Dear Lazyweb,
I’m ready to buy a gasoline chainsaw. I’ve only used one a couple of times so I plan to take a class.
Any advice to get started? Price isn’t the main consideration. I’m not looking to buy the cheapest or the most expensive, but I’m willing to buy what I need to get through a bad day.
About the only thing I know is that over the years my dad became a fan of Stihl chainsaws. Dad grew up poor during the Great Depression. He wasn’t the kind of guy who bought expensive things to impress people. He tended to take the cheap route first and only take the expensive route if the cheap route didn’t work, so I consider that a pretty strong endorsement of Stihl.
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I have a Troy and like it well enough.
The only advice I’d give is get one with a bar (where the chain goes around) longer than you think you’ll need.
Mine is 16″, and I really could have used a 20″ or so.
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I have one friend who really knows his way around chainsaws. He swears by Stihl.
He also says his kevlar chaps were the best money he ever spent.
Stihl saws were head and shoulders above most of the competition 25 years ago when I was doing various sorts of tree work for a living. Rustmeister is right about a long bar – it allows you more reach when you’re whacking up brush, and can save lots of your energy in reducing the bending and reaching you have to do.
I am still using a Stihl 031 that my dad bought almost 40 years ago. I think Stihl changed the model designation around at some point and the current rendition of the same saw is a model 310.
I have no idea how many hours it has on it, but we burned a lot of firewood in the winter every year and this saw cut it all. I use it two or three times a year and it fires right up every time.
My grandfather, who has a farm, used a Stihl until he put the wrong gas in it. My dad bought Husqvarnas one for himself and one for his father which have worked well through two hurricane cleanups. They are a little harder to start, but keep running just fine. Don’t go overboard with the bar 20″ is usually good, to long is too much leverage and kick back, but to short is trouble as well. Remember to buy extra chains, just like knives a sharp chain is safe while a dull chain will bite you. At $15, a new sharp chain is cheap.
Stihl, and anything between 16″ and 20″ should be able to handle anything you’d ever want to cut.
Been using one (my Dad’s) for over 20 years. Purchase extra chains.
Taking a class is good step, and it should cover maintenance too, which is crucial for longevity.
Also, a good axe is an excellent complement to the chainsaw, and not its replacement, as one my think.
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Thanks, all. Sounds like the Stihl is the way to go.
And classes. That photography class I took last year convinced me that price of a class is part of the investment in a new tool.
I have to agree with those voting for Stihl. Get a MS-310 and you’ll never look back. For my money it’s the best mid-range saw ever.
Used to sell these. Stihl is the best, and doesn’t cost much more than the other brands.
An extra chain is a good investment – see (2) below. So is some means of sharpening it, although the pro shops do a much better job.
How to ruin a chain saw:
1) Run it without oil in the gas
2) run it with a dull blade
3) skimp on cheap oil (one guy used crankcase drainage and plugged up his filter – twice)
4) tweak the mixture for “maximum RPM” – makes the mix too lean, and will burn up the motor at high speeds.
How to dull a blade:
1) touch the ground while it is running (grit gets everywhere – now you need to disassemble it and clean the chain, bar, drive gear…)
2) cut through grass/weeds/other grit catchers
3) use it all day and don’t sharpen it
A dull blade doesn’t cut, and lets the engine over-rev. Eventually it will seize. Taking time to “Sharpen the Saw” is not just a metaphor in this case.
+1 on the Stihl. Had three of ‘em for years (small for pruning, medium for most work, large commercial for felling) and they’ve never let me down.
Some suggestions: get a powerhead one engine size larger than you think you need, get two bars – a 16″ and a 20″ – three chains for each, a spare clutch drum and a couple of spare air filters. Learn how to sharpen the chains, and file the depth guides about .020″-.025″ shorter than recommended. The extra horsepower will allow you to swing a 24″ or 32″ bar if you ever need to cut through something big. When the chains start to stretch, replace them and the clutch drum. A stretched chain will wear out the sprocket teeth on the drum, and a new chain on a worn sprocket will wear faster.
+1 on the kevlar chaps, don’t forget eye and ear protection. Plan all your cuts in advance with the saw turned off. Don’t cut into holes (branches above the bar – they’re a kickback hazard). Watch for branches under tension. Block large sections to keep them from rolling when cut. Always keep it clear around your feet, and maintain a clear path in front of you above the cut – if you ever lose your balance you want to throw the saw away from you. A new bar is cheap, a new leg isn’t. When you start to tire out, STOP. There’s no such thing as a minor chain saw accident.
Take both bars and chain sets with you when cutting, and some plastic wedges. If you get a bar stuck and can’t get it out with the plastic wedges, remove the stuck bar, install the 2nd bar and cut the first one out. A decent small buck saw is a nice addition to the kit – there are a lot of cuts for which a chain saw is too much, and those cause a lot of accidents.
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