Well, I see we're barely even 10 posts in, and someone has already recommended a $600-$700 pro saw (Stihl ms261).....
Ten inches isn't much, and you could easily get by with a Stihl ms170, or even a Home Depot Echo. My main suggestion is, if you're only going to use it occasionally, is spend the money on the "TruFuel" or whatever "canned" fuel is available locally. Yes, you're gonna cringe at spending $5 for a quart of the stuff, but it will be well worth it when you go to start the saw next year, and it actually starts, and you don't have urges to throw a $200-$300 tool into a pond, or waste half a day removing/cleaning/rebuilding/replacing a carb.
Stihl or Husqvarna, whichever is sold and serviced locally.
donsm70
Great advise right here.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
being a former logger and climber/topper. Either a Husky or Stihl, whichever has the best service locally. Get a pro model, not a homeowner special or anything that says "farm" on it. Smaller it is the easier on your back it will be. Just depends on how much chain you're trying to pull. If you expect any saw to be reliable learn routine/annual maintenance. Stabilize the fuel before you put it away, change the fuel filter every spring after filling with fresh fuel. Also maintain your air filter for optimum performance. The suggestion to run premium isn't a bad one either. Run actual bar and chain lube and not old motor oil. If it's cold, get winter weight. Flip your bar every time you remove the side cover to clean the oiler and port in the bar. there's more but that should get you started. Also, never run a dull chain. It's just hard on you and the saw. Touch it up often, or have extra chains with you to sharpen later.
Edited to add, they make premix with stabilizer in it.
Last edited by ykrvak; 10/21/17.
Because through judicious handloading and a bold sense of optimism, you can make anything into an .88 Magnum - once! 😁 - chesterpulley
I use ethanol free gas and run it out after each use with my saw. I run the gas out of my string trimmer at the end of mowing season and leave it in my leaf blower since I use it year around. I have a Husqvarna Rancher 455. I got it when I needed a saw that big but now I wouldn't mind a smaller saw.
Last edited by Dave_in_WV; 10/21/17.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Well, I see we're barely even 10 posts in, and someone has already recommended a $600-$700 pro saw (Stihl ms361).....
The OP stated he needed a good one. Those Stihl homeowner lines are not good saws from my experience. The one I had, if you actually used it would fall apart inside. Wire connections coming apart, on/off choke lever jamming up or falling apart. The Stihl pro model I have was a tad over $500 18 years ago and is bullet proof. It just starts and works.
I mentioned the Stihl MS261 before I knew your intended usage. The MS261 is a Pro Grade saw and IMO is a superb saw. I would not recommend the Stihl MS170, it's a home-owner/occasional use saw and cannot handle continued or hard use very well. I would recommend you go to your local Stihl dealer and discuss your needs. They will be able to point you in the right direction. As ltppowell mentioned above, the MS250 would be a good, medium+ duty choice, but I stand by my MS261 recommendation.
Many have mentioned that non-ethanol gas should be used, along with Stabil or Star Tron. While this is certainly good advice, you would be better served by draining the tank and running the saw dry before you put it up for storage. Additionally, Stihl MotoMix (their pre mixed fuel), while expensive, is an excellent choice for occasional use, since non-ethanol fuel is increasingly difficult to find.
Also, be sure to purchase the necessary safety equipment: a good pair of leather gloves, hearing protection, goggles, chainsaw chaps, etc. And always remember to treat your saw with the utmost respect. Stay focused and keep your chain sharp.
Last edited by High_Noon; 10/21/17.
l told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Mother Gue, I says, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world, and by God, I was right. - Del Gue
B, If you are going to be doing any work on the ground, such as cutting up small trees and limbs after they are knocked down, bar length is more important than weight. A small saw with a 16" or 18" bar will have you leaning from the waist to run it and cause serious fatigue and back strain......especially for us geezers the other side of 60.
Get a Stihl or Jonny Red with at least a twenty inch bar and ask the dealer if they can swap the bar out for a 24", with a skip tooth chain so you do not lug the motor.
Mine is a 20" Stihl 362 (I think, without walking out to the shed and looking) nearly twenty years old. My next trip to the farm store WILL include the purchase of that 24 inch bar and skip tooth chain to match.
This is the fastest and easiest way I know to sharpen a chain. A machinist will have little trouble setting angles and proper grind.
A power grinder can eat a bit of metal and shorten the life of your saw chain. But that is not too critical for a fellow who only uses the saw a couple times a year. The pros use only files and a guide to prolong the life of their chain. But when I use a file, the saw begins to cut in circles.
A man has got to know his limitations.
My grinder came from Harbor Freight and cost me $35. It does what I need for around the farm.
If a fellow is not familiar with chain saw operations, and or has begun to lose upper body and arm strength, anti kickback chain and bars are available which will greatly increase the operators safety. I highly recommend both along with safety chaps. They will save a person's life and limbs.
People who choose to brew up their own storms bitch loudest about the rain.
Stihl and Husky make 3-4 different grades of saws--homeowner, landowner, in the case of Husky a semi-pro saw, and pro saws. Stay away from the homeowner saws. Most folks don't know this--including some of retailer sales folks. They'll tell you it's "professional saw" when it ain't.
The higher the grade of saw, the lighter, more powerful, more reliable, more expensive it is. 50cc to 60cc landowner saw from either brand is my recommendation. 16-20' bar. Find a local dealer that'll take care of you and stay away from the big box stores.
Go to Stihl and Husky's websites and peruse them. Like Leupold, both companies put a "floor price" on their dealers, so the the price is identical wherever you go. You might catch a sale somewhere. Otherwise dealers can entice you by throwing in extra goodies, 2-cycle oil, carrying case, etc.
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
I have a Stihl 362 and a 271 both are pro grade (which is worth doing).
You’ll notice that there are 3 different chain thicknesses on saws, the smallest is just about worthless so stay away from those..
the second wide vs. the 3rd is a HUGE difference,
At the end of the day a 440 is the biggest saw and it’s for cutting the stump (huge [bleep])
the 362 is for cutting huge branches, and the trunk - but NOT limbs...
The 271 (MS271) is a lighter strong saw used to cut the limbs to leaves.
Okay,...so what chain thickness do you recommend for 10' diameter cuts and under?
3/8 x .050
The saw you buy will generally determine the chain size (don't confuse that with length--the bar length will determine the chain length). Most saws in the 50-60cc range use the 3/8 x .050 chain.
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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