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husqvarna 545,555 chose either i love my 545.
Your opinion of best firewood chainsaw for homeowner
- Thread starter livemusic
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Ferguson system
Iggesund Forest dealer
one more vote for Husky 545/Jonsered 2252.
If I had to throw away all of my saws and keep one, my Stihl MS361 would remain. Here it is in 2008:
It runs today the same way it did back then. I probably have over 500 hours of operation on it. I also own an MS290 that runs well, but it doesn't get used very much.
Same here but I would have a hard time giving up the MS441.
RedEyedRooster
ArboristSite Lurker
I like my 2009 MS361 with a 20" bar als0 have a 25" bar for bigger logs. Weights about the same as MS290 12.5lbs. Ms290 is 55.5cc, MS362 C-M now is 59cc. Cost is about a third more for MS362C-M $730.00 I replaced some dry rotted hoses last year but other than that has been reliable as long as you know when it tries to start, flip the chock off and after you've warmed it up you don't need to use the compression relief anymore to start. I fill about 7-8 racks 10ft long and 4.5ft high every year.
I would have a hard time giving up most of my saws. I never realized how nice it is to have a big saw when bucking or noodle cutting big rounds, and during that past few years, that has become important. Limbs and tree tops are now being mulched up that I used to have available for firewood. That has also made a log splitter even more important.
I'm surprised nobody recommended Echo here. Kioritz Corp. makes some very fine saws. Oops! It did get mentioned. They are hard to kill and seem to always start.
zogger
Tree Freak
If you mean that hand sharpener that does the cutters and depth gauges at the same time, Stihl doesn't make it, just sticks their name on it. Pferd makes them for other companies and under their own name. I have their older design, but it works the same, and works well. They are not brand specific, they are chain pitch specific.
http://www.pferdusa.com/products/201b/201b01/201b0105.html
As to unsticking a bar, wedges are the first choice.
Wedges are also my first choice for freeing up a trapped bar. I keep a few of these handy that I make in the shop:
Actually, the best defense is to be careful to remove the bar before it's trapped and roll the log. Or support the log underneath before you start to buck.
Gugi47
ArboristSite Hit Man
If you check my sign, I have some sow's and more not listed. I got offer $375 for my MS290 and I say NO.
I have hard time to sale any of my saw's. I like them all.
The MS290 is a great saw, I never have problem with. Like with all saw's is important the tuneup. And to keep clean them all the time.
I sugest to stay with the MS290. You have pay for it and if the mechanic have a good adjustment down, that saw will serve you for many years.
Important to use 93/94 octave gas if is posible, no methanol an synthetic 2 cycle oil. Good luck my friend.
I have hard time to sale any of my saw's. I like them all.
The MS290 is a great saw, I never have problem with. Like with all saw's is important the tuneup. And to keep clean them all the time.
I sugest to stay with the MS290. You have pay for it and if the mechanic have a good adjustment down, that saw will serve you for many years.
Important to use 93/94 octave gas if is posible, no methanol an synthetic 2 cycle oil. Good luck my friend.
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
WooHoo ! Alright !; If the OP could only find a used one in that good a shape. I don't think he's quite ready jump in as deep as I did with a MS362CIf I had to throw away all of my saws and keep one, my Stihl MS361 would remain. Here it is in 2008:
It runs today the same way it did back then. I probably have over 500 hours of operation on it. I also own an MS290 that runs well, but it doesn't get used very much.
Husqvarna 562 or for lighter use the 555 . Stihl aren't terrible but your usually paying more for heavier slower saw . Echo I wouldn't even consider . Their medium duty stuff is weak and cheaply made IMHO
livemusic
ArboristSite Operative
If you have a good-running saw that is, say, around 10 lb without bar/chain and a good-running saw that is, say, 13 lb without bar/chain, is it safe to say that cutting firewood (within the capabilities of the saw) would be more enjoyable and less tiring (even safer?) with the lighter saw? I keep thinking I would be better off with a 45cc to 50cc saw and then just cut within the limitations... reject whatever wood is 'too much for it.' Sorry for the ignorance, lol.
The HP/weight ratio remains one of the most important specs that I look for when buying a chain saw. The higher that fraction is, the better that saw usually performs for me. That's why I bought a new Stihl MS361 in 2008, one of the best chain saws ever made. Four more in that category that have been discontinued are the Husky 353, the bigger Husky 357XL, the Stihl 026 PRO, and the bigger Stihl 046 Mag.
zogger
Tree Freak
You just never know what you will need. There is a legit use for all sizes of saws. the very smallest and very largest you might not use *much* but when you need them, it makes the job so much easier.
As to large wood, man, that's when you are really productive with mass quantities.
And as to scrounging, a lot of guys here have great luck scrounging big trunkwood that other guys pass by, as they only have small saws.
I like all of it, I love cutting smalls/branches with a small saw and moving "briskly", and I love cutting whoppers. It's all fun. And getting nailed with the tornado cured me of thinking one small saw was enough...
But like I have said before, to start with, one saw to do it all, around a 60 or even better, a pro ported 50. INSTANT ADDICTION! hahahaha light weight, super duper powah, what's not to like?
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
More enjoyable cutting with a lighter saw ? Not for this old man.
Less tiring ? An average man most usually handles heavier tools differently to accomplish the same goal w/o over-exhausting himself. Is a lighter saw more safe than a heavy saw? As long as it isn't running, it's safer. Once they are running, safety depends solely on the operator, and that consists of many factors.
JeffGu
Antagonist/Heckler
You might also consider this... if you get into some big, tough wood with a little saw, you may be fighting for quite awhile with a 12 lb. saw. Break out that big 16 lb. saw and you might be done in a minute or so. That extra weight isn't always what's wearing you down. Might be muscling a smaller saw around for too long. That's an advantage to having several saws. You can set them out on the tailgate of your pickup and attack a felled tree with the little, light saws first... moving to a bigger one as soon as you feel you're wasting a lot of time on the cuts. Eventually, you'll be using your big saw... but probably for a very short time.
Usually, working smarter is a lot less tiring than trying to work harder.
Usually, working smarter is a lot less tiring than trying to work harder.
Wedges are also my first choice for freeing up a trapped bar. I keep a few of these handy that I make in the shop:
Actually, the best defense is to be careful to remove the bar before it's trapped and roll the log. Or support the log underneath before you start to buck.
Most of my trapped bars have been while felling bad leaners.
If you are looking at homeowner grade saws then I'd say Husky 450 if you do a lot of limbing and bucking of smaller wood or the Echo 590 if you are doing larger wood.
If you want to spend a little more, Husky 550 or 562 are excellent saws.
If you want to spend a little more, Husky 550 or 562 are excellent saws.
I was out all day today cutting firewood.
We had about 30 rounds of hardwood that were 3 feet rounds and 1 foot thick that needed to be halved so we could lift them. I'm talking 900kg per cubic meter dense hard eucalyptus.
I could noodle them longways faster than my brother could stand them up with my 066
Fired up my 039 for a run and it did the job but was slower going.
Both saws run well modded mufflers and are tuned to 4stroke in the cut.
The slower saw just ends up being more time running the saw when you are cutting for hours.
Yes the 066 is heavier, but not by much and you only hold the weight between cuts.
When cutting anything over 10" thick, I will use the heavier 066 over a smaller saw as it just ends up less work at the end of the day, and I am talking close on twice the cut speed.
I started out thinking a smaller saw would be better as it is lighter but I now find the bigger heavier saw to be less work when cutting.
I wouldn't start out with a 90+cc saw though....... they are vicious animals if you are inexperienced.
Get something mid sized and when you get some saw time up, see if you can have a run of something bigger so see how you go.
Its a preference thing but I am just trying to add some alternate opinion, not confuse the issue.
As I said before..... It depends on what you plan to cut and how big the timber will be.
I personally tackle hardwood up to 4 feet thick so a bigger saw is my friend.
We had about 30 rounds of hardwood that were 3 feet rounds and 1 foot thick that needed to be halved so we could lift them. I'm talking 900kg per cubic meter dense hard eucalyptus.
I could noodle them longways faster than my brother could stand them up with my 066
Fired up my 039 for a run and it did the job but was slower going.
Both saws run well modded mufflers and are tuned to 4stroke in the cut.
The slower saw just ends up being more time running the saw when you are cutting for hours.
Yes the 066 is heavier, but not by much and you only hold the weight between cuts.
When cutting anything over 10" thick, I will use the heavier 066 over a smaller saw as it just ends up less work at the end of the day, and I am talking close on twice the cut speed.
I started out thinking a smaller saw would be better as it is lighter but I now find the bigger heavier saw to be less work when cutting.
I wouldn't start out with a 90+cc saw though....... they are vicious animals if you are inexperienced.
Get something mid sized and when you get some saw time up, see if you can have a run of something bigger so see how you go.
Its a preference thing but I am just trying to add some alternate opinion, not confuse the issue.
As I said before..... It depends on what you plan to cut and how big the timber will be.
I personally tackle hardwood up to 4 feet thick so a bigger saw is my friend.
