Saw for a small woodland

[b&a forestry]

The wife got me an ms291 last year for Xmas on an 18in bar well pleased with it also got a 345 husk but need a new bar last owner bent it slightly

[doobin]

MS241 would cover all your options perfectly, last forever and be ultra reliable.

 

Light as an MS181 so ideal for coppicing with a 12" bar. Will pull a 16" bar or even 18" no trouble.

 

The Echo 5 year warranty sounds good but if you have to get it serviced at the stealers you may as well buy Stihl, and with the MS241 at least, the odds are you won't need a warranty.

[woodyguy]

MS241 very pricey but very good. 211 not as good but miles cheaper.

[DCS6800i]

If the MS211 is anything like the older 210, get one bought. My 210 is 11 years old now. Very well built and easy to start. It has stood upto alot of abuse and apart for a fuel line and oil cap, its never needed anything.

[Paul in the woods]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've no idea what Echo mean about servicing, hence the question. Their web site just says "Registration and servicing of products are required " and I don't know if you get a service book or anything. I'll email them to ask.

 

A Stihl would be much easier to get hold of as there's a Stihl dealers nearby and I'd have to travel a fair way to pick up an Echo. As has been said a MS211 would be about the right price. However, do they only offer a 12 month warranty and, if so, why? It might seem a daft question those experienced with chainsaws but to a novice it seems a little strange. Most premium drills for example come with a 3 year warranty, why not a premium chainsaw?

 

I know any problems are likely to show in the first year however, I'm only likely to be used for a few months of they year, nowhere near as much as a pro would use it, so would prefer a longer warranty. Sorry to go on about it but I keep reading newer saws aren't as good as the old models etc, etc.

[Eddy_t]

Stihl offer 1 year pro warranty, 2 for non-pro users. This is because a Stihl is usually shagged after the first year, everyone else offers 2 or more for a pro user

[wisecobandit]

As a matter of interest where in Devon roughly?

Sounds like you don't need to big a saw if the trees etc are quite young so its down to preference and what your local main dealer supplys. Radmores? The one thing I would say about echo tho is there spares are a bit hit and miss if ever it goes wrong.

[Paul in the woods]

I'm up in the north west corner, so about as far away from most shops as possible.

[wisecobandit]

I'm up in the north west corner, so about as far away from most shops as possible.

 

Bloody almost a taffy up there then lol.

Just try visit a dealer and pick up and feel the saws as what suits one man wont always feel right to another.

Personally I would say stihl but more on the grounds that spares are readily available and cheaper then Husqvarna and echo can take weeks to get spares and not as cheap when they do turn up.

[Paul in the woods]

And the Cornish on the other flank. Plenty of nice beaches though.

 

I had thought about parts availability and I'll try and visit somewhere to handle a few saws, thanks.