Urban Logging-Chain Saw question

[Ralph Lindberg]

........supplies sawmills with lumber everyday. He used to use Stihl exclusively.........had several saws that the crank shaft in the engine broke.........he now uses Husqvarna, and says he will get 4 or 5 times the life out of a Husqvarna than he did the Stihl. We are talking pro model saws, and not the lower end that you buy at a garden center.
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I snapped the crank shaft of my old Husky 455, the repair place was astounded, said he had never seen one of the bigger Huskys do that

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Since I don't anticipate I would use a chain saw regularly, it'll be stored in the garage or shed for fairly long periods of time. Is it OK to do that, or do I need to run out the gas every time or put somethin in it or anything else like that?

The safety equipment was something I didn't know about--so I'll have to look into that.

I have a Stihl Farm Boss, and it's a pretty good non-pro saw. It's not cheap, but far from the expensive pro models.
I used to be a mechanic, and I would avoid the cheap box store saws. They run fine for a few years, but eventually die. Name brands is like asking Ford or Chevy. A Husky or Stihl is a good buy.

As far as gas. Old gas is probably the biggest repair problem. If you are going to store the saw for long periods of time, by all means empty out the gas and more importantly, start the saw and run it until you get all the gas out of the carburetor. That is probably the biggest reason of hard to start saws. The gas dries and leave that thick film of the oil behind. Stabil works, but only for so long. IMO it's not worth the hassle to save a few cents worth of gas. Just load enough gas to do your job and dump the rest out. If you're ecological like I am, do that in a friendly manner, whatever you decide. Don't dump it on the ground.

Safety first, the saftey gear is a must. Read your manual and learn what kickback is, and how to avoid it.

[Don Orr]

Dale, Before you get a chainsaw in your hands you need to educate yourself on their SAFE operation and maintanence and how to actually cut wood. They are simple machines but can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. Also proper gear like safety shoes, chaps, eye/ear protection, etc. Look online for operator manuals or go to the library. See if there are any safety classes in your area-maybe through one of your local dealers. Pleas do not take this lightly. If you truly do not know anything about chainsaws, safety and education are your first priority. Brand is irrelevant. Your brain is your best tool and must be in full operation at all times around chainsaws. I have been running chainsaws since I was a teenager and still take safety VERY seriously at all times. I have never had an injury. Worst thing I've had happen was a cut on my finger by brushing against a non-running chain.

PLEASE have someone help you get started with this. This is really not something to teach yourself. The results could be deadly. And this is no exageration. Others may think I am sounding a little extreme, but chainsaws are dangerous.

[john taliaferro]

I likeed what was said by Don , also safty gear at the dealer at time of purchase , the best safety cd is on the stihl website .

[Jake Helmboldt]

Jonsered is the same saw as Husqvarna (just red/black instead of orange) and is more popular/common along the northern tier states. The Jonsered 3159 is literally the same same saw as the Husq 359. Dolmar/Makita, Solo, Partner, Efco are all great saws, but you don't find them as much. Dealer support will be important since you are new to chainsaws.

20" bar will be more than enough. Remember, you can cut from either side of the log, thereby doubling the diameter you can cut (i.e 20" bar = ~40" log you could cut.)

[Charles McKinley]

If you think that an eletric saw will do most of what you need, do you have a generator? for the few times you would need to cut where you don't have power? If you keep it sharp an eletric saw will get a lot of work done. Not as fast but there is a lot less matainence and I think it is safet especially for a beginner. Starting-plug in and pull the trigger.

If most of your cutting will be with smaller wood and near your home or in your shop. I think an eletric first saw will be the way to go.

As with the gas the cheapest saw will probably not be your best option.

[Jim Heikes]

You can use a gas stabilizer BUT I always store the chain saw with no gas remaining in the tank or carb. It doesn't take long for air oxidation to occur. I have never removed the chain for storage.

[Larry Edgerton]

I have done a lot of reading lately as I need a new saw for roughly the same duty, and my choice was the Husky 346XP.

[Joel Albert]

Dale,

One thing to think about with a Gas Chainsaw that is occasionally used is that regular gasoline will break down over time (alternative is to drain the tank after use). I am using a product (its more expensive) but doesn't degrade and has a 2 year life. This will help avoid issues with starting after a prolonged period of non-use.