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Recommended small chainsaw

  • 02-01-2022 8:57pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭


    Hi, I cant find historical threads on recommended small chain saw for infrequent use. Branches, small tree (<12") etc. Was looking at the stihl ms 170 or 181. What would ye recommend? Thanks



Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,657 ✭✭✭Zimmerframe


    No expert here, but I bought a Stihl MS181c for pretty much the same usage as you require. Lovely little saw same as the MS181 , but with tool free blade tensioning and lazy/easy start. Couldn't fault it for small jobs.



  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭divillybit


    Im not sure new ms 181's can be got easily anymore, I looked in two Stihl dealers lately and the smaller ms models weren't to be had. Ended up buying a 2nd hand ms250 on DoneDeal and it's quite the ripper with a 16" bar. It's my small saw but the one I'd do 90% of my cutting with. Have a 85cc stihl with a 26" bar for the bigger timber.



    The Ms 180 in this DoneDeal ad looks good value.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,699 ✭✭✭amacca


    Would you consider a cordless one


    I have a dewalt cordless (brushless motor) here....bought it a couple of years ago and do just the kind of work you are talking about....find it light, powerful and no issues as yet.


    Needs chain oil but otherwise no faffing around, for general bits and pieces I'm sorry I spent do long lugging around the old stihls we have here. Mind you you wouldn't go felling a big tree with one but it is surprising what they are capable of.


    Would have to factor in a decent battery at least 6ah, preferably 9ah and a charger which wasn't an issue for me as I had one for another tool already.



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,584 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    Have to agree with this. Haven't started a petrol saw since I got a cordless saw in Lidl a few months ago. Does anything asked of it up to about 10'' thick Ash.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭divillybit


    Never considered an electric chainsaw personally, but for farm use it wouldn't really be a runner if you need to cut up a fallen tree down the fields. You can do alot of cutting with a small petrol chainsaw for a tenner's worth of petrol and the 2 stroke oil



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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,054 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    It’s awful nice to have something that you know will start when you need it though



  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭divillybit


    Ah a well maintained chainsaw will always start, even if it's flooded it'll start after a few pulls with the throttle kept fully open it'll start. They are relatively simple to maintain and troubleshoot any issues.

    Maintaince is key, keeping the cutters sharp, air filter clean, the right petrol : oil mix and a good quality brand chainsaw will last decades.

    I suspect alot of owners of small domestic saws end up wrecking them by not putting 2 stroke oil in with the petrol and thus ruining the cylinder.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭monseiur


    Check out the Husqvarna 440, it's a mid range saw, comes with an 18'' bar Price tag is €530.00 approx. If you're going for Stihl go for something like the Stihl MS 251 pricy but top quality and will last years, just like the Husky



  • Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭Easten


    I have both a petrol and the lidl electric saw. I use the electric one all the time, it's so convenient. I use it mainly for light stuff around the farm, it's ideal for stuff up to 10 inchs. It'll cut big stuff as it has plenty power but the bar is too short. Then again my petrol saw has a mid length bar and would chop up the real big stuff, but it's too big to be lugging around, add a petrol can, chain oil, tools and safety gear and it becomes an ordeal to do any job. On top of that you need a good quality petrol saw, those cheap ones will redden by the time your halfway through the tenner's worth of petrol.



  • Registered Users Posts: 33,378 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Not exactly true. The DeWalt is actually a fierce machine for what it is. Very powerful and capable. Have one myself. Bought it after few years of just being pissed of dicking around with starting the petrol. Infrequent use and always pissing around sorting it out. DeWalt button and done.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,699 ✭✭✭amacca


    Id hate to be steering anyone wrong and maybe the petrol is better for OPs needs but you'd be surprised the work I've done with the electric one....Ive had two stihls for well over a decade and cant fault them, always kept them maintained including correct fuel oil mix , even though I hate sharpening chains...... but they've been gathering dust for the past couple of years....The battery one handled any windfall in that time (and there were a lot and it wasnt all piddly branches) ........If it went kaput in the morning, I'd nearly feel it was good value.


    Now having said that I got it from a german company as I couldnt stomach paying nearly two and half times the price here so depends on how much you end up paying for it I suppose.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    I only ever use Stihl but I am getting peed of with the difficulty in finding good service agents & the fact that we have Origo as the middle man meaning that we pay more.

    Makita cordless saws have an excellent reputation & are being used by a lot of tree surgeons. The Lidl two battery saw is also supposed to be good.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Who did you buy from ? :)

    By the way be careful if you are buying the chainsaw attachment for a Stihl Combi. Most Irish dealers seem to have old stock. The newer model has the oil tank on the left.



  • Registered Users Posts: 33,378 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    I got mine from an amazon Germany supplier. And just noticed its dropped again alot more than I paid. Sad face.

    https://www.amazon.de/-/en/gp/aw/d/B06XTK5FBX?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,699 ✭✭✭amacca


    Think it was a company called sotel....got a cordless strimmer for garden at same time from german amazon at same time...or vice versa

    I'll be damned if I'm going digging through receipts though.



  • Registered Users Posts: 544 ✭✭✭Mr321


    I agree with the above that a well maintained 2 stroke chainsaw should last a lifetime. Obvs the saws these days are way lighter then even ones that's 10 years old.

    Its interesting reading about the battery saws I just think it's also worth thinking about how many times a year you'll be using the saw. We all know that if the batterys are sitting up and are not regularly used they dont be long loosing their life of holding a charge. I suppose my main question is the type of timber yous are cutting with then. Hard or soft trees it needs to be all taken into consideration.

    If it was a compatible brand battery that could be used on other power tools that wouldn't be as bad.

    Like I've a battery angle grinder now a few years and it's great off grid but the battery life in them cutting for a period of minutes is not good. Grand for on and off work like nipping ends off bolts/nuts etc



  • Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭divillybit


    I've just used petrol chainsaws so can't comment on the battery powered ones. Battery might be the best choice for the op.


    I think battery powered ones will still need bar oil and will need to be sharpened regularly. Keeping a good edge on the cutters will be especially important for battery saws.


    The ms250 stihl are a super saw, and fairly economical. But definitely keep an eye out on donedeal for used saws if yer thinking of buying before buying new.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Modern batteries hold their charge much better than the old ones did.



  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Part of the problem with Stihl is that they implemented a policy of not selling chainsaws online claiming safety reasons. I think the EU ruled that it was a restriction of sale & Stihl had to stop doing it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,471 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Another vote for a dewalt battery saw here. Got one recently as I have other dewalt kit and it was as cheap as chips. Very capable for its size and ideal to bring around fencing and such.



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