Chainsaw choice -

[Jack]

Got to saw up 2 felled pine trees in my dad's yard tomorrow. (5 inch

14feet tall, & 8 inch diameter 18 feet tall)

Want to buy a chainsaw for it, and future projects. Live in suburbs, would use it once a year for minor tree trimming, probably be hit up by brothers to borrow it once or twice a season for same. Would be nice to have around for the odd ice storm that hits around here every 3rd or

4th winter, to clear fallen limbs from neighbors & family yards.

Have 3 choices --

Home Depot has Homelite 33cc "bandit" 14" bar on sale for 80 bucks. Seems to be a pretty good deal, but it does not appear to have a chainbrake.. I'd hate to save 30 bucks and lose a hand.. would feel pretty stupid then wouldn't I.

Lowes Poulan 14" bar, 33cc definately has brake. for 110 bucks.

Meijers (regional general merchandise store) Poulan 16" bar, 33cc, chain brake, and has carrying case.

Am thinking chain brake is important, so that takes me to 110 bucks.. and if I am there.. I will probably go the extra 20 for the carrying case.

Thoughts??????

[Jim McLaughlin]

Here in Oregon, we would call those twigs, not trees.

You do not need a gas saw. Get a good electric with a 14 or 16 inch bar. Get one extra chain, and a good set of chain files and a filing jig.

Electric saws START, and given he se you redict for the saw, you'll use it so seldm that youll spend more time getting a gas saw running than you ever will cutting.

You still need the same chain replacement and chain sharpening / maintenance on a gas as an electric, so thats a wash.

-- Jim McLaughlin

Reply address is deliberately munged. If you really need to reply directly, try: jimdotmclaughlinatcomcastdotcom

[Steve B]

$110 chainsaws are the disposable variety.

Buy quality and cry only once. If you buy a good chainsaw, it might outlive you. Buy more than you need, because you don't know what the next job is. I know you won't be cutting down any monsters, so you don't need the biggest, but don't get the smallest either.

I was in the same place as you a few months ago. After searching, I bought one on ebay. It was new, with a Buy It Now of $237. It had free shipping, and two extra free chains. It was a Husquvarna 345. They are available on ebay now with a search of "husqvarna 345". Same price.

For our first job, my wife and I cut down a juniper that had a 60" circumference base. We dropped it up, cut it up, and stacked the wood in less than four hours. The boughs took longer to load on the trailer and take to the dump.

I can't say enough about this brand of saw. If you buy one of the ones you are thinking about, they are crap and won't last long.

Buy a Husky or Stihl. Unless you have lots of money, then just go down and buy what is convenient, and figure on replacing it every few years.

Steve

[trader4]

The advice to consider an electric one is sound. For occasional light use where electric is available, they can be a good choice. They always start, which can be a problem with gas ones that get used once a year. I have a 30 year old Stihl. And if it's less than a 100 ft tree, I rather use an axe, cause it's more trouble getting the damn thing started.

[Joseph Meehan]

Think electric. Gas is only for times when you need something much larger than you are talking about or need to use it away from a power source.

Electric will be cheaper, easier to use and safer.

[Rich256]

Totally agree. Use 12 gauge extensions. I burned up a motor using too light of an extension cord.

Bought a Remington at Lowes. It didn't cut worth a damn. About to take it back when I noticed that it came with the chain installed backwards!!

[Frank Boettcher]

I've owned a homelite.

I now own a Stihl. Buy a Stihl.

[hallerb]

ELECTRIC IS THE BEST!

I bought one at sears then found a couple of the exact same model at garage sales.

so I have 3! when a chain gets dull I just swap machines.

this is a real time saver espically when you find the coccasional nail hidden in the wood...

it can be a bit awkard climbinmg in a tree, but if a saw falls and gets broken its not a big deal when you only paid 20 bucks....

[timbirr]

As mentioned, you don't use a saw enough to bother with mixing the gas/oil and keeping it fresh.

Electric saws are safer, they are overbuilt for safety. The one I have even has a factory installed "nose guard" to discourage plunge cuts.

I have two large Stihls that get a lot of use on my tree farm. But for yard duty at my mom's house in the city, the electric Homelite gets the nod.

[Harry K]

As others have said. You don't need (and won't want) a gas one after the first use going by your description. There is maintenance to be done when putting them away beginning with making sure to run all the gas out out. Not just dumping the gas, running the saw until it dies.

If you insist on a _power_ saw, get an electric. If you can find long blades, a sawzall type is even better than a chainsaw as they have almost zero maintenance.

Now for reality: You don't even need one of those. A bow saw from the hardware store will do what you need just fine. I have 3 chainsaws from small to large, use them all the time but when it comes to pruning, the pruning shears and the bow saw come off the wall.

Harry K

[timbirr]

Actually, Harry, I think you have something here. Good show!

[Oscar_Lives]

You have more choices than those three pieces of shit.

[HeyBub]

Think axe. $12.00.

[hallerb]

get a few matching electric chain saws from flea markets and garage sales.

having multiple chainsaws saves lots of time, chain dull? any problem just swap units........

[No]

I'll chime in here too. Get an electric for the jobs you describe. BUT - If you do go gas get a Husqvarna. The 345 mentioned is good. Get the best you can afford. If you get any gas model make sure you run it dry before you store it and only use fresh premium gas. Pour the old gas in your car to get rid of it.

[Harry K]

Can that be done on modern cars? Considering all the anti-pollution sensors and engine control sensors I suspect it would screw them up. I used to to it on my old cars but don't any more. Mine goes into the various lawn and garden equipment engines.

Harry K

[Rich256]

Yeah, the little left over from a chain saw wouldn't make much difference. Now if you are talking of 5 gallons, that is something else.

[Rich256]

Better yet, put it in your Lawn Mower or Snow Blower.

[Ron]

I bought a 14" Homelite and it didn't cut worth a damn, took it back and traded it for a 14" Poulan. Made about 100 cuts with the Poulan (same size trees as you are describing) and the oil pump went out. They are made out of plastic and from what I've read this is a common problem with this saw. I contacted Poulan and they covered the oil pump under warranty, just had to take it to a local Poulan service center.

So IMO both of those saws are junk. I was gonna take the Poulan back to Home Depot and trade it for something else but the only saws in that price range, were the Homelite and my same Poulan. So I just got it repaired. I've only used it once since being repaired so hopefully it won't fail again, because then it will be out of my pocket.

BTW, Poulan told ME when the saws warranty was up by the serial number. I don't really understand how it was still under warranty (only 8 months old according to them) because I had it for about 13 months. It has a one yr warranty.

[Goedjn]

I think that for that level of use, you should skip the chainsaw, and buy a medium sized bow saw, a folding pruning saw, and an axe, and spend the remaining 50-75$ on beer.

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