The chainsaw thread...

Never heard of that^^ with pro-saws IME they just run the same all day every day but then the temps are where I'm usually wishing I got the saw with heated grips

do people clean out all the sawdust from the engine to keep the engine cooler ?

I do it every day as part of the maintenance regime, there isnt enough buildup to necessarliy need it every day but it needs cleaning > than never doing it

them electric saws sound great, no fuel issues but then you gota deal with the miles of extension cord out on the cut block eh

i think when it come to sthil or husky its like ford vs chevy they are both ok

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

Never heard of that^^ with pro-saws IME they just run the same all day every day but then the temps are where I'm usually wishing I got the saw with heated grips

do people clean out all the sawdust from the engine to keep the engine cooler ?

I do it every day as part of the maintenance regime, there isnt enough buildup to necessarliy need it every day but it needs cleaning > than never doing it

them electric saws sound great, no fuel issues but then you gota deal with the miles of extension cord out on the cut block eh

i think when it come to sthil or husky its like ford vs chevy they are both ok

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Well, a 50' cord gets me pretty much anywhere I need to cut on my property. So there's that.

actulay a plug in saw makes a lot of sense compared to a battery saw if the lot is small enough

I was kidding about miles of extension cord

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

actulay a plug in saw makes a lot of sense compared to a battery saw if the lot is small enough

I was kidding about miles of extension cord

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100' is my personal limit. If I need more than that I'm doing it wrong. And it only makes sense if one doesn't cut through the cord. ;)

I just bought an Echo cs-500p to replace the cs-510p that was stolen. I was reminded how great Echo pro saws are. Easy starting, lightweight and powerful. A bargain at $399. Having run Stihl and Husky that my dad used I would say they’re every bit as good.


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Nice saw you got there

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Originally Posted by XXX-er

Never heard of that^^ with pro-saws IME they just run the same all day every day

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I ran Stihls for years when I was a firefighter, now an arborist that uses husky’s due to proximity to a dealer. I clean our air filters every other tank of gas and clean the saw out with a compressor every evening. I’ve noticed my 372xp that has a cracked air filter cover runs better in the heat.

dealer support is very important so we got husky/ sthil/ Jonsered but no echo, I don't think they have much of a dealer network up here

Yup regular maintenance very day, I have 2 filters so I just swap them, wash the dirty one, clean out chips, clean bar groove, clean clutch area, turn over bar, sharpen all the chains with the jig so I can just swap chains in the field

I have been very pleased with the Milwaukee M18 chainsaw. I have access to 8 batteries as well. I’ve been using it to clear my lot and get rid of deadfall at 11k feet elevation in CO. I have cut down 10-15 inch thick live spruce that are up to 60 ft tall with it. Given the high elevation a ~50 cc gas powered chainsaw would de-rate down to about the same power as the Milwaukee which is supposed to be equivalent to a 40cc. At 11k feet a gas powered saw can be pretty fussy to run as well.

MILWAUKEE'S 2727-20 M18 Fuel 16 in. Chainsaw (Too... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QFFVGLR...ing=UTF8&psc=1

I have a great echo dealer down here that has a good size maintenance department. Lots of landscaping on the Maine coast. Just like Husky and Stihl a range of saws is made. Just picked up a consumer echo 400 used for $75 the guy ported. 3 trail days so far and it cranks The skinny chain does dull faster in all the beech we have.

Friend is looking to pick up a dewalt electric saw for stealth because he has the batteries. Any thoughts on those? Worked an uphill track at a ski area on a bitchin cold day with a friend who had an electric saw. Battery held up a lot better in cold than I expected

I run three Stihl MS260s and an MS261. All are great saws when freshly serviced, but the newer saw seems more sensitive to variable fuel quality, and most annoyingly the electronics require my local dealer to call in codes to Stihl, which (due to Stihl’s lack of resourcing) has extended the servicing turn-around from days to weeks. Not impressed.

The fuel up here should be ok as opposed to stateside ?

I just run premium in my 5 or 6 yr old 261 and it always runs fine

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Originally Posted by cat in january

Friend is looking to pick up a dewalt electric saw for stealth because he has the batteries. Any thoughts on those? Worked an uphill track at a ski area on a bitchin cold day with a friend who had an electric saw. Battery held up a lot better in cold than I expected

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I've used a Milwaukee 18v chainsaw quite a bit and the batteries designed for the drill/impact etc don't last very long. I broke down and spent some money on the 12 Amp Hour 18v battery and it works fine for the saw. I have several smaller batteries for the drill etc that seriously don't last more than a minute or two cutting a 12" log. I'd say you want a 9 AH battery minimum. For some context, I've been working on clearing and thinning some Fir trees and removed approximately 90 various sized trees (4" - 16" stumps) primarily with the Milwaukee. I'll get several on the ground and buck them up with an old Stihl saw because the cordless isn't really up to that task.

Bronco thanks for the information

Been a lot easier past few yess as sr finding premium at the pump with no ethanol around here.

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Originally Posted by cat in january

I have a great echo dealer down here that has a good size maintenance department. Lots of landscaping on the Maine coast. Just like Husky and Stihl a range of saws is made. Just picked up a consumer echo 400 used for $75 the guy ported. 3 trail days so far and it cranks The skinny chain does dull faster in all the beech we have.

Friend is looking to pick up a dewalt electric saw for stealth because he has the batteries. Any thoughts on those? Worked an uphill track at a ski area on a bitchin cold day with a friend who had an electric saw. Battery held up a lot better in cold than I expected

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I have a 12” Dewalt battery saw for trail work. It’s lightweight and cuts reasonably well. If he’s got the batteries it’s a no brainer.

That said, a good battery saw is nothing like a light weight pro saw. Running back to back days, it’s amazing how fast and smooth the gas pro saw is.


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I don't know much about chainsaws but I've been doing a lot of cutting recently with an electric dewalt and want to upgrade. We have a nice chunk of country land and with how much trail clearing I've been doing recently with all the recent storms, I feel like I deserve an upgrade. This thread is way too HUGE to go through all of.

Is there a general consensus between the nicer consumer/prosumer level models like Husqvarna 460, Stihl MS311, etc...? Max safety features is important to me. Right now there's about a dozen huge trees blocking my favorite trail I want to make quick work out of. Would also like to be able to use it for plunge cuts to dig out some hand holes for a strongman log I'm making out of one of the oaks, and maybe dabble in chainsaw carving when I get bored and make some funny looking statues to put around the property. Can one saw do it all or will I need more than one for all that?

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Originally Posted by couloirman

I don't know much about chainsaws .....

use it for plunge cuts

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Not to go all safety Sam on you, but just be careful with plunge cuts if you haven't used a saw much.

As far as Stihl vs Husky I think the common thought is to go with whichever brand has better dealer support in your area.

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Originally Posted by zion zig zag

Not to go all safety Sam on you, but just be careful with plunge cuts if you haven't used a saw much.

As far as Stihl vs Husky I think the common thought is to go with whichever brand has better dealer support in your area.

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Fair enough. Yeah, I know they're one of the more dangerous things you can do. I've been practicing them a bit with my little battery powered guy and been fine so far with that, might just use that for the plunges instead of a bigger saw since I'm more familiar with how it feels

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Originally Posted by couloirman

I don't know much about chainsaws but I've been doing a lot of cutting recently with an electric dewalt and want to upgrade. We have a nice chunk of country land and with how much trail clearing I've been doing recently with all the recent storms, I feel like I deserve an upgrade. This thread is way too HUGE to go through all of.

Is there a general consensus between the nicer consumer/prosumer level models like Husqvarna 460, Stihl MS311, etc...? Max safety features is important to me. Right now there's about a dozen huge trees blocking my favorite trail I want to make quick work out of. Would also like to be able to use it for plunge cuts to dig out some hand holes for a strongman log I'm making out of one of the oaks, and maybe dabble in chainsaw carving when I get bored and make some funny looking statues to put around the property. Can one saw do it all or will I need more than one for all that?

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The 311 makes more power than the 460. Neither of them are particularly light, which may or may not matter to you, depending on how far you're going on your trailwork missions. Neither will be great for carving - your little electric thing is probably better for that.

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Originally Posted by couloirman

Fair enough. Yeah, I know they're one of the more dangerous things you can do. I've been practicing them a bit with my little battery powered guy and been fine so far with that, might just use that for the plunges instead of a bigger saw since I'm more familiar with how it feels

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I feel guilty giving the unsolicited advice, this place is infamous for that!

As far as the MS311, I'd personally spend a few more bucks for the MS261. You lose 2/10th of an HP but also lose almost 4 pounds. The weight will matter more than the HP if you are cutting for long.

^^^ or spend a few more bucks, get a 362 and get more power and less weight.

How long of a bar do you need? I’m super happy with my ms261 with a 20” bar.


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MS261 or Husky equivalent all day. Great saw.

Bear in mind that a 20” bar can cut a 40” log with a double cut so if your typical cut is 10 inches or less then the weight tends to become the driving factor of how long you can run it safely.

Buddy with the big Husky rancher was pissed my little saw was doing a double cut faster than his single. The thinner chain really makes a difference too.


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Originally Posted by zion zig zag

I feel guilty giving the unsolicited advice, this place is infamous for that!

As far as the MS311, I'd personally spend a few more bucks for the MS261. You lose 2/10th of an HP but also lose almost 4 pounds. The weight will matter more than the HP if you are cutting for long.

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Originally Posted by neufox47

How long of a bar do you need? I’m super happy with my ms261 with a 20” bar.

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Not only weight but how the saw balances with the bar can make it less fatiguing. For a do-it all saw a 50ish cc with an 18" is the sweet spot for me. I've put 16's and 20's on the same saw and it just feels off.