Chainsaw question

[Stumblebum]

I have four Stihl saws. I rarely have to pull the starter rope more than three times to start them.
I use SeaFoam in them.

[Mizzou211]

Can't go wrong with Stihl for sure.

[okhawg]

Echo has a great warranty and are a very good saw. I have a Husky and it still cranks 2nd pull after 14 years.

[Mechanic Bob]

Don't over look the electric chain saws. Most excellent for what you are describing. WORX Squeeze the trigger and you are cutting! I have the 10" that is also a pole saw and a 18" Craftsman (made by Worx) and the old Stihl gas. Much easier to use the Electric.

[jigheadworm]

I was skeptical of electric until a friend of mine came by to get some wood from a tree i had down.He had a Milwaukee and that thing cut great.

[Every]

If you get a stihl ask about buying 6 cans of oil to extend the warranty... your going to use the oil anyways, probably won't use the warranty but never hurts.

[Kbob]

I have a Husky that is a year shy of 30 cranks whenever needed just cut a tree down with it last week.

[spinningreel]

Stihl. I've got a 260, think the current model is a 261. It's their perfessional grade 18". Runs great, and is the perfect all around saw it you are going to run 1 saw.

I’ve got a MS261, it was the 1st pro saw I bought, finally just pulled the trigger and paid a little more and went to the pro saw, & haven’t looked back, they are sweet for sure.

[wstutts]

Echo CS400 with 18” bar for $299 will serve you well and has a 5 year warranty. Mine has worked flawlessly

This is what I have and love it. I had 2 Poulans and I got so irritated with them I put then on the road with a free sign on them. When I saw the guy putting them in his trunk I said to myself you poor sucker. I should have put a dollar in each one so he could say he got something.

[jb882]

There is a reason they call them pull-on..... you can pull the cord on and on and it still wont start....

I have a Stihl MS251 with an 18" bar and an MS271 farm boss with a 20" and of the 2 i use the 251 a LOT more. Its a darn good saw and a joy to use from a size and weight standpoint. I would highly recommend either saw.

[CatFan]

Just buy one of the cheap eBay replacement carbs for your saw. I resisted them forever, but they’ve fixed every piece of equipment I tried them on.

[BP in ME]

Stihl is amazing. Echo is pretty darned good too. And Husqvarna. All of them are head and shoulders better than a poulan.

+1
Any of these three will do the job. Use ethanol free gas and if it only gets used occasionally, I'd dump the gas out of it before storing. For about $15 you can get a file and guide system to keep a good edge on the teeth. That's probably the single biggest factor in how well a saw performs

[bschwoep]

To answer a few points. I'm not going with an electric saw. I'm not sold on battery operated saws at this point. When my Poulan works, I love it and it cuts great. But it always been a hassle to keep it running and I run good non ethanol fuel in it and a good oil as well. Carb cleaning didn't seem to make much of a difference.

I'll be honest I'm a decent mechanic but as I'm now in a financial situation where I don't have to wrench on things constantly. I want a good saw that I can run good fuel in, store it for months and go back and it fires right up and works. And if I have to pay for that, I'm OK with that. Because when I need it, it's gonna work. Soo Stihl is in the lead. If I can find one in stock in town.

If you set on gas, get a Stihl.

At some point, I'd also recommend getting a small electric cordless chain saw too. I have a 12" Dewalt 20V I paid $99 for (I already had batteries) and that thing is awesome. I use it all the time for smaller trees and limbs and recently took down a 25' ash tree with it. Big saws definitely have their place, but it's nice to just pop in a battery and get to work. I was really surprised how well it cuts. I have a 14" bar and chain to make the saw even more capable but I haven't installed it yet.

[Tidewater Bass]

OK I'll take the hurt that follows.... I won't buy any more Still products because of the customer service from dealerships in my area. Our local dealers are not much help unless you purchased the item/tool from them. The FIRST question they ask is did you buy it from us? Why does that matter? I have the model and serial number isn't that is all you need to look up a part for me? I even had one guy say sorry can't help you... Once my hedge trimmer dies I'll be all husky products.

[Gungle George]

Echo CS400 with 18” bar for $299 will serve you well and has a 5 year warranty. Mine has worked flawlessly

Same here, great saw. I've many a cord with mine.

[MacIntosh]

Nothing to add except that since you mentioned a specific bar-length any good dealer should be able to switch out the bar on the saw when you buy it at no additional cost. Just be aware that the bar length and the chain thickness are more or leas matched to the power of the saw—if you put a longer bar and thicker chain on a small saw it will be underpowered, especially in hardwoods. Nothing wrong with a short (16” or so) bar unless you are really dealing with very large trees on a regular basis—if so you will simply need a bigger saw. If you get a smaller stihl saw than your poulin was, it might be more reliable but it will not “cut better”. You’ll need a saw of equal or greater power to cut better, regardless of the brand. I have a stihl ms260 that has been good, any issues have been my own making (bad gas, etc). As an example of the above, I have a 16” and 20” bar that fit on it, and that saw is a bit underpowered with the 20” bar in any hardwood where Im utilizing the length if the bar.

Re electric saws—I used one last fall elk hunting, they worked, they were fairly quiet. Im not sold. Batteries get old, need charging, etc and I would rather have gas ready when I need it. Also not sure the electric saws are available in a size large enough to really spin a 18”+ bar in hardwood.

[Triton 186]

Stihl

[june-bug]

Echo CS400 with 18” bar for $299 will serve you well and has a 5 year warranty. Mine has worked flawlessly

I've been running this saw for years now and it has been flawless. Highly recommend

[txbass1]

Get a Stihl 251 Wood Boss with 18” bar.

Lightweight saw, yet has 45cc power, very good all around homeowner saw.

Costs around $300.

^^ nailed it

[Bassin_7]

Only one choice......

Husqvarna!

I grew up Stihl. Bush wacked the Canadian bush with Stihl. Until I didn't.

I moved to Husqvarna and have never been happier. In fact I transitioned pretty much everything over to Husqvarna (chainsaws, lawnmower, weed eater, snowblower, leaf blower, etc.)