Novice requests advice on next chainsaw purchase

[holeycow]

 

[holeycow]

I've ran all four of those saws and I can't believe the Makita is the cheapest. That's the one I would want even if it were the most expensive.

This is all the information you need.
imo

 

[msharkey01]

I inherited a Poulan Pro Classic PP3816av about 12 years ago. It's served me well for cutting up many fallen trees for firewood at the cottage over the years but I would like to keep it at home for the odd job and get a new one for the cottage. The Poulan is a 38 cc unit with a 16 inch bar and weighs 12 lbs so I've read (could be wrong). I've done some homework and much of what I've learned comes from this site. I've narrowed my choices down to a few and would like some feedback.

-Echo CS490; 50.2 cc with 20 inch bar, 10.6 lbs. $391 USD (converted from Canadian dollars)
-Makita EA4300frec; 42.4 cc with 18 inch bar, 7.4 lbs? $325 USD. I've read it's the same as a Dolmar PS-421, which is unavailable in these parts but get high praise here. Made in China however I believe.
-Husqvarna 440e; 40.9 cc with 18 inch bar, 9.8 lbs. $338 USD
-Husqvarna 445e; 45.7 cc with 18 inch bar, 10.8 lbs. $393 USD.

Thanks.

I have the Makita (as well as its little bother) and I highly recommend it.

 

[dap]

I inherited a Poulan Pro Classic PP3816av about 12 years ago. It's served me well for cutting up many fallen trees for firewood at the cottage over the years but I would like to keep it at home for the odd job and get a new one for the cottage. The Poulan is a 38 cc unit with a 16 inch bar and weighs 12 lbs so I've read (could be wrong). I've done some homework and much of what I've learned comes from this site. I've narrowed my choices down to a few and would like some feedback.

-Echo CS490; 50.2 cc with 20 inch bar, 10.6 lbs. $391 USD (converted from Canadian dollars)
-Makita EA4300frec; 42.4 cc with 18 inch bar, 7.4 lbs? $325 USD. I've read it's the same as a Dolmar PS-421, which is unavailable in these parts but get high praise here. Made in China however I believe.
-Husqvarna 440e; 40.9 cc with 18 inch bar, 9.8 lbs. $338 USD
-Husqvarna 445e; 45.7 cc with 18 inch bar, 10.8 lbs. $393 USD.

Thanks.

If those are your only options or you have to buy it new, definitely the Makita (by far)
But for $350-$400 you should be able to buy a larger more powerful USED saw if you’re ok with used.

 

[jetsam]

My favorite saw is a Dolmar, but I wouldn't buy another Dolmar/Makita because they are stopping production on all gas saws and parts are already murder to get.

I have a newer 6400 (less than 5 years old). This month I broke out a bolt hole on the muffler and priced a new muffler. $170 was the cheapest, most were $250. Every local Makita dealer didn't even answer my request for a quote, presumably because they're busy tearing down all their Makita signs so they can put up the new Echo/Husky ones. (I can buy a mig welder for $250 and make my own mufflers. I can buy a whole chainsaw for that!)

I will probably be going Echo for future saws. The CS-590 is well regarded and very reasonably priced if you want a medium sized saw (and I can get a used OEM muffler for this saw for $20 on ebay right now, just for comparison).

 

[MtnHermit]

I've narrowed my choices down to a few and would like some feedback.

Go battery electric! I purchased a 16", 40V Greenworks in 2017 and unless I need the 20" bar the ICE saws have a hard time getting used.

There's a YouTube channel: "Project Farm" where he compared over a dozen battery saws, good info.

 

[Zolton]

I finally had a chance to give this saw a good work out. Had a few trees dropped by a pro and I bucked them up. One was a 90 foot beech, about 26 inch diameter at two feet up from the ground. The top was rotted and disintegrated when it hit the ground but the main trunk was still intact and needed to be removed. I was able to cut through it with a full depth cut on one side and finish it off from the other. I had not tackled such a large tree before being an amateur homeowner. I made about a dozen such cuts and this saw handled them very well.

 

[holeycow]

Which saw did you buy?

 

[holeycow]

6 words; learn how to sharpen your chain.

a few more; it's not hard, despite all the goings on about it around here.
correct size round file and a flat file is all you need.

and this;

 

[JustPlainJeff]

It's too late, as I see that you've already decided on and bought your saw. But I was just going to suggest, that when I buy things, especially if I can, I buy them from actual dealers, not big box stores. i try to to establish a relationship with the dealer, and in the future, I usually feel that I get better/faster service, and pay less than retail on most future purchases. Just my .02. I like you am/was a tradesman. I'm a retired carpenter. I didn't buy my lumber at Home Depot, I went to the local lumber yard for it. But, to each their own. I hope you have great luck with your saw! You still haven't told us what you bought though. What did you get?

 

[Karrl]

I have a 421 that’s ten years old has a made in China label on it. No knock against it though, I’m pretty sure that model has always been produced there. The 420’s were made in Germany iirc.

I see you already bought a saw, whatever you got make sure you run fresh gas (preferably ethanol free) with a quality mix oil and you should have many years of good service. And run your saw dry before storage.

 

[Zolton]

Got the Makita EA4300frec. I guess I should have mentioned that.

 

[Zolton]

It comes with an Oregon 95VPX chain.
The Makita manual says to sharpen the first cutter half with a 3/16" file then switch to an 11/64" file, both on a 10 degree angle

 

[holeycow]

It's a helluva nice little saw. Congrats!