Help me choose a saw for my wife

[oldmar]

I would pass on by the Echoes & get a Redmax GZ4000 or GZ4500.
They have pro style construction, good power to weight, improved
the strato-charge & are part of the Husqvarna group.

+1. My little Ryobi is a GZ400 clone, and it's about as light as you'd want while still having plenty of grunt. I was just limbing a big 'ol poplar with it today, and it's a hoot. Puts a smile on my face.

 

[rangergord]

2238 is similar to a 240 Poulan clone, Spike refuses to sell them.
2240 is similar to 435-440, still clamshells, but Swedish clamshells.
If your lady can handle a 346NE/2153, not much heavier, that would be
a great choice on a 50 cc pro saw, a lot more power.
There are 445 recon units on Flea-Bay for $200 delivered in CONUS, the
retail is $300+ US, there have been some good reviews on AS.

There might be some bargain hunting in my future....

 

[rangergord]

As for my wife she is not mean and she is a keeper. She still does not like Neandrathals though.

 

[rangergord]

I second the 346XP or 2153. Another good choice would be a Husky 353 or Jred 2152. They are the same saw as the 346/2153 just with slightly less power and they are considerably cheaper to buy.

Thanks Steve good info..

 

[MNTAINGAL23]

I have a Stihl 260 pro and I love it! It has the compression button so it is easy to start. It's not to heavy either and I have a 20" bar on it.

 

[04ultra]

I have a Stihl 260 pro and I love it! It has the compression button so it is easy to start. It's not to heavy either and I have a 20" bar on it.

Hmmmmmmmm..........................I thought you run a 660....




.

 

[sachsmo]

As for my wife she is not mean and she is a keeper. She still does not like Neandrathals though.

Believe it or not,

you just paid me the best compliment I've had here for weeks.

 

[HittinSteel]

you are in trouble. She is gonna see this and kick your ass. She is big and tough. You will be soorry....

372xp

 

[Slamm]

My wife likes the modded 361 but has run the 441 for hours bucking up, when the 361 was on the skidder, but she knows how to run a saw.

Sam

 

[ccicora]

Here is the saw my wife asked for as her Christmas Gift last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pp03LRK8AY

 

[D&B Mack]

Ms211

+1. Had two 211's that i picked up from a pawn shop brand new for real cheap. haven't been able to sell them. wife wanted to help out on the logging trail one weekend. gave her a new 211 and she loves it. cuts stuff up around the house all the time now. now i just can't piss her off when it has a full tank. she is about 120lbs and handles it easily, but if you talk to her, i said she is only 110...:taped:

 

[dancan]

So my wife says she wants a chainsaw. This is not too unusual. She grew up on a ranch driving tractors and such. She also wants a bobcat but that will have to wait a bit longer I think. She complains that my Jred 670 is just too heavy and she wants a smaller saw for limbing etc. I had a stihl 021Av that she liked for its size. It ran well and cut alot of wood over the years but I found it far too small for my liking and the tiny teeth on the chain sucked. So I want something a bit bigger than that. I am thinking about 40 cc, able to run a 16-20 inch bar, lighter than my 670champ. I am going with Husky or Jonsered because I have dealer support with those saws and I have sworn off stihl at this point. The other saw makes do not have enough parts support locally. So given those parameters I have been looking at saws like the Husky 435, 445, 339xp, 346xp and Jonsered 2238 and 2245. Would prefer proven long term models with high sales numbers and reasonable parts prices and large parts inventories. Is that a tall order or what? Recommendations?

Tell your wife to get her own AS account so we can give her some Rep and then we can give her the standard AS recommendation for lighter saws , 346 ,261,5100 (Seriously , more women make AS a happy place) .

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Here is the saw my wife asked for as her Christmas Gift last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pp03LRK8AY

Oh I see you have it cutting cookies this time isn't that saw usually milling boards??

 

[rburg]

The 435/2240 powerhead weighs about 9.5lbs and the 353/2152, 346/2153 powerheads weigh slightly over 11lbs. I have both a 350 and a 346 and they are both good limbers, but they also are good firewood saws for the 12-16" size wood.

 

[Cedarkerf]

The story of mountaingals christmas saw.

Mountaingal always wanted to run a chainsaw, But unfortanetly the men in her life didnt know how to run a saw or wouldnt let her[Dad, brother, Uncles x husbands]. Then she met me. Ilet her run my 032 smalles saw I had. Put an ear to ear grin on her face. She needed her own saw. She has a week arm from nerve damage years and years ago so I decided to get her the perfect saw for her. Either a small saw with stihls wind up start or a 260 pro because of the compression release for easy starting. Bought her a 180 because it was the lightest easy startin saw wrapped it up and hid it behind the christmas tree she never knew it was there. Came home from work one day and she had tried out the neighbors 180 she told me"I'd never want a saw that small its tiny and no power. Took the 180 back paid the differance for the 260 pro. Best money I ever spent and her favorite christmas present of all time. Point is just because shes a woman doesnt mean she needs the smallest saw. Shes even ran the 066 and the 372.

 

[rangergord]

I would pass on by the Echoes & get a Redmax GZ4000 or GZ4500.
They have pro style construction, good power to weight, improved
the strato-charge & are part of the Husqvarna group.

Those actually seem like a pretty good deal. Maybe that line will take off and become a standard.

 

[rangergord]

Tell your wife to get her own AS account so we can give her some Rep and then we can give her the standard AS recommendation for lighter saws , 346 ,261,5100 (Seriously , more women make AS a happy place) .

I will pass along the invite but I am not holding my breath. She doesn't do forums.

 

[Grande Dog]

Howdy,
Help me choose a saw for my wife.

Are you going to be limbing her, or bucking her?

Regards
Gregg

 

[rangergord]

Thanks for the input people. The wild stories, endless comedy, and most of all the stihl suggestions. Actually I would by a second hand stihl if it seemed like a good buy, but new? Naaaa... If money were no object I would buy the 346xp but as Sawtroll has noted, I don't live in the land of cheap saws. That 346 is over $600 and probably closer to $700 in the great white north. I will ask for a quote when I pick up my new 2165 this week.

The 346xp is a great saw with lots of power vs. weight and professional durability. The 435 is affordable and light but a bit wimpy and homeowner grade. I am at this point leaning towards a 445 rancher. Almost the same weight as the 346 but not as much power. I can get a factory reconditioned model landed here for almost half of what it would cost at the dealer. Beats a second hand saw, almost as good as new. As we are seasonal firewood cutters I think it should hold up fine.

 

[rburg]

The 445 should serve you well. I ran my neighbors 345 a couple of times in some 14-16" oak and it did fine. I think the 445 is the saw that replaced the 345. The 2165 that you are getting is one of my favorite saw








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