I need a new GOOD chainsaw..which is the best..

2QUIK6

Turbo Milk Jug displacmnt
Joined
May 28, 2001
Ok, my 3rd saw bit the dust...I'm sick a tired of these POS that Home Depot and Lowes sells..I've been thru Homelite, McCulloch, and Poulan..the last 2 got to where they just wouldn't start...I don't use them all that much..maybe 4-5 times a year on some big trees for firewood. Burned up the Poulan leaf blower too..started backfiring today.

I want something professional strength that will work when I need it. My brother just burned up his McCulloch too.

One requirement is that the gas/oil fill cap must be on top...what moron designed those caps to be on the side so they leak gas/oil everywhere when not in use??? and then it seem like every cheap azz company uses that design...

I need a 18-22" saw.
Stihl, Husqvarna, or Echo...any of these any better than the cheap knock offs? Let me hear your opinions.
 
I'm not too sure on the Husky saw, but I have used both Stihl and Echo saws and can saw you can't go wrong with either one. BTW alot of the saws have the caps on the sides, the difference is that the good saws don't leak everywhere.

Echo makes a saw called the Quickvent for the fire service, Think of an 80cc powerhead with a 12" droop nosed bar and cartbide tipped chain. It's an animal, and dead on reliable, it can sit in the truck for several weeks and still fire up on the second pull and be ready to go.
 
I dont use my poulan that much but its been used, i keep it oiled & put one chain on it, i still have it i bought it back in 95 i thinK:confused:
Ive heard husqvarna was good.
 
I went thru several chain saws before I bought a Stihl which is the saw I should have bought first. I have had very good luck with it.
 
I talked to a tree companey crew and a crew with the USFS and both said that on the smaller saws which ever Stihl or Husqvarna that had the sharpest chain is the one they would grab off the truck. Both also said Stihl all the way on the bigger saws. I bought a Stihl 026 and never looked back. Gas cap is on the side of my Stihl and has never been a problem.

Jim
 
I talked to a tree companey crew and a crew with the USFS and both said that on the smaller saws which ever Stihl or Husqvarna that had the sharpest chain is the one they would grab off the truck. Both also said Stihl all the way on the bigger saws. I bought a Stihl 026 and never looked back. Gas cap is on the side of my Stihl and has never been a problem.

Jim
Cant go wrong w/either one Ive been running stihl saws for over 30 yrs
 
Thanks for all the info. I've found a local dealer that carries all of these so I'll go check them out and decide. This board rocks as always for help, even non TR related!
 
I've got a Stihl that i'm about two min from puttin on ebay that needs a 24" bar and chain that i'll sell you for 80.00 + shippin, starts first crank
lemme know i can get pics and shippin $
 
Stihl all the way!!!!! Ive had a blower from them for like 3 years now and it starts first pull every time and sounds like the first day i bought it. Ive herd nothing but good things about them. My buddy just bought a $850 hucksavana and it was missing a part from the factory to hold the chain in place. It did come with a 1 or 2 year warranty though 24" bar.
 
My father cut wood for a living, found Stihl was good but seemed to fall apart after several months. He went to Jonsered and never turned back, fast, dependable and tough. He retired and gave one of his saws to my brother who uses it today. I also had a Husky with no problems.
 
I bought a Husky after returning a POS Poulan. I love the Husky. Cranks up real easy and cuts very well.
 
I have a couple saws plus about 15 of them up at the fire house that we use. But I keep a Stihl QuickVent and a MS650 saw in my truck in the tool box all the time :) Both have never really failed me as long as you keep up with the mantaince on them :D
 
I bought a Husky after returning a POS Poulan. I love the Husky. Cranks up real easy and cuts very well.
I bet you did not know that Husqvarna owns Poulan?

They are kinda like GM in that Poulan does not make a Vette. Ya kow what I mean? A lot of the part are the same on small Poulan's, Husqvarna's, Craftsman's and even Jonsered's. Some of the saws are exactly the same just different colors, but some are unique to their line. Husqvarna and Jonsered are the high end of that companies saws.
I am a Jonsered dealer and I service Husqvarna's so I know a little about them. If you pay more than $300 for a saw you are probably in the better line and will do ok, unless the dealer just screws you.
Stihl is a great brand, very easy to work on and there are dealers everywhere if you should need parts. Husqvarna is good also but you have to stay away from Lowes and HD and get a saw from a dealer to get the better ones. Jonsered is great but very few dealers around for them. Like I said earlier some parts are interchangeable and some are not for Jonsered, Husq, Poulan the others in that family.

Post up what model you are looking at and I will tell you my opinion on it, and not try to sell you one.
 
This one looks like it would rock-n-roll!
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This is another Chainsaw that may be a handful!
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=96a829a7f7
 
you can't go wrong with stihl or husqvarna. my preference is the husky. I will tell you DO NOT buy your husky from lowes, they are NOT the same as the ones you buy from a true husky dealer. I paid about $500.oo for my 051 about 15 years ago, I have run it over with a D6 cat dozer & the only thing is it bent the handle on it. that is why I'm sticking with the husky brand. if you don't mind me asking why do you need a 22'' bar. many people think they need a long bar, but it kills the power in a saw. I removed the 20'' that came on my saw for an 18" and I can still cut a 35" diameter tree with it (that is a big tree).
 
MY brother stopped by a local Farm and Ranch store and talked to a salesman a long time and was explained the difference in the Pro models vs the Home use models. He said not very many places carry the Husky Pro models. They have both the Stihl homeuse and pro models. The pros are full steel construction and run about $500+. They also have Echo, but they said the Stihl are very easy to work on and most of the time they have all the parts inhouse so the saw could usually be fixed same day.
I'll be stopping by there today or tomorrow to check them out, but the saw my brother was planning to get is a 18" Stihl, don't know the model but it was around $425.
 
you can't go wrong with stihl or husqvarna. my preference is the husky. I will tell you DO NOT buy your husky from lowes, they are NOT the same as the ones you buy from a true husky dealer. I paid about $500.oo for my 051 about 15 years ago, I have run it over with a D6 cat dozer & the only thing is it bent the handle on it. that is why I'm sticking with the husky brand. if you don't mind me asking why do you need a 22'' bar. many people think they need a long bar, but it kills the power in a saw.
I don't, a 18" would be enough, just did not know what sizes would be readily available when I posted in the different brands and models and hp ratings..I wouldn't want anything bigger than 22 for sure.
 
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