bizmikie
ArboristSite Lurker
Yes, another thread from a noob asking about what saw he should get. I've been reading on here for hours every night since around new years. Damn site is indeed addictive. Weird thing is, I've never even ran a chainsaw.
This whole thing started where I had a big old oak come down in a storm last summer and I didn't have a saw to cut her up. I called all the guys I knew with saws and told them I'd have plenty of beer and meat on the grill and had a chainsaw party to get the thing cut up. Also I have a few pines that I decided I want to get rid of. Well, my mother took it upon herself to buy me a cheapo poulan from Lowes for christmas. Well, that got me thinking that yeah, it's about damn time I added a chainsaw to the new homeowner tool collection. But with me being the way I am, I would rather spend the money for a quality product that will last a long time even if it's more than I need. The poulan is still in the box unopened. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. Part of me feels I should just use it until it dies and part of me says go out and get yourself a real saw.
I originally was interested in husky's as that's what most people around here I know have and they really like them. I have several dealers close by that sell husky, stihl, jonsered and dolmar. Once I started reading on here I became real interested in the ps5100 but then became concerned about them burning up plus the closest dealer that actually stocks them wants $467 when I read on here people were getting them for $400. my husky dealer is closer and I can get a 346xp for the same money. After reading on here long enough, I would love to just buy a 346xp with a 16 inch bar and a dolmar 7900 with a big bar just because. Practical for me...? probably not. I guess CAD is already setting in.
Right now I have a small fire pit where we have fires here and there but I'm in the process of finishing my basement where I have a woodstove waiting to go in. Not sure how much wood I will really end up burning down there but we got the stove almost new from the in laws.
the xp and dolmar are what I'm mostly looking at. I've done the searches and read tons on the beaten to death topic and still don't know. People seem to really be in love with the xp right now. The dolmar seems like maybe a more all arounder? with more torque, bigger chain. I really don't know. Plus there's the new 5105 which I'm not really sure what to make of it. If everything is stock what would be the better choice? I believe the xp at the dealer was a non cat model. Do the new 5100's have a cat? I know the 5105 does. And which would you take when comparing a 5100 to a 5105? If I went Dolmar I would go with an 18 inch bar with 3/8th chain. With the xp I may go 18 inch with .325 but may want to go with the 16 inch bar. If I went with the xp and 16 inch bar I feel like I would be telling myself that I'm just waiting for another one of those big suckers to come crashing down so I HAVE to go out and get a bigger saw:greenchainsaw:
I want to finally make a decision and be done with it. Even if it's just suck it up and only use the Poulan. I'm not a fan of the big box stores and would prefer to support the little guy, esp. when I can get better service and a better product. I've gone around to many of the local dealers and no one really wowed me and noone totally turned me off. I feel like I could get good support with any of the brands.
Thanks for any advice and again sorry to beat a dead horse.
This whole thing started where I had a big old oak come down in a storm last summer and I didn't have a saw to cut her up. I called all the guys I knew with saws and told them I'd have plenty of beer and meat on the grill and had a chainsaw party to get the thing cut up. Also I have a few pines that I decided I want to get rid of. Well, my mother took it upon herself to buy me a cheapo poulan from Lowes for christmas. Well, that got me thinking that yeah, it's about damn time I added a chainsaw to the new homeowner tool collection. But with me being the way I am, I would rather spend the money for a quality product that will last a long time even if it's more than I need. The poulan is still in the box unopened. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. Part of me feels I should just use it until it dies and part of me says go out and get yourself a real saw.
I originally was interested in husky's as that's what most people around here I know have and they really like them. I have several dealers close by that sell husky, stihl, jonsered and dolmar. Once I started reading on here I became real interested in the ps5100 but then became concerned about them burning up plus the closest dealer that actually stocks them wants $467 when I read on here people were getting them for $400. my husky dealer is closer and I can get a 346xp for the same money. After reading on here long enough, I would love to just buy a 346xp with a 16 inch bar and a dolmar 7900 with a big bar just because. Practical for me...? probably not. I guess CAD is already setting in.
Right now I have a small fire pit where we have fires here and there but I'm in the process of finishing my basement where I have a woodstove waiting to go in. Not sure how much wood I will really end up burning down there but we got the stove almost new from the in laws.
the xp and dolmar are what I'm mostly looking at. I've done the searches and read tons on the beaten to death topic and still don't know. People seem to really be in love with the xp right now. The dolmar seems like maybe a more all arounder? with more torque, bigger chain. I really don't know. Plus there's the new 5105 which I'm not really sure what to make of it. If everything is stock what would be the better choice? I believe the xp at the dealer was a non cat model. Do the new 5100's have a cat? I know the 5105 does. And which would you take when comparing a 5100 to a 5105? If I went Dolmar I would go with an 18 inch bar with 3/8th chain. With the xp I may go 18 inch with .325 but may want to go with the 16 inch bar. If I went with the xp and 16 inch bar I feel like I would be telling myself that I'm just waiting for another one of those big suckers to come crashing down so I HAVE to go out and get a bigger saw:greenchainsaw:
I want to finally make a decision and be done with it. Even if it's just suck it up and only use the Poulan. I'm not a fan of the big box stores and would prefer to support the little guy, esp. when I can get better service and a better product. I've gone around to many of the local dealers and no one really wowed me and noone totally turned me off. I feel like I could get good support with any of the brands.
Thanks for any advice and again sorry to beat a dead horse.