Best Chainsaw for Farm Use

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 10:35am #1

Can anyone recommend a good chainsaw for farm use for fencing, cutting firewood. Which is better Husqvarna or Stihl?

12-04-2021 10:40am

The one with a properly sharpened chain.
Junk saws for under 100 quid cut like a knife through butter as they are using a new properly sharpened chain on straight rails for the first hour or two.

the_pen_turner · 12-04-2021 10:41am

Its Ferrari v Porsche or oasis v blur.
Both great, just comes down the personal preference.
I personally only like style over husky but we always had sthl and have a great dealer near us that always looked after us

12-04-2021 10:44am

the_pen_turner wrote: »

Its Ferrari v Porsche or oasis v blur.
Both great, just comes down the personal preference.
I personally only like style over husky but we always had sthl and have a great dealer near us that always looked after us

Shindaiwa for the win. They're the Pagani of chainsaws.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 10:46am

Deleted User wrote: »

The one with a properly sharpened chain.
Junk saws for under 100 quid cut like a knife through butter as they are using a new properly sharpened chain on straight rails for the first hour or two.

Have a Aldi saw atm its crap..

12-04-2021 10:50am

What is it not doing well? Does it overheat? Is it hard to start? Is there too much vibration being transmitted through to the operator? Is it markedly heavier than an equivalent saw of semi-pro standard from a well known manufacturer.
Bars and chains can be bought on eBay quite cheaply and transform the experience.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 10:51am

Deleted User wrote: »

What is it not doing well? Does it overheat? Is it hard to start? Is there too much vibration being transmitted through to the operator? Is it markedly heavier than an equivalent saw of semi-pro standard from a well known manufacturer.
Bars and chains can be bought on eBay quite cheaply and transform the experience.

It has a sharp chain but its very slow cutting through timber

12-04-2021 10:54am

Is it oiling the chain? If you can afford to reduce the bar size by 2 inches the peformance of the saw will be transformed.
Is there wear on the sprocket. How does the bar look? Are the lubrication holes on the bar clear?
Has someone adjusted the carb to make it run too rich?

If the saw is undersized for your job then it is undersized but buying an undersized saw from a respected brand will leave you in the same situation.

SmartinMartin · 12-04-2021 10:56am

Cut up an entire 200 Yr old fallen oak last week with an aldi saw, no bother to it. That's next year's firewood taken care of. I'd say your chain is blunt. Are you letting the saw do the work?

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 10:57am

Deleted User wrote: »

Is it oiling the chain? If you can afford to reduce the bar size by 2 inches the peformance of the saw will be transformed.
Is there wear on the sprocket. How does the bar look? Are the lubrication holes on the bar clear?
Has someone adjusted the carb to make it run too rich?

If the saw is undersized for your job then it is undersized but buying an undersized saw from a respected brand will leave you in the same situation.

Bar is fine and oiling ok. The carb might be the issue.

12-04-2021 10:58am

His model of Aldi saw may not be the same as yours. They use various manufacturers, some of which are better than others.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 10:58am

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Cut up an entire 200 Yr old fallen oak last week with an aldi saw, no bother to it. That's next year's firewood taken care of. I'd say your chain is blunt. Are you letting the saw do the work?

Yes.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 11:00am

https://www.aldi.co.uk/gardenline-petrol-chainsaw/p/082616197259100

Mine is this saw

12-04-2021 11:06am

A new 16" chain for that would cost very little.
Would someone have adjusted the carb away from default value? What does the user's manual say regarding that? It looks like there is no adjustment based on pictures.
Is the warranty still intact. If dying under load then if you return it they'll probably send you a new saw in its place.
At least that is what happened when I returned my Aldi battery toothbrush a few weeks ago.

That is a hobbyist saw and will only be suitable for trees which are under the diameter of the bar.
It should perform that task adequately but not something greater.

SmartinMartin · 12-04-2021 11:08am

Sorry, wasn't sure what experience you had. That model looks slightly smaller than the one I'm using. Mine is not as powerful as my Stihl or jonsered, but they are both awaiting service, so the aldi one did the job no bother, just a bit slower. I did notice it could do with bigger spikes.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 11:38am

Deleted User wrote: »

A new 16" chain for that would cost very little.
Would someone have adjusted the carb away from default value? What does the user's manual say regarding that? It looks like there is no adjustment based on pictures.
Is the warranty still intact. If dying under load then if you return it they'll probably send you a new saw in its place.
At least that is what happened when I returned my Aldi battery toothbrush a few weeks ago.

That is a hobbyist saw and will only be suitable for trees which are under the diameter of the bar.
It should perform that task adequately but not something greater.

No one adjusted the carb.

it's not dying its just very slow cutting.

I want to cut trees 30/40cm

TooOldBoots · 12-04-2021 11:38am

Have a Huski and a Lidl saw. Have use for both but to be honest its the Lidl saw that gets used the most as its small, lightweight and cheap but it gets some punishment. Gets about 3 days full use per year so I don't have a reason for an expensive saw.
What interests me most is those battery operated chainsaws, they look small and very convenient.

12-04-2021 11:44am

farmer2018 wrote: »

No one adjusted the carb.

it's not dying its just very slow cutting.

I want to cut trees 30/40cm

sharpen the chain properly (easier said than done and a bit like saying cut your own hair)
or
buy a new chain
or
if you can afford to loose 5cm of reach drop to a 14" bar and chain(or just bar and cut 16" chain down to 14") and you'll see even bigger performance increase
or
buy a compatible chain with a more aggresive saw tooth(I don't recommend this although though the low pro chain fitted as standard dulls the effectivity of the chainsaw)

hurling_lad · 12-04-2021 12:05pm

Whichever brand you go for, my recommendation is that you buy a Stihl filing guide along with a few of the correct size file for your saw.
Has transformed the job of chainsawing for me.

patsy_mccabe · 12-04-2021 12:07pm

I've a Stihl MS170 and its a little dinger of a saw. Lovely and lightweight. It was made in China though, by Stihl but still.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 12:12pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I've a Stihl MS170 and its a little dinger of a saw. Lovely and lightweight. It was made in China though, by Stihl but still.

Yes, I am told the MS180 are a cracking saw, they would last for a life time

What do you cut with it Patsy?

12-04-2021 12:15pm

3/8 low profile chain is still the limiting factor regardless of whether it is fitted on a branded hobby class saw or a chainstore hobby class saw.
It is designed not to be aggressive to minimise the risk of kickback from the bar's nose tip.
bigger and older saws didn't use this type of chain.

meathstevie · 12-04-2021 12:18pm

hurling_lad wrote: »

Whichever brand you go for, my recommendation is that you buy a Stihl filing guide along with a few of the correct size file for your saw.
Has transformed the job of chainsawing for me.

Absolutely, that little gizmo is priceless. Around €45 when I bought mine but worth every penny and than some.

12-04-2021 12:27pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I've a Stihl MS170 and its a little dinger of a saw. Lovely and lightweight. It was made in China though, by Stihl but still.

His saw is 1.5KW in power. An MS170 is 1.6KW.
They're both two-stroke and are not going to have dramatically different torque curves.
Buying an MS170 will not solve his problem other than giving him a brand new bar and sharp chain.

patsy_mccabe · 12-04-2021 12:29pm

farmer2018 wrote: »

Yes, I am told the MS180 are a cracking saw, they would last for a life time

What do you cut with it Patsy?

Mostly for cutting bushes, light firewood up to maybe 6". I also have a much older MS 250 and that it much heavier but twice as powerful.
The MS170 is so handy though because it so lighter.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 12:32pm

Deleted User wrote: »

His saw is 1.5KW in power. An MS170 is 1.6KW.
They're both two-stroke and are not going to have dramatically different torque curves.
Buying an MS170 will not solve his problem other than giving him a brand new bar and sharp chain.

But sure buying a cheap saw and the likes of a Stilh is miles apart like buying a Fiat and a Toyota. Stihl would be miles ahead

12-04-2021 12:46pm

farmer2018 wrote: »

But sure buying a cheap saw and the likes of a Stilh is miles apart like buying a Fiat and a Toyota. Stihl would be miles ahead

No. not much difference between two-stroke engines on these small chainsaws with plastic crankcases. I'd hope the additional 80 to 100 euro price-premium would deliver a product with a little bit more longevity in terms of exterior plastics and bearings and cylinder coatings but apart from that they should be similar enough.
You are not complaining about longevity as the Aldi saw is still working.

bogman_bass · 12-04-2021 12:51pm

I think my next Saw is going to be battery powered. Nothing worse that won’t start when you want it too

Charolois 19 · 12-04-2021 12:53pm

Id do a lot of cutting a year, mostly all hardwood and ive cheap saws up to pro saws your huskys and sthils are great saws but about this time last year I bought a Echo 420es as a farm saw, tsumera roller tip, and without doubt I absolutely love it, have serious cutting time put on it this year and not a bat out of her, I was thinking of a husky 435, but glad I picked the echo, think I paid around 550, but the bar was 100, lightweight, revs out to 11000 rpm, good torque, decent sized oil and fuel tanks, 16" bar on mine can go up to 20" im told, not sure tho, seems to not be as high torque as the husky and don't rev out as high as the sthil, right in the middle, and shes on carbs with a lot of new saws going injection, can't fix that I the woods, great build quality too, and very little vibration it its going to be a long day cutting, light enough to that its comfortable for limbing and bucking, my go to saw every time now

BnB · 12-04-2021 1:33pm

I have a fairly small Oleo Mac saw that I bought a few years ago when a local fella was a main dealer for them and it's a great little yoke. It's lite as a feather and always starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull after being left idle for a few months. I've an Oleo Mac Leaf Blower as well and that's the same - Only started once or twice a year and never fails

Zimmerframe · 12-04-2021 2:18pm

farmer2018 wrote: »

But sure buying a cheap saw and the likes of a Stilh is miles apart like buying a Fiat and a Toyota. Stihl would be miles ahead

Not really.
It's horses for courses, taking engine power, bar size, chain etc into account.

eg

I have a Stihl 181c which cost me approx. 350 euros and it's a lovely little saw, light as a feather, starts first assisted pull, a joy to use.

I also have a Lidl saw, which cost me 99 euros.
If I was cutting big logs, I would go for the Lidl saw every time.

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 4:35pm

What's the best tool for sharpening the blade?

farmer2018 · 12-04-2021 4:35pm

Zimmerframe wrote: »

Not really.
It's horses for courses, taking engine power, bar size, chain etc into account.

eg

I have a Stihl 181c which cost me approx. 350 euros and it's a lovely little saw, light as a feather, starts first assisted pull, a joy to use.

I also have a Lidl saw, which cost me 99 euros.
If I was cutting big logs, I would go for the Lidl saw every time.

Interesting, what Lidl saw is it?

Zimmerframe · 12-04-2021 4:51pm

farmer2018 wrote: »

Interesting, what Lidl saw is it?

Just googled there, I'm pretty sure it's this one

http://offers.kd2.org/en/ie/lidl/phcCp/

12-04-2021 4:54pm

farmer2018 wrote: »

What's the best tool for sharpening the blade?

A keen(sid) eye in conjunction with a round file and flat file with whichever cgeap handtool is sold by Oregon or Stihl or Husqvarna which suits you. Don't spend too much.

12-04-2021 4:56pm

Zimmerframe wrote: »

Just googled there, I'm pretty sure it's this one

http://offers.kd2.org/en/ie/lidl/phcCp/

just looking at the picture I can see it is a clone of a Husky 51.
Note that it is using oregon .325 chain which is much more aggresive.

Green farmer · 12-04-2021 5:33pm

Had a lidl one a few years ago. Thought it was grand until it completely seized up after 2 years. So went and spent a few hundred extra and bought a husky. Thing is still going perfect a few years later. Sure a stihl would have done the same job. Dont think I'd look at anything else other then those two brands now. Other thing , what value has a lidl or budget brand saw secondhand ? Compare that to a secondhand stihl or husky ?

dh1985 · 12-04-2021 6:08pm

Bought a husky 550xp recently after long deliberation. Big enough money. But an absolutely pig of a saw to cut. Nice size also. Hoping it will last a lifetime

zetecescort · 12-04-2021 7:34pm

BnB wrote: »

I have a fairly small Oleo Mac saw that I bought a few years ago when a local fella was a main dealer for them and it's a great little yoke. It's lite as a feather and always starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull after being left idle for a few months. I've an Oleo Mac Leaf Blower as well and that's the same - Only started once or twice a year and never fails

+1 on Oleo mac. have both a saw and strimmer here and like you say, both will start fine after being idle for months. couldn't fault either machine

minerleague · 12-04-2021 10:03pm

dh1985 wrote: »

Bought a husky 550xp recently after long deliberation. Big enough money. But an absolutely pig of a saw to cut. Nice size also. Hoping it will last a lifetime

Do you find it very loud?

dh1985 · 12-04-2021 10:07pm

minerleague wrote: »

Do you find it very loud?

It would be louder than my last chainsaw but that was only a toy in comparison. Would be wearing ear protection so cant say I notice it even excessively loud

minerleague · 13-04-2021 11:52am

dh1985 wrote: »

Bought a husky 550xp recently after long deliberation. Big enough money. But an absolutely pig of a saw to cut. Nice size also. Hoping it will last a lifetime

Bought one myself, have a huskvarna 61 that must be 35 years and still going strong, hard to move to another brand after that. Found last few years a bit heavy for me now if using all day ( do a bit of hedgelaying / coppicing every winter ). As you say 550xp seemed to be a good compromise between weight and power, although I find the noise a good bit more high pitched than the 61. Bought better ear protection.

13-04-2021 12:24pm

The smaller the professional saw the louder and more unpleasant they are are the ear. The 42cc ones I'm familiar with really screamed as it worked at higher RPMs than the 54 and 67cc pro saws.

laoch na mona · 13-04-2021 2:23pm

I've a husqvarna 450. Runs an 18 inch bar no bother but id like a 16 inch bar for lighter work.

Its more saw than I need in some ways but I'll be looking for timber for it for next winter to put it to work

PMU · 13-04-2021 3:02pm

bogman_bass wrote: »

I think my next Saw is going to be battery powered. Nothing worse that won’t start when you want it too

good luck with that. all saws will start with proper maintenance

13-04-2021 3:35pm

PMU wrote: »

good luck with that. all saws will start with proper maintenance

The technology isn't mature. I wouldn't buy an electric saw for another 5 years.
They are the best solution right now for tree surgeons in certain cases but can't think who else they'd suit who'd have a need for a saw.

DBK1 · 13-04-2021 3:47pm

Deleted User wrote: »

The technology isn't mature. I wouldn't buy an electric saw for another 5 years.
They are the best solution right now for tree surgeons in certain cases but can't think who else they'd suit who'd have a need for a saw.

I’d love to have a small battery powered saw in behind the seat of the tractor. That way when we get to where farmers want us to go through their narrow gaps with branches hanging everywhere to break the mirrors off the tractor they could be cut off. You wouldn’t be poisoned with the smell of petrol in the cab with a battery powered.

13-04-2021 4:05pm

google small one-handed saws. Echo and Stihl make or made really good ones. Chinese make cheap ones but they are still good enough to get you out of a pinch.
With bars and chains having quick release systems now a more conventional hobbyist saw can fit in small spaces too now.

Ak84 · 13-04-2021 5:54pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

google small one-handed saws. Echo and Stihl make or made really good ones. Chinese make cheap ones but they are still good enough to get you out of a pinch.
With bars and chains having quick release systems now a more conventional hobbyist saw can fit in small spaces too now.

Not an expert on saws by any means, but one handed saws are extremely dangerous and have killed many a man.
When they kick back, it's straight into your neck.
Safe Pass tutor had all the figures one day.
2 hands needed to control any power tool.

13-04-2021 6:15pm

Ak84 wrote: »

Not an expert on saws by any means, but one handed saws are extremely dangerous and have killed many a man.
When they kick back, it's straight into your neck.
Safe Pass tutor had all the figures one day.
2 hands needed to control any power tool.

They are dangerous which is why you don't find many of them and are almost entirely the domain of Tree Surgeons. They are not really one handled in that they have a handle for left and right hands but it is possible to use them one handed.

Sparkey84 · 13-04-2021 6:31pm

have a stihl 361, its from their pro line about 15yrs ago great saw will cut more than i will ever need. if going again id go for one from their non pro section, i think the 391 was a non pro with similar displacement, did not have all metal crankcase and slightly lower bhp as not tuned as high. pay the savings on a fancy sharpening system as that is what really makes the difference.

Best Chainsaw for Farm Use

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