A good saw choice

[Dok]

My answer still holds assuming you just want to cut firewood, not hang around here and not get the chainsaw disease. Everyone's answer here is correct, you have to decide what is correct for you.

A 60-70cc pro saw will change everything. You will leave more of the smaller branches behind and will concentrate on the larger rounds. The trees you choose to cut will be different. You will find you can fill your truck or whatever much faster by filling it with large rounds rather than lots of small stuff. In short, you will cut more wood in less time.

If you want to go this route, start with a used pro saw. It will introduce you to the next level without wiping out twice your budget. Assuming you catch the chainsaw disease (I already see plenty of symptoms) you can probably sell that saw for close to what you paid for it. The time spent with the used saw will teach you a ton and your next purchase will be much more informed.

Computeruser and others had some great points.
Brad

 

[aandabooks]

Dok,

My wife is always accusing me of getting into everything that interests me full-bore. If I don't curb an interest and put a limit on it early on, then it soon can spiral. As my name on this board and other internet places suggests, books are an interest. I began collecting 14 years ago and now have around 5,000 mint condition 1st edition hardbacks.

After I started with the guns my wife cut me off before that one hit triple digits. If I don't continue to consider chainsaws to be a tool and nothing more, I could easily see myself becoming obsessed and having a garage full.

Don't even get me started on the 4-wheelers and the arguement that that caused.

I'm going to give the 5100 a look and hopefully a test run, check the local trading paper for a used ms360 in my price range and short of that stop at a couple of dealers and find a new 310/390 that I want to buy. After that I will have to limit my time on AS. Otherwise more powerful saws will become necessary.

Matt

 

[boostnut]

Matt, who is the Dolmar dealer in Peoria? Thanks, Aaron

 

[aandabooks]

Call-A-Tool Inc.
4236 N. New York Ave.
688-1941

I haven't called them yet but it looks like they might be a tool rental type place. I was going to call before I go.

Matt

 

[Haywire Haywood]

My wife is always accusing me of getting into everything that interests me full-bore. If I don't curb an interest and put a limit on it early on, then it soon can spiral.

Sounds like me except I don't have the financial resources to get too far out of hand.

Ian

 

[blackdoggy]

Okay locally at my local repair shop they have Stihl MS310 with a 20 inch bar for $400 and they have a 290 with a 18 inch bar for around $350. World wide Stihl is #1 Husky is #2 according to what my dealer stated. I love my little Stihl MS 210 that I bought like four years ago I have cut some big s---- with it that was bigger than the saw is lol. I got smart and stopped using the Stihl chains and got my self woodsman pro chains for 8$ + shipping from http://www.baileysonline.com/ there chains are sharper and stronger than the Stihl chains the only thing is YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING because they do not have anti kick links in them.

 

[aandabooks]

Sounds like me except I don't have the financial resources to get too far out of hand.

Ian

Neither do I, hence the arguements and cutting off by the wife.

I have recently discovered the Oregon pro chains myself. I put some 20LP .325 .050 chains on my Poulan and they are way better. I have some 72LP chain on the way for the Craftsman. My days of one handed saw operation are over.

The prices on the Stihls that you have are the same as they are here.

Matt

 

[blackdoggy]

Fair warning get rid of the poulan before it gets rid of you. Heres a tid bit of info for every one all Craftsman saws are intentionally made to substandard to cut costs and poulans are made to be just a bit better than them. Poulans are not meant to really be used with pro chains due to the lack of craftsmanship and safety issues.

 

[bluequill56]

Hello from East Central Illinois. How far are you from Champaign? I'll toss in a vote for the 310. I had one before the saw bug bit me, and it's a great saw. I cut a ton of wood with it, and the friend I sold it to still uses it heavily. Neither of us have had a lick of trouble with it. If you take care of it she'll last you a life time. I'm fortunate to be able to play with bigger toys, but if I was limited to one saw and was just out to cut fire wood and had to stay within your budget constraint I'd get another 310 in a heartbeat. Tough as nails, very reliable, lots of grunt. You can bury a 20" bar in Oak, and it will just chug right along. I never have understood why the 290/310 get such a bad rap around here. OK, maybe a little heavier and a tad slower than comparable pro saws, but for the money you can't beat 'em. And Stihl has built an empire selling them. But once you get it, I'll bet your curiosity/obsesion trait will eventually get the best of you, then your signature will start to get some larger and larger numbers in it....

Regards,
Shane

 

[bluequill56]

Another thought on your self proclaimed obsessive trait. If you want to obsess on a budget, get obsessive about your chain sharpening. Not only is it a lot of fun, if you get a nice edge with the right angles on a hand full of quality chains you will be able to out cut most guys out there with any of the saws you are considering. That's probably as much of a consideration as which saw to put them on.
Shane.

 

[aandabooks]

bluequill56,

I'm about 35 miles North of Peoria on Rt. 29. Just about an even 100 from Champaign. I live in Putnam.

Right now I have a guy at work sharpening my chains for me. Charges $1 per chain and the quality is pretty good. He has a nice bench grinder. He has shown me how to sharpen by hand but I need a lot of practice.

Matt

 

[Haywire Haywood]

there chains are sharper and stronger than the Stihl chains

 

[windthrown]

+1 on that. I have run Oregon and Woods chains and others, and use mostly Stihl chains these days. No way a Woodsman chain stays sharper and is stronger than a Stihl chain. Oh, and I get the Stihl loops w/o the anti-kickback rakers in them too...

 

[ciscoguy01]

Whoa

Fair warning get rid of the poulan before it gets rid of you. Heres a tid bit of info for every one all Craftsman saws are intentionally made to substandard to cut costs and poulans are made to be just a bit better than them. Poulans are not meant to really be used with pro chains due to the lack of craftsmanship and safety issues.

I guess that means huskies are prolly like just barely a step above that since they are made at the same mfg facilities eh???

hehehehehehehehe

I just had to jab at that one...

:sword:

 

[blackdoggy]

Hey don't shoot the messenger I am just telling you what I know and what I was told by a Stihl and Husky dealer.:taped:

 

[aandabooks]

Don't worry Blackdoggy, if you head over to the chainsaw forum, every thread eventually devolves into a brand war.

Matt

 

[pacman]

1st year newbie

This is my first year really using a chain saw . I bought myself a brand new stil 290 . I wanted something that was really going to be tuff because im a hard worker .This saw has really done the job . I never have used any other brand of saw. I just know that it starts when I need it to and cuts really good.I really have enjoied using it this year.I take two chains with me when I go cut . I dont know if it is good or bad but when one gets a little dull I clean out the saw and put the other chain on . After or when that chain gets dull it has been a long day cutting Whew ! im telling you !

Michael P

 

[windthrown]

This is my first year really using a chain saw . I bought myself a brand new stil 290 . I wanted something that was really going to be tuff because im a hard worker .This saw has really done the job . I never have used any other brand of saw. I just know that it starts when I need it to and cuts really good.I really have enjoied using it this year.I take two chains with me when I go cut . I dont know if it is good or bad but when one gets a little dull I clean out the saw and put the other chain on . After or when that chain gets dull it has been a long day cutting Whew ! im telling you !

Michael P

Not a bad way to do it. I carry a spare saw instead of a spare chain these days. A 361 and a 290 backup. One dull chain is about as much as I can fell and buck these days. The 290 is a good saw. At least that is what some of us in the Most Popular Stihl Chainsaw Sold Boat Anchor Club think, anyway. It is a real saw that will drive a real 3/8 bar and chain. Far better saw than my 025 and 250, which sells for almost as much.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

You guys are better than me, I carry a sack full of chains and usually go through at least 2, usually 3 and that is with touching them up once with a file before changing them out. I'm bad about getting into dirt at the bottom of the cut. I was lowering a stump at my mom's place over thanksgiving and cut 1/2" deep into a chunk of sandstone before I noticed.... was thinking "dang this is one tough old stump". Didn't notice it there when I started out. "Rocked out" was an understatement for that chain. Amazing how tender that stump became when I stopped trying to burn a kerf though it.

Ian

 

[KMB]

but if I was limited to one saw and was just out to cut fire wood and had to stay within your budget constraint I'd get another 310 in a heartbeat.

Agreed. I was thinking the other day if I was in aandabooks situation...closest dealer being Stihl, brand new saw budget mentioned, wood size etc...I'd go with the 310 and 18" B&C (or 20"...a bit slower). I've run a 290 and for it's intended use, did fine, but I would think a 310 would be better. From my last few years of firewood cutting in Oak and other hardwood, I think a 60cc class saw is a minimum for starting out. When I was looking for a bigger saw (than my 260), folks told me to get a 70cc saw and I thought that would be to much for "just" firewood...but after I got one, I was glad I did! 60cc will get it done, but 70cc will get it done quicker. And...as you get into cutting more, your signature line will start to look like bluequill56's and others here . Just my 2 bits.

Kevin