Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire throw away chainsaws

I'd prefer a hand saw to an electric chainsaw. Your mileage may vary.

My father used to have a little Echo saw about like that one. It came with a weedeater attachment you could somehow or another put on it. The saw worked well enough, but it was a sho nuff heavy bazztard as a weedeater.

I see a lot of people don't need to cut much wood

I've got a hundred-dollar Mac that I picked up at Menards a number of years ago. It isn't used every day for felling Sequoias or anything like that, but it has served very well. I have often bragged that if everything worked as well as that cheap little thing, the world would be a better place. As in all cases, my bragging eventually caused me a loss of face.

This spring, I had some branches that needed removal. I went to fire up the chainsaw, fully confident that even after having sat alone and forgotten on the shelf under the workbench through the long, cold winter, it would instantly roar to life. After much yanking of the starter cord, repeated primings, choking and unchoking, and the use of what are usually very effective bad words, the damned thing just sat there in silence.

I eventually deduced that the contrary and fussy S.O.B. was just not going to start if I didn't move the on/off switch from "off" to "on". Once this minor detail was seen to, the saw responded to all of the choking/unchoking, cord yanking, and over-priming by roaring to life on the first pull.

Stihl (pun intended) running a 1982 Pro Mac 625 ($250)with a 24 inch bar and a yard sale same age Mac 600 (20 inch bar)that cost $3.00 at a yard sale. They only get about 12 hours of run time a year for firewood, but they can hang in there with a Stihl 460 Magnum (32" bar)that only comes out if I get into big wood.

Keep those chains sharp and near anything can fly through the wood.

I can't imagine what you guys settle for in women, be cause your choice in saws suc~ks,

I didn't "settle" for a woman. I met a very pretty women and wayyyyyy married up. Glad you're more in love with your damned chain saw than you are with your wife. I hope you and your saw really enjoy your moonlit walks on the beach together.....

No way!

My Poulan Pro 16 electric has topped a large pine tree and cutup a couple heaping pickup loads of firewood. None of which I'd want to do, by hand, though I have a good saw. These are great for use around the yard, for a tool that cost me around $100.

Even my boy has a Stihl.

Yep. It is embarrassing easy...

My 20" Poulan Pro PP5020AV does what I need. Fifty CC, 20" bar, 3/8" chain. Only had it a few years but when I poul it out, and poulon it a few times, it fires up and does what I need. I think it rates higher with chainsaw folks than general public. It is (was?) also sold as a Craftsman #35098. Like so many things, very model# specific, another similar one may be a complete dog. These have many Husqvarna parts, Poulan Pro's parent company.

Poulans used to be pretty solid saws, before they became the el cheap from K-Mart etc. Many of the cheap saws will cut for light duty and do what is needed, if you keep good fuel in them and keep the chain sharp.

On the other hand, if something goes wrong, it is indeed cheaper to throw them away, than to get them fixed.

It depends on your needs, but I cut way too much wood to depend on bargain basement saws. I'll stick with Stihl and Husqvarna, personally. Echo is not too bad, but is not in the real cheap category, either.

Bought a 16" Homelite at a yard sale for $30 It was a home depot return. The PO ran in in dirt and ruined the oil pump. The top of the piston looked NEW through the spark plug hole. I replaced the oil pump and it runs fine. I need a new chain but haven't rushed into it. I am no manly lumberjack needing a $500 saw and have modern conveniences like FA heat and AC, running water and indoor plumbing. I cut wood 4-5 time a year for camp wood.
As far as my chainsaw choice defining my choice of my wife, she is way more versatile. She can gut, skin and butcher deer. Cleans all the fish. Crack shot with a rifle, pistol and shotgun without working at it. Sings like an angel and prefers a tent to a 4 star hotel. I have never had to beg for any of my 29 firearms or 14 dirtbikes I've owned over 32 years.
Jeez what a stupid statement.

I also have a $40 throw away string trimmer. A home depot Homelite. I thought I would get 1 summer out of it. I've had it for 5 years now. It's on it's original spark plug. All I've done is run Avgas with motorcycle oil and once in a while some VP C12 premix in it.

It's like a lot of guys HAVE to buy a Dually Crew Cab when all they ever haul is a sheet of plywood from Lowes.

You can always tell the rube on a saw. Grabs the biggest saw for some little job.

I grab the smallest lightest one that will work.

Ol Pharts get smarter sometimes.

I had a poulan years ago and all I did was pull an pull an pull an pull every time I tried to start it

Good post.

That's why I sold my 181 husky. It's a great saw if you're felling of burying the 30" bar bucking trees. But for the few weekends a year I used it, my back would be killing me by the end of the day. Once I put a dent in my firewood pile I'll be replacing it with a 562xp. There's something to be said for having a lighter saw that doesn't kill your back, which is why my little 30cc limbing saw sees so much use.

I can grab any size Stihl Pro saw from 35 to 135 ccs.....Most ported.

I use an MS200 rear handle with a real sharp chain most of the time.

Unless I'm cutting fire wood or felling.

I last longer.

And I'm looking at an MS150T. Lol

But a lil Poulan with a sharp chain will cut what most folks need.

Most folks don't use a saw much. But some gots to buy a pro saw and the. don't use it much for 20 years and then I buy it at a yard sale. Works for me.

I don't buy cheap tools. I paid $635 for this Bad Boy three years ago. I was told it was the best chain saw in the world and I have learned no reason to disagree.

I am not a full time chain saw user, but I am close. I built a log cabin using primarily this saw, just last year, posted many pics on this forum.
Also have a 28 year old Stihl 039, cost $520, used that saw a lot on the log cabin.
Also cut a lot of firewood, also climb around on these steep mountains to cut trees to get a good view.
Just yesterday, on a 2-day break from driving the big rig, I used that little Husqvarna to cut a thousand pounds of black walnut and put in on the wood pile.

No cheapo tools for me.

If I was doing production work like that, I'd make the same decision you did. My saw probably runs a grand total of 1 to 1 1/2 hours per year. The Poulan works just fine for that low volume of work. That's really all these lower end saws are designed for is occasional use.