Chainsaws ?

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

Agree on the saw and sharpener. The MS 250 or Husqvarna equivalent as a basic homeowner saw. As I recall some homeowner Husqvarna saws had compression release starting while my MS 250 does not.

My 361 has compression release, and it's ridiculous how easy it makes starting. I'm surprised to hear Husqvarna homeowner saws have it, but I suppose some of those are pretty big (and heavy).

I started with the MS250—it was a great saw with a fabulous power: weight ratio, but it really was limited to a 16" bar. I found that, even though it's a bit heavier, the 361 with the 18" made everything easier overall as it never bogged down or needed "finessing."

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[loonguy]

I opted for a battery powered Stihl and have been happy with it for small trees on my three acre lot, which is too large for power line connections. I leave the large trees and gas powered chainsaws to the pros.

[Poor Richard]

I have a 14" bar on my top handle saw, an Echo 330T,and it's my most preferred saw of the 3 I own. The other two are 20" and 16" bar.

I've thought about stepping the 330 down to a 12" bar but it pulls the 14" fairly well so I just leave it on.

Thing is, if you get a saw that with a 16" bar, you can usually step down if needed.

So the short answer is "no" not a big difference between a 14 and a 16 bar

[8gv]

Short answer:

If you are just cutting up branches or taking down small trees get a smaller, lighter saw.

If you are going to cut down trees, get the saw with a bigger bar AND a bigger motor.

Long answer:

Waaaaay back in the 80's I developed an interest in burning wood for heat. I took any and all downed trees that I could get my hands on. That lead me to an arrangement with a guy who had his property logged. My task was to cut the "tops" which were laying on the forest floor and haul them away in 8' lengths. On each trip to his land the first pick up load went to him and the second went home with me. I did this for a dozen trips or so.

My 14" Homelite saw was fine for this. A few years later I bought a lot in VT with the intention of building a log home from a kit. It was 100 miles from home. I chose to cut down all the trees necessary to make room for the driveway, septic and leach field, house and yard. It only took a few days with the 14" to figure out that I was out gunned by the larger trees on the VT lot. With the driving involved, I needed to be more efficient.

I bought a Craftsman 20" and was amazed by the difference. The chain gauge was larger and would throw big chips. The motor was much more powerful and could toss those big chips with ease. The longer bar gave me better reach into the larger tree trunks and cut all he way through the smaller ones.

The moral to the story?

Don't build your own log home 100 miles from where you live.

Put the money in Apple or Microsoft instead!

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by 8gv

Short answer:

If you are just cutting up branches or taking down small trees get a smaller, lighter saw.

If you are going to cut down trees, get the saw with a bigger bar AND a bigger motor.

Long answer:

Waaaaay back in the 80's I developed an interest in burning wood for heat. I took any and all downed trees that I could get my hands on. That lead me to an arrangement with a guy who had his property logged. My task was to cut the "tops" which were laying on the forest floor and haul them away in 8' lengths. On each trip to his land the first pick up load went to him and the second went home with me. I did this for a dozen trips or so.

My 14" Homelite saw was fine for this. A few years later I bought a lot in VT with the intention of building a log home from a kit. It was 100 miles from home. I chose to cut down all the trees necessary to make room for the driveway, septic and leach field, house and yard. It only took a few days with the 14" to figure out that I was out gunned by the larger trees on the VT lot. With the driving involved, I needed to be more efficient.

I bought a Craftsman 20" and was amazed by the difference. The chain gauge was larger and would throw big chips. The motor was much more powerful and could toss those big chips with ease. The longer bar gave me better reach into the larger tree trunks and cut all he way through the smaller ones.

The moral to the story?

Don't build your own log home 100 miles from where you live.

Put the money in Apple or Microsoft instead!

I have an 14" Homelite and every year I say "if it doesn't start I'm throwing it out and getting a battery powered saw". But every year it starts right up and keeps on cutting. I have a 16" Johnsen that starts up every year also but I like the homelite better.
I'm afraid if I buy the battery powered saw now then the two gas powered saws would sit for years and then I would have to throw them both out.

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by Biggd

I have an 14" Homelite and every year I say "if it doesn't start I'm throwing it out and getting a battery powered saw". But every year it starts right up and keeps on cutting. I have a 16" Johnsen that starts up every year also but I like the homelite better.
I'm afraid if I buy the battery powered saw now then the two gas powered saws would sit for years and then I would have to throw them both out.

I have a 40v black and decker I got as part of some package with a weed wacker and something else. It works ok but the battery life sucks

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by loonguy

I opted for a battery powered Stihl and have been happy with it for small trees on my three acre lot, which is too large for power line connections. I leave the large trees and gas powered chainsaws to the pros.

From what I've been told by others that have battery power saws is that they only last about an hour so if you're cutting all day, which I usually make a day out of it, then you need multiple batteries or stick with gas.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Biggd

From what I've been told by others that have battery power saws is that they only last about an hour so if you're cutting all day, which I usually make a day out of it, then you need multiple batteries or stick with gas.

If cutting a lot of small trees, dicing up limbs for firewood or trimming the electric saws are great. I have the Husqvarna top handle 40v saw and love it. I standardized on their products- extendable pole saw, line trimmer, chainsaw and hand blower. They often do promos for free batteries, I have 4-5 of them plus 2 chargers so I can leave one at each home.

[Woody38]

An 84 foot pine fell last fall taking part of a fence with it. Thankfully the house was not hit. Neighbor across the street just removed 15 trees from the front of the house. Waiting to see the new landscape. There were two different tree
contractors removing the trees. In both cases I was surprised to see them use small chainsaws, maybe less than 14 inches. They made short work of removal. The trees of our neighbor were oak and pine. Interesting to see how they used the small saw to fell the trees.

________________________________

I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

[jbolty]

I have had a bunch of chainsaws over the years; McCulloch, stihl,poulan. They were all ok but Stihl was probably the best one.

A couple years ago I was in a hurry to get a tree cut up that had fallen on my fence and my saw would not run after getting gunked up with old gas. Not wanting to take the time to fix it right then I went to home depot and got a plug in electric for about $45. I would have been happy if it lasted long enough to do this one job but surprisingly it worked way better than I would have thought and after putting a new better chain on it the thing works pretty great.

Woud not advise one of those for cutting up a few cords of firewood but for casual use it does the job and no worries about junky gas.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Woody38

An 84 foot pine fell last fall taking part of a fence with it. Thankfully the house was not hit. Neighbor across the street just removed 15 trees from the front of the house. Waiting to see the new landscape. There were two different tree
contractors removing the trees. In both cases I was surprised to see them use small chainsaws, maybe less than 14 inches. They made short work of removal. The trees of our neighbor were oak and pine. Interesting to see how they used the small saw to fell the trees.

Oftentimes, the "clearing of trees" opens an adjacent canopy to damaging winds.

Tall trees--protected for decades--can fall to a modest downburst. Depending on the sequence of cuttings, your neighbor did you no favors.

[tis]

McCulloch chainSaw, You’re in luck when you got a McCulloch chainsaw
You got power by the hour in your hands
with McCulloch you’re the a master because you keep a cutting faster
You’re in luck when you got a McCulloch chainsaw

I would love to hear the music. Maybe I can find it.

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by tis

McCulloch chainSaw, You’re in luck when you got a McCulloch chainsaw
You got power by the hour in your hands
with McCulloch you’re the a master because you keep a cutting faster
You’re in luck when you got a McCulloch chainsaw

I would love to hear the music. Maybe I can find it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWvP93eglxI

[tis]

Originally Posted by jbolty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWvP93eglxI

Oh J, thanks so much!! That made me laugh!!!!

[MotorHead]

Originally Posted by Woody38

maybe less than 14 inches. Interesting to see how they used the small saw to fell the trees.

Size does not matter.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

My 361 has compression release, and it's ridiculous how easy it makes starting. I'm surprised to hear Husqvarna homeowner saws have it, but I suppose some of those are pretty big (and heavy).

I started with the MS250—it was a great saw with a fabulous power: weight ratio, but it really was limited to a 16" bar. I found that, even though it's a bit heavier, the 361 with the 18" made everything easier overall as it never bogged down or needed "finessing."

You haven't used a heavy chainsaw unless you were cutting trees with a rented saw in 1960...

Those things were like using a 25HP outboard motor to cut trees!

I'm very happy with my Greenworks battery saw, and have left the bigger trees to the professionals.

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by ApS

You haven't used a heavy chainsaw unless you were cutting trees with a rented saw in 1960...

Those things were like using a 25HP outboard motor to cut trees!

I'm very happy with my Greenworks battery saw, and have left the bigger trees to the professionals.

OMG , my dad had a McCulloch from that era. the thing seriously had to weigh 50 lbs.

[tis]

You're in luck when you've got a McCulloch chain saw! I think that was an ad. It came into my head when I saw that name.

[SAMIAM]

Originally Posted by tis

You're in luck when you've got a McCulloch chain saw! I think that was an ad. It came into my head when I saw that name.

Had a McCulloch 850 with a 32" bar in my younger days.It sounded like a Harley and felt like it weighed as much........now I'm happy with nice electric