I have never used a chainsaw before. Now I have about 15 acres of trees that need to be thinned and a lot of dead stuff that needs to be my firewood this winter. It seems like a good time to learn about what to shop for.

How big of a blade do I need?

What features should I look for?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), August 29, 2001

Answers

size depends on how big the wood it,,, if your cutiing trucks,, Id go with at least an 18 or 20 inch bar,, if your going to be cutting alot,, get a bigger engine,, and try to buy locally,, that way if anything happens to it,, it can be fixed locally. I use mine about 2 months ouot of the year, just replaced my first chainsaw,, lasted 20 years. Bought a rebuilt one on ebay,, good price

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 29, 2001.

Check the tools archive... lots of great info re. chainsaws there. Every so often you'll find deals on quality second-hand saws, but the majority are well past their prime and are surely a poor investment. Newer saws also have some great safety features, are ergonomic, usually lighter and much easier to find parts for. When in doubt, buy a new quality saw from a reputable dealer who will service the unit.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), August 29, 2001.

In my opinion, Stilhs are worth every penny they cost. I don't like the crank on the left, but... You can get different size bars with it, but a 16" should handle pretty well anything.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 29, 2001.

I have been thinking about getting a Stihl chainsaw for DH for Christmas. His Homelite is about worn out. Anyone know what price range I should expect?

-- ugly (here@home.com), August 29, 2001.

Is there a recent countryside mag I should look for?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), August 29, 2001.

get a stihl. 029 farm boss is a good model, 18" bar. I'd get a 16 and 20" bar instead of the 18 to make it more versatile. Definitely get extra chains and also sharpener jig/file too unless you have someone local that sharpens them.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), August 29, 2001.

Just keep in mind that most usually the more money you spend on a chainsaw will usually mean a better chainsaw. I think an 18" chainsaw is very much an all around chainsaw. It's light enough for small jobs (which you will probably have a lot of) and big enough for several big jobs. Also check around, places like sears,etc. that have their name on a chainsaw is usually the same chainsaw as other brands. Example: Sears chainsaw is really a poulan chainsaw If you get chainsaw with a certain bar and cc engine from sears,etc. you may get the very same thing in a poulan somewhere else, and may even save you some money.

-- Russell Hays (rhays@sstelco.com), August 29, 2001.

When looking for a saw you need to check about the crank case. Many of the new stihl's have a plastic frame and are held together with 4 screws and after a while they will vibrate enough to break the plastic and then you have a piece of junk. Look for one with all metal construction. Some saws break apart right in the middle stay away. Dolmar is a german saw that has a good report around here it is all metal construction and will last. that is my $.02 worth dale

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), August 29, 2001.

Ditto on the Stihl Farmboss. If you have a lot of wood to cut, this is a good one to get. Around here, ( Upstate S.C. ) you can get one for around $ 300.00. Mine has been worth every penny!

-- Uncle Jake (lulafred@cs.com), August 30, 2001.

Of all the professional saw users in my area, by far the majority use Stihl saws. That tells me something about the machine. A friend of mine trims trees for a living and has used Stihls for years. He tried others but was not satisfied. I personally have an old Stihl 041 farm boss that I purchased in 1976. It still does a fair job with minimum maintenance, even after cutiing an estimated 150 full cords of firewood. Hope this helps you out.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), August 30, 2001.

Something no one has mentioned is the size of chain. There is a lot of sizes and some are hard to get replacement chains. The best and most commen is 3/8 x .050. I have been sarpening them for over 20 years. I like chipper chain the best but it is getting hard to find. You can still get it in the carbide chain and it is real good. The sharpness will out last regular about 3 to 1. I also like the Huscavarna saws. I handle a lot of saws while taking the chains off and replacing them. The Husky is light and smooth. That is what my next one will be. I have a Echo now which is getting a lot of hours on it but has been a very good saw. It is getting heavier or I am getting older.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), August 30, 2001.

Interesting comment about someone not liking the crank on the left. Never saw a right cranker---but I guess there is a bunch of stuff I ain't seen yet. Don

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), August 30, 2001.

You know DON that was what I was thinking. :o)

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), August 31, 2001.