Stihl, Husqvarna, or Echo Chainsaw?

[ZigZagZeke]

I love my Husquvarna 455 Rancher. 3 years go we had the ice storm. Last winter we had 2 feet of snow. Both storms took down dozens of trees on our property. We're talking 18" oaks and 24" firs. Over the past 3 years I've de-limbed and cut up maybe 100 downed trees. The Rancher never misses a beat. Starts on the second pull when cold and the first pull when warm. Cuts like it's going through butter. I have a chain sharpening tool, which I highly recommend.

 

[Mistman]

I have one of each. An MS390 w/a 25" bar, a Rancher 55 w/a 20" bar and a C?? Echo w/a 14" bar. At this point I do more limbing that anything so the Echo is used the most. It's my camping saw too so is passed around at camp, anyone can use it. It's small and light and run's great. They replaced the power poles along my property a few weeks back, one of my neighbors wanted the poles and brought over a trailer that wasn't long enough to leave them at length. I was out on the tractor when he showed up so I went up to the house and threw the Echo in the box. Zipped through the poles like butter. Only thing I've noticed is the Echo likes a minute to warm up before putting a load to it whereas the other 2 only need 30 seconds or so.

My son works for the city of Hillsboro, a few years back they switched to Echo power tools, he recommended them. I got a weed whacker and a smaller limbing saw both are excellent.

Husky is excellent, Stihl is excellent. I live in logger country, it's just like the Chev/Ford/Ram arguments, pick one you like and use it they're all pretty darn good. There are fallers who like Stihl and probably an almost equal number who use and like Huskies. Stihl has more name recognition but that in no way means it's a better product. I used to have a little m15 (or something like that) with a 12" blade, it was a temperamental little cuss that would eventually run given enough foul words.

 

[Pete F]

I have Stihl. Nonetheless, if you are a part time user, what ever you pick, if you drain, and then run the gas out before wiping it down and putting it away, you will extend the time between maintenance, considerably.

Do you ever have problems with dried out gaskets. I leave fresh fuel in my chainsaws and other to keep the gaskets from drying out.

I have a Stihl Farm Boss. The only con is starting it after sitting for a while. I wear out getting it running. After the first start of the day, it starts pretty easily.

 

[Pete F]

My favorite chainsaw is a Sears 21" built in the early 60's. It is cast iron and uses wooden reeds in the carburetor. It still runs great, but is very heavy. The trick is to set it on the log and let the weight do all of the work. Cut many a cord in my youth.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Get a 4 stroke Stihl. lol, nr.. I've got a Farmboss 20" I think. It cuts stuff good.

 

[The Heretic]

Stihl

As for the model, depends - take a look at the models and get what you think fits your task best.

Mine is an MS 460 - a bit large, but plenty of power. I could use a saw about half it's size for smaller chores.

 

[thorborg]

Does that include if one uses non-ethanol premium gas?

Yes. At least I believe so, Regular gas will "lacquer" up over time, and gum up carburetor internal moving parts & jets. I don't do the lawn mower that way because it will sit less than 2 1/2 months without use as I use it also to bag leaves in the fall. I have a Johnson out board from the mid 60's, had a Mac 10-10 from the same area I just sold just a couple years ago to get something lighter, (The Stihl) We heated with wood on the farm for 12 years so it got a lot of use up till mid 80's, old Torro leaf blower from the same area, a fifteen year old craftsman generator. I still use them all, still start with one or two pulls and never even replaced the spark plugs, albeit I have cleaned the filters on and off.
I try not to fill the tank if doing a small project, use a basting tube to suck the remaining gas from the tank and start it up to run the gas out.
Nothing more irritating to need the generator in an emergency or start a Saturday pruning project only have to spend a couple hours first cleaning the carburetor.

 

[bbbass]

Yes. At least I believe so, Regular gas will "lacquer" up over time, and gum up carburetor internal moving parts & jets. I don't do the lawn mower that way because it will sit less than 2 1/2 months without use as I use it also to bag leaves in the fall. I have a Johnson out board from the mid 60's, had a Mac 10-10 from the same area I just sold just a couple years ago to get something lighter, (The Stihl) We heated with wood on the farm for 12 years so it got a lot of use up till mid 80's, old Torro leaf blower from the same area, a fifteen year old craftsman generator. I still use them all, still start with one or two pulls and never even replaced the spark plugs, albeit I have cleaned the filters on and off.
I try not to fill the tank if doing a small project, use a basting tube to suck the remaining gas from the tank and start it up to run the gas out.
Nothing more irritating to need the generator in an emergency or start a Saturday pruning project only have to spend a couple hours first cleaning the carburetor.

You never heard of Stabil???

 

[Mikej]

For those worrying about leaving your power equipment sitting, Sea Foam and Marine Sta-Bil are your friends. All my mixed gas get's some Sea Foam in it. Sometimes some Sea Foam directly in the tank of any motor that starts to act a little squirrely. Sta-Bil in the boat, and truck tanks over winter.

 

[WAYNO]

I've owned so many different brands, and they have all worked well. I finally have settled on Stihl, only because service and parts are so easily available at any Stihl dealer, which are just about everywhere.




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[DB is Here]

Cue Tim Allen!!!

This is my buddies Buick V6 build.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

for those that cant get non ethanol locally, its easy to separate ethanol from gasoline. add 1 gal of water to 5 gal of 10% ethanol gas, since ethanol is hydroscopic it will attach to the water and all settle on the bottom. siphon out 1.5gal of the water/alcohol from the bottom after letting it settle for a week. i have done this and then tested the gasoline for ethanol with a fuel composition tester at work. i got 10% ethanol down to less than 1%

5 gal is 640 ounces. 10% of 640 is 64
64 ounces of ethanol in 5 gal of gas.

1 gal of water added is 128 ounces+ 64 ounces of ethanol= 192 ounces to be removed from the 5 gal of gas yields 4-4.5gal of non ethanol.

science

 

[thorborg]

You never heard of Stabil???

I was born yesterday don't you know
I have used it for decades as a functioning long term stabilizer in my jerry cans, it is Just not the holy grail for me, it appears to be for you.

 

[bbbass]

I was born yesterday don't you know
I have used it for decades as a functioning long term stabilizer in my jerry cans, it is Just not the holy grail for me, it appears to be for you.

Well, I use it in my boat motors, my gas cans, my chainsaws, my generators, my rototiller, and my lawnmower for mid-term to long-term storage and it's done great. Sorry it doesn't like you so much.

 

[WAYNO]

Well, I use it in my boat motors, my gas cans, my chainsaws, my generators, my rototiller, and my lawnmower for mid-term to long-term storage and it's done great. Sorry it doesn't like you so much.

How would a feller know if Stabil really works? Because the advertising says so?

I've used it for years, but I still suffered gas problems in my 4-stroke machines until I started using non-ethanol exclusively in my yard machines. But I continue to add fuel stabilizer even with ethanol free gas.

But, my 2-stroke machines never have fuel issues. I use Sthl's brand of 2-stroke oil, and it has fuel stabilizer built right in to the mix.

 

[edslhead]

Some of the entry level Huskies are made by Poulan. I found out the hard way.

 

[KKG]

I have owned and used Stihl Chainsaws for many years - 50 maybe - and I find myself heading for the Stihl Dealer whenever I need either a Bigger or a Smaller saw. For me it's just automatic!

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

How would a feller know if Stabil really works? Because the advertising says so?

I've used it for years, but I still suffered gas problems in my 4-stroke machines until I started using non-ethanol exclusively in my yard machines. But I continue to add fuel stabilizer even with ethanol free gas.

But, my 2-stroke machines never have fuel issues. I use Sthl's brand of 2-stroke oil, and it has fuel stabilizer built right in to the mix.

non ethanol is the sure way to not eat up your fuel lines or carb

 

[PBinWA]

I have a Husq Rancher 55 that has been solid for 16 years. Just got a lightly used 372XP X-Torq that is a beast.

Tempted to buy one of the Chinese kits for fun: Holzfforma Chainsaw | Stihl Chainsaw Parts | Holzfforma Farmertec Huztl Official Store - these are direct clones of Stihl and Husqvarna - I've heard some good things about them and some bad. Buyer beware - china.

I bought a short bar and chain and some parts (fuel cap) for my Rancher from that site but haven't had a chance to really use them yet.

 

[JadeFox]

Husband spent 14 years in the woods. Used a lot of Stihls. They take a beating and have lots of ...? compression? But he loves his Husqvarnas. Get one each and run 'em. Keep 'em sharp. He only uses Oregon chisel chain. The chips fly.