Chainsaw - electric or fuel.

[Cranfield]

My old electric chainsaw has a worn out chain tensioner screw (or whatever it is) , which causes the chain to keep coming off.

I only use it for trimming up logs and some heavy pruning work on the trees in my garden and I am going to have to replace it.

 

I have an electric one, as they are much lighter than 4stroke/2stroke ones and I am only going to use it within (max) 100 yards of a power point.

 

Without wanting to pay a fortune, does anyone have any recommendations ?

[Dunkield]

If you go petrol, I would only advise getting a Stihl or a Husqvana.

I have had a McCulloch for donkeys years and is OK but a bitch to start and noisy, those are the last things you want if you are just going to be doing a few logs now and again.

 

I was given a 15" Husky 2 weeks ago, and after I serviced it and gave it a clean it is good as new - completely different saw to the other one, much more refined.

[dead-eye]

if your getting a petrol one get a husqvana because they now own jonsred (the other big name in chainsaws)

[Axe]

JJAxeman is the man to answer this for you

 

I am sure however, he will advise a nice petrol Stihl chainsaw. Finest saw I ever used.

[BSA Shaun]

Husky or Stihl

 

And petrol mate

[Hunter]

I love electric saws. They have a lot of power, our Makita has been going for 6 ears strong, and pulls harder then out petrol Stihl. Cant beat the torqe that electric saws make. Safer then petrol, as they stop cutting as soon as you let go of the power trigger.

 

Wont make you dizzy with fumes after hours of cutting logs.

I spend around 2-3 solid months of log cutting/axing a year, and will swear by the Makita saws. I run it on Carlube oil, and a chain from Axeminster tools. I use Stihl chainsaw trousers, a nice setup.

Edited February 22, 2008 by Hunter

[game_boy]

Husky without a doubt, dont go buying any cheap **** out of thr DIY stores either. Best off going to a specialized shop if you want something that will last.

[Edward]

Iv got a stihl 390 something with a 22"bar its grrreat

Edited February 22, 2008 by EdwardtheloneShooter

[loopy bunny blaster]

we've got a powerful stihl, great machine

[dusk2dawn]

I bought a Stihl on JJ,s advice, a nice MS 180 14" cost £160 and is a dream to use compared with my old one.

 

Also have a Husky electric, not bad but cant be faffed with the cable and power drop at the business end.

 

D2D

[paulf]

I use my saws on a daily basis, My routinue felling saw a husky 575XP with a 20" or 25" bar and a 357XP with an 18" bar for odds and ends like fencing and limbing etc. Ive ran stihls before but imo the modern Huskys ( the pro range) are in an entierly differnt leauge.

 

I would never consider an electric saw being a pro user and could imagine dificultys even for an amuture ie cant cut in damp conditions limited range or lots of extension leads.

 

Id sudgest either a small new husky or a second hand stihl 026. Its worth getting something with a bit more power than you think as ocasionaly you may need to cut something bigish If you can streach to it a husky 350 is a briliant saw.

 

I recomend Peter at chainsaw specialists, recently started using him and his service and knowledge are excellent:

 

http://www.chainsawspecialists.co.uk/

Edited February 22, 2008 by paulf

[Cranfield]

Some good information gentleman, its much appreciated.

 

I do favour the electric versions, as apart from fumes, etc., they are much lighter to hold on to for long periods of time.

[lurcherboy]

My old electric chainsaw has a worn out chain tensioner screw (or whatever it is) , which causes the chain to keep coming off.

I only use it for trimming up logs and some heavy pruning work on the trees in my garden and I am going to have to replace it.

 

I have an electric one, as they are much lighter than 4stroke/2stroke ones and I am only going to use it within (max) 100 yards of a power point.

 

Without wanting to pay a fortune, does anyone have any recommendations ?

 

What happened to the gardeners Cranfield are you downsizing

 

 

 

LB

[Hunter]

They are all Polish and cant understand a word, so Cranners needs to sort out stuff like this for them

[Zapp]

Since you are only going to be using it within 100 yards of home then go for an electric (I have a black and decker which is pretty handy), which is ok as long as you keep the chain nice and sharp. Of course the problems start when someone offers your a great big pile of firewood in the middle of fields if you will saw it up for them.... which is why I now use a petrol for pretty much everything!

 

Zapp

[lurcherboy]

Why not go green and help your carbon footprint by using a handsaw

 

 

 

LB

[Cranfield]

LB, I don't allow the peasants any mechanical tools, it takes too long to show them how to use them.

With regard to my carbon footprint, the amount of long haul flights we undertake means that I am already off the scale, but you know who to thank for your nice tan.

 

If I could find a cheapish, lightweight , quiet, fuel driven chainsaw, I would look at it seriously.

[al4x]

go electric cranfield, with limited use 2 strokes are a bit ch to keep running well. As for the Husqvarna stihl debate well stihls are easier to use in my experience but the huskys have more power so its swings and roundabouts but for hobby use go stihl

[mjjl]

get a stihl mate something like a ms 260 you won't regret it, the advantage that stihl have for me over husqvarna is that if needed i can strip the whole thing with just a few tools and fix any problems myself, wheras huskies are more difficult to work on and really are expected to be taken to a dealer for any repairs.

[flash]

i use chainsaws at college on a regular basis(at least once a week, if not more). we either used makitas(dunno which one), or husqvarna 357xp, a real mans saw. fairly hefty but does the job well. easy to maintain and use. i woud deffo recomend a petrol run saw rather then an electric, as stated before very much limits what you can do, distance wize.

remember your PPE as well.

im currently using stihl hiflex trousers and aquafell experts for my boots. not cheap but maybe he best in the business.

 

cheers

 

flash

[Mungler]

I got a 20" unbranded petrol job off fleabay for about £90 new give or take delivery.

 

I thought it would be poo, but it's not.

 

For the odd job I need to do it's perfect and it's the no messing about with power leads that did it for me.

Edited February 23, 2008 by Mungler

[paulf]

Flash, a 357 is a smallunn! a 575 is a mans saw. Joking aside the 357 will do most things I have one for small stuff and as a back up.

 

My 575 is an incredble piece of modern enginering and out performs a lot of the older 95cc machines in repect to tourq and handling.

 

As for huskys being harder to work on, in all seriusness aside from a major strip down the modern huskys are as quick to work on. The snap click cover removes instantly and the air filters last longer. Since husky introduced the snapclick covers and simplified control leavers the desighn and performance is better than stihl. The only thing is that stihls are usually a few grams lighter but if you look cloesly they contain a lot of nasty plastic.

[tulkyuk]

I know to a nice (virtually new) small petrol chainsaw, if your looking for 1 Cranfield - my father is currently selling his.

[njc110381]

I used an electric stihl once and it was pretty good. For home use it would be good because it saves the bother of getting new fuel all the time. Petrol doesn't keep well. I run all petrol kit myself, both stihl. I have a MS660 and a MS200t, both very reliable and have plenty of power for their intended use but no good for an amateur. The husqvarna 140 is a good cheap saw, much better than the cheap stihls. I'd say go electric, the best stihl one if you don't mind spending the money.