Chainsaw For Logging Recommendations Please

[Witterings]

So a complete U-Turn in less than an hour ?

 

Rang a dealer that sold all apart from Makita to find out about parts availability on the various makes and happened to get someone who'd been an arborist for 14 years answer the phone and due to injury was now working in sales.

He didn't seem to try and sell me in any direction but said his preferred would always be an Echo due to reliability and starting so have gone with the CS-352ES with Oil, chain oil and a mixing bottle for £231.75.

I've always had a "leaning" towards Japanese goods and it seems all the others are made in China now, take it in for a service after 2 years and they give another 3 year warranty which I don't think the others offer anything that comes close to that so have gone ahead with the purchase.

If anybody knows anything terrible about them please let me know asap and before they dispatch at the end of the day ?

 

Again a big thank you to everyone for their input!!

[gary112]

I had a 352 for hedge laying a couple years back and found it underpowered and it just never ran right so chucked in shed and forgot about it,and went back to Husqvarna,but i do hear many good things about them on here particularly the pro range and got who mate who uses nothing else but not for me

[Paul in the woods]

I have an Echo 352 and think it's an ideal saw for cutting logs domestically. Very easy to start (if you remember to switch it on ) and mine runs very well now it's run in.

 

I'm not keen on the VXL chain on small stuff so I have a small battery stihl for that.

 

My only gripe about Echo round here is the lack of a good dealer.

[BishBashBosh]

I'd also run it on Aspen or Stihl Motomix (pre-mixed, ethanol free fuels). It's expensive (£20/ 5 litre can) but given that your saw may sit around for a month or more between" logging sessions" it will save you hassles in the medium term.

 

 Essentially it stays fresh for ages and doesn't bung up your carb whilst keeping the diaphram etc supple. Not had an issue with any of my 2 strokes in the 5 years I've used it, including an old strimmer that get used maybe twice a year.

[doobin]

46 minutes ago, BishBashBosh said:

I'd also run it on Aspen or Stihl Motomix (pre-mixed, ethanol free fuels). It's expensive (£20/ 5 litre can) but given that your saw may sit around for a month or more between" logging sessions" it will save you hassles in the medium term.

 

 Essentially it stays fresh for ages and doesn't bung up your carb whilst keeping the diaphram etc supple. Not had an issue with any of my 2 strokes in the 5 years I've used it, including an old strimmer that get used maybe twice a year.

Just bung in some fuel stabiliser when you park it up. Aspen is way too expensive unless you want it for the health benefits I guess 

 

where in the country are you? 

Edited November 13, 2019 by doobin

[BishBashBosh]

5 hours ago, doobin said:

Just bung in some fuel stabiliser when you park it up. Aspen is way too expensive unless you want it for the health benefits I guess 

 

where in the country are you? 

I'm in the Midlands.

It is expensive, roughly three times the price of unleaded + synthetic oil. However, as a homegamer I get through about 10 litres a year now and think it's worth it for the lack of hassles I've had since switching.

[GA Groundcare]

We are a Husqvarna dealer and we use a 135 for cutting up firewood for our heating system. Works fine ?

 

 

[spudulike]

Spares wise, Stihl are by the far the easiest saws to get spares for, Husqvarna are OK but generally take longer and Makita are about the same. These are my own opinions and other opinions may differ. Skylands on here do Husky and Echo spares with L&S engineering doing Stihl, Makita and Husqvarna.

If I were to order an OEM clutch for a mainstream saw, Stihl would be here in two days, Husqvarna in a week and Makita 1.5 weeks!

[038AV]

On 12/11/2019 at 16:58, Witterings said:

I’m looking for a chainsaw for logging for a wood burner and general use around the garden.

 

Years ago I had a Stihl (not sure which model but pretty entry level) which was great until I left the garage door open one night and it went walkabout … I wanted a replacement quickly and stupidly bought a McCulloch because that’s what B & Q had in stock and before amazon prime existed J.

 

It sat unused for a few years and the diaphragm is knackered and can’t be replaced / repaired economically and I’m not prepared to spend good money on bad.

 

I don’t want to buy something else that can’t be worked on that easily so have probably narrowed it down to Stihl or Husky (they’re the only names I’ve heard of as good ????) but am open to other suggestions provided they’re reliable, easy to start both cold and hot and things like a diaphragm can be replaced without having to buy a whole new carburetor.

 

I’ve looked at the Hushy 135 Mk2 and the Stihl MS 181 and 181 C-BE … does anyone have any comments on any of those (good or bad) and are there other makes as well thought of I’m not aware of and ticks all the boxes??

 

Any help and suggestions would be much appreciated!!

I wouldn’t bother with the 181 it’s a bit of a toy....chain details easy too.

best thing about it is the extremely easy start system. I got a 181 cbe or whatever it is for snedding on the ground and it’s pretty weak. Find myself reaching for the spare 362 with shorter bar more often than not! Or my old 038

[cloggy]

I love old Stihls [and very old Partners]. But I wouldn't buy a new one. They are either expensive, or cheap and not very durable. Recently both they and Husky have managed the trick of making some expensive not very durable saws. It all depends on the model. Friends of mine, full time in the forestry business have had their fingers badly burnt. Some now flatly refuse to buy a new model.They opine that it's better to wait and see what problems others are having. That's a damning indictment on  both makes.  The discount Makita 4300 is just impossible to beat. Too bad I don't need another saw; [well in that size range anyway]. These days I'd either buy Makita or Echo, and it appears the smaller Makitas are now assembled in China, with the same parts as before, wherever they come from.....

Edited November 13, 2019 by cloggy