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albinoguitman

albinoguitman

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I received a helpful $200 gift card to Rural King for Christmas to go toward a new chainsaw. I would prefer not to put more then another $200 towards it or less. But could probably do more if I have to. I'm wondering what advice I can get from you all. Stihl seems to be the most popular but, I hear alot of folks have a hard time starting them if they don't use them a lot. I'm not sure how much I'll end up using the saw. We just got a house with a wood burning fireplace. Its neat now but I might not want to get into the wood harvesting thing.

Here is what I think I should be looking for: (let me know if you think of anything else)
- 18" to 20" bar
- 50cc or close to that
- easily starts
- isn't leaky
- doesn't suck down gas like I drink bourbon
- parts wont dry out from non use

I guess basically, what would you recommend for the $200 to $400 price range? I can use the gift card for other things.

Also, have any of you had experience with a Garwinner?
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaws-Po...+chainsaw&qid=1672771914&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3
 
You not going to get a reliable saw for $400. Never heard of the Garwinner saw. What saw you get will be dertimined by how much you want to cut and the size of the trees. Service and parts availability are next if you can't work on them if needed. Proper fuel mix is one of the main components to an easy starting saw. A MS180 might be a good starter saw for you. Good luck.
 
Stihl will like occasional use, like a ECHO will. Cost wise, I dont know what 400 bucks is going to buy you HP wise. Whatever you do, dont buy chi-com..... If you can't buy it at a dealer, and have to buy what Rural King has to offer in your price range, at least there ought to be a dealer nearby who can service it......

For ***** and giggles, I scoped your link. Perfect example of Chi Com no one is going to be able to service for you. For instance, that 62cc saw for 169 is compared to a Stihl or Husky at close to a grand maybe? Or an echo at 7-800? Well, you will get what you pay for.
 
Don’t buy a chainsaw from Amazon, that would be my first piece of advice. If I were in your shoes I’d be looking at a Echo 4910. That would be the best value for money option and a five year warranty. If a servicing dealer is important to you, you’ll have to find out who’s in your area and simply go look at what they have to offer in your price range.
 
Stihl MS250 is a classic homeowner saw. $400 list price. Echo makes good saws too. CS-4910 list price $379. I have a different Echo but I'd consider the 4910 over the MS250.

When running a saw you need safety gear- steel toe boots, saw chaps, eye and hearing protection. Plus you'll want a couple extra chains and a way to sharpen them. Make sure that's all in your budget.

Then there's tools to split the wood that you cut.
 
albinoguitman said:
I received a helpful $200 gift card to Rural King for Christmas to go toward a new chainsaw. I would prefer not to put more then another $200 towards it or less. But could probably do more if I have to. I'm wondering what advice I can get from you all. Stihl seems to be the most popular but, I hear alot of folks have a hard time starting them if they don't use them a lot. I'm not sure how much I'll end up using the saw. We just got a house with a wood burning fireplace. Its neat now but I might not want to get into the wood harvesting thing.

Here is what I think I should be looking for: (let me know if you think of anything else)
- 18" to 20" bar
- 50cc or close to that
- easily starts
- isn't leaky
- doesn't suck down gas like I drink bourbon
- parts wont dry out from non use

I guess basically, what would you recommend for the $200 to $400 price range? I can use the gift card for other things.

Also, have any of you had experience with a Garwinner?
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaws-Po...+chainsaw&qid=1672771914&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3
Click to expand...
Looking at your bullet points, Whats Rural King offering?

A couple of counterpoints- 18" max on 50 cc's. Starts easy is a function of model "reliability" (echo). Leaky, yep they all do. Dont even think they won't, I'd prefer a saw leak bar oil than not oil ennough when in use. I dont know how much you drink, but, fuel consumption from one saw to the next is not a comparison you see argued often here. Dry rotting? Well you have done some lurking, we can see. IMO. Echo handles infrequent use and daily use, better than Stihl. When I was in business, all my handheld and two stroke stuff was Echo, and it got beat on alot by employees in daily use. What was used less often, still got rode hard and put away wet, but it always started up. Before I sold my businesses, I wound up gifted a WHOLE lot of Stihl product from someone on the inside. Finicky pieces they were. I could start them most times, but others could flood them out. When I sold ou my businesses alot of the stihl went with the business. I still got gifted Stihl until he retired, but I was BUYING Echo when I wanted a fresh toy/tool. I have a couple of stihl saws left 660 and 440, both made in Germany, but I have 6 Echo saws now covering a large range.
 
ericm979 said:
Stihl MS250 is a classic homeowner saw. $400 list price. Echo makes good saws too. CS-4910 list price $379. I have a different Echo but I'd consider the 4910 over the MS250.

When running a saw you need safety gear- steel toe boots, saw chaps, eye and hearing protection. Plus you'll want a couple extra chains and a way to sharpen them. Make sure that's all in your budget.

Then there's tools to split the wood that you cut.
Click to expand...
There you go, the 4910 at 379 is your saw. Quit fartin around and go buy it. I'd certainly buy it over the Stihl 250, it will handle rode hard and put away wet, that the stihl will not like. Parts for the echo will be easily sourced, Stihl? Not even...... Imagin having to buy strings to fit your Gee-Tar, only from the manufacturer.....
 
albinoguitman said:
I received a helpful $200 gift card to Rural King for Christmas to go toward a new chainsaw. I would prefer not to put more then another $200 towards it or less. But could probably do more if I have to. I'm wondering what advice I can get from you all. Stihl seems to be the most popular but, I hear alot of folks have a hard time starting them if they don't use them a lot. I'm not sure how much I'll end up using the saw. We just got a house with a wood burning fireplace. Its neat now but I might not want to get into the wood harvesting thing.

Here is what I think I should be looking for: (let me know if you think of anything else)
- 18" to 20" bar
- 50cc or close to that
- easily starts
- isn't leaky
- doesn't suck down gas like I drink bourbon
- parts wont dry out from non use

I guess basically, what would you recommend for the $200 to $400 price range? I can use the gift card for other things.

Also, have any of you had experience with a Garwinner?
https://www.amazon.com/Chainsaws-Po...+chainsaw&qid=1672771914&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-3
Click to expand...
What do you plan to be cutting, how often and what size? What saws have you used that you liked and why? What brands and or saws are at Rural king? That would help to know your options.

You will spend more on extras than you think. I would at very least get one chain.
As well as the Pferd cs-x sharpener to start with.
Chaps would be good, however it took me 5 years to finally buy some. I bought exactly what I wanted as I knew more now. A few years ago I got the yellow oregon chainsaw helmet with integrated mesh visor and ear muffs. The visor can be removed. I feel the helmet is bare minimum and safety glasses. I wear glasses but always getting sawdust in my eyes so safety glasses are a better habit.
The oregon one has smaller mesh so it makes it a bit darker so if your prone to working early mornings or dusk you will be flipping the visor up vs other helmets.

https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-56347...672777938&sprefix=chainsaw+hel,aps,199&sr=8-5

https://www.sawsuppliers.com/search...ast&options[unavailable_products]=show&q=Cs-x
 
farmer steve said:
Sorry for the derail OP. Any of you guys seeing the green bar at the bottom of posts in this thread? Up vote/down vote.
Click to expand...
Its on the sidebar for me, my view on a laptop..... Thanks for pointing it out, no telling how many years wouldhave went by before I noticed it....

NOW, the big question IS, what is it going to do for us? I care less about what it is going to do for the owners of this establishment.

(anyone got an idea of what they can get out of it?)
 
GeeVee said:
Its on the sidebar for me, my view on a laptop..... Thanks for pointing it out, no telling how many years wouldhave went by before I noticed it....

NOW, the big question IS, what is it going to do for us? I care less about what it is going to do for the owners of this establishment.

(anyone got an idea of what they can get out of it?)
Click to expand...
I'm on my phone but I'll look at it in the laptop in the morning. First time I ever saw it. Checked some other threads and it's not there.
 
I honestly think your budget of $400 at a chainsaw maybe a waste on a new saw. The Chinese saws are break and toss, and there is no guarantee they're worth the plastic that's used to make them. The "brand name" saws at that pricepoint dont get you very far at all.

That store seems to stock a lot of husky stuff so I'd see if you can find a decent used husky farm or pro model on CL or FB marketplace
Still gonna cost you $400sh cash but you still need to budget for the following:
  • Chaps
  • Helmet
  • appropriate files
  • Bar oil
  • Spare Chain
  • rest on 2-stroke oil if left over
which would suck up that $200 Gift card No problem

my 2c worth price charged.

If your location is correct this seems like a great candidate:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-455-chainsaw/7564998977.html
or for a more pro saw weighs less than above more power my suggestion for only $25 more and you wouldnt need to buy another saw:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-550-xp-chainsaw/7565000712.html
or for a smaller saw:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-440-chainsaw/7564998173.html
 
scut207 said:
I honestly think your budget of $400 at a chainsaw maybe a waste on a new saw. The Chinese saws are break and toss, and there is no guarantee they're worth the plastic that's used to make them. The "brand name" saws at that pricepoint dont get you very far at all.

That store seems to stock a lot of husky stuff so I'd see if you can find a decent used husky farm or pro model on CL or FB marketplace
Still gonna cost you $400sh cash but you still need to budget for the following:
  • Chaps
  • Helmet
  • appropriate files
  • Bar oil
  • Spare Chain
  • rest on 2-stroke oil if left over
which would suck up that $200 Gift card No problem

my 2c worth price charged.

If your location is correct this seems like a great candidate:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-455-chainsaw/7564998977.html
or for a more pro saw weighs less than above more power my suggestion for only $25 more and you wouldnt need to buy another saw:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-550-xp-chainsaw/7565000712.html
or for a smaller saw:
https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/tls/d/detroit-husqvarna-440-chainsaw/7564998173.html
Click to expand...
That 550 would be nice personally.
 
GeeVee said:
There you go, the 4910 at 379 is your saw. Quit fartin around and go buy it. I'd certainly buy it over the Stihl 250, it will handle rode hard and put away wet, that the stihl will not like. Parts for the echo will be easily sourced, Stihl? Not even...... Imagin having to buy strings to fit your Gee-Tar, only from the manufacturer.....
Click to expand...
Agree. 4910 would be an excellent choice. And way better than the 250 for numerous reasons.
 
ballisticdoughnut said:
Don’t buy a chainsaw from Amazon, that would be my first piece of advice. If I were in your shoes I’d be looking at a Echo 4910. That would be the best value for money option and a five year warranty. If a servicing dealer is important to you, you’ll have to find out who’s in your area and simply go look at what they have to offer in your price range.
Click to expand...

Good advice right here.
 
ericm979 said:
Stihl MS250 is a classic homeowner saw. $400 list price. Echo makes good saws too. CS-4910 list price $379. I have a different Echo but I'd consider the 4910 over the MS250.

When running a saw you need safety gear- steel toe boots, saw chaps, eye and hearing protection. Plus you'll want a couple extra chains and a way to sharpen them. Make sure that's all in your budget.

Then there's tools to split the wood that you cut.
Click to expand...
I agree, I really don’t think you can get a better saw for the money than Echo.
 

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