I’m about to start renovating my next house and a log burner is high on the list of priorities, what’s the go to petrol chain saw of choice?
I’m buying new and want to start cutting already fallen trees to store. I’ve looked at a stihl, but unsure on what the optimum size is, cheers

Watching this thread with interest! Got 8acres of woods to fuel my burner now 🙂

Stihl MS 170 with a 12inch bar.

Just a baby little thing. It has dealt with all the wood I’ve sequestered over the past couple of years with little effort. I’ve wanted a longer bar very few times indeed. It will take a 14inch bar if required.

If I was wanting a new saw I’d buy a Husqvarna 435 from FR Jones. Well thats where I’d start but I’d move up the range if I could justify the extra money.

It won’t really be any better or worse than a stihl for the same money, I’ve just always been a husky man.

[Sensible]Factor in some training and protective equipment.[/Sensible]

Personally if I was doing anything other than cross cutting small dia lengths I’d get a huskie 550 and ignore the toy saws. Also trousers, boots, gloves, helmet + ear defenders + visor and some one to teach you how not to die. By already fallen do you mean cut down by someone or blown down by the wind? Cos the later may well result in you requiring a new pelvis if you don’t know what your doing.

Also trousers, boots, gloves, helmet + ear defenders + visor and some one to teach you how not to die.

This +100

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg317.pdf

Slightly ironic that the HSE leaflet has a guy wearing a hi vis vest that’s likely to get snagged on a saw in it’s PPE section.

I’ve got a Stihl 171 with a 14″ bar. Came with a free stihl hatchet and saw horse. So far so good as it’s not extremely heavy and can be used all day without getting too tired.

Starts easy and also a doddle to maintain. Couldn’t recommend enough and it’s my favourite tool in the shed. There’s something very rewarding about a day cutting and splitting!

Stihl or Husky. The one with the nearest dealer.
Little saws are great if you are only doing smaller stuff. I even have a Chinese Stihl copy that some wide boy steamed into an elderly relative. Works fine and the carb of my near identical Stihl fits perfectly. Doubt its will be handed down through the generations though.
Of course with saws n+1 will apply. Currently trying to convince my dad that he should give me the one that I used as a kid. An old and huge Danarm.

All you’ll ever need 😉

I’ve a stihl ms180 and have processed about 18m3 of arb waste with it ok. It has dealt with 2′ Oak but the large ash I have at the moment is making me long for a 50+cc saw to speed things up

Normally is say stick to stihl or husky, but it’s £500 for 50cc and 18″ bars, so I’m currently considering a mccolloch cs50s. I need to pop to f r Jones and see if they can get spare parts for it. Mccolloch is owned by husky ( also jonsered, poulan, craftsman and others). In the US the poulan pro 5020 is the best sub$200 saw and would suit me. It shares most parts with the husky 450 and is reliable plus spare parts are easy to get. I understand the mccolloch to be the same saw, but need to check with fr Jones as they are a husky dealer and only a few miles away, that they can get the spares. If they can’t, I’ll keep persevering with my ms180 as cheap and unsupported saws are a waste of time and money.

Oh and whatever you get don’t leave fuel in it and leave it any time. Gummed carbs kill a lot of saws. Either look into aspen alkalyte fuel or use a good fuel stabiliser, ethanol free pump fuel (most premium Ron stuff), and run it to empty each time. It can avoid a lot of carb problems.

The peculiar thing about chainsaws is that they all feel perfectly adequate, useful, not to mention scary until you use top end stuff which instantly makes everything else feel frustratingly crap.

For an all rounder take a look at the Husqvarna 440. Good compromise of power, weight and size. I use a 50cc Husqy with a 16″ bar which I find to be optimal for most tasks. I have bigger and smaller saws including a 536li battery saw which is great for lighter tasks, or places where noise is a consideration.

I lied – got a Stihl 211/C with a 16″ bar!! It’s still great

Thanks for all the suggestions, being a carpenter I’ve used power tools all my life, but rarely a chain saw. I’m also buying the Trousers.
I did buy a second hand jonsered years ago, but it was a pig to start compared to my other petrol tools and the chain kept loosing tension.
I have also now just come across makita battery operated ones, I didn’t know they were available and I already have lots of batteries and chargers.

I can see how jimjam is spot on, hence n+1

Makita is err …jonsered iirc (literally identical, just a colour change), for saws, so good and part of husky

Stick to the bigger names with local dealer support, Stihl tend to just about edge it on price. McCulloch, Efco and Makita are just edging into having reliable backup.
Bigger bars tend to result in slower less torquey saws, so go with the smallest bar you can, big stuff can always be cut from both sides. We run 15″ in forestry and this takes us upto ~36″ diameter bases. Keeps weight down too.
At 50cc, saws do get more gutsy, but prices double and if you’ve never had a more powerful saw, you’ll never know the difference.
Sharpening is key.

Makita saws are from dolmar not jonsered Buy a husqvarna 395 xp 😉

Used a 3120, once a groove was made, just had to hold the throttle, needed to refill half way through the cut.
That would be overkill for nearly everything.

Ms880. You never know when you’ll want to do some milling.

Ah yes, dolmar, you’re right.

Stihl 181 14″ is looking favourable atm. I’m not in a rush to buy, but would like to get all equipment needed in the next few weeks.

15″ is the forestry standard length the size you use for any course. Stihl or Husky are both good saws ime. Though Sthil seem to have more torq imo (useful when cutting in water). As timbur says sharpening is the key, a blunt saw is a dangerous saw.

Having been a Husky fan ( i use the pro saws at work all day, every day) for 15 years+ in arb and forestry i wouldnt touch one now with a bargepole. Since Electrolux (vacum cleaners) bought them out they are utter sh!te. 550’s falling to bits on site after 6 months etc etc. Ide buy a Stihl, (never thought ide say that).. just my 2p

Damn, I just bid on a old but big stihl on evilbay, see what this thread has done!

Husqvarna split off from Electrolux in 2006 (wiki) All the Husky’s we have had over the past few years have been faultless.

Only an amateur here but my Husqvarna 340 has been faultless since I got it 5 years ago. I guess I use every second week for an hour or so.

Sorry neilnevill but I’m sure it’s needed.

Kuco, so is it better to go for a 15″ rather than a 14?

No, as timber said, go with the shortest needed to reach (although a short bar on a powerful saw is the most dangerous for kick back). The bigger bar slows the saw down, so a shorter bar that is long enough is less frustrating.

Needed? Well yes, of course 😉

Called into a local stihl & husqvarna dealer today, looking to spend around £250-£300 on a stihl but was told a saw perfect for my Requitments was on sale from £210 to £171. A hisqvarna 135.
I usually go for the highest spec tools so Im hoping this will do everything I need.
Also picked up a pair of trousers, gloves, oil and a file and booked in for the next available sharpening course.

Other than the safety chain it comes with it will be great. Buy a couple of proper loops of chain and it will cut better.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll pick some up when buy a helmet/face guard next week.