Chainsaw

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yooperman

Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
109
Can anyone recommend a good chainsaw in the 55-60cc range. I am looking to replace my old Homelite Super XL. The new saws all look so cheaply made in comparison.

The only thing I can find I like about the new saws is their weight.

-Yooperman
 
Buy a Stihl MS361. They cost more than other brands, but it will be the last saw you ever buy. I have an older 036 AV Super (pretty much the same model), and it is a lighweight powerhouse. I run a 24 inch bar but have run as long as 28 inch with no problems. :thumbup:
 
locomike said:
Buy a Stihl MS361. They cost more than other brands, but it will be the last saw you ever buy. I have an older 036 AV Super (pretty much the same model), and it is a lighweight powerhouse. I run a 24 inch bar but have run as long as 28 inch with no problems. :thumbup:
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Yep, Stihl is the best. If you don't believe us, just look at what your local fire department or electrical company line crews use. Bet most, probably all are .... Stihl's.

Mike
 
I have a Stihl FarmBoss and recommend it. Mine has lasted for years. Make sure that you drain the fuel/lube when you put it away for a while, and it will start right up when you need it. I took a tour of the plant in Virginia Beach and was impressed with the assembly process and QC.

Yooperman, you must be from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. When I lived there in the 80's, Husqvarna was the saw of choice.
 
Another vote for stihl. Have a "farm boss" 029 thats from the past series before the MS line came out. Its about the size range you're talking, only I bet it cuts alot better than a homelite the same size. They're just really great saws that are made to run all day every day.

From the newer line up I have run an MS 310 and I have to say its probably my favorite chainsaw I've run to date. Not overly heavy or big and clumsy, but a powerful saw. Perfect for the guy with just one chainsaw. You can bury the bar in a trunk or stump and lay on the saw hard without bogging it down, but its still small enough to use for limbing and other lighter work.
 
Stihl is hard to beat if you want to spend that much.I have a Poulan Pro 295 that I've used the past 2 years and it's been a real good saw.It's only 46cc with a 20 in bar but it's handled everything that I've wanted to cut,a lot of that being in the 18 to 24in range and I got it on sale for less than $200.00.The downside is that they use a bar with a tightening system in the bar and they are expensive when you need to replace one.I've also got a Homelite z3100 that I picked up lightly used for $30.00 that I carry in case I encounter a rock or pinch the Poulan and have to cut it out.I wouldn't recommend it for heavy duty cutting but it'll handle cleanup work pretty good.We always had Homelites around and it's a shame they don't have anything like the Super XL's anymore,they were great saws.
 
Only one name in chainsaws, STIHL. Boom. As a Forest Firefighter,SAR and Municipal Firefighter now in hurricane central it is all we buy. That's whats in our brush trucks,firetrucks and special ops vans. I can honestly say I have never seen any other chainsaw in use on a fireline. One of my buddies told me he bought a "Huskey" (Husqvarna) and it was garbage. He uses a chainsaw once a year and it lasted two seasons.
 
Another vote for Stihl here. I have an MS250C 16 incher, and I love it. Almost everyone that I know that has a chainsaw swears by their Stihl. -Matt-
 
I've also used Homelite and still do.

About 10 years ago I started buying Stihl.
I'm also a fan of the MS361 for great power and low in weight that your back will thank you for.

MS361a.jpg


I use this in all my air cooled 2 stroke saws, I like it because it is smokeless and the saws run great.

I do not mix it 100:1 like they say to.

I mix it 70 to 75:1.

wpe1B.jpg
 
Most of the loggers I know (and I know a bunch of 'em) swear by Stihl.
 
I was pretty much sold on a Stihl until I looked at the Huskies. One problem with Huskies is the lack of dealers. Stihl dealers are fairly prevalent.
I am looking at the Stihl ms 360 and the Husky 357.

-Yooperman
 
yooperman said:
I was pretty much sold on a Stihl until I looked at the Huskies. One problem with Huskies is the lack of dealers. Stihl dealers are fairly prevalent.
I am looking at the Stihl ms 360 and the Husky 357.

-Yooperman
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Exactly! I grew up with Husquies and Stihl and have a Stihl now only because there aren't any Husqi dealers anywhere near me. I have a FarmBoss that hasn't even hiccuped since I got it. The only downside of Stihl is that they do not allow online sales, so you HAVE to go to the shop to get parts.

J-
 
Yet another vote for Stihl. Far and away the best chainsaws out there. I rebuilt the carb on mine WITHOUT following the instructions in under ten minutes. The carb is goof-proof. There's NO WAY you can put it together wrong. The only reason I had to rebuild my carb in the first place is because I left old gas in it all summer. Be sure to drain the gas out before storage. There isn't a better chainsaw on the market, to my knowledge. Mine is the 590 Farm Boss. But I highly recommend the entire lineup. Match the model to your needs and pay the man. You will be well served.
 
I have used and enjoyed my Jonsered 63. Reliable, powerful, and satisfying to use. Made in Sweden for the tough boreal forests.

Each year I buck up 7 full bush cords of white birch for the wood furnace. I have 160 acres of land with trails that need to be maintained, and there is alot of brushing and fallen tree removal work to keep them open. The camp has a wood stove and it needs another 2 cords for heating each year too.

That Jonsered has been running for close to 15 years. I have only had to replace the recoil rope twice, a few worn bars and plenty of chains- as these are consumables anyways.

The engine, clutch and heart of the machine just keeps on going.
 
Stihl first, Jonserud and the commercial grade Huskies second. The rest fall below MRS.

Husky was a great line till they decided to make two lines, one commercial and one "homeowner" the homeowner line sucks, they just do not hold up, and it has smeared the whole lines reputation.

Stihls are good, solid and reliable, I add a couple of ounces of stabil gas treatment to every five gallon can of mix I make, that seems to stop the need for running the saw dry before putting it away.
 
Good luck with a Stihl 36 that I've had for years, but got a Husky 353?! (I'll check for sure tomorrow) because it's lighter. Both are very good-nod to Husky but sometimes it can be a $%^&*()^& to start. Can't go wrong with either in my experience.
 
I just went through this myself. After much research I bought a Husqvarna 353. This is a commercial grade saw, with magnesium case and all the features. It is directly comparable to a Stihl MS260, except the Husky is lighter. And it has an EPA muffler, which will soon be swapped out for a $40 non-EPA muffler for more power.

Check out this forum, it really helped me out, a lot of very good info:

http://www.arboristsite.com/
 
Yooper, Stihl or Husky are the official saws of the UP logging. There are some Jonsered users still out there. I have Stihl and would buy again.

MD
 
I've got a Husky and would buy one again. Been giving it light use for nearly six years now. My buddy bought a stihl at about the same time and likes it. You'd be happy with either brand.

Razz
 
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