whats your favorite brand
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moody
Guest
Newb already drank the kool-aid.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
Borrow the money. Pawn something. Sell something. Bum the money off a friend or relative. Get that saw NOW, before somebody else does (quite likely someone who won't know what they have bought). Sell a (gulp) gun or extra (?) ammo.
If you can't MAKE a cool $100-$150 on that saw, it would have to be really rough.
FergusonTO35
ArboristSite Operative
Absolutely true. It's pathetic how there is no real U.S. chainsaw industry nowadays when for so many decades we were the leaders. Yes chainsaws are still made here and the names still exist but that's about it. I don't have any grudges against the foreign brands, the domestics let this happen to them. I voted Poulan because I'm a cheapskate and they serve my needs, gave 'em some exercise yesterday as a matter of fact.
scottmphoto
ArboristSite Lurker
I have worked on and ran just about every brand out there but I'm partial to Husky. I have 3 Husky's, 1 Jonsered and recently rebuilt an old Sthil 011. I have a pile (literally a large pile) of Mac's to work on as time allows. And an old Sachs that I used to love that also needs fixin'. Some OLD Poulan's, Homelite's, Pioneer's, Bradley's and some other stuff in the pile as well. I grew up in a saw shop and started out when the Mac's weighed more than I did. Man, I'd hate to have to run one of those old saws now a'days. You HAD to be a man back then to work one of those all day long.
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
Couldn't help but notice that Husqvarna was not only the top name on the list...........but was the only one capitalized....:msp_rolleyes:
I own some 'iconic' Husqvarna models (272XP, 2100CD, 288XP) as well as several old Homelites, McCullochs, and Poulans. Probably won't get any more Husqvarnas, unless they're variants of those same three model families.
I divest myself of Stihls as soon as it's profitable to do so (only obtaining them to 'fix and flip'). I like that folks will pay me $$ for them...
My favorite brand is the Homelite of old, closely followed by McCulloch and Poulan from the same time period. Don't own any Pioneers yet, but there are some models on my 'bucket list'. Same with some Sachs Dolmar models as well as a few Solo and Jonsereds models, and some of the OLD North American brands (Mercury/Diston, IEL, etc).
I own some 'iconic' Husqvarna models (272XP, 2100CD, 288XP) as well as several old Homelites, McCullochs, and Poulans. Probably won't get any more Husqvarnas, unless they're variants of those same three model families.
I divest myself of Stihls as soon as it's profitable to do so (only obtaining them to 'fix and flip'). I like that folks will pay me $$ for them...
My favorite brand is the Homelite of old, closely followed by McCulloch and Poulan from the same time period. Don't own any Pioneers yet, but there are some models on my 'bucket list'. Same with some Sachs Dolmar models as well as a few Solo and Jonsereds models, and some of the OLD North American brands (Mercury/Diston, IEL, etc).
mainewoods
Addicted to ArboristSite
I think it's very decent of you fellers to post up responses to this young man's poll. I know you veterans have heard it all before, yet you still willingly participated and shared some of your knowledge. You all are to be commended. The wisdom you guys share is invaluable, especially to the young and inexperienced. I hope you all will continue to generously share this wisdom with others. I'm betting you will!!
Stihl pro saws are real saws, their best seller is at best so so. The bottom ones are built cheap and gutless. Steve
Your point is?
In their former name IEL, they had the iel beaver, world's first one man saw. IEL HA the world's first direct drive saw. IEL HM, the first saw to combine direct drive and diaphragm carb (really the first modern chainsaw). Explain where to guess again?
RandyMac
Stiff Member
Who invented what first, will always be in contention.
Inventing something first, does not always mean it was successful.
Were there many made? No. Did they take over the market? No.
The first successful one man chainsaw was the McCulloch 3-25.
The first truly modern chainsaw was the McCulloch D44.
Without McCulloch Motor's unique innovations, we would have been stuck with primitive, cobbled up,
sandcast boat anchors, well into the 1960s.
Im not discounting mac by any means. They are number 3 on my all time favourite brands list. Behind pioneer and homie. While they were normally second, they always had themost advanced saw of the time. I agree the old iel's were truly clunky compaired to the same era macs. I was just pointing out that the first shot at these modern saws was by iel. I would never want to do more than a few cuts with a beaver, but I could do my firewood wih a 3-25. My only issue with macs is that some are like working on a damn pm340...
Oh, and I happen to like those sandcast boat anchors. Not that I like running them...
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Sprint60
ArboristSite Lurker
Pretty hard to choose a favorite; my kid asks me this kind of question and usually hear's her daddy cop-out because he can't pin it down.
My first experience with saws was at a lumber mill when I was a teenager. We'd run for the mill shed when we found out what we were doing for the afternoon and it was an-elbow-in-the-face scramble for a saw. The guy who came out first was carrying the one McCulloch (sorry too long ago to remember exactly what it was.) It was first because it wasn't too bad starting and had a lot of vinegar. The next two guys came out of the shed with one or the other of the Poulans. They weren't as hard to start as the Mac, but didn't have as much power. My personal preference was one of the Poulans because either would happily sit on a stump and mutter to itself for long periods of time and then get back to work with just a blip of the throttle to "unload" it. The last guy out of the shed had that terrible Homelite that wouldn't start, wouldn't idle, had no power and needed constant fiddling with the chain to keep it tight. At least once during the day it would be up in the shop having the starter rope rewound and the operator getting his butt chewed by the Old Man (term used with respect) and the shop motor head. Overall an unpleasant experience. No offense Eccentric, that saw was used and abused and no doubt ancient. Nevertheless, just the name makes me cringe even after 30+ years of water under the bridge.
So when it came time to buy one for the homestead when we moved out into the country it was a Poulan. I can't call 'em favorites now though 'cause they aren't what they once were. Even the new 5020 doesn't thrill me. So for a vintage saw, it would be a Mac, every time. A big one that you can hear running three counties away.
My current line up is Stihl, mostly because my friend Tim's would run for hours seemingly without needing more than gas and bar oil. So when it came time to buy a new saw it was an MS260. But I confess to never even holding a Husky, and I've never ran a Jonsered nor a Dolmar. So for modern saws I guess that's my pick; Stihl, because that's what I know.
My first experience with saws was at a lumber mill when I was a teenager. We'd run for the mill shed when we found out what we were doing for the afternoon and it was an-elbow-in-the-face scramble for a saw. The guy who came out first was carrying the one McCulloch (sorry too long ago to remember exactly what it was.) It was first because it wasn't too bad starting and had a lot of vinegar. The next two guys came out of the shed with one or the other of the Poulans. They weren't as hard to start as the Mac, but didn't have as much power. My personal preference was one of the Poulans because either would happily sit on a stump and mutter to itself for long periods of time and then get back to work with just a blip of the throttle to "unload" it. The last guy out of the shed had that terrible Homelite that wouldn't start, wouldn't idle, had no power and needed constant fiddling with the chain to keep it tight. At least once during the day it would be up in the shop having the starter rope rewound and the operator getting his butt chewed by the Old Man (term used with respect) and the shop motor head. Overall an unpleasant experience. No offense Eccentric, that saw was used and abused and no doubt ancient. Nevertheless, just the name makes me cringe even after 30+ years of water under the bridge.
So when it came time to buy one for the homestead when we moved out into the country it was a Poulan. I can't call 'em favorites now though 'cause they aren't what they once were. Even the new 5020 doesn't thrill me. So for a vintage saw, it would be a Mac, every time. A big one that you can hear running three counties away.
My current line up is Stihl, mostly because my friend Tim's would run for hours seemingly without needing more than gas and bar oil. So when it came time to buy a new saw it was an MS260. But I confess to never even holding a Husky, and I've never ran a Jonsered nor a Dolmar. So for modern saws I guess that's my pick; Stihl, because that's what I know.
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RandyMac
Stiff Member
If you compare chainsaws from 1959-60, Homelite's 7-19 to the McCulloch Super 44A, you will see a vast difference in tech.
Homelite is still using the old fashioned vertical cylinder, it has exposed carb, oil and fuel lines, an air filter that looks like a spindle of thread, let's not forget that funky ass ball bearing starter drive.
The world would have been a different place, if stihl had borrowed McCulloch designs, instead of Homelite's.
Homelite is still using the old fashioned vertical cylinder, it has exposed carb, oil and fuel lines, an air filter that looks like a spindle of thread, let's not forget that funky ass ball bearing starter drive.
The world would have been a different place, if stihl had borrowed McCulloch designs, instead of Homelite's.
lumberjack48
ArboristSite Operative
When i started piece cutting in the early 60's i carried a C9 Homelite all day, and yes i was buffed. Over the yrs i owned, used logging about 50 saws give or take one or two.
In the 70's, early 80's i was a hardcore Jonsered, Husqvana man.
A friend of mine was a Stihl dealer, when we had a few drinks at the VFW we got in to some heated arguments about which one was better, Stihl or Husqvarna. He gave me a Stihl to try out, free of charge for a month.
I had to admit the Stihl was the better saw, this was 17 yrs ago.
My vote is for Stihl pro
Any box saw is only as good as its owner:msp_smile:
In the 70's, early 80's i was a hardcore Jonsered, Husqvana man.
A friend of mine was a Stihl dealer, when we had a few drinks at the VFW we got in to some heated arguments about which one was better, Stihl or Husqvarna. He gave me a Stihl to try out, free of charge for a month.
I had to admit the Stihl was the better saw, this was 17 yrs ago.
My vote is for Stihl pro
Any box saw is only as good as its owner:msp_smile:
Eccentric
Mister Wizard
The first truly 'modern' chainsaw was released in mid 1963 (as a 1964 model). Homelite XL-12. Lightweight die castings. First saw with 3/8 pitch chain. First saw with the Tillotson HS carburetor. An auto-oiler version was released a year later..........just before the 1-10 and 2-10 were released. Produced for over 30 years and copied by many (including Pioneer).
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RandyMac
Stiff Member
Produced for 30 years, with exposed oil lines.
lumberjack48
ArboristSite Operative
I remember the day, I was strip cutting swamp spruce with a C9, i seen my father coming down my strip carrying something. When he got up to me, he said try this, he had a new XL-12, it was like a toy after using the C9. The only thing i didn't like, i had to gas up every 25 or 40 sticks.
I ran a lot of Homelite models, i liked the 800 or 850
I ran a lot of Homelite models, i liked the 800 or 850
