across so the plan is to cut them down to about 6" above ground (currently about 5 ft tall. Maybe try to drill and chemically kill although I might leave them since they are quite sizable and close to the house. Risk of subsidence etc once roots die off.

This will really only be a one time deal, once the stumps are removed and the hedgerows cut back to a maintainable level I won't (I hope) be neading the brute force of a chainsaw again. Its a toss up between spending €50-€70 to rent a good quality one to get the job done or spend €100-€150 to get an OK one that will get the job done but that I will have in the shed if I need it again.

Rent I'd say...

Why not get a wood carver in and make garden features eg(seats, raised flowerbeds etc etc)out of the 3ft diamenter stumps. Just an idea.

CJhaughey

If was doing it, I would get a guy with a stumpgrinder in to deal with the stumps and just rent a brushcutter or a guy to clear it for the day.
Cutting stumps is about the hardest work you can give a chainsaw and you will go through lots of chains, mainly because the tree holds a lot of stones and rock dust in the stump. Nothing under 60cc would be suitable for that kind of work.
Trust me on this.
PM me if you need a number for a stumpgrinder in Dublin.
I have a couple of Pro Huskies they are strong saws nearly 5 hp and as such would not be recommended for a casual user.
Any pro saw is powerful and lightweight.
Stihl Pro series have white rear handles and usually end in an even number.
Husky pro saws have XP after the Model designation 262xp, 357xp, 372xp etc.

CJhaughey

ozzirt wrote: »

I also have a 122cc 074AV Stihl with a 36" bar (not the pro model) I bought this secondhand ex Forestry service.

Do you mean an 084? Stihl never made an 074 AFAIK. 075 and 076 but they are 111cc

ozzirt

CJhaughey wrote: »

Do you mean an 084? Stihl never made an 074 AFAIK. 075 and 076 but they are 111cc

My apologies CJ, I just went to the shed and checked, it is an 076AV and is 122cc (worked over for competition work) Done by Reg Mc Dougall in Hobart Tasmania, the absolute "Premier" chainsaw doctor in that state. It has not been looked at mechanically in 16 years, and goes second pull every time, it's better to start than my 50cc Partner.

It was retired when lighter models became available, it weighs a ton compared with modern saws, but needs good earmuffs for the user:).

CJhaughey

ozzirt wrote: »

My apologies CJ, I just went to the shed and checked, it is an 076AV and is 122cc (worked over for competition work) Done by Reg Mc Dougall in Hobart Tasmania, the absolute "Premier" chainsaw doctor in that state. It has not been looked at mechanically in 16 years, and goes second pull every time, it's better to start than my 50cc Partner.

It was retired when lighter models became available, it weighs a ton compared with modern saws, but needs good earmuffs for the user:).

Nice saw, does it have a 084 cylinder on a 076 chassis? Thats some difference in cc between stock and modified.
There is a new MS881 out now, I think there is a guy in NSW testing it as we speak.

ozzirt

CJhaughey wrote: »

Nice saw, does it have a 084 cylinder on a 076 chassis? Thats some difference in cc between stock and modified.
There is a new MS881 out now, I think there is a guy in NSW testing it as we speak.

I don't know what Reg did to it, he doesn't talk about his work much, but I would not be surprised that was something of that nature as it also ended up with a "'new" crank and drive sprocket.

I am not familiar with the newer models as I was purely a home user myself, it was just that I was fortunate enough to have several very handy contacts one of which was a semi professional competitor on the Tasmanian circuit, Steve Whitton, Reg's cousin, whom I was working with at the time.

I actually only left the saw to have a check over, get a tune up and the AV rubbers replaced, I think most of the pieces were left overs from jobs that had been done for other customers. I also scored an almost new side cover plate. It cost me a few dollars, a case of beer and a bottle of stronger stuff, but it was still great value:D

Here it is 20 something years later looking decidedly neglected now that i no longer cut my own firewood. You can see where I rubbed the dust off the maker's plate last night to read the model number:o The box that it's sitting on contains my Partner and all the extras, oil bottle grease gun, tools and spare chains etc. I don't think that it's been started in 6 or 7 years, i should really give it a "birthday" and put it away properly.