New Landowner, need guidance on chainsaw purchase

[altimus_prime]

I have purchased about 3 acres of wooded land. This summer I'm going to clear the middle acre for a house and yard, plus thin the front acre. The trees on the land are mostly maple. They aren't too large, probably about 16" to 20" diameter, maybe 50 to 70 ft high.

I'm looking for the right chainsaw for the job. I've considered the Husqvarna 455/460/359/346xp models and the Stihl MS290/311 models. I'm thinking I'd like either an 18" or 20" bar.

Can you guys tell me what would be the most ideal saws for this? Would any of the saws I've listed above not work? Are there better options than what I've listed? Thanks for the advice!

 

[r&r]

I'd say your in the right range 55-65cc will work for you and be a good first saw size. I'd go for a 20" bar.

Stihl or Husky are both dependable brands as are some others out there Husky will be easier on the wallet.

Most people will tell you to find a local dealer to buy from which is a good idea if you don't do repairs yourself.

Don't know how much experience you have with a chainsaw if any but i recommend reading up on felling and bucking techniques and invest in PPE.

 

[altimus_prime]

... I just saw the sticky pointing out the chainsaw forum and that this thread belongs there. How do I get this thread moved to that forum? Can one of the site moderators move it? Sorry!

 

[wampum]

I just noticed you are new and that you are looking for a saw. We are having a Western Pa,GTG (Get To Getter) at my place on march the 12th(Sat.)starting at 8:00AM.I expect 3 to 4 dozen guys. There will be a imagine well over 100 saws. You can run them and make up your own mind. I am about 35 miles north west of Pittsburgh,if you are interested my address is Possum Hollow road Wampum Pa. 16157 If you need a house # send me a PM. You are very welcome to come.

 

[bigredd]

If I were in the market for a new saw for that size wood I would look at the new Stihl 261. You may be better off letting a dozer push over the trees to remove the roots, then cut them up yourself.

 

[josh1981]

Stihl 362 for felling, stihl 211 for delimbing small branches. 362- pro saw- more power then mid range and easier to work on. 211- good small homeowner saw good power, light. both have the 4 point anti vibe system, both sip gas, and both are strong saws. make sure to get the rsc (rapid super chisel) chain on them for best cutting performance.

Gonna go beyoind here further. you will have leaves. lot of them. br600 magnum for leaf blowing. bg86 for around the house, walkway, porch.. both sip fuel, lot of power. both pro models.

fs90r trimmer and km110r kombi with pole saw, edger, brushcutter if needed.

enough info for you? lol. good luck man!

 

[motorhead327]

Think outside the box and get a makita or dolmar. You can get a nice makita 6400 and get a nice pro quality saw for the same price as the huskys. Im a husqvarna guy but these saw are badazz.

 

[blsnelling]

Looks like 60cc territory to me. MS362 would fit the bill well. For a little less, check out the MS271, 291, and 391.

 

[dingeryote]

I'm gonna buck the trend here in the name of practicality over saw lust.

Best bang for the buck in that list, would be a Factory refurbed Husky 455.
$300 bucks thereabouts with full factory warranty.

Yeah, it's heavy for it's power output, is slower than some others, and is not a Pro saw.

So what. The things are reliable as hell, and take abuse newbies, Farm hands, and inattentive firewooders hand out.

a single acre of 20"Maples will only take a couple days of cutting to clean up, and then the saw will be semi-retired.

No point in dumping more cash than needed, and in the same price range the only real challenger would be the more expensive 290...that is just the Stihl version of a 455.

If a guy was going to be doing a lot of cutting and for years, yeah, something lighter,faster, and more robust would be logical. So would a special shed just for saws.

Must we infect every newbie with the CAD Virus?
Seriously.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[RandyMac]

Dingeryote you are a buzzkill.

 

[altimus_prime]

Thanks Dingeryote. I appreciate the practicality (josh1981 must be made of money...3 saws to clear 1 acre? Really?). As you say, after clearing this land, the saw won't get much use. Only the occasional fallen tree and storm cleanup probably.

You mentioned the 455. Do you think it's worth jumping up to the 460? What about the 346xp? the 346xp seems to be a smaller saw but is a pro saw - does it have enough oomph to run an 18" bar, and would that be any better than a 455 or 460? My max price for the saw is about $500, so while I would love to get a MS 362 or a 357xp, they are a bit out of my price range.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[holshot14]

:agree2::agree2::

I'm gonna buck the trend here in the name of practicality over saw lust.

Best bang for the buck in that list, would be a Factory refurbed Husky 455.
$300 bucks thereabouts with full factory warranty.

Yeah, it's heavy for it's power output, is slower than some others, and is not a Pro saw.

So what. The things are reliable as hell, and take abuse newbies, Farm hands, and inattentive firewooders hand out.

a single acre of 20"Maples will only take a couple days of cutting to clean up, and then the saw will be semi-retired.

No point in dumping more cash than needed, and in the same price range the only real challenger would be the more expensive 290...that is just the Stihl version of a 455.

If a guy was going to be doing a lot of cutting and for years, yeah, something lighter,faster, and more robust would be logical. So would a special shed just for saws.

Must we infect every newbie with the CAD Virus?
Seriously.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[cedarman]

I got the husky 445, so far its been a damn good saw!!! Ive cut maybe 10 cords of hardwoods with it so far.

If i had to do it all over again id probably buy the 455. the 445 seems to "strain" when the bar is burried in white oak. However, it rips through the maple.

Id go with the 455. treat it right, and it will treat you right in return. obtw I do recommend you having the trees bulldozed first so the root comes up. jmho

 

[Country1]

I have purchased about 3 acres of wooded land. This summer I'm going to clear the middle acre for a house and yard, plus thin the front acre. The trees on the land are mostly maple. They aren't too large, probably about 16" to 20" diameter, maybe 50 to 70 ft high.I'm looking for the right chainsaw for the job. I've considered the Husqvarna 455/460/359/346xp models and the Stihl MS290/311 models. I'm thinking I'd like either an 18" or 20" bar.

Can you guys tell me what would be the most ideal saws for this? Would any of the saws I've listed above not work? Are there better options than what I've listed? Thanks for the advice!

Your going to clear land for your house using just a chainsaw or are you going to play "sawman" behind the loader operator?

 

[sunfish]

I take care of 400 acres with a 346xp :msp_biggrin:

 

[Sagetown]

I'm gonna buck the trend here in the name of practicality over saw lust.

Best bang for the buck in that list, would be a Factory refurbed Husky 455.
$300 bucks thereabouts with full factory warranty.

Yeah, it's heavy for it's power output, is slower than some others, and is not a Pro saw.

So what. The things are reliable as hell, and take abuse newbies, Farm hands, and inattentive firewooders hand out.

a single acre of 20"Maples will only take a couple days of cutting to clean up, and then the saw will be semi-retired.

No point in dumping more cash than needed, and in the same price range the only real challenger would be the more expensive 290...that is just the Stihl version of a 455.

If a guy was going to be doing a lot of cutting and for years, yeah, something lighter,faster, and more robust would be logical. So would a special shed just for saws.

Must we infect every newbie with the CAD Virus?
Seriously.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

:agree2: :msp_smile: However; I ended up with the MS270 simply because of weight and style.

 

[Gerula]

not much contest: MS 261

 

[Walt41]

Keep this in mind: when you cut a tree you have a stump, right now your $500 should probably be spent with your excavator guy who will be digging your basement, he is already there and he can rip out the trees whole and bucket wash the holes in a matter of minutes, he can also pile them up off to the side for you to cut later.

 

[altimus_prime]

Keep this in mind: when you cut a tree you have a stump, right now your $500 should probably be spent with your excavator guy who will be digging your basement, he is already there and he can rip out the trees whole and bucket wash the holes in a matter of minutes, he can also pile them up off to the side for you to cut later.

I was hoping to get the wood cut this summer, before the basement gets dug (next spring). I had the thought that I could get the wood cut up and stacked, then the excavator doing the basement could just pull the stumps and fill at that time. It doesn't seem like a lot of extra work for me to fell the tree now.

However, I do like the idea of getting the stumps out of the way and the holes filled now, so I can start cleaning up the rest of the property... you think it would cost $500 to knock over a few dozen trees?

 

[Vibes]

What part of The Burgh are you from? All the saws mentioned are good, but if you wanna keep it at the $500 range and have a dealer near by, I would go with a Husky 450/ 350. I know its not a pro saw, but they are great for the home owner. You can find them well under that price and it will be all the saw you need. Buy it from a dealer though. Don't go to the box store. It will be tuned for you and after brake in you can take it back, and have it tweeked to perfect. Most dealers I know will do a retune for free if they sold you the saw.

With the money you save I would suggest a peavey and and some earmuffs and a good set of glasses.