Advise on 1st Chainsaw for home use

[Stere]

 Agree about the low power thing suiting 12"  more for ms171 

 

But a   14" is more useful  generally  as can cut though more small branches bundled on a saw horse and better reach and less bending down when snedding etc.

 

Another option might be a small cordless saw stihl or makita...

 

 

[Steven1210]

2 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

12 minutes ago, Steven1210 said:

Ahh ok, so more of a cheap line for the home user (me) but carrying the badge of the respected names?

That's partly true, the thing is in 5 or 10 years you will still get spares for a MS171 or 135 so I would say you are better off with either Stihl or Husqvarna than the other Chinese saws.

Ah ok, thats a good point on spares.  My chinese 52cc multi tool has been ok for the past 6 years, but its not exactly doing hard work, strimming grass and trimming hedges, but I think they have generic parts. 

 

I tend to look after kit (mountfield lawnmower is 16 years old, and just been replaced as the cutter deck snapped eventually due to rust!)

 

So I think its best to avoid the very cheap saws £100 with 2 bars and chains etc.

 

so its down to the sthil ms171 14" or the husky 135 14"

[coppice cutter]

10 minutes ago, Steven1210 said:

Ahh ok, so more of a cheap line for the home user (me) but carrying the badge of the respected names?

They are what they are, some people think they're fine, but I was buying a new saw this spring and after checking them out they weren't for me.

 

All I'm saying is, they are certainly not the same as the old school chainsaws and cut off saws which you mention earlier so check them out before you buy.

 

I've two Stihl cut-off saws and to me even the pro Stihl stuff is no longer in the same league, nevermind their homeowner stuff.

 

But over and above all of that, I still think you'd be grand with the Silky.

 

 

[Stere]

Also  would consider the cordless makita or stihl

[Stubby]

9 minutes ago, Stere said:

Also  would consider the cordless makita or stihl

I am completely opposite in the advice department than everyone else . I would say get the best pro saw you can afford because eventually you will want to . etc etc etc

[doobin]

You want a Husqvarna 135.

StackPath

WWW.WORLDOFPOWER.CO.UK

 

£15 over budget, and even though cheaper than the Stihl MS181 it knocks the spots off it, let alone the MS171. More power and nicer to use, it'll pull that 14" it comes with fine.

 

I was always a big fan of the value for money of the MS181 for garden jobs etc, until I bought one of these as the MS181 was out of stock.

 

It is the perfect saw for your situation. Budget pro brand, genuinely pleasant to handle and enough power for what you want.

Edited October 3, 2021 by doobin

[doobin]

1 hour ago, Haironyourchest said:

Why not? Bad experience?

The small engine chap can be as honourable as you like, it's still a secondhand two stroke and liable to shit the bed. For light domestic use better to go new.

[coppice cutter]

25 minutes ago, Stubby said:

I am completely opposite in the advice department than everyone else . I would say get the best pro saw you can afford because eventually you will want to . etc etc etc

I'd agree with that too.

 

But he'd have to up the budget considerably.

 

And to be fair, a Natanoko is a 'pro saw' within his £200 budget at least.

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, coppice cutter said:

I'd agree with that too.

 

But he'd have to up the budget considerably.

 

And to be fair, a Natanoko is a 'pro saw' within his £200 budget at least.

He would .

[Haironyourchest]

32 minutes ago, doobin said:

The small engine chap can be as honourable as you like, it's still a secondhand two stroke and liable to shit the bed. For light domestic use better to go new.

Gotta exercise due diligence. Pull the muffler, feel for compression, etc. I got a pro long reach hedger half price, ex hire, only a year old. They were quite happy to let me play gynaecologist with it in the back workshop. Blades were trashed but the motor hadn't even been run in yet. Got them to throw in brand new blades at half price. It's been excellent. Bought a rebuilt consaw from my local guy, just perfect. Hard to start but they always were. Same guy rebuilt my 254... He had a brand new ms251 one time, been run all of a day. Some old guy bought it new and couldn't get along with the elasto-start. Traded it for something else, that saw was going nearly half price, I didn't want it though.