Budget chainsaw recommendation

[The Juicer]

Sthil ms170 is what I have. Great little saw. I've cut 4 trailer loads of logs now, it's paid for itself now at 50 quid a trailer load. I get free logs from a relative.

[guzzicat]

Buy second hand & spend what you have saved on some good clothing! Like a crash hat it,s no good wishing you had done when it,s too late.

[GingerCat]

I got a little husky for about 150 quid. Does the job and I've cut up some silly size lies with it, shop about as you can make decent savings.

[Muddy Funker]

Bump,

 

Right rather than start a new thread I've found this one. I'm on the look out for a small chainsaw, nothing that would put leatherface to shame just a small sensible one for general garden chores/firewood ect.

 

I've looked at a few threads and when I'm seeing is it's best avoiding the new petrol ones on ebay that seem pretty cheap. Husky 236 are being sold new for £130 including delivery but I've seen a few not too favourable things said about them.

 

So that leaves Stihl, good old Stihl. What's the deal with the different model numbers? Is it a case of certain ones are more suited to the professional/frequent user? Earlier ones have different numbers?

 

I'm going to be buying 2nd hand so what would be a good one to aim for? I'm currently looking at MS171 and 180 on ebay that seem geared to the occasional user, are there any other hidden gems that might be a bit older but held in higher regard?

 

Thanks in advance

[Luckyshot]

Bump,

 

Right rather than start a new thread I've found this one. I'm on the look out for a small chainsaw, nothing that would put leatherface to shame just a small sensible one for general garden chores/firewood ect.

 

I've looked at a few threads and when I'm seeing is it's best avoiding the new petrol ones on ebay that seem pretty cheap. Husky 236 are being sold new for £130 including delivery but I've seen a few not too favourable things said about them.

 

So that leaves Stihl, good old Stihl. What's the deal with the different model numbers? Is it a case of certain ones are more suited to the professional/frequent user? Earlier ones have different numbers?

 

I'm going to be buying 2nd hand so what would be a good one to aim for? I'm currently looking at MS171 and 180 on ebay that seem geared to the occasional user, are there any other hidden gems that might be a bit older but held in higher regard?

 

Thanks in advance

If going for a stihl an ms170 would be a good buy but I would go new rather than second hand. You can pick a new one up for £170.

[Muddy Funker]

If going for a stihl an ms170 would be a good buy but I would go new rather than second hand. You can pick a new one up for £170.

 

Thanks for the reply, I'm never too fussed about 2nd hand as I'm half useful at fixing things. £170 is still more than I really want to spend at it's going to be occasional use at the moment.

 

I'd like to understand the model numbers. There's also a 017 local to me. I'd rather get something at a higher spec than I need in case it sees more use at a later date.

[rovercoupe]

Old stihl numbers start at 017 018 for the smaller saws right upto 088 for the monster saw then the more moden saws are 170 180 to 880 again for the biggest, most parts are interchangeable ie 017 bits will fit ms170 and vice versa.

 

There is the really old models that are well made but finding good ones is getting harder these days.

170, 180 are small light homeowners saws and are great for light use but mainly plastic.

026 is a great all round saw for pro use or hard home use

036 is a loggers saw

066, 880 are the big boys for running 36" bars and cutting monster trees up!

 

I think this is about right!

[rovercoupe]

Oh I have been running a 023 for the last few years just because its light and can handle bigger stuff than the 017 that i used to have and cannot fault it, its a homeowner saw but has taken some right abuse and only needed a new carb and service.

[Muddy Funker]

Perfect, thanks for that clears a few things up.

What denotes a pro saw? Are they just built to last longer as in better materials ect?

Would it be better therefore to go for a small older pro model than a newer consumer model if that makes sense?

[kennett]

017 018 etc are the older versions of the 171 181. I have a 181 that lives in my truck for when I am on the shoot, for a tree across the track or on a pen fence and firewood. With a 16" bar it will do most things but will struggle a bit when boring out the middle of bigger trees. For occasional use I would say that would be perfect for you, not too heavy but with a bit more grunt that a 171

Ah sorry, my phone hadn't loaded the newer messages! It depends what your occasional use would be, occasional felling then definately go a bit bigger but for firewood and a bit of tidying up a 181 or 018 would be fine

Edited August 18, 2016 by kennett

[loriusgarrulus]

We bought a stihl 039 that had had a full overhaul and new parts as needed from an agricultural engineer with excellent feedback on ebay. Starts well and cuts anything we need in the wood.An Arborist friend had a look at it and was impressed with it.

[kennett]

I run a 391 at work and they are good saws, will quite happily run a 20" bar but heavy to use all day

[Muddy Funker]

Cheers guys, I'm thinking I won't go too far wrong with a lower end Stihl then, MS171 for around £100 2nd hand should be okay.

 

For the time being it'll be occasional light use firewood/general garden work. Like I say though I normally like to get better than I need with things like this to save buying again if I start using it more. On this occasion though it looks like you have to spend a fair bit more even on the older models to get an upgrade in power ect.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[ditchman]

for what you need it for .......if you are doing everything at home ...get a Boshe electric one...........

[brett1985]

i ended up buying a 171 for my log cutting at home and it worked well on the small stuff, I found that it ran out of puff on the bigger bits though.

 

it broke the handle mount after a couple of loads so I got a refund.

 

went and bought a husky 135 and its been great. revs well, cuts quickly and starts easily every time.

 

just purely from personal experience, I would pick husky over Stihl.

[kennett]

Well I would pick stihl over husky lol horses for courses and all that!

[brett1985]

variety is the spice of life!

[littlerob]

i ended up buying a 171 for my log cutting at home and it worked well on the small stuff, I found that it ran out of puff on the bigger bits though.

 

it broke the handle mount after a couple of loads so I got a refund.

 

went and bought a husky 135 and its been great. revs well, cuts quickly and starts easily every time.

 

just purely from personal experience, I would pick husky over Stihl.

told you all the new lower end of stihl stuff is rubbish these days and I did say the husky 135 is a belting good saw light gutsy and just better made in my opinion than the equivalent stihl.to get a decent stihl new you got to be spending over £350

[Imperfection]

I bought a chainsaw couple of weeks back for literally just clearing my garden the once and now done,it will sit in the shed for all eternity. I got a Qualcast petrol one from Argos for £79 as it was cheaper to buy than rent and it has worked faultlessly. Its chopped its way through umpteenth trees and shrubs and for the money its great.

[mossy835]

i bought one off the bay, had it 2 years and still going,and i cut a lot of wood up the farm,£59

[rovercoupe]

Stihl consumer models have mostly plastic cases and are harder to work on when they do go wrong, going up to the pro models they have better access to the bits that go wrong and are designed to run all day. An example is the link between the carb and cylinder, a consumer model will have a rubber boot that links them and it will also act as a damper to the carb and will eventually fail where as a pro model will have a tougher link with reinforcement and a damper on the carb too. I could go on but most people will fall asleep! I run these saws aswell as build them up so can bore anyone!

[Muddy Funker]

Stihl consumer models have mostly plastic cases and are harder to work on when they do go wrong, going up to the pro models they have better access to the bits that go wrong and are designed to run all day. An example is the link between the carb and cylinder, a consumer model will have a rubber boot that links them and it will also act as a damper to the carb and will eventually fail where as a pro model will have a tougher link with reinforcement and a damper on the carb too. I could go on but most people will fall asleep! I run these saws aswell as build them up so can bore anyone!

 

There's an 036 near me with a chain brake not working, saw is running okay.

 

Looking at reviews it's clearly a higher spec than I need. Bloke wants £125. Is that ridiculous. I was going to offer £100 as it would be a punt.

[Laird Lugton]

Can I chip in and recommend a Black & Decker Scorpion? £35 and perfect for the garden.

 

I regularly cut up 100mm thick branches with it....

[littlerob]

 

There's an 036 near me with a chain brake not working, saw is running okay. 0 modes like the 036 would be a 90s saw maybe a early 2000 so maybe a Tad tired if it's had a working life

 

Looking at reviews it's clearly a higher spec than I need. Bloke wants £125. Is that ridiculous. I was going to offer £100 as it would be a punt.

[rovercoupe]

Thats about all i would pay for one, new brake bands are not too expensive as long as all the links are there. Its going to be hard work using it all day as its a bit of a lump but certainly not underpowered! There is a issue with the 028s where nobody makes brake bands for them anymore so I would check you can get parts before buying it.