Chainsaw replacement.

[cava]

Hi all,

My Stihl 009 14" had a tourettes episode today, and I think that a replacement is in order.

What should I look at in the 14"-16" category for small acreage? I already have a MS362 for larger cutting.

[rsser]

Mine's a small Husky: e345. Good ergonomics and reliability.

[shedbound]

Having owned both Husky and Stihl, I would go with the Stihl, thats just my opinion

[rsser]

I've owned Husky, Makita (electric), Stihl, Poulan and Jonsered

[jimbur]

I had a small Stihl but it went up in a bushfire in 1985. I replaced it with an Echo which I've been using ever since.

[shedbound]

going out on limb here, I flog the guts out of the baumer ag(82cc) in my chainsaw mill with no complaints about it at all starts first time every time runs at full throttle for days on end and have not worn out a bar yet this is my third one the other 2 were the 62cc version and served me well which i still have both. I cant justify a stihl or husky with the way i treat them in the mill.

[Ed..]

Hi, regarding chainsaws, as you want a small chainsaw probably for climbing/limbing or so forth, you can get a Husky 236 for $250 on Ebay with Australian wide 5? year warranty delivered, 38CC and 16" bar. As for Stihl vs Husky, that is like the old Ford vs Holden argument, both are name brands but they all probably made a lemon or 2 each. Having said that, they are all made better than the Chinese copies and parts are readily available even for most old machines. I prefer the Husqvana air filter system over the Stihl version but each to his own. I have both dealerships nearby, the Stihl dealership actually gives much better service and so I deal with them, there is also a better Husky dealership that I have used but they are much further away and so I just take my Husky to the local Stihl dealership.

I also bought the Baumr-AG 82cc last year which was a lemon from day one. Hopefully they aren't all that bad as the one I got. Very hard to start, flooded easy, nuts kept vibrating off, ect, ect. got my money back after being only able to use it for 15 minutes in the 2 months I owned it, (so much for it being "professional quality"). Bought an MD 75, Starts very easily but doesn't seem to have the power of the supposedly 75CC, prior to those I had a Baumr-AG SX-62, which lasted about 6 years all though not much use in that period and no longer working due to lack of parts available from the seller, you can get them from other sellers but they almost add up to 75% of a new machine, so didn't make sense to repair it.

Ended up importing a Husqvarna 372XPG from Canada for under a Grand and that unit is a beast compared to the other Chinese ones I own/owned, high revving and screams like a banshee, cost significantly more but well worth it and parts are everywhere, I use a 20" and a 28" bar on it. Also the brand chainsaws use less oil in the mix, most Chinese chainsaws use a 25:1 ratio and don't rev as high, where as the 372 uses a 50:1 ratio. There are other brand name units out there Echo, Jonsered ect. each producing homeowner and prof versions and considering the small Husky 236 costs $250 delivered, it isn't a bad price with a long warranty. You could also ring a few arborists and ask them what small chainsaws they prefer and why as they use them day in and day out. Just my 2 cent's worth.

Cheers

Ed.

[safari]

I had a gardening business for 6 years after I retired from my career and used Shindaiwa Whippersnipers,blowers and chainsaws(still made in Japan,I think).

Alway reliable and I still use them now and they still start first or second pull. Wouldn't buy anything else.

[Ed..]

Only have 1 Shindaiwa, it's a whipper snipper (C-350) and it is very reliable, whether if I use it every week or leave it sitting for 6 months, couple of pulls and it starts, don't have any other gear in that brand, only problem I had with it was getting a part from the distributor. (needed a replacement shroud over the line at the end of the shaft.) Took a while to get it and my local dealer wasn't much help, wanted to charge for a full replacement kit but only supply half of it.

Needless to say I had to get it from another dealer.

[Ratbag]

Stihl's ms260 is about the smallest pro grade saw they make. Actually, there's a ms240 also but as I haven't used one I can't give a meaningful recommendation on that one.

I've had an 026 (older version of the 260) for about 30 years and can wholeheartedly recommend it. I had 3 petrol Stihls, 2 electric Stihls and a Husky electric shared across 2 properties. The 026 is the only petrol saw remaining thanks to a burglary, and as it always was my most used bush saw I'd replace it in a heartbeat if it went astray. It has cut 30t of firewood a year (1000t+?) in addition to pruning & landscaping duties and layering over 120 m of hawthorn hedges. I operate 4 wood heaters seasonally and a wood stove 365.

As my smallest saw I've upgraded from .325 to 3/8" chain with a smaller 16" bar size which I also use on the E220 electrics in the interests of economy & consistency. This easily falls, docks & blocks 2 foot trees, my preferred firewood size. Anything larger would be covered by the 064 or 090, at least before they were stolen!

It would also reliably drive 18" and even (if refitted with .325" chain) 20" bars.

The 026 also has a hedge trimmer attachment that replaces the bar & side cover, which sees annual duty pruning the hawthorn hedges & other assorted trees & shrubs. The saw has probably seen more consistent heavy duty than all the rest of the saws combined!

Unhesitatingly recommended. Ultra reliable, relatively powerful with an excellent power to weight ratio and superior ergonomics. I consider it the absolute definitive small saw!