Best sub $700 chain saw?

[David Keller NC]

"IMHO it is not going to stand up to the abuse of long cuts at wide open throttle for several minutes at a time, which is what it may take to process a large log into blanks. They simply aren't meant to do that."

I disagree - I have one and do exactly that with it. The most recent use was cross-cutting a 3' diameter red oak log into about 10 pieces. It's done a lot of those jobs - my guess is that I've cut up about 40 red oaks of similar diameter to feed my woodstove over the last ten years, and many more trees that I cut up for neighbors after the 4 hurricanes that went through Raleigh.

But the point to the original poster is that it doesn't make a lot of sense (to me, anyway), to buy a $700 ginormous chainsaw to cut up reasonably sized trees (cross-cut, anyway - ripping is another story).

[Ken Garlock]

You'll think it's a good saw until you run the ms200.

Ed

Hi Ed. Thanks for the comment and tip, it does look like the MS 200 is the bigger brother of the 192.

[James Carmichael]

There's some awesome CSes listed here, but I don't know that you need nearly that much saw unless you're planning to mill. Weight may definitely be a factor when you start getting above 60cc.

I would highly recommend you visit the Arborist site and/or get some education in safe felling.

[Ed Labadie]

I would highly recommend you visit the Arborist site and/or get some education in safe felling.

By the time the guys over there get done with him he will have a minimum of 6 saws and 3 of them will be modified.

Ed

[Jim Heffner]

I will have to disagree with other posters about their choices of chainsaws. I have 2 Stihl saws that belonged to my dad, till he passed away in 1994. They have been used very little since that time and have been nothing but a PITA ever since! I have gone thru both, from the fuel cap to the crankcase, doing every clean up, maintence procedure possible
and they both are still hard to crank and keep running...and I got tired of it and parked them both! I went to the big orange store, bought a Echo
with a 14" bar, set it up, fired it up and started cutting wood. I have never been happier with a chainsaw in my life. It starts, runs and cuts,
perfectly.....every time...can't say that for the Stihl! It seems the older we get, the less we need that doesn't work properly and this includes our tools! Another thing to consider is the weight of the saw...a lighter weight
one will tire the user a lot less by the end of the day than a heavier one will. I know some swear by their Stihl or Husky saws....others at them!

[Jacob Reverb]

Stihl 361. Great saw.

[John Thompson]

I will have to disagree with other posters about their choices of chainsaws. I have 2 Stihl saws that belonged to my dad, till he passed away in 1994. They have been used very little since that time and have been nothing but a PITA ever since! I have gone thru both, from the fuel cap to the crankcase, doing every clean up, maintence procedure possible
and they both are still hard to crank and keep running...and I got tired of it and parked them both! I went to the big orange store, bought a Echo
with a 14" bar, set it up, fired it up and started cutting wood. I have never been happier with a chainsaw in my life. It starts, runs and cuts,
perfectly.....every time...can't say that for the Stihl! It seems the older we get, the less we need that doesn't work properly and this includes our tools! Another thing to consider is the weight of the saw...a lighter weight
one will tire the user a lot less by the end of the day than a heavier one will. I know some swear by their Stihl or Husky saws....others at them!

Jim.. I had an older Stihl that was a pain also. That was when they had a different carburetor and no clear bubble primer to use to get gas up. You had to pull it a few times to prime it and then use the choke for two pulls.. turn the choke off and then pull again. If too much gas got in the cylinder head when priming... it would flood the saw. The carb was finickly also.

Since.. they have gone to a more advanced carburetor and a primer which requires three plunges to prime.. choke (when saw is cold) for no more than two pulls.. turn choke off and it will crank on the next pull. I had a weed-eater back then that did the same thing... Absolutely no problems for me these days.

Can't comment on the Echo as I have not used one..

Sarge..

[Mike Heidrick]

Stihl. I had a MS290 Farm Boss of 3 days. Returned it and got the MS260 Pro. What an awesome saw. I LOVE the decompression button. Makes starting the saw SO much easier. Check it out or move up to the 361.

[David Gendron]

An other saw to look at is Shindawa, they usualy are cheeper than the Huski and Stihl. I have an old Stihl 38 magnum(72cc) That is about 12 years old and about 1000 hours and still start like a new one! I also have a Huski 345xp, that is a good saw, quik and light, but fragile like all the xp series!

[jim carter]

I will have to disagree with other posters about their choices of chainsaws. I have 2 Stihl saws that belonged to my dad, till he passed away in 1994. They have been used very little since that time and have been nothing but a PITA ever since! I have gone thru both, from the fuel cap to the crankcase, doing every clean up, maintence procedure possible
and they both are still hard to crank and keep running...and I got tired of it and parked them both! I went to the big orange store, bought a Echo
with a 14" bar, set it up, fired it up and started cutting wood. I have never been happier with a chainsaw in my life. It starts, runs and cuts,
perfectly.....every time...can't say that for the Stihl! It seems the older we get, the less we need that doesn't work properly and this includes our tools! Another thing to consider is the weight of the saw...a lighter weight
one will tire the user a lot less by the end of the day than a heavier one will. I know some swear by their Stihl or Husky saws....others at them!

gets some weights and work out. i have a stihl 075 and it takes a man to handle that saw.

[James Carmichael]

By the time the guys over there get done with him he will have a minimum of 6 saws and 3 of them will be modified.

Ed

Too true, he'll probably be questioning his own sanity.

If you think the "best sharping method" threads get ugly here on SMC, try posting "Husky vs Stihl" over there and watch the fur fly (just don't tell them I sent you!).

[Jim Heffner]

Jim.. I had an older Stihl that was a pain also. That was when they had a different carburetor and no clear bubble primer to use to get gas up. You had to pull it a few times to prime it and then use the choke for two pulls.. turn the choke off and then pull again. If too much gas got in the cylinder head when priming... it would flood the saw. The carb was finickly also.

Since.. they have gone to a more advanced carburetor and a primer which requires three plunges to prime.. choke (when saw is cold) for no more than two pulls.. turn choke off and it will crank on the next pull. I had a weed-eater back then that did the same thing... Absolutely no problems for me these days.

Can't comment on the Echo as I have not used one..

Sarge..

Sarge, you are exactly right on the money with these older Stihl saws!
You pull, yank, grunt,cuss and do it till you are worn completely out and have no energy left to cut wood if they ever crank! I bought the cheaper Echo CS-306 and this little saw is a real pleasure to use and doesn't wear you out before you get started. I remember my dad saying negative remarks about cheaper saws like Homelite and some others that other people had at that time....the truth was at the end of the day when all the cutting was done....those cheaper saws would still be ready to go when the more expensive one's were headed for the shop to be repaired!

[Ed Labadie]

Too true, he'll probably be questioning his own sanity.

If you think the "best sharping method" threads get ugly here on SMC, try posting "Husky vs Stihl" over there and watch the fur fly (just don't tell them I sent you!).

You got that right! I'm a member there......I just stay out of the threads like that.
I can't pick sides anyway, I run Stihls, Huskys & Jonsered.

Ed

[Hilel Salomon]

I agree with Nate and David and would like to add (emphasize) the following:
Before you do anything, decide on what you will be doing with the chainsaw. If you'll be working on small, medium sized trees, firewood etc., don't get too big a saw. I have chainsaws ranging from the limb cutting ones to the 066 Stihl. You wouldn't want to be hauling the 066 around for small and medium jobs.
I have Echo equipment and find them to be very, very well made, easy to start and excellent for small-medium work; For limbs, I use the echo's and the 200 Stihl which is fabulous but-imo-overpriced for what it does. For medium to moderately large, I use Husqvarna 372's and a Stihl 036 pro. For really large (not gigantic) stuff, the 066 is great. I also have a small/medium Makita and a medium Solo and think that they are fine as well. Service is extremely important and it is harder to find service on those than it is on Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo stuff.
I would avoid buying a chainsaw at HD or Lowe's. They generally carry the lowest ends of the brands, don't service what they sell and you may wind up with a giant door stopper. I hate to say this, because, I would like to buy American, but the stuff made in Germany and Sweden tends to be superior to the ones made here.
Luck, Hilel.

[Bill Orbine]

I wouldn't buy anything from the BORG. STIHL is my choice. Have a Farm Boss from the late 80's or early 90's and it STIHL runs great today. The key to longevity is maintenance and USE it every once in a while before motor dries up leaving rancid gas and oil.