Favorite chainsaws

[KiwiTimber]

Most foresters I know say "there is only one saw in the woods" referring to Stihl. But I know blokes who swear by Husky too. Have used both. Prefer stihl personally - These days work with 880, 660, 441 and MS200T. Stihl pays the bills. Good low down torque in Huskys but pretty similar really. Stihls last the longest from what I have established. Either way you will get it cut - as others said its kinda a chev/ford debate. One thing I must say is that Husky DO NOT COMPETE in the TOP HANDLE chainsaw market. MS200T and 201T kick butt.

[KiwiTimber]

I reckon You will have the most fun chewin wood with a new Stihl 660magnum. Power to Weight Ratio is top of the class. Easy to work on, lasts forever, power from hell and can be thrown around all day without wrecking yourself. Vibration is something that I am conscious of (waking up at night with numb arms is no chop!) and the 660 keeps it to a minimum where the big thumpers are concerned. My 880 is a bit rugged in this respect and she shakes your blood up proper but thats just the way it is when you want to hold a motor that big.

[cuterz]

Husky and Echo 8)

[Buck]

I have Husky and Stihl. I like them both but day in day out my Stihl saws have been cheaper to keep maintained and less trouble. I have good dealers for both. I guess I'm lucky.

[cuterz]

Husky and Echo wait_smiley

[mad murdock]

As far as current production saws go, I go with Husqvarna. As far as saws in general, I like McCulloch. I have several 10-10's and a PM700. The 700'is a nice saw to handle, starts reliably and has a lot of snuff.  It will outdo my high revving 372XPW.

[yldflight]

If it's the saw i want vs the saws i have, it would be in the following order:

Saws that i want - Dolmar KMS4 ,  Solo 611 Twin,   Dolmar 166,  and a Stihl 090 with the rare big bore kit.

My favourite saw first, followed by my favourite saws in the order of use:  Solo 603 with west coast (K&N) air filter option,  Husqvarna 3120XP,  Dolmar 9010 with modded muffler,  Solo 680,  Dolmar 117

[forest.c]

we have 12 older jonsereds and 7 new ones high school logger training program  8)

[Al_Smith]

I've got a shed full of saws but I suppose if I were to pick a favorite it would be a Stihl 038 Mag I doctored  up .It will handle a 32" bar in oak like childs play and I have no doubt it could with a 36" .

I spent a lot of time getting it to run that way ,back into it 4 different times until I got the porting right .If that thing blows apart I'll make another one just like it .

[chipsfly09]

I have not really run my Stihl's much I have an 038mag 048 super  (reliable and powerful but older and a bit heavy.  I had an 046mag that I really liked which was  of course stolen-- So I got into Dolmars- 7900 and 5100s-- really like weight and rpms.  I say this because I found a very reasonably priced MS 361 and bought it because of the popular things I have heard on the forum.  I am again impressed with Stihl-- this saw seems to have comperable power to weight/rpms as the Dolmars and will see lots of use.  I still am not fond of the flip top fuel cap thing.

I agree that any saw that will start reliably and has a properly sharpened chain (and oiler works)is one I will keep for some use.

[chain]

Sachs Dolmar favorite no argument. Dependable, reliable. I'm tough on my equipment, throw the saw in bed of truck, don't use for a month or two or three. Drag it out, choke full, pull twice, always coughs to say it ready and commence.

My others Poulan, Stihl, are as tempermental as a rattler in a spare tire, have to beg.. please start before my arm gives out!

[Al_Smith]

 :D They will all get tempramental if they get out of tune no matter who made them .

I've preached and evangelized for years the biggest thing that goes wrong with them is the diaphragms get stiff in the carbs .

They kind of all have a personality .My baby the hopped up 038 Mag takes 10 to fire even if it was ran yesterday .It has so much compression it's got a D-handle ---but once it's started for the day that thing will go on one 9 times out of ten .

Conversely I have a Poulan S-25 that will go on 4 even if it's sat for 6 months .

Go figure but they can be as fickle as a teenage prom queen .

[Bill]

I'm thinking I agree with the idea that one from the bigger outfits that starts, has sharp chain and oiler works is the best one.

That said I have used my little stihl 019T ( top handle ) to show up some buddies running bigger stuff - methinks maybe their chains weren't sharp enough or they got tired ( they're about my age ) muscling around their heavier saws  . When I bring out something bigger I do find my arms seem to have lost some spring so there may be something to that .

Mostly I figure that a saw is something you're gonna keep - spend the money to get a good'un .

[1woodguy]

    Liked the Remington and David Bradley's they made in the 50s and 60s
Or thought I did Some of the farmers had me use them when I was a dumb kid
  Then I got to use macs pioneers a lot lighter and cut quicker

First saw I think I bought was a sears (Poulan)Ended up with several
  Used a few stihls on a job I was helping a guy with he was from the city and kind of retired to play  rancher and he wanted me and him to clear 80 acres to start (this guy never had chains sharpened only used new sometimes 3 to 5 a day he tossed them in a barrel in shed I said i would take them)I liked the saws and  ended up with 5 or 6 stihl 028's  after we quit cutting this was in the 80's
They were probably my favorite saw for general use
And were work horses
Bought several new ones about 3 or 4 years back liked the older better

Did use a Sachs dolmar for several weeks thought it was nice
Several friends like huskys and swear by them and they cut a lot

[Al_Smith]

Ha old saws ,got a few myself .Used them as a teenager and thought them a little heavy .They are still heavy .

Fun to fiddle with ,rebuild ,restore .Not an item you care to run on a oft time bassis .

Way back though the farmers didn't throw the chains away but had them sharpened at a shop which was usually an implement dealer .Fact I never saw a chain file until about 1970 ,never thought about it .Now of days I'd feel ashamed of myself to have to send a chain out .Funny how things change . ;)

[colincb183]

Well, I am only 18 and have only owned two chainsaws, but the better of the two I have owned is my Efco 165.  I also had a Husky 61 which was a good saw but it was older than me and was having some serious issues so I traded it.  I have also run Stihl 034 AV, ms361, ms260, ms270 and ms441 mag, and my favorite of those is the the ms361. But I still like my 165 better.. More torque

[Krieger91]

I've only owned two chainsaws, but I ran a few before I bought mine.  I've run a Craftsman chainsaw (my dads), a pair of Poulons; one was a friends and the other was a general use one from deer camp, a few Husqvarna's, a cheap electric one (don't recall the brand), and the two Stihl's I own.

Of all the one's I've run, I like my Stihl's the best for what I do with them.  I really like one of the Husqvarna's I ran.  It was a 575XP, great for felling and buckling really big stuff, but MAN was that a heavy saw!  I have to vote Stihl on this one, mayhaps that'll change as I get older and run more saws.

[ladylake]

Out of my 40 or so saws most brands it's hard to beat a 7900 Dolmar wieghs like a 70cc saw, cuts like a 85cc saw.  Love the 60cc and smaller Echo saws, excellent power, great torque, handle nice and priced right. Only downside is when new they need to be tuned and come with a clogged up muff.  Steve

[Al_Smith]

Well think just about it ,any "new" saw comes detuned simpley because of EPA mandates .

If you were to compair for example an older Stihl 066 to a new MS 660 it isn't even the same saw .Which is not to say it can't be made into a stronger version but 95 percent of the people who own them will not enhance them .

As has been said before it just doesn't seem right to spend over a thousand bucks for a new high end tool like this and then need to tweek it .Just the way it is .

[AdkStihl]

Well, I am only 18 and have only owned two chainsaws, but the better of the two I have owned is my Efco 165.  I also had a Husky 61 which was a good saw but it was older than me and was having some serious issues so I traded it.  I have also run Stihl 034 AV, ms361, ms260, ms270 and ms441 mag, and my favorite of those is the the ms361. But I still like my 165 better.. More torque

If youre getting more torque outta your 165, then something was wrong with the 441.

[Finn1903]

I sold my last husky, my Dad has one that i resuse to run,strickly stihls for me.  My favorite for limping is the 028 super, felling the 044 works well.
I used a friends 361 on a job, I think that is the single best saw, either 20 Inch 25 inch bar.  The saw is light, plenty of power idles all day, generally single pull to start.