What is your favorite chainsaw of all time?

[anthonyblack]

Mini Mac 12
661 mag

 

[Rabbot]

I thought I was pushing it, choosing my 500i for my only saw for the rest of my life. Some of you guys only cut really big wood, and are planning on still running enormous saws even when you're 80 years old. I admire your optimism.

I guess you can limb with an 880 if you have to, but can't cut down a 7ft diameter tree with a 261.

On this basis it’s 166 for me!

 

[Seachaser]

I really don’t have a favorite. I usually take 3 or four saws with different length bars and grab one for whatever I’m cutting. Match it to the job.

 

[Chucksta]

10 pages in... read every post.. My take away from that is that it's a toss up between (mainly) Stihl, and Husky, (with honorable mentions for a few others). Although the Echo brand is well reviewed, ( particularly the 590 and the 2511 ), when it comes down to "one saw", the brand is seldom mentioned. Echo might be an incredible "bang for the buck" ( yes, I own a few), but it doesn't bring out the " If I could only have one saw " vibe.. Hardly at all.
So, to go against the grain, If I had to pick one saw, It'd be the Echo 355T. I've got two.. one with a 12 inch bar, one with a 16 inch bar. Both sport Stihl chains. At pushing 70, if I can't take it down (too big) ,with one of the 355Ts', Someone younger than me can take their pick from my Stihl collection, ( 038 AV, 362 ), use the 590, Echo, or haul out the Echo 800P.
Once it's on the ground, one way or another, the 355T is perfect for limbing, dicing up branches, etc. It's small, light and reasonably powerful. I can run it all day, and not be dragging my butt by mid afternoon. With the 590 , or the heavy Stihls, I'd be tapping out for a nap after lunch.
20 or so years ago, my answer would have been different.. But today, a light powerful saw that I can use for a day is the way to go. Sure, it might be a bit slower to make a cut, but the difference in user fatigue is huge.

 

[Geo019t]

I currently have 14 Stihl saws, of which four are their 019t model. As it is so light and easy to maneuver, I'd suggest it to be my favourite and it may be operated (shhh) as a one-handed saw. It does have its shortcomings as it is quite a small saw -- top handled for, primarily bucket work -- and I have 12", 14" and 16" bars on mine. I have two MS260PRO saws which I'd suggest as a close #2 for bigger trees and most all felling. And, two 039's not too far behind -- for bigger work. Note I'm 75 and have a bum leg -- sadly all saws are becoming a challenge-- and the longest bar I need use (039) is 20 inches.
I provide my "favourite saw" based upon different needs.
geo

 

[Mike Ray]

makita 6420

 

[LuDookie]

10 pages in... read every post.. My take away from that is that it's a toss up between (mainly) Stihl, and Husky, (with honorable mentions for a few others). Although the Echo brand is well reviewed, ( particularly the 590 and the 2511 ), when it comes down to "one saw", the brand is seldom mentioned. Echo might be an incredible "bang for the buck" ( yes, I own a few), but it doesn't bring out the " If I could only have one saw " vibe.. Hardly at all.
So, to go against the grain, If I had to pick one saw, It'd be the Echo 355T. I've got two.. one with a 12 inch bar, one with a 16 inch bar. Both sport Stihl chains. At pushing 70, if I can't take it down (too big) ,with one of the 355Ts', Someone younger than me can take their pick from my Stihl collection, ( 038 AV, 362 ), use the 590, Echo, or haul out the Echo 800P.
Once it's on the ground, one way or another, the 355T is perfect for limbing, dicing up branches, etc. It's small, light and reasonably powerful. I can run it all day, and not be dragging my butt by mid afternoon. With the 590 , or the heavy Stihls, I'd be tapping out for a nap after lunch.
20 or so years ago, my answer would have been different.. But today, a light powerful saw that I can use for a day is the way to go. Sure, it might be a bit slower to make a cut, but the difference in user fatigue is huge.

Not sure if I’ve posted on this thread or not, but too many older veterans here from the days of good saws, for me to feel like interjecting, but my favorite saw, of all the ones I’ve owned, which have been a bunch of pro Stihl, Husqy’s , Echos, and a couple of Dolmars, is still my good ole cs680. It’s been the coolest running, hardest working saw I’ve owned. It’s the one saw I can see myself keeping for decades.

 

[GenXer]

017 ported.

 

[Chucksta]

Maybe it's just me, but , maybe the thread should have been .. " Non modified saw".. Once a saw has been modded.. Ported, polished, muffler modded, re-jetted , etc., etc., it may no longer bear any semblance to how the stock model performed. Sure, it's sweet to "wake up", a stock saw that C.A.R.B. regulations throttled.. But then, it's no longer a fair comparison. Then, it's like taking a stock car engine, rebuilding it to a stroker version, and comparing it to a stock version.

 

[hotajax]

The one my dad owned. Homelite XL--12

 

[stihlaficionado]

Husky: 346, followed by the 385/390
Stihl: tie, 361 & 661

 

[Lostcowboy]

Sach Dolmar 143 with 404 chisel,33 in bar.Yes it might be heavy and not as much zip in the speed department as some saws, but it's got all the stumping and bucking power that you will ever need or want! I bought mine in 1987 and used it hard and it is still going in 2024,with most of the original parts.very dependable well built saw.Wish I had a few more of them on my bench!

 

[LuDookie]

Husky: 346, followed by the 385/390
Stihl: tie, 361 & 661

I’m a big fan of all of those. Only 3 series Husqy I have left is my 395xp. It’s a good saw, and I really need it some days.

 

[BananaVessel]

I’m a big fan of all of those. Only 3 series Husqy I have left is my 395xp. It’s a good saw, and I really need it some days.

I will be buried with my 390xp.

 

[birddogtg]

Dolmar 7900,fairly light and cuts with the 90cc saws and with the heavy duty filter it has the best filter available anywhere.

 

[Shegs]

346xp, light, powerful and delight to use

 

[Chucksta]

O.K.... I'll push the "old guy" stuff one further..
My favourite saw is the one that someone else is running to feed me rounds for the splitter!!
But seriously.. I had a guy in with an excavator to do some clearing.. He managed to rip a tree out, missed, and hit the hydro lines.. Shorted out half the neighbourhood. He needed a saw to get the tree off the Hydro lines before the crew showed up.. He comes into the garage, and asks if I have a chainsaw.. ( DUH !).. I ask him if he wants small, medium or large.. He says "medium".. I give him the Echo 590. He comes back 5 minutes later, ( with the tree off the lines), and just says "Damn!" Said he was going to look for one for personal use. I don't know i that was a compliment to the saw, or to my sharpening.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

Husq 372XP x-torq paired with a 24" bar. Block firewood with it every day.

 

[TN Cattleman]

Stihl MS261 C-M, runs very well, powerful, yet light and handles good.

 

[diver64]

272xp. Made me money cutting pulp in the winter my junior and senior year of highschool. Piled firewood after that. Sold but 40yrs later I still regret it