Buying a chainsaw

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by sun burn, Feb 7, 2011.

  1. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    Cyclone yasi has inspired me to do a course and buy my own chainsaw. A local person told me she uses an echo husqvarna. My father agreed that husqvarna is a good brand but on the website i don't see any echo.

    How do I figure out what size machine to buy?

    I've got big trees and little trees. We've got a hectare but don't actually need to clear it.

    Has anyone done a course? What did you think of it? I"ve found one for $250 for three modules though i can't remember what the modules are called. I told the guy i've got trees to cut down.
     
  2. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    I have two Stihl chainsaws a huge brute (0 8 8 ) which is a fantastic machine however physically challenging to say the least , and a little (009) which is quite a small saw bought it mainly for light pruning work i love it . It now does 90% of the work its nice and light much safer to handle , be aware they are incredibly dangerous so a proper course is good value at any price . We had a big fire through here in 2005 and we had lots of big heavy sugargum mess so the 088 has been great however it could take your life in half a second . Do a course you will get to use one and will soon know if its too big or small for your needs . If you get good at sharpening and adjusting the chain as required its surprising how a tiny saw can do all you need , Number one killer of saws is DIRT if you accidently touch a stone or the dirt while sawing it is instantly BLUNT so avoid this at all costs or you will be constantly sharpening and of course wearing out the chain unecessarilly $$$ . Next as the chain gets blunt and you put more pressure on to keep cutting you will get heat buildup and also wear the bar $$$. Before the fire i had a mid sized stihl and i had a long and a short "Bar" so i would put the long bar on for the bigger cuts and that worked ok as a compromise . Sharpening now there is a subject on its own i have bought all the gauges and electric gizmos in the past , got rid of them after being shown by a professional wood cutter , i now lay the saw down on its "side" , while learning how to do this i had two blocks at the correct hieght to make it easy then just stroke with the file paralell to the ground to maintain the same angles by doing this you can maintain pressure on the file and the files last a lot longer . So to answer you question (what size ) after useing one lots for 35 plus yrs i would recomend a little one spend the extra money on training (saftey and maintenance) if you need a big one for a cleanup hire one or get a contractor in for a hour or so to do just the big cuts .
    Terra
     
  3. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    Thanks terra. I think there's a bit of stuff that is useful in there for me. But this is the situation a) i need a chainsaw that i can do everything myself with. I cannot afford to hire contractors. DAd is here and if i can't do it, i can persuade him to do it. He's got a husqvarna 55 which might have a 18 inch blade but its a bugger to get him to do what i want when i want it done so I am trying to be independent. And also i need my own machine because a) his is probably too big for me and b) he would not be keen for me to use it.

    I need the biggest saw I can handle. It sounds like they might all be reasonable gadgets if they are matched to the job. I have quite a lot to do here as I have a forest and will be needing to clear things from time to time as I plant to build a house down there. Its not one building so the house is throughout the forest. So its definitley part-time usage but not all at once.

    Meanwhile of course there is lots of pruning stuff but that's not the main need i've got. Its mostly for trees and bigger branches. I am only 165cm though so I won't get something too big to handle.

    I am looking around for a course to do. I got one guy who can teach for me $250 and he's can do three modules with me for that he said.
     
  4. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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    I bought a cheapy under $200 because I needed to remove a tree that was going to cost me cost me $300.
    So I cut out the middle man and got a free chainsaw.
    Used it 2 times in over 10 years.
    I've never done a course but had someone go through the basics.
    I just called a professional in to chop a big branch that was hanging over my roof cost $170 dollar and he took away the stuff.
    It was too dangerous to attempt without spiked boots rope or experience.

    Chopping down trees is one thing, removing the roots if you are going to build is another.
    Chainsaws are dangerous machines and maybe a guy with a back hoe would do a better job of getting a site ready to build on.
     
  5. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    I don't need to remove tree roots. I just need to chop down trees that might fall on my house. Its a forest. The white ants will make short work of the roots. A guy with a back hoe would be too dangerous in my forest. I don't want the usual house site. I am going to build in amongst hte trees with as little disturbance as possible.

    I will be using the chainsaw a lot more often than twice in 10 years.
     
  6. Mudman

    Mudman Junior Member

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    I have a Stihl 009 and have been using it for the past 10 years for general chopping, trimming and felling trees on 5 acres.
    Has been great and would recommend it as a good lightweight saw which is easy to handle. I have never needed anything bigger. The bar is 14" so you can chop down a 26" tree with it which is a fair size and it has enough power to do it. It just takes a bit longer than one of the bigger models but what's a few minutes here and there. Also using the smaller saw more often will give you the skills and confidence you need to use a larger one. Also never had it kick back on me and keeping the blade sharp does wonders.
    It is wise to stay away from the Bunnings ones as they fail when you least want them to. If you need a bigger saw hire one for the day or get your father out for the day.
    Heard the husky's are also quite good.
    Have fun with your new saw.
    Kurt
     
  7. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    yeh unless you have the work for a chainsaw best to call a bloke in when you need that sort of work done, he chips it for you and you get the benefit of chip and not having to do the dangerous side youself, plus he will do the higher stuff that you won't be able to reach, probably only need him every couple of years. echo is good husquvarna is good as is stihl. best guide i can give, if you go ahead say you need 16" bar then buy that model where the 16" bar is not the maximum size for the machine.

    not only need to know how to use them but the chain can be easily blunted and needs resharpening can be done by owner but again need expertise or you could end up with the saw not cutting straight through the timber, and if you persist with a blunt chain the extra leaning pressure you put on the saw to make it cut will also damage the cutter bar. can't put a newchain on a worn bar and sprocket that can cause chain failure. also having 2 chains requires swapping the chains regular so hey both wear into the bar and sprocket. lots more in it than learning to use it.

    check out honda as well.

    len
     
  8. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    Mudman, read a survey response of professional wood choppers/forestry men in usa and there is only 1% difference between husqvarna and stihl. There's a couple of other brands that were also recommended but between all these four, i am getting the idea that is not much difference of significance. Its like the difference between a canon and a nikon. Both are good. But its good what you say you are able to do with a 14inch cause now i am thinking that that is probably about what i should go for. the husqvarna i am considering weighs 4.5kg thereabouts. I think that's plenty heavy enough but its good to know that you can cut a decent tree iwth it.

    There's a guy coming by my place on satruday (if i remember to phone him) to see what i need to learn how to do. He said he would teach me for nothing. It remains still to see if that's enough but he's is into landscaping earthmoving and machinary and knows my father so perhaps that's why he's willing to do it for no charge.

    Seems like its possible i could get a chainsaw and all for about $400 which means I have enough left to buy a decent lawnmower as well which i need. I just went to start our little one and couldn't do it. I am sick of relying on my father to make them go. Pity mulchers are so much more expensive cause i'd buy one of those straight away if i had the money. HOpefully i wo'nt have to buy new helmets and other extras as Dad's could be ok for me to use.
     
  9. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day sun burn

    Concerning brands: My father (at 76 years of age) experienced first hand the influx of chainsaws into the Australian professional logging industry post WWII, and since that time has operated just about every make and model of saw on the international market. He's recommendation is either a Stihl or a Husqvarna (of a model/size suitable to your own needs and capabilities). My nephew is a small engines mechanic of over 15-years. Likewise (in part), he recommends the Stihl. I have owned and extensively used various models of both brands for over 25-years, plus a number of other brands (especially the earlier McCullochs). I tend to agree with the recommendations of both my father and nephew.

    Concerning courses: TAFE QLD have the following on offer:

    Chainsaw/Fell Small Trees Workshops (RTF20103 - selected units)

    Concerning price: I have a brother who is a 'garage sale tragic'. Over the past 3-years-or-so, he has bought at garage sales two saws. The first was a late model Stihl with a replacement value of well over $1,000. The second was an older Husqvarna. In the first instance he paid $70 (I still jokingly 'drop' it when I am in his company because, and as I say to him, "It must be 'red hot' for you to have bought it at that price". For the second he paid $100. Both are in excellent condition, and are used (and obviously maintained) on a regular basis. Of course, it would be very rare to find a second-hand saw of any type (and of any worth) at this price, and it is much more common to have to pay around the $400-500 to get something half decent. Good luck with your search.

    Concerning mulchers: Since we have very little lawn (read: grass) to write of, our 'lawn' mower has been put into service and a mulcher. We simply 'lop' any green 'waste' measuring under 10mm in dia (larger stuff gets sawn into 'mornings wood') into 30cm sections, and then run the mower (with catcher attached, and steel-toed boots on feet!) over it. The resultant material is perfect for the compost heaps, or as a mulch going directly onto the beds. This practice is very tough on the blades, and means that I have to sharpen them more often than I would if the machine were being used for what it was designed for, but I figure the money (not too mention the embodied energy) I am saving by not having to buy a new mulcher outweighs the time taken to sharpen the blades.

    Cheerio, Markos
     
  10. bazman

    bazman Junior Member

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    Make sure you buy a Bar Mount Filing Tool (https://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/acc_filing.html) as any who suggests they can handheld sharpen at the right angles is full of BS. If you do a bit of chainsaw work you will be always sharpening your chains. I have a small 35cm stihl and it's been great here for the last 7 years of work. Only once had to ask next door for help with a large tree.

    My chainsaw is the highest maintenance equipment I own, keep it clean, sharpened and oilled and never borrow it out without YOU attached to it, as it's also the most dangerous bit of equipment you will own.
     
  11. jeff

    jeff Junior Member

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    Gidday Sun burn, Another vote for a Stihl chainsaw. I have a Stihl 029 which has a 18" bar. Very useful tool to have but as others have mentioned, a potentially very dangerous tool. A course on proper use and maintenance is a must.
    I use a hand operated file sharpener that attaches to the bar with good results.
    Mower and chainsaw service shops can often have some good second hand saws that would come with a limited warranty.
     
  12. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    ah well in the end i went and bought a husqvarna. I prefer the colour ;-) I bought a 440 which has 40cc. According to the salesman, the women from Nat parks have been in buying them all up to deal with the cyclone debris for the animals or something. It could be just a line but i chose to believe him. The thing weighs about 4.5kg which is about all i can manage. But truly i didn't like the stihl sales guys very much. When it comes to this machinery business i want a sympathetic salesman/woman because they make me feel better where as the impatient ones put me offside. I paid $749. The people I encountered at eco where also good but they didn't have one in at the time and anyway i gave them my money for a lawnmower.

    The sales guy showed me about sharpening so I will try it and if it doesn't work i'll look out for one of those bar mount things.

    Thanks for all your advice. Now i have to ring up the guy who is going to come and teach me how to use it. I've had a few offers from people. I've spent all my money so i have none left for a course. My father has done the course though he's a terrible teacher so there's not much point in trying to learn anything from him except what accidentally falls my way.
     

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