Chainsaw buying advice badly needed ???

[JCool]

Hey Guys!

New guy here. I was hoping someone could offer suggestions for a reliable, well-built no-hassle well-balanced chainsaw for me to buy that will last me many *happy* years. My budget is between AU$700 - $1100. (I realize you get what you pay for.) I live in Australia, so I may not have as many choices as what you guys in America have. I'm wanting a chainsaw for mainly cutting firewood on a weekly basis- anything from 8 inches up to 20 / 24 inches diameter. The wood will be mostly hardwood. This will be my one and only saw for the next year or so, so I would also like to use it for general purpose as well. Any suggestions on the best bar length and chain type to get greatly appreciated as well. Is 60cc a good sweet spot to aim for?

Saws that are readily available here in Australia are from Stihl, Makita, Husqvarna and Dolmar. Makita own Dolmar now but I don't know if the Makita saws are of the same quality as Dolmar. Does anyone know much about the Makita DCS 7301, 7901 and 6401 ? They appear to be a good bang for the buck with a bit more guts for less money that Stihl, Husqvarna and Dolmar for example.


Any recommendations would be great. Thanks for helping me.
JCool

 

[C SAW 090]

stihl

Hey Guys!

New guy here. I was hoping someone could offer suggestions for a reliable, well-built no-hassle well-balanced chainsaw for me to buy that will last me many *happy* years. My budget is between AU$700 - $1100. (I realize you get what you pay for.) I live in Australia, so I may not have as many choices as what you guys in America have. I'm wanting a chainsaw for mainly cutting firewood on a weekly basis- anything from 8 inches up to 20 / 24 inches diameter. The wood will be mostly hardwood. This will be my one and only saw for the next year or so, so I would also like to use it for general purpose as well. Any suggestions on the best bar length and chain type to get greatly appreciated as well. Is 60cc a good sweet spot to aim for?

Saws that are readily available here in Australia are from Stihl, Makita, Husqvarna and Dolmar. Makita own Dolmar now but I don't know if the Makita saws are of the same quality as Dolmar. Does anyone know much about the Makita DCS 7301, 7901 and 6401 ? They appear to be a good bang for the buck with a bit more guts for less money that Stihl, Husqvarna and Dolmar for example.


Any recommendations would be great. Thanks for helping me.
JCool

stihl ms441 70 cc $850 over here in maine, or ms362 59cc i have the older version of this saw the ms360 it rips, i love it. thats my opinion, but my boss always says my opinion is wrong good luck

 

[Bushmans]

Not sure what your doing with the firewood but if it just for home use grab yourself a Stihl 290.
Tried and true. Many sold. It will cut the big stuff. Not as fast as the 441 but if it just for home use then your not concerned with a few seconds. In the US it sells for $375. I like an 18" bar with 3/8 semi. I had full but I stick it in the dirt too much. :msp_razz:
I know so many people that have this saw or the older counterpart the 029.
If you are in it to win it than that is a different story.
What are your detailed intentions for this saw? Are you selling? How many cord per year? How many hours per week? What color shoes do you have?

 

[tmarsh]

Hi JCool! Whereabouts in Oz are you?

Some info for you - hope it helps. IMHO, if you're only going to have one saw for blocking up Aussie hardwoods for firewood, it should be able to pull a 20-inch 3/8 chain with authority. I run a 24" for the most part, but I also have an 18" saw for the smaller stuff. If it had to be just the one bar it'd be a 20: big enough for most of what you can move by hand and short enough that you don't end up getting the tip buried in rocks every time you cut a log on the ground.

I reckon 60cc is about right. You might want to broaden your list to include Echo though. The Echo CS-600 is 60cc, comes with a 20" bar standard, is just in your price range and has a 5 year domestic warranty. If you want to go Husky or Stihl, you might find that the conventional dealer route is just too expensive. To put it in context, a Husky 576XP autotune is around $1800 list price in most dealers. There are at least 4 ebay vendors doing drop shipping from the US who can have one to your door for $1100ish.

Anyway, there are far more knowledgeable Australian members who will no doubt chime in with their recommendations. Stihlman, Deye, Aussie?

 

[bigplow]

I would go with the makita 6401 or the dolmar 6401 everything I read about these is great I might go to one myself and sell my 510 and go with a 420 and 6401 40cc and 64cc or put a big bore kit in ethier 79cc or 84cc later down the road but I love my dolmar its starts easy and has been very reliable

 

[Stihlman441]

Hi there JCool and welcome.

This topic is the all time problem for us Ozzys,as you know we get ripped of by owe dealers big time,i get my saws from the US.
If your not to fussed about warranty then the US is the go.
Then if i was a weekend wood cutter then my two saw plan would be a MS241CMTronic or MS261 with 18'' bar for small stuff and topping,A MS441CRMTronic (with standard handle) with a 20'' and maybe a 25'' for all the bigger stuff.:smile2

Where in Ozz are you ?.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[synness4]

don't fall for these stihl addicts

I used to fall for there" ohh its a stihl its worth twice as much as any other saw " bull #####$%^^&^%$ dont get me wrong there good saws . I wood go for a husky or dolmar/makita

 

[ECHO-Echo-echo]

Makita owns Dolmar.....But Dolmar makes ALL Makita gas saws. Makita makes electric chainsaws. The Makita 6401 (64cc) is made by Dolmar in Germany. Great torque. Will last a lifetime. If you ever need more power an OEM 7901 piston and cylinder will bolt on without any modifications. Or a Big Bore kit from other manufacturer also will fit.
The 6401 is used for rental equipment here at home depot. Tough saw. It comes with a 20" bar but will pull a 24" from what I've heard. New they are somewhere between $500 and $600 here in US. You can get a used one here at HD for around $250 from rental stock....That is the way I would go If I needed a bigger saw.
I use the little 420 Dolmar, 42cc, 16" bar, it cuts all the fire wood I use. Starts easy, runs strong.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I'd check out the Husky 365XT. 71cc for 600 bucks here in the U S is the best deal out there right now IMO.

 

[mstock]

Good luck!!... There are so many great saws out there. I have a small Tanaka that I have been unable to wear out in 25 years. I know the largest they make now is 50cc and I don't know how common they are there. When my father died I got his Shindaiwa 500 which is a good saw but older. They are with Echo now. I just bought a new Echo cs 600 because I was able to get it to my door for $419 or I would have got the ms362 or a Dolmar or pro Husky if funds were not an issue.
You may want to look at a used saw from a good local dealer if that is possible. I bought a used 028 av Stihl 5 years ago from a local dealer. It is one of the West German made ones. They rebuilt it and sold it to me for $170 and it still sounds like it is new. I was thinking of selling it because of the new saw but it is like a second child. It would be close to the new pro 262 model but I know that saw would cost much more than what I paid and I don't use them for a living so I can always take the time to fix them if I need to.
:smile2:

 

[Karl Robbers]

First rule, non negotiable, DO NOT fall for the chinese $129 ebay special. They are nothing but junk and dangerous to boot.
From what your usage seems to be then 60-70cc is your sweet spot with a bar in the 18-20" range.
If trawling the net for info, bear in mind that both americans and europeans primarily cut softwood, so run bigger bars on smaller saws than we in Australia can. You do not need more than 20" for what you want and a longer bar will be cumbersome and dangerous.
I am unashamedly a Husky man but I work my saws far harder than your intended usage. I would certainly consider the Makita as they arfe quite a lot of saw for the money, their only real drawback where I am is their dealer network or lack thereof. I am turned off Stihl due to the arrogant attitude of their dealers here, (We make the best saws because we say we do!) to be fair I am not exactly in love with the current Husky dealer either, seems like I am educating them whenever I walk in their shop. What I am really saying is that there really are no "bad" saws from any of the well known brands, dealer backup and knowledge is far more relevant.
You will have difficulty buying a new Husky or Stihl from an Aussie dealer while staying under your budget so the import route may be a good one or even a good second hand saw. I would definitely look closely at Jonsereds, Makita or Echo.
A good dealer will talk you through the whole process and take you under their wing so to speak, a bad one will talk you into the most expensive saw they can and when the chips are down will accept no responsibility and weasle their way out of warranty.
The performance and life of your saw will be governed by your chain maintenance and general maintenance far more than the label on the saw.
Whatever you do, don't forget your ppe - eye, ear, feet and body (get a set of chaps!).
Good luck whichever way you go.

 

[deye223]

stihl ms441 70 cc $850 over here in maine, or ms362 59cc i have the older version of this saw the ms360 it rips, i love it. thats my opinion, but my boss always says my opinion is wrong good luck

anything in that size from stihl or husky is $1700us here so go for the dolkita 7901 at $1080us it's a bargain

 

[Stihlman441]

anything in that size from stihl or husky is $1700us here so go for the dolkita 7901 at $1080us it's a bargain

Can get a CRMTronic over here for about the same as ya 7901.

 

[stmonnat]

576at

 

[Slamm]

Can get a CRMTronic over here for about the same as ya 7901.

And a much better saw with better filtration and fuel mileage amoung several others positives.

Sam

 

[deye223]

Can get a CRMTronic over here for about the same as ya 7901.

gday andrew i put that one in for the op in case he want's a warranty you and i both know which saw i would have

 

[lentil]

Stihl MS311/391 would be my go to. Range between 1099/1199. Powerful enough to Pull the 20" bar and 3/8" chain they come standard with. Find a decent dealer and they'll look after you, parts readily available nation wide and relatively cheap.

Wouldn't go makita/dolmar at all, may be different where you are but no dealer suPport near me. Parts really $$$$$$ too.

 

[genesis5521]

Not sure what your doing with the firewood but if it's just for home use grab yourself a Stihl 290. Tried and true. Many sold. It will cut the big stuff. Not as fast as the 441 but if it's just for home use then your not concerned with a few seconds. In the US it sells for $375.

I second Bushmans suggestion on the Stihl MS290. It will do everything you ever ask of it and save ya some money for other stuff. I cut 10 cords of firewood a year. I have a new 290 with a 16" bar and have cut quite a few 25"+ trees with it. It's not high tech. It uses old tried and true technology. There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of them in use. At around 13 pounds (power head only) and almost 4 HP, it's reliable as dirt. A bigger saw would mean more weight, and that can be fatiguing. I can handle the 290's weight all day long, and I'm 66 years old.

Having praised my 290, you should really check out all of the brands and models in your area, and get what ever is most comfortable for you. If ya buy new, what ever ya get is gonna be a pretty darn nice saw. Ya really can't go wrong. We're darn lucky to have so many fine choices.

Don <><