If you want a good small saw, get an Echo CS-3000. It is a light weight top-handle saw, and it's what all the tree trimmers here use. I've had one for about 6 or 8 years and I love it. My big saw is also an Echo, but most of the tree trimmers use Stihl for their big saws.
Bob
Is your "friend" who ruined you old saw gonna help pay for the new one?
Bob
Next time you loan him a saw he will ruin it again but buy you a 6-pack.
This is Turtle.
You might not be interested in quality but if so just get you a Stihl MS-310 with standard 18" bar to cut anything and run it a life time without loaning it to your friend with no 2 cycle oil.
TURTLE
In the market for a decent small 2 cycle chainsaw. Have searched Google, but this is a new year and thought maybe there's some new recommendations.
I have/had a 14" Crapsman about 25 yrs. old. Did the ultimate no-no and loaned it out. It came back froze solid, the person "thought" they could get by running it on straight gas! The saw did its duty over the years, and I think I have to have the funeral for it.
Anyways, looking for something that will get light use for about 20 hrs. a year.
Thanks.
If your chainsaw lasted 25 years, dying only after horrible abuse, why do you call it Crapsman? I am happy with my 2 year old Craftsman.
Well, my only experience has been with my father's Homelites. He's had the same two for over 30 years and they run like champs.
Troy
You can't go wrong with a Stihl or Husquevarna. avoid any cheap brand that places like Wal Mart sell.
This was such a detailed, well researched post I saved it.
If you want more, go to google groups- notice the date (there were several related posts under slightly different subject lines a few days prior).
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This is Turtle.
Well I read all the reply this even1) He seemed to see very few MS-310 -- 4.0 H.P. come back for any repairs at all but seen a larger number of MS-361 or C -- 4.3 H.P. or MS-390 --
4.3 H.P. or bigger and then up to the MS-660 at 7 H.P. or bigger before he starts to see no trouble.2) He said if he was cutting trees for a living he would go ahead get the MS-390 because of the .3 H.P. more but if you was cutting about a tree a month stick with the MS-310 for you don't need the speedy cut to make a living and he just does not see many of them come back for repairs at all.
3) He said he seems to think that when you break the 4.0 H.P. level on the engines it may put a strain on the engines or something like that. He then said if you break the 4 H.P. level you have to go to the MS-660 -- 7 H.P. level to not see them come back for repairs. He said this 4 to 7 H.P. engines seem to have all the trouble with very little below 4 h.p. and 7 h.p. and up. He also added the Huskey had the same problem that he seen the same thing as trouble verses the 4 h.p. to 7 h.p. engines. Outside this range he sees very little repair troubles.4) He did not recommend any Bar lengths over the 18" on the MS-310 or the MS-390 because of loads to the engine and cutting ability. The 18'' bar was all the teeth per wood surface you would want as to not lug the engine down. The
20"+ bars started to load up the engines and cause the engine to lug down when loaded up cutting. The Bar length does play a part in the longivity of the engine and having trouble or engine malfuctions.5) He said the 18" Bar would not jam in the 36" tree [ end cutting but 20" would ] and I could cut both sides and what was left in the middle would snap off. It did just what he said. To get the longer bar i would need the MS-660 and could cut up to with a 36" bar and still have the horse power to not jam.
6) The worst thing to do to a saw is to just use it every once in a while and put it up for long periods of time and if i could , use it as much as possible. The oil from the gas will keep the bearing and parts oiled up and setting it up let the oil drain off of the cracks and holes where you need the oil to be worked down into. Running it keeps the oil worked down into the place where you really need it.After sizing up everything that was said here and there. I ended up with a MS-310 with a 18" Bar and come home and started butchering that tree. It took about two hours and 5 tanks of gas and oil and it Got-R-Done. I think i got the right size of saw for cutting something like this but time will tell for duriability. I wished I could look out 2 or 3 years from now and see about this saw, but i will have to wait and see.
I would like to say thank you to all the hands that spoke here and helped out on this project. Thank You Thank You Thank You.
TURTLE
Old ones will last another 30 years. New ones may last 30 days. They turned to making crap a few years back. Tossed mine after a few hours and bought a Stihl.
"zxcvbob" wrote
Actually, they offered to replace it. But, I think I will counter with a come on over and have a beer, forget about it.
I have a small (14" bar) Stihl that has taken a lot of use and still works great. I also bought a Husqvarna 455 Rancher this year but haven't had to use it (usually by this time of the year I've had at least one tree down in the driveway. Feeling lucky so far).
Drifter "I've been here, I've been there..."
Hi, Stihl saw. Can't go wrong. Tony
Thanks for the replies. I definitely will check out Stihl. Has anyone had a John Deere chainsaw? Good reviews or?
Hi, If it quit naturally I'd be OK but killing the saw from misuse would make me upset. Anyhow today's Craftsman stuff is not like old ones. Tony
A shame really. Homelite used to be really good stuff. My Father's already told me he's tuned one up for me to have. Now anytime you can hand a chainsaw down from generation to generation...that's quality. Can you imagine, I'll be the 3rd generation owner of this saw.
Troy
I know you said you wanted a two cycle engine unit, but since I got an electric chain saw I hardly ever use my fuel chain saw.
The 14" electrics work better than any small fuel saw in my opinion.
I understand they need to be near to an electric supply, so one of them may not suit your useage.
Ross
(To get email address ROT 13) ebff snipped-for-privacy@lnubb.pbz
recommendations.
Hi, Charly.
No such thing- Deere does not make saws. Most such I've seen (YMWV) are actually Poulans. Not a problem here- still have a 25-yr-old that runs like new after many hundreds of hours' use, besides a current-generation lightweight that I've come to like very much. Priced waaay below the Yurpeens.
HTH, John
Charly Crash wrote:
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