Which Chainsaw As Next Purchase

[Jamie Jones]

I run a sole trader garden maintenance business that has just got through its second year. So still a bit of a newbie in the business.
 

I am after some advice as to what should be my next step up in chainsaw purchase.. 

 

I started off with a Stihl MS211 Chainsaw which has been a great little chain saw on domestic properties.... I then upgraded by adding a Stihl MS251 chainsaw to the kit list (And the Stihl Polesaw).. These have fitted in great for working within my qualifications CS30 & CS31... I am now adding CS32 (Tree felling over 380mm) and know that for this I really will need to get a bigger & more powerful / professional chainsaw for this work and wondered what people would recommend to be a good Chainsaw for this level of work... (I won't be doing forestry).

I have been please with the Stihl Chainsaw so far.. Had a play with a Husqvarna and it looked more complexed to work with than the stihl range... I have also used  The Echo CS2511TES Mini Top-Handle Chainsaw and was impressed with that.

Questions:
1) What would the more experienced members suggest would be my best option to upgrade to in the Stihl range for CS32 work?

2) Is Echo now a good alternative to Stihl? If So what would you recommend in their range?

All advice welcome

[Dbikeguy]

I went from a hobby saw to a husky 562xp awesome tool. light for its power, happily runs 18-24” bars can go 28” if you ever need it to.
similar newbie doing my courses and working weekends at the moment.
wanted a pro saw that i won’t want to upgrade quickly. Found i preferred the balance of the husky compared to the similar Stihl models

[Rough Hewn]

Stihl 461 25" bar for medium trees.
Stihl 661 36"bar for large trees.
And the 880 48" bar if it's a monster.
[emoji12]

[Stubby]

Any pro saw you feel comfortable with in the 50-60cc  range . I am a Husqvarna man and have a ported 346 and 560 but there is always Echo , Dolmar etc etc .

[Dan Maynard]

I believe that CS32 only requires you to have 15" guide bar so MS261 would be fine,  I'm a little bit intrigued with your choice of course though as  I don't think it's all that common to hold CS32 for domestic work - if you get a bigger stem just use a saw with longer bar. Not that you shouldn't go for the course if you want to, I have it down for one of these days ...

 

Personally I would think 60cc will be a bit big for garden work on hedges or smaller trees, but as you already have a MS251 maybe keep that and so go for 60cc pro saw. There's no right answer to the eternal saw brand debate, Echo cs620 is definitely a proper saw as is Dolmar PS-6100 (have been making saws in Germany almost as long as Stihl) Husqvarna 562 or Stihl MS362.

 

I think the Echo and Dolmar are less electronic, some would say this makes them a better bet in the long run.

[AHPP]

My saw philosophy is incrementally larger bars with the lightest power head you can get away with for each. My ideal quiver would probably be 12” 150, 16” 201, 20” 261, 25” 362 (and 30” 462, 36” 661, 48” 880 if I really had to have big saws). What I actually have is a 12” 170 and a big silky and they do more than you’d think.

[AHPP]

My guess is that the 251 is a good saw for you. Spend a fraction of what you’d spend on a new saw on good quality fuel (I use motomix) and sharpening equipment and put the time into learning to sharpen.

 

[Stubby]

5 hours ago, AHPP said:

My guess is that the 251 is a good saw for you. Spend a fraction of what you’d spend on a new saw on good quality fuel (I use motomix) and sharpening equipment and put the time into learning to sharpen.

 

I must have missed the bit where he said he could not sharpen ?

[Cheesy pete]

I am also  interested in Why  CS32? are the gardens you do huge? i'm not saying don't do the course but from my experience your climbing tickets CS38 CS39  would serve you better  than the odd few trees you are able to straight fell  of that size .

 

 

[AHPP]

I must have missed the bit where he said he could not sharpen ?

He didn’t but we can all improve.