£450-£650 chainsaw. Best VFM?

[Gnome]

Ok, so this is well within budget at £350 with a 10" bar, could be good for the pallet duties (and my back) and will allow me to explore carving if the need arose...

 

I'm just waiting for everyone to tell me they're a waste of money/rubbish now

 

Yup thats the way it goes here. It's the 10"bar I use. It really is a handy wee saw. Good for hedges as well.(it is a powered silky after all) I had alot of pallet packing cases to cut up for our bonfire on Nov 5th. took my trusty 211 and the 150 as a backup. Ended up just using the 150 as it flew through the pallets. Was worried about hitting staples mind. Saved my back.

[wrsni]

Mate, with the greatest of respect, I think you should keep your money in your pocket until you have a NEED for something.

 

Then it'll be much easier to pin down what you should be buying.

 

I've been in the position myself many times where I wanted to buy something rather than needing to buy something and it never works out that well.

[MattyF]

Mate, with the greatest of respect, I think you should keep your money in your pocket until you have a NEED for something.

 

 

 

Then it'll be much easier to pin down what you should be buying.

 

 

 

I've been in the position myself many times where I wanted to buy something rather than needing to buy something and it never works out that well.

 

 

Good point ... With the yearly price increase due on husky saws in the new year I would have a hole burning in my pocket!

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

before you decide i will throw another into the Dolmar PS-6100 18'' or 20'' 3/8

7 or 8 pin sprocket whatever suits you simple design easy start powerful very torquey and bang in the middle of your price range

 

There a lot if saw for the money and no electronics to go wrong. My 5105 is a fantastic 50cc saw you also get great after sales service from shavey.

 

If VFM was the absolute issue Dolmar and Echo are going to be winners. Why? Because bmo experience shows that they are likely to be more reliable £ for running time. 550xp is a dull dull saw, 560 miles better but innumerable reports on here and elsewhere of many issues and I can vouch for that. If the 560 was as or more reliable than / as a 620sx, MS362, or 6100 then you wouldn't bother with the others. Fact is it isn't; shame. If I had to buy new saws now it would go like this (I am a forestry contractor, not an arborist).

 

40cc - Echo or Dolmar

50cc - PS-5105

60cc - 620SX followed by 6100

70-80cc - Stihl MS461

Bigger - Stihl MS661.

[jrose]

Where are you based? There might well be someone local who would let you come round over the weekend and cut some logs with a few different size saws to get a bit more of an idea of what you want

[TurtleWoods72]

Mate, with the greatest of respect, I think you should keep your money in your pocket until you have a NEED for something.

 

Then it'll be much easier to pin down what you should be buying.

 

I've been in the position myself many times where I wanted to buy something rather than needing to buy something and it never works out that well.

Oh no, the voice of reason has turned up and ruined the party

 

You are of course completely right, and I should refrain.

 

Now I feel guilty as well

[TurtleWoods72]

Where are you based? There might well be someone local who would let you come round over the weekend and cut some logs with a few different size saws to get a bit more of an idea of what you want

I'm South Birmingham area, but I don't want to trouble anyone because of another of my 'whims'

[Eddy_t]

I'm South Birmingham area, but I don't want to trouble anyone because of another of my 'whims'

 

 

I'm local to you

[wyk]

Now I am going to imagine a brummy accent every time I read one of Eddy's posts.

[jrose]

I'm a bit of a way, but if you want to come to Cheltenham you'd be more than welcome to try out a few of mine