What Chainsaw

[derwen]

I'm new on here. Completed my CS30/31 earlier this year..Just doing a few jobs a month and looking at a cheap saw. Work will mainly be logs and fell a few small trees. Looking at Stihl MS 181 or 211 or Husky 240. Any advice please. People talk about small trees on other threads, but what are you calling small trees - I would be looking at 12 - 14". Many thanks

[jrose]

personally I don't like the smaller Stihls, the chain oiler is pants, chains seem to stretch and they take a long while to warm up from cold... can't comment on the Husky, never used any of their homeowner saws.

 

Personally I have been won over by the Efco MT3500, cracking little saw of the same sort of size as the ones you mentioned. If you have a local dealer, that would be the one I would go for.

[littlerob]

i have the say the same about the stihls they dont oil no where near as much as they need to the do seem like you have to tickle the throttle to warm them up

[burrell_]

look at the ms 240 or 261 mate the best small saw about

iv got a 170 180 and have never had a problem with stihl saw

[normandylumberjack]

My Uncle was a N/T warden and has a 180 that is his only saw, and uses it for a lot of applications. Its a few years old now and has cut many loads of firewood, felled and thined both hard and softwood plantations.

He swears by it!

I use saws a lot, and have found Huskys to be very ergonomic to use, when they arent breaking down. It may just be me, though my colleages seem to have the same experience, but start/ stop switches fail and fuel leaks are common.

Go for stihl if you want reliability-

[Big J]

Husqvarna 346xp. New or used, depending on budget.

[antipesto]

Husqvarna 346xp. New or used, depending on budget.

 

Seconded wouldn't fancy felling or logging much with a ms181

[derwen]

Many thanks to all who replied.

[Stubby]

Only one makes sense to me . Husqvarna 346 XP. I have had two since 2004. The first was the slightly smaller capacity with no decomp valve the second the 50cc with the decomp valve. The only reason I got the second was the first was stolen. Neither have ever quit on me . I do clean the air filter and change the plug but thats it. 13 or 15 inch bar.The best power to weight ratio of any saw I believe. Its the saw I grab every time if I can . I have 357,372,385,395,and 3120.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Stubby

[Forest2Furniture]

I used a 230 on my course, worked just as good as the 261's with a 15" bar.

Still use it today, bought it second hand 2 years ago great little saw.