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.
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.
Can't go wrong with Stihl for sure.
Echo has a great warranty and are a very good saw. I have a Husky and it still cranks 2nd pull after 14 years.
War Eagle Blackhawk 2170 - Suzuki 150, MG Xi5
Lowrance HDS 7" & 9" - Twin Talon 12' Anchors
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.
2019 RT 198P
2018 Mercury Pro XS 150 HP 4 Stroke #2B610068
Twin 12' BT Talons
4" Atlas Jack Plate
Riptide Instinct Quest
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.
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.
I have a Husky that is a year shy of 30 cranks whenever needed just cut a tree down with it last week.
2016 Phoenix 819 Mercury 200 Pro XS
Kenny
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.
A mistake on your part does not constitute a emergency on my part.
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.
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.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
+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
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.
Brandon
1996 Ranger 362XT
Johnson Faststrike 150
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.
Phillip "Wade" Norris
2015 Ranger Z520C
250 Merc Optimax Pro XS (S# 2B113454)
25P Fury - 4 blade all holes open
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.
Last edited by MacIntosh; 05-05-2021 at 10:19 AM.
Stihl
2014 920/SHO
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.)
Huntin' Ducks, Chasin' Pheasant, Catching Fish