Chainsaw advice

Stato

Hi all, I am looking for some advice on chainsaws. I am looking to get a small chainsaw for cutting small trees and bits of logs for fire. Don’t want to spend too much. Wondering if fellow boardsies have any recommendations? Whats best petrol or electric?

albert kidd

i bought a stihl 171 in november..it has a 12 inch bar..i use it for logging..ive used it almost every single weekend since for about 2 hours on a sunday..it hasnt gave me once ounce of trouble an starts more or less after the first pull..i paid 249 delievered to my door from a crowd off done deal up the country..from what i read up your better off paying out the extra few bob and getting a good brand of saw..it has paid itself back 2 or 3 times over already with what ive cut.

emer_b

I was talking to a guy who repairs them recently. He said Stihl are the best by far. However best usually means most expensive.

NIMAN

Best bit of advice, be very careful !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-22042067

I used one for the 1st time last summer and I didn't enjoy it one bit. Heard too many scare stories.

paddy147

Stato wrote: »

Hi all, I am looking for some advice on chainsaws. I am looking to get a small chainsaw for cutting small trees and bits of logs for fire. Don’t want to spend too much. Wondering if fellow boardsies have any recommendations? Whats best petrol or electric?

Great chainsaw from Lidl for 90 euro.3 year garantee too:)

Chainsaw helmet/face gaurd,chainsaw chapps and chainsaw gloves are a must too.

thekooman

we have a lightweight saw at home like this:
http://www.husqvarna.com/ie/products/professional-chainsaws/t536-li-xp/

the bar is short on it as we aren't cutting big oak trees and it is perfect for pine trees, sallys, etc.
its a 1 handed saw (its that light) but i wouldn't recommend using it 1 handed... i got caught... ended up with 4 stitches in my arm and half a day in A&E!
no chainsaw is to be taken lightly but once you have pants, jacket, gloves and a visor you are that bit better protected.

Stato

thekooman wrote: »

we have a lightweight saw at home like this:
http://www.husqvarna.com/ie/products/professional-chainsaws/t536-li-xp/

the bar is short on it as we aren't cutting big oak trees and it is perfect for pine trees, sallys, etc.
its a 1 handed saw (its that light) but i wouldn't recommend using it 1 handed... i got caught... ended up with 4 stitches in my arm and half a day in A&E!
no chainsaw is to be taken lightly but once you have pants, jacket, gloves and a visor you are that bit better protected.

What kind of money are you talking about for this saw? Thanks.

bazbrady

http://www.esaleslocal.com/csaws.htm

this crowd up north are good ,have had few friends buy off them....tanaka stuff is very good,again stihl and husqvarna...jonsered are similar to husqvarna and will find them cheaper,,also echo stuff is very good...after saying all this i bought one in aldi/lidl and have had two seasons out of it so far,,,put good oil in it and make sure the mix is near perfect,also changed chain straight away to a stihl not dear 25 euros and get it sharpened often,,,its not bad saw but reckon parts might be an issue if anything goes will prob get a brand name if it does go tits up

paddy147

bazbrady wrote: »

http://www.esaleslocal.com/csaws.htm

this crowd up north are good ,have had few friends buy off them....tanaka stuff is very good,again stihl and husqvarna...jonsered are similar to husqvarna and will find them cheaper,,also echo stuff is very good...after saying all this i bought one in aldi/lidl and have had two seasons out of it so far,,,put good oil in it and make sure the mix is near perfect,also changed chain straight away to a stihl not dear 25 euros and get it sharpened often,,,its not bad saw but reckon parts might be an issue if anything goes will prob get a brand name if it does go tits up

What oil and what mix do you use in the Florabest/Lidl chainsaw?:)

bazbrady

i got some stihl ultra paddy and its a 40/1 mix on my model i got one those mix bottles...to be honest i probably shouldnt be using that good an oil in such a poor machine lol...it is a very rough cheap chainsaw but has done me well for the few bits i use it for...at time i was in need one and money was tight but i will buy a decent make when /if this aldi lidl one packs in...have heard of other people with aldi lidl saws not starting and causing all sorts problems ,i must be the lucky one ...not saying id recommend one mind!!!

dquirke1

Have to say, i bought a lidl one about 2 years ago and it packed up within 6 months, maybe 20 uses

Traded it in for a small stihl and haven't looked back since.
You really do get what you pay for...

Daithio12

thekooman wrote: »

we have a lightweight saw at home like this:
http://www.husqvarna.com/ie/products/professional-chainsaws/t536-li-xp/

the bar is short on it as we aren't cutting big oak trees and it is perfect for pine trees, sallys, etc.
its a 1 handed saw (its that light) but i wouldn't recommend using it 1 handed... i got caught... ended up with 4 stitches in my arm and half a day in A&E!
no chainsaw is to be taken lightly but once you have pants, jacket, gloves and a visor you are that bit better protected.

That's a professional tree surgeons saw and is purpose built for use with one hand while up in a tree, it's recommended by health and safety that you do not use it on the ground.
Sorry to hear about your accident, but I can't say I'm surprised, unless you are a tree surgeon and work up in trees using a harness and ropes then you have no use for that saw whatsoever and should trade it in for ground based saw.

paddy147

bazbrady wrote: »

i got some stihl ultra paddy and its a 40/1 mix on my model i got one those mix bottles...to be honest i probably shouldnt be using that good an oil in such a poor machine lol...it is a very rough cheap chainsaw but has done me well for the few bits i use it for...at time i was in need one and money was tight but i will buy a decent make when /if this aldi lidl one packs in...have heard of other people with aldi lidl saws not starting and causing all sorts problems ,i must be the lucky one ...not saying id recommend one mind!!!

I use Castrol.....just curious to see what others use in theirs.:)

Daithio12

+1 on sthil and husquvarna saws been the best buys out there, if you can stretch to buying one of those and look it after it, it will last you a very long time.

The cheaper saws like you buy in lidl etc. are made for very light domestic work and are essentially disposable saws.

Daithio12

paddy147 wrote: »

I use Castrol.....just curious to see what others use in theirs.:)

The brand name doesn't matter Paddy, as long as its a synthetic two stroke oil, they are all the same.

paddy147

Daithio12 wrote: »

+1 on sthil and husquvarna saws been the best buys out there, if you can stretch to buying one of those and look it after it, it will last you a very long time.

The cheaper saws like you buy in lidl etc. are made for very light domestic work and are essentially disposable saws.

Still might suit the OP and what he posted though.


The Lidl/Florabest chainsaw uses Husky internals though,so parts are available.

Daithio12

paddy147 wrote: »

Still might suit the OP and what he posted though.


The Lidl/Florabest chainsaw uses Husky internals though.;):)

The parts may well be huskys, but the cheap saws are made to last only about 50 hours, whereas the better saws are upwards of 250 hrs, so while it seems like a good deal it's really just a false economy.

paddy147

Daithio12 wrote: »

The parts may well be huskys, but the cheap saws are made to last only about 50 hours, whereas the better saws are upwards of 250 hrs, so while it seems like a good deal it's really just a false economy.

Well ours is still going strong and its been used to fell alot of trees and cut them up for firewood over the last 2 years.

Not massive big trees...but big enough (good enough for firewood) ...as per pic on previous page.:)

Also for railway sleepers too.


No problem with it at all and a good chainsaw for the money.

Daithio12

paddy147 wrote: »

Well ours is still going strong and its been used to fell alot of trees and cut them up for firewood over the last 2 years.

Not massive big trees...but big enough (good enough for firewood) ...as per pic on previous page.:)

Also for railway sleepers too.


No problem with it at all and a good chainsaw for the money.

No need to get the hump Paddy, like I said they are fine for light domestic use which is their market, but if you are looking for something better that will do the job easier and last longer then pay the extra few quid and get a better saw OP.

paddy147

Daithio12 wrote: »

No need to get the hump Paddy, like I said they are fine for light domestic use which is their market, but if you are looking for something better that will do the job easier and last longer then pay the extra few quid and get a better saw OP.

getting the hump??

WHO????


You made/posted an opinion/comment,and I simply replied with my personal experience.

Simples.:)

Kashkai

I need a good strong chainsaw that can handle cutting down trees and chopping them up into firewood. What would you recommend, the Stihl models? Are they cheaper up north or could I source one down here - based in Kildare btw.

cena

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I need a good strong chainsaw that can handle cutting down trees and chopping them up into firewood. What would you recommend, the Stihl models? Are they cheaper up north or could I source one down here - based in Kildare btw.

I have an old sthil saw that was me fathers only thing the thread is gone for the spark plug. I could with one. Was in the woods today and I seen loads of tree that have fallen over time and are rotting away and it could be used for fire wood.

There was even a company in lately and they have small trunks left that they don't want that could be chopped up for the fire

ymurtagh

Leixlip hire are agents for stihl and husqvarna in Kildare, or for chainsaw expertise it has to be chainsaw services in kcr ind est Dublin, stick to the top brands, you will always get the parts for them, you will pick up something will plenty of power new for 250-300, spend right- spend once, stihl would be my recommendation, never buy a second chainsaw as they are dangerous machines, and br very carful letting some else use your machine, they are safe when use in the right way but leatal if not maintained,

thekooman

Daithio12 wrote: »

That's a professional tree surgeons saw and is purpose built for use with one hand while up in a tree, it's recommended by health and safety that you do not use it on the ground.
Sorry to hear about your accident, but I can't say I'm surprised, unless you are a tree surgeon and work up in trees using a harness and ropes then you have no use for that saw whatsoever and should trade it in for ground based saw.

that's why we got it... nice and light and not killing ourselves with a big saw. it was recommended to us by the Husqvarna agent. we have it 7 years now and wouldn't change it for the world. thanks for the advice though... am 10 times more careful now anyways but it could have happened with any saw.

in terms of money it was 400+ at the time.

aerosol

Big problem with cheap chainsaws is the anti vibe properties, pro saws have the best, Lidl will have one of the worst. Lidl saws may use some husky components but they'll be 'home user saw ones'

I'd much rather get a used quality saw for the same price,maybes a few quid more than a cheap brand new one. Try a local stihl or husky dealer and see if they have a used one they've took in as an part ex deal.

No matter what saw you use, the correct ppe and correctly sharpend chain is a must. Correct work position will not only potentially save you loosing a lot of blood but also lessen fatigue and muscle injuries.

monkeynuz

thekooman wrote: »

we have a lightweight saw at home like this:
http://www.husqvarna.com/ie/products/professional-chainsaws/t536-li-xp/

the bar is short on it as we aren't cutting big oak trees and it is perfect for pine trees, sallys, etc.
its a 1 handed saw (its that light) but i wouldn't recommend using it 1 handed... i got caught... ended up with 4 stitches in my arm and half a day in A&E!
no chainsaw is to be taken lightly but once you have pants, jacket, gloves and a visor you are that bit better protected.

Afaik unless you are tree surgeon qualified you shouldn't be using a top handle saw, they are incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands.

Sorry have only just seen on previous page that daithio had covered this point.

monkeynuz

A word of caution.

The cheaper ranges of Stihl and husqvarna are now not being made in their respective countries (Germany and Sweden)

Also I have personally found and also been told that the quality is on the slide.

I would still buy these brands but only the higher end models.

Jonsered are effectively identical to husqvarna, someone told me many years ago that the jons and husky factories were side by side!

Get a good saw and it will look after you for years.

You could always buy direct from the uk.

k123456

Dangerous tools, look up kickback on youtube

A dull chain is dangerous it can cause kickback , check it regularly and keep it sharp (use the appropriate file) , make sure all the cutting links intact

Make sure there are no nails etc in your wood, esp sleepers

And of course : protective clothing and a saw horse

I am open to correction, but never cut with the nose of the chain

CJhaughey

Top handles are much more dangerous than rear handles for the simple reason that they have a lot less leverage then the rear handle version.
Thats why Stihl make a rear and top handle version of their MS200 saw. And husky make a rear handle version of their 339xp TH saw.
In the UK you cannot buy a TH saw without an arborist cert. Not without good reason.
New Husky and Stihl homeowner grade saws are made in China under license, the quality is poor compared to what they used to be like.
I would say most modern stuff is not what it used to be, even the higher end models.
My Local dealer says he had to send back a brand new Stihl MS201T because of a faulty carb. Thats not a great start for a 1000 euro saw.

k123456

Hi CJ would you be able to post a couple of pics of the different handle types, safe and non safe please

k123456

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_safety_features

CJhaughey

k123456 wrote: »

Hi CJ would you be able to post a couple of pics of the different handle types, safe and non safe please

Rear Handle





Top handle

Rovi

k123456 wrote: »

Hi CJ would you be able to post a couple of pics of the different handle types, safe and non safe please

There's really no such thing as a 'safe' chainsaw, more like 'dangerous' and 'more dangerous'

Top-handle saws are considered to be in the 'more dangerous' category, because in spite of them 'only' usually having 30cc or smaller engines and 12" or so bars, they're usually used up close and personal in awkward and difficult situations, and the physics of the layout of the handles makes controlling them more difficult than a conventional rear-handle saw.
That's before you even consider the temptation to use them one-handed, which simply multiplies the possibility of things going badly wrong.

Daithio12

thekooman wrote: »

that's why we got it... nice and light and not killing ourselves with a big saw. it was recommended to us by the Husqvarna agent. we have it 7 years now and wouldn't change it for the world. thanks for the advice though... am 10 times more careful now anyways but it could have happened with any saw.

in terms of money it was 400+ at the time.

Have a look at the link below and in particular the section on "top handle" chainsaws, it explains it in better detail than I ever could.
I trained as a tree surgeon and I can't think of any reason why one would use a THC over a normal rear handle one on the ground.
There simply is no advantage.
The agent must have been desperate for the sale, frankly he was been irresponsible at best.

k123456 wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainsaw_safety_features