Thread: What size chainsaw for firewood?

Hi Dean,

I was at my local sthil dealer a couple of weeks ago and they reckoned the mini farm boss was Pretty good for fire wood. I was given a sthil M190 pruning saw by a mate. It needs a new piston kit and it will be as good as new. I didn't realise just how much was in the chain saw world till I started to look at them.

A mate of mine who used to make his living out of timber cutting reckons for occasional use the McCulloch(spelling) isn't to bad either. I guess it comes down to how much use its going to get and the availabilty of spare parts if things go wrong. I personally like sthil and have uesd them over the last few years through work.

I Checked out Husquvana at the local dealer here and they were more expensive than the mini farm boss. I am already hinting at home for another saw so as I can start to mill my own slabs but that will be a while off but I can only ask. Have you checked the sthil web site? www.sthil.com.au I think.

Dean,

I've recently replaced my Stihl 012 (15 years old) with a new one (can't remember the model number though). It was around $400 and came with a 16" bar which had a light pruning chain. I had it replaced with a 14" heavier bar with a coarser chain and it works fine. You say that some of the logs are big, so, by inference, most are not?

This one also has the "soft start" system which, for a relic like me, is a real bonus. I use mine for mostly lightish work but the odd bit of heavy stuff doesn't seem to do them any harm. Give it a blow out with air each time you use it, keep the plug & air filter clean and they'll perform reliably for years.

Cheers,
Keith

Quote ave you checked the sthil web site? www.sthil.com.au I think.


I looked at the Sthil website about a week ago and asked their advice but never received a reply ! I did the same with Husqvarna and their reply was to ask your dealer or look at their website !

Most annoying.

I would like to buy a smaller chainsaw but then hate it if it could not do the job.

Dean

Stay away from the electric sawa as they are only as useful as the longest power lead. I would have a look at the stihl site and choose something in the 50-60cc range. Plus when you buy it spend about an hour and a half with the dealer so they can thoroughly explain sharpening, setting your rakers, chain tension, safety and general maitanence. Damien.

I've used the smaller 40cc models and really they are not big enough for 50cm dia hardwood - would kill them. I presently have a new 95cc machine and it is awesome for cross cutting and slabbing but way expensive for your needs. I agree something around 50-60cc should be good for your needs.

Some people may disagree and believe slow going with a sharp chain will get you there - but they all labour with a full bar length of hardwood and 40cc isn't good enough.

Get a decent chain sharpener (only about $60 for a battery model) and keep the chain very sharp and away from dirt and stones - it is always worth frequently touching up the chain rather than letting it get so dull you need a pro-shop to fix it. Any size saw is crap with a dull blade.

Cheers

Agree with all Goodwoody says.

Cheap electric saws just aren't up to much serious cutting.

While the smaller saws will do what you want it will be much slower and more work, sawing from each side etc. You also have to take more care as the saw will bog down in the cut, you often have to lift weight the saw off to keep it cutting properly.

For serious firewood cutting start looking at the MS250 (45cc) or above. I use a MS310, and am looking for something bigger. But you probably dont need that much saw.

Lesson on chain sharpening and safety - highly recomended.

Cheers

Ian

I have been cutting fire wood for the last 25 years and have been using a Jonsered 625 which is a 61 cc machine with a 22" bar and a 3/8" pitch chain.

If you are cutting Australian hardwood I would not use anything less than this. I cut down trees with a girt of up to 30" with this and it is sometimes struggling.

I previously had a 525 with an 18" bar (Can't remember the cc's.) Jonsered, which was a smaller saw and for the firewood I was collecting it just didn't cut it so I traded it in on the bigger saw.

The reason I went for the Jonsered was that it was a slightly lighter saw in weight and if you are collecting and cutting firewood all day even a half a kilo in weight makes a difference in using the saw.

My brother in law who is a farmer and quite often cuts mill logs for the sawmill uses Jonsereds and he has owned 5 of them over the last 30 years and swears by them.

He currently still has 2 of them. The big one is a 900 series with a 30" bar and the smaller one for cutting the limbs of the trees after he has felled them.

As for splitting firewood as I have got older it was becoming to hard to split wood so this is what I bought to overcome that problem.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...igner+firewood

Johnsered is the new name for Husqvarna isn't it? Least that's what they told me at the chainsaw shop.

Stihl and Huskys (Husqvarna-Johnsered) are good.

Cheers

Husqvarna & Johnsered are different saws though they are both made by Electrolux.

They are both widely used by pro fallers and pro firewood harvesters.
They are far superior to Stihl which are over rated crap that are much noisier and vibrate too much.

A 14" should do the job but $400 seems a wee bit much.
I recently got a 15" Jonsered for $299.

This might be a little limited, as they are talking about machines suitable for an Alaskan Mill - but this is what the yanks think about best saw http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...aw_Choice.html

I have read elsewhere about a poll with foresters there in US and they are pretty equally divided between the main two Stihl and Husky and small following of MCCullock.

I have had troubles with small Stihls as their air cleaners crap up fast, where as the Huskys haven't but as for the bigger machines check the above site.

Cheers

I've got an 18" McCulloch, abused it for around 10 years,still going strong (with regular services) It does struggle a bit on anything over about 300mm diameter.

Next time around I'd go for about 1/2 as much again.

Forget the electric ones on hardwood

Originally Posted by echnidna

They are far superior to Stihl which are over rated crap that are much noisier and vibrate too much.

And the Stihl weigh twice as much.

I would get AT LEAST the 18" bar Husky, or look at the italian Oleo-Mac, which I've heard very good things about. I've got a Husky 45, 15" bar and I wish i had a buck for each time I wish it was that little bit bigger or more powerful.

Dan

Originally Posted by DanP

I wish i had a buck for each time I wish it was that little bit bigger or more powerful.

Ain't it always the way.

Few things stir up a discussion like "Whats the best chainsaw?"
I like the Stihls, but realistically, if you pick a similar saw from any of the other main brand names and they will be just as good.

Stihl, Husky/Johnserad, Dolmar, Oleo-mac, Shindaiwa, Echo all make decent saws.

Avoid the cheap homeowner saws, they are 100 hour throw-aways.

What your local dealer sells/ supports is a big factor too.

Cheers

Ian