CHEAP saw for cutting on stumps/fence posts

[dschroeder]

What would you guys recommend for a "crap saw" for cutting stumps, fence posts ect where it'll get abused/stuck in the dirt. For my current saws I run a redmax GZ380 and an older echo cs300 top handle. Was thinking cheap poulan ect...suggestions welcome. It's not commercial work just stuff around home or on the side (run a small lawn care service)


RedMax GZ380 16"
Homelite XL auto oiler 12"
Echo CS300 top-handle 12"

 

[HuskStihl]

Pick up something cheap at a pawn shop.

 

[fuzz1500]

Anything you can still get parts for . If you are cutting stumps with some size, you are gonna want something in the 60cc range or higher, and well built . Stumpin is hard on em !

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Don't take this wrong, but maybe a better question would be how do you guys handle stumps and fence posts without tearing your saws up. With a little prep work, with a shovel and hose, there's no reason you can't get low cuts without tearing up a powerhead. I do have an old bar and older chains I throw on for the low cuts, but it's not hard on the saw.

 

[Sagetown]

Poulan ! They are the luckiest saws I've seen. Where a highly treasured saw wouldn't last a heartbeat, I've seen my Poulan come through hopeless situations without a scratch. Keep the chain sharp, and those babies run like a timex watch. I hate 'em, cause they're hard to start, but they're practically indestructible. Throw'em in the back of your truck, and let 'em roll all over the bed. No need to pamper them with a saw case, as with a Stihl. Plus, the name itself is insurance against theft. Who'd want to steal an old Poulan.

 

[zogger]

Flush cutting stumps is pretty hard on a saw. I use wedges to keep it open plus a maul or axe to chunk off pieces as I go. I don'[t like to make one big long cut through a larger stump if I don't have to. cut some, bust it out, cut some more, bust it out, etc.

As to saws, it's easy to accumulate a pack of running old poulans with a cheap budget. And they are easy to work on and tons of the parts interchange. And used bars and loops are easy to score cheap at repair shops. They usually get a ton of customer no-fix saws hanging around.

 

[GrassGuerilla]

From the OPs discription, sounds like the perfect job for a beat up ms290 farm boss. I actually bought a new one last year for the same purpose. Plenty of power for stumps and fence posts. At the time I had about 60, 75 year old cedars to remove that had eaten a barb wire fence. Just couldn't bring myself to stick anything nice in there.

An old mag Poulon would be a nice choice too. Say a 3400 cv or 3700, 3800. Nice examples can be had for $50-100. And will run with or better than the farm boss. Some might say they're a little too nice for such duty.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Use a carbide impregnated chain.
Jeff

 

[HuskStihl]

Flush cutting stumps is pretty hard on a saw. I use wedges to keep it open plus a maul or axe to chunk off pieces as I go. I don'[t like to make one big long cut through a larger stump if I don't have to. cut some, bust it out, cut some more, bust it out, etc.

I'm just the opposite. Put on the long bar, dog in, get some coffee, throw in a wedge half way thru, read the paper, take a few hits from the oxygen tank if I'm running bel ray, finish up and pick up the stump with the tractor

 

[fuzz1500]

WOW !! Now thats a stump . Makes me tired just thinkin about that job !!

 

[HuskStihl]

Much easier than the falling, bucking, hauling and burning!
Zogger is right, you need a big nasty saw for big nasty stumps

 

[zogger]

I'm just the opposite. Put on the long bar, dog in, get some coffee, throw in a wedge half way thru, read the paper, take a few hits from the oxygen tank if I'm running bel ray, finish up and pick up the stump with the tractor

HAHAHAH! Well ya..and that there's cheatin! hehehehehe

CL ad "designer landscaping piece, unique..one of a kind..."

 

[DavidBrown1212]

I don't think he is in the tree removal businesses, and does not need a saw to remove serious stumps. Just saying...

 

[dschroeder]

Sorry for the long delay about coming back to the thread. Been crazy busy on weekends doing my leaf cleanup side gig. Most of what I run into on my mowing jobs is 4-16" diameter stumps left behind that the homeowner has asked if I could do anything about. Kinda was thinking a poulan 14" from one of the big box home improvement stores when they end up on sale for around $70. Just after something to abuse that won't hurt too bad to throw when I kill it, or if it happens to get 5-finger discounted from the truck or damaged loaning it out ect. Reading the reviews I know they seem hit and miss...wonder how many of the bad (this thing is junk) reviews are by people that don't know anything about operating or tuning a saw.

 

[fuzz1500]

As soon as you get something small..you are gonna need something big !! Thats the way it always seems to go .Good luck with whatever you get into !!

 

[dschroeder]

I hear ya there, I'm not too proud to admit to them its more than I want to take on. Did just that a few weeks ago when someone asked if I could take a dead branch out of a walnut tree. Was 6-8" diameter 20' long (over power lines and above the garage) just told them it was bigger/more complicated than I wanted to take on due to the risk of damages. Went into my stack of cards and told them to call a buddy that's a professional arborist.

Little stuff doesn't bother me but I shy away from stuff like the one I mentioned above. 99% of what I do is mowing and leaf cleanup (read between the lines there and you'll know my insurance status)

On another note...just went out to the garage and came across an old homelite xl auto I'd forgotten about. Suppose I could use this. From what I remember it loved to seep oil out onto the b/c after filling the tank and oiling was hit-miss when you rolled it in its side. Currently wearing a non-sprocket tip bar

 

[Brian B.]

I can't believe no one has suggested an Earthquake cs4518 yet, $55 delivered, perfect saw per your description.

Two cs4518's for there've of one Poulan, or one cs4518 and two or three full chisel chains to go with it for the price of the Poulan.

 

[dschroeder]

Where do you find an earthquake that cheap? I was thinking 14" bar for a smaller package

 

[Brian B.]

eBay, enter "ardisam 4518"

Mine was brand new, with Sears $180 tag on it, see the "dissecting an earthquake chainsaw" thread that keeps popping up here, great saws, just have to muff mod them. It's basically a Red Max G5000AV, (a copy of one anyway) (damn good copy)

 

[Brian B.]

$55 saw, then order a 14" bar and chain combo, pick your deal, either way likely cheaper than a pp3314, and a much better saw to boot... (I'm no Poulan snob, I dig them too)