truthseeker
ArboristSite Lurker
So I know this topic has been covered a little on the forum but I wanted to offer some personal exerience and thoughts and invite others to weigh in on the subject. The question at hand is what is the best scenario for sizing saws for general use in a small farm, wooded lot, etc. My first experience with this was about 15 years ago when I had a 4 acre lot with a good mix of large pines and poplars. At that time I had a Echo CS4400 and a Makita 6401 (HD Rental) which were both great saws. It was then that I learned that the 60/40 solution worked well. The Makita at 64cc is a strong performer and the CS4400 at 44cc was light enough to carry through the woods but strong enough to do most work. I was happy as a clam. I had discovered the best balance for me at the time. More recently, I am in a slightly different situation with a smaller lot (2 acres) with mostly cedars and smaller pines with a few smaller hardwoods. Nothing over 18" diameter. But here in NC we are prone to ice storms and significant tree damage is possible in any winter, or in the fall when hurricane season is in full force. I had wound up with 2 50cc saws, a Stihl MS271 I bought right after a major ice storm, and a Makita 520, both great saws. But it was obvious having 2 saws the same size made little sense and I wanted to recreate my 60/40 solution. But I apparently made a mistake in my selections which cost a few dollars. I had bought an Echo CS370 which is a nice light weight well balanced saw, but a little underpowered for medium size work. I also bought a used Makita 6421 but after hauling it around the lot for a couple of days, realized it was too heavy and too much trouble for the size of trees I have. I do not burn firewood but love cutting wood. So I realized that I went from one mistake to another. In the first case I had 2 saws that were sized very close to each other, in the second case, I had 2 saws that were too extreme (too small for anything but light work, and too big/heavy for my larger work. So after some careful thought and research I wound up with Makita EA4300 (Dolmar 421) and a Dolmar 5105. Now I realize one may say these 2 saws are too close in size but let me explain why this works for me. First off. I insist on having 2 saws because you never know when you need a rescue or have mechanical issues or have a buddy come along or want to help someone else. I am partial to Makita/Dolmars and Echo brands but respect Stihl and Huskys as well. After evaluation the Echo CS490, Stihl MS241, and the Makita EA4300, I settled on the Makita. It is a strong performer for its size as others have stated. I went with its slightly larger brother the 5105 because it was within my upper weight limit of 12 lbs but strong enough to manage a 20" bar and cut anything that would come my way. Both run the 3/8 LP bars and I can interchane as needed. But here is my takeaway on all of this: Chainsaw selection need not be complicated and for the average homeowner, it is just a walk to the big box and buy a saw and do it. But to some of us, this is a serious decision that requires a lot of thought (at least for me it did). Obviously I did not consider my situation carefully enough when I purchased the previous saws, and yes I was a little fickle here, trying to fine tune things. For instance I let the Stihl go because I did not like how stingy it oiled. And the Makita 520, while a fine saw, was just a hair underpowered but fairly light nonetheless. But anyway, the thought process goes like this, find the right saws for weight/power/price at the top level, then move into features, dealers, brand etc. To find the right balance of 2 saws, consider firewood or not, walking or not, hardwood/softwood mix, diameters etc. For me it came down to what do you want as your main saw: a lighter strong performer (think Stihl MS241 great saw but too exensive) or heavier saw that is strong enough to do everything (think Makita 6421 or Echo 590). The Makita Dolmar 42 cc is great because it is strong and still within a lighter weight class. It is all about range. Saws under 40cc will just not do medium size work to the satisfaction you want. Saws over 50 to 55 cc can be heavy and too much work if you have to carry them. So a narrower range of 42 cc and 51cc works for me. I have the power I need, the backup I need, the decent power/weight ratio etc. Avoid the extremes, and stay with lighter weights. The most expensive mistake I made in chain saw purchasing is chasing more power than I needed. I suspect I will use the Makita EA4300 about 70% of the time. I bought the 5105 used for 325, and the Makita for 315. Some money for Oregon Pro-Lite bars (16 and 20) and some semi-chisel non safety chains and I am loaded for bear.
