Chainsaws

[Hooper]

The place I bought my Stihl now pushes Echo. I’m leaning towards buying an Echo weedeater to replace my Stihl weedeater that’s busted with extended Stihl warranty that Stihl won’t honor.

Always look on the local yard guys trucks and see what they use, I think most use echo now.
You know they are gonna use the most reliable weed eaters I would think.
I have a stihl its okay, my next one will be operated by a lawn service, while I watch.

 

[Hooper]

Stihl MS310, MS017 and a MS170. These replaced two worn out old Stihl 031s and a 040.
Stihl products has been very good to me. I did learn something about seasonal equipment back in the 70s. Always store them dry tank and dry carbs. And 100% fuel.

And @swampratt hell yes on the oiling. They are adjustable and I do make them run wet. And mine are loud as hell too! Drill out that exhaust and they will run better.

I always put some moly mag grease in the groove once in a while to go with the oil. A plastic cow syringe works pretty good to put it where you want it. I think it helps the oil stick in there a little better for a while.
I figure ole swampratt uses methanol race gas in his with a baby header and a straight pipe

 

[Chaparral]

Battery does not seem the path. Four pastures and large trees. Battery will not last me.

The Echo I looked at last night were cheap, flimsy, scary. The Stihl lower grades are a no go, no protection to the bottom of the motor, open bottoms. Husquevarna seemed ok but no real good service center for when I cannot fix on my own.

 

[TerryMiller]

I forgot an important fact!

Years ago I went to get some new saws. Went to local Lumber Two Lumber Yard as they were a Stihl Dealer. Was reading a manual for a new saw and about the 4th page in highlighted in asterisks was the words written “” DO NOT RUN SAW FULL THROTTLE UNLESS CUTTING WOOD FOR FIRST TWO TANKS”.

So in other words don’t run the saw more than half throttle unless actually cutting wood for first two tanks to allow the saw to break in, set the rings etc etc.

I picked out 2 saws and the young man took them to the back to assemble and ready them. Wasn’t a few minutes later I heard him running them, and he was running the saw wide ass open, just beating on that throttle. I walked back there and said now get me another saw, I don’t want that one. He was taken back a bit at my comment and asked why? I asked him if he had ever read a manual on the saws? He stated, he just got back from a Stihl School and knew all about them. I asked for the manager, and went to the saw display and picked up the manual I had read. Manager came, I handed him the manual with the page opened to the “DONT RUN SAW WIDE OPEN” he then stated they had always fueled them and made sure they worked before sending them on with the customer, and the young man said they did not learn that in school.

Manager said get me a new saw and don’t run it full throttle, went on to say they would rectify the mistake and not do the saws that way.

Now I don't know if they did stop their ways of readying a saw but when I buy new saws I make damn sure they don’t go ape **** on them when they are new.

No telling how much “Age” they were putting on a new saw with the wide open banshee ****, but I know it isn’t good for a new machine to do so.

So if buying new, make sure they don’t prematurely wear on your saw by abusing it on its first start!
We rebuilt all our equipment when needed, rarely sent any piece of equipment out for repair. I am on the side of the fence to let any engine warm up before using it. Some may believe use it like you stole it! I have no issues with chain stretch as I even make sure the chain is warmed up good too.

That’s my two cents on chain saws. Best of luck on buying a new saw out there.

I had to "like" the above comment, and I don't even own a chainsaw nor have the need for one. It's just good advice with any kind of engine.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Here are my three showing the exhaust mods done. I still need to drill one of them.

All three have the screens and exhaust covers off them in addition to a hole drilled in them to allow for no restricted air flow.
I still need to drill an extra hole in the second photo one.

Makes them louder, makes them run stronger and they don’t fight trying to get the exhaust out those small holes and the screen mesh that is taken out.

 

[Chaparral]

Welllllll, my newest one is also dead. It ate the rings. Normally seen when run without oil or years of use. I should have used it more sooner as it is now out of warranty period. Not happy.

 

[Big House]

I forgot an important fact!

Years ago I went to get some new saws. Went to local Lumber Two Lumber Yard as they were a Stihl Dealer. Was reading a manual for a new saw and about the 4th page in highlighted in asterisks was the words written “” DO NOT RUN SAW FULL THROTTLE UNLESS CUTTING WOOD FOR FIRST TWO TANKS”.

So in other words don’t run the saw more than half throttle unless actually cutting wood for first two tanks to allow the saw to break in, set the rings etc etc.

I picked out 2 saws and the young man took them to the back to assemble and ready them. Wasn’t a few minutes later I heard him running them, and he was running the saw wide ass open, just beating on that throttle. I walked back there and said now get me another saw, I don’t want that one. He was taken back a bit at my comment and asked why? I asked him if he had ever read a manual on the saws? He stated, he just got back from a Stihl School and knew all about them. I asked for the manager, and went to the saw display and picked up the manual I had read. Manager came, I handed him the manual with the page opened to the “DONT RUN SAW WIDE OPEN” he then stated they had always fueled them and made sure they worked before sending them on with the customer, and the young man said they did not learn that in school.

Manager said get me a new saw and don’t run it full throttle, went on to say they would rectify the mistake and not do the saws that way.

Now I don't know if they did stop their ways of readying a saw but when I buy new saws I make damn sure they don’t go ape **** on them when they are new.

No telling how much “Age” they were putting on a new saw with the wide open banshee ****, but I know it isn’t good for a new machine to do so.

So if buying new, make sure they don’t prematurely wear on your saw by abusing it on its first start!
We rebuilt all our equipment when needed, rarely sent any piece of equipment out for repair. I am on the side of the fence to let any engine warm up before using it. Some may believe use it like you stole it! I have no issues with chain stretch as I even make sure the chain is warmed up good too.

That’s my two cents on chain saws. Best of luck on buying a new saw out there.

This is the reason I went with a Husky. Who has time for half throttle?

 

[Capm_Spaulding]

My mid 70s Echo finally seems to have passed. I have a newer Stihl but always seem to need two saws as one will be finicky.

What seems to be the “good stuff” this year?

I need 16” bar, want 18” bar. Have dealers and pawn shops and repair shops within 45 miles of the house for most makes.

Really like the new dangled shock absorbing qualities of the Stihl.

Would like easier to start, I am getting older.

One or twice a year use but when used it is several days of cutting things up.

I am a buy once cry once type, my power tools are all Milwaukee/dewalt/hilti that have hundreds of hours of use. But, I have a 20” $180 craftsman chainsaw that probably has 20 hours of cutting on it over 5 years and it’s never had an issue, just a few new blades. I put that at the higher end of basic use for regular joe with a few acres; if you were a professional who logged 20 hours a week you’d probably have a different experience… but I love the thing. Starts up first time every year.

 

[Chaparral]

I am a buy once cry once type, my power tools are all Milwaukee/dewalt/hilti that have hundreds of hours of use. But, I have a 20” $180 craftsman chainsaw that probably has 20 hours of cutting on it over 5 years and it’s never had an issue, just a few new blades. I put that at the higher end of basic use for regular joe with a few acres; if you were a professional who logged 20 hours a week you’d probably have a different experience… but I love the thing. Starts up first time every year.

I had an old sears/poulen. It worked well, easy to start. Able to go for hours. When it started breaking there were no replacement parts. Replaced it with the Stihl which just died. Dollar for dollar the old poulen was a better deal. Their quality is not the same today. If not for using for hours at a time across multiple days an electric would be just fine. Drag it and the generator out down the road and into the back of the field. Not good.

 

[mmerrill]

I've got an 18" Ego that works out great when I'm doing a lot of cut-stop-drag-cut-stop-drag. I went all in on their stuff and have a total of 4 batteries so at least one is fully charged while the other 3 are charging and they charge pretty quick. And customer service is great. Only complaint is with the bigger amp hour batteries it gets heavy. Also have an 18" Stihl that's my go to when doing non-stop cutting, only problem with it is me. I can dull a chain in NTF, but as someone mentioned above I think it might have something to do with the oiler. It doesn't use much B&C oil at all, not like other chainsaws I've had that slung it everywhere. Had a guy that used to fell trees for a living tell me that one tank of fuel = one tank of B&C oil, anybody else ever heard this? Mine will go through a tank of fuel and use very little B&C oil, like unscrew the cap and if you tried to put more in it you'd get more on it.