Chainsaw advice.

[tom1025]

Was conflicted between putting this in The Cutting Edge or Accessories and Gear. Mods please move if necessary.

Anyone have advice for me when looking at a used chainsaw? Honestly, I have no idea what I'd use it for, but I want one. I saw some small ones at my local pawn shop (12-14" bars) but they were covered in oil. I know that's normal for 2-strokes. But what else should I look for? Not needing a super long bar but would like the length and power to do some work with. Also looking to buy used so what should I look at when buying used? I just might get one of those smaller chainsaws. One was a Poulan and can't think of the other at the moment. I know Echo is generally junk.

I just upgraded to a couple Sthil saws in the fall. I have Poulan with a 14 inch bar on it I would let go really cheap. If your interested.

 

[Mosinguy]

I just upgraded to a couple Sthil saws in the fall. I have Poulan with a 14 inch bar on it I would let go really cheap. If your intered.

I am. PM me with details.

 

[pwoller]

New ones are plastic old ones are metal.

Do yourself a favor and stick with Stihl or Husky.

 

[chezuki]

I've been pretty stressed out lately and just about anything makes me mad anymore.

Anyone have advice for me when looking at a used chainsaw? Honestly, I have no idea what I'd use it for, but I want one.

Someone had to acknowledge this!

 

[Mosinguy]

Someone had to acknowledge this!

I realized the mistake of asking a question like this after a thread like that. Was waiting to see who would do it first.

 

[Hammer]

Unless you know the person you are buying it from I would stay away from used all together. You do not know how it was used/abused or if it was cared for. And a big thing, if the mix oil was properly mixed. An improper mix can ruin a saw and make the used saw more expensive than a new saw in the long run.

 

[Sgt7330]

I dont know your $$ range, but I highly recommend going to a local Stihl dealer and buying a new one. My family has run Stihl since the 1970's and cut firewood for income in the winter, swear by them.

 

[karl77]

My few cents from working at a lawn/garden dealer:
would get the most expensive one you can afford (the buy once, cry once principal). avoid any saw sold in a big box (el cheapo's). Sthil refuses to sell their line to them, since they (big box) won't fix them in house (they send out everything). if you buy a throw-away saw, when it breaks, throw it away; dealers can't get parts and if they could, one can buy a new one cheaper than most can be fixed.

 

[traderdan]

Whoever it was that told you that Echo saws were no good was very incorrect.

 

[dilligaf]

I've had a Dolmar PS-6400 for 8+ years. 4 of which it saw daily use working at a tree service. Never once had an issue, excellent product. I was the odd man out as everyone else ran Husqvarna's, but they all liked my saw as well.

 

[eldirector]

I picked up a couple of used Stihl's off of Craigslist a while back. One had a new bar/chain, and the other needs one. Got a decent deal, I think. If I manage to work these too hard, I'll buy a new one.

There are deals out there, but you have to be patient.

 

[pwoller]

Nice thing about chainsaws is if they have good compression, spark and fuel they will work. Find yourself a nice Husky or Stihl and if it has those 3 things it will or can run fine. Its just a matter of tuning it correctly.

 

[Gator762]

Echo's are good saws and about every town has a dealer that has parts if needed. I run a small Echo top handle saw about 5-10 hours a week for 6 years and it still runs great. If its a bigger saw I like Stihl.

 

[Lodogg2221]

I had good luck out of an 18" Poulan, but I didnt use it much. Then I really started using a saw for a while and got a Husky Rancher 55. Now I dont use it so much again, but have all the saw I will ever need.

I will say though, that if I had it to do over again, Id have gotten a Stihl.
Not because I think they are better, but because of availability of parts. If ever I need something for my Husky, I have to hope Rural King or some such place has the part hanging on their shelf somewhere, or order it online. With the Stihl, or Echo now, I can just go to the local dealer and get whatever I need....

 

[Whitsettd8]

I ran a yard service for a few years my brand of choice is Echo my partners were Redmax. As with all equipment there are different grades, what you get at Lowes/Home Depot are not the same as what you pick up at you local lawn care shop. You get what you pay for when it comes to tools. I have an Echo with a 18 inch bar and a climber model with a 10 or 12 inch bar. The climber gets used 9 times out of 10
Stay away from Poland

 

[Pete]

Chainsaw models are rated for different bar lengths. I have good luck by picking the mid bar length for a given size power unit instead of the max bar length. If you need a longer bar length, get a bigger saw.

 

[atvdave]

Chainsaw models are rated for different bar lengths. I have good luck by picking the mid bar length for a given size power unit instead of the max bar length. If you need a longer bar length, get a bigger saw.

You can put almost any size bar on your saw, but that doesn't mean your saw will have the power to pull the chain through what your cutting.

 

[Whitsettd8]

2 other bits of advice
1: Never let anyone borrow your chainsaw. It will come back F-ed up every time.
2: Let the saw do the work you pushing and prying on it is only going to dull the blade that much faster.

 

[Brandon]

Echo junk? I have a weed eater from them and it works great every time.
I have a Husqvarna chain saw that is complete junk. The saftey handle never did work, the chain tensioner is plastic, and strips out quickly. That plastic part is 5 bucks last time I bought one.

I would look for a Stihl or Echo personally. I would stay away from Poulan at all costs.
When I worked at Lowes, this was the brand we were allowed to use for store use. If their blowers are any indication of how the rest of their power equipment works, then you will be dissapointed.

 

[Hammer]

Ok, all saws have had their day as being the best.

McCulloch and homelite used to be the best back in the 50's and 60's, then came ECHO with the 302 and then they started going cheap and gave the crown to Poulan in the 80's with the S25DA and the Pro line, not the green ones. Now Stihl and husky have the market pretty well cornered as far as pro saws are concerned. Echo, has a good product when it comes to trimmers and blowers, but their chainsaws are anemic and have no power at all. For an arborist, the saw better start the first pull, if not, the second motion of the saw will be gravity pulling it down to earth at terminal velocity.