Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

best chainsaw for habitat work

TreeDaddy

TreeDaddy

5 year old buck +
i know this is discussed ad nauseam, but here goes

old stihl farm boss 290 died/burned up......long story but dealer says i used wrong fuel mix OR misused by cutting vines,crepe myrtle,etc

i did neither,but now need a new saw

i have an arborist ms 201-t for hinge cutting,etc but need something bigger for felling larger trees/firewood

?ms 271....? other brands,size


thanks,

bill
 
I recommend you get a good 16”. Would look at dealers that are close by before you select a brand. I have both husky and Stihl. Husky sits on the work bench most of the time except for when the Stihl is in the shop
 
I have a husqvarna 450 20”. It’s too much saw for most of my jobs. It gets heavy and I dread taking it out, although it will do any job. I agree with going with a medium duty 16”er.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
if you cut a lot, don't be cheap, buy a GOOD professional grade saw, period!
they will last a LOT longer than any discounted models, by design, there service stats prove this! in hours of run time before rebuilds are needed!

and be honest with yourself on what type of wood you will be cutting and size of things
if 90% of your cutting is on smaller sized tree's you DON"T need a huge saw
but if you cut a lot of big tree's
again, don;t be cheap, buy enough HP to cut without working the heck out of the saw!

to me saws are like guns, a NO one size fits all deal, there are better tools for task's at hand
and good saws last a LONG time with good care

which brings me up to this
I would strongly suggest if you liked your OLD saw, to take it else where, and ask what it would cost to have rebuilt
2 stroke motors by design are made to be rebuilt and most times NOT that costly to do so!, nor hard, if your willing to do so yourself!
there pretty simple things to be honest, or the older one's are, some of the new ones with high tech carbs and starting systems and or worse yet 4 stroke models LOL
are another demon!

but simple 2 stroke chainsaws, are again designed to be rebuilt!
and all the GOOD old reliable models, have parts still, and can find even donor parts if ended if you look online!
craigslist, ebay, facebook market place and so on!, or chainsaw forums too, if needing a special part for a saw!

big players are as always, husqvarna and stihl
and BOTH have a professional grade and a consumer grade and some even have the cheaper chain store versions as well!

again, you will get what you pay for!

I don;t know all you cut to suggest a model here, but look at HP and again be honest on what you cut, and pick a model on the pro side fitting to your needs,
use GOOD oil in fuel and mixed right and will last a LONG time!
 
and here some rebuild kits for your saw now, just make sure you check date of saw and its right for your saw, but these are based on your info above!
60-70 bucks for a rebuild kit, plus some time to take apart and install??
alot cheaper than a new saw LOL
IF you have time and willing to do so, should be a LOT of YOUTUBE how to video to walk you thru if never done it before
and you might ONLY need a new piston and rings to get you going again!
be even cheaper yet if so!

https://www.amazon.com/HIPA-Cylinde...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==


https://www.sawagain.com/stihl-029-...inder-piston-rings-bearing-seals-rebuild-kit/


link for new head/piston and rings

https://www.amazon.com/CYLINDER-PISTON-STIHL-MS290-CIRCLIPS/dp/B00HS21ABG
 
I have the stihl ms261. Had it 5 yrs and cut 10+ cords a year with no issues. Only thing I've noticed with it is it doesn't want to idle. I figure it's like a two-stroke dirt bike, it's meant to scream,as long as it's ripping it'll run good. I have a 18 inch bar and it'll grow through anything and I cut mostly White Oak
 
I have a ms 170 that I use for small stuff but I have had 2 stihl since I got it and the one I just bought is a real cheap made saw.It only has 1 nut on the bar shield where used to they used to have 2 and the first time I loosened mine on this new saw it unscrewed the stud out of the saw body so it's at the shop after 30 minutes use.I had bought a almost new stihl that had the easy pull system and I couldn't get it to run after 2 trips to shop.I have always owned a stihl but my next saw will be a husky
 
TreeDaddy said:
i know this is discussed ad nauseam, but here goes

old stihl farm boss 290 died/burned up......long story but dealer says i used wrong fuel mix OR misused by cutting vines,crepe myrtle,etc

i did neither,but now need a new saw

i have an arborist ms 201-t for hinge cutting,etc but need something bigger for felling larger trees/firewoo
?ms 271....? other brands,size


thanks,

bill
Click to expand...


I had an old stihl 028 that died. I bought a brand new stihl 6 or 7 years ago. It was a real pain in the butt to start. New efuel, more pollution control. The dealer finally leveled with me and told me you can't leave any fuel in them at all. He said reworking the carburetor was becoming common in the shop. He said I had to empty the fuel from the tank and then start it and let it run dry after each use. I could leave fuel in my 028 over the winter and it just took a few extra pulls to start it in the spring. While it was a good sized financial loss when it was stolen, I wasn't all that upset. I ended up buying an old used 028 on ebay. I use non-e fuel from a marina in it and it is just as reliable as my original. Not much help, I guess, but that is my saw for heavy work.

I ended up buying an electric cordless Dewalt. It only has a 16" bar, but it is fast becoming my favorite for all but very large jobs. Very light, no engine noise, stops very quickly when I release the trigger. I feel safe with it.

Thanks,

Jack
 
I've got the 271 Farm Boss with an 18" bar, four years on it now. Starts great two three pulls and eats wood up, gets a little heavy after a couple tanks. I use the high octane mix and make sure if it's going to be sitting for a few months that I drain it. It's a little big for trimming back little stuff along edges but just right for cutting firewood.
 
Greenworks electric. I have a 12", 16" and the pole saw. Not meant for cutting through a truckload of firewood but you know they will start every single time and there is never a gas engine to deal with.
 
TreeDaddy said:
i have an arborist ms 201-t for hinge cutting,etc but need something bigger for felling larger trees/firewood thanks, bill
Click to expand...
Since you already have a nice 35cc 14" saw .... consider going right back to a 50-55cc, 18"-20" saw like the MS271 or MS291. Your MS290 was a 56cc, the MS291 is the new version at 55.5cc.
 
Last edited:
Got a new 261 with an 18” bar the other day. It is a game changer compared to my old saw. It makes all day habitat work a joy. So light and powerful.
 
a tip for all you that have running, starting issue's
ONLY use NON ethanol fuel in your saws and others small engines
you will save yourself a LOT of issue's just doing this simple thing
yes finding and buying it is extra work, but it will last a LONG time, and not coat the inside of your carbs and parts with varnish and likes and not have starting running issues down the road

ALL ethanol fuel, is CRAP in anything that sits any amount of time,
it has been known to go BAD in a few weeks or less! even treated, it just doesn;t last!
talk to any small engine repair shop and ask them what they think of ethanol fuel, and your hear a LOT of dislikes!

and in anything that sits over a yr, DRAIN tank, before starting it, but keep fuel in things, it keeps seals and gaskets from drying out!
 
I have a stihl MS250....works well with a 16" or 18" bar. Big enough to drop most trees I feel comfortable dropping and cutting firewood, small enough to do hinge cuts as long as your not making a day of it. Typically my stihl will start within 2 or 3 pulls as long as it's taken care of. By far one of the best habitat tools a person can have and for a small investment as well. For as much time, money and effort as people put into foodplots.....a chainsaw (and the proper application of it) is far more bang for your buck in my opinion....but there ain't a lot of money to be made telling folks that!
 
I have a MS250 also. It is not strong in the hp department but keep a super sharp chain on it and can bury it in a hardwood. Oh, not that low kickback chain either, that slows things down too much.

Chain starts to get a little dull you really notice it in a moderate sized saw. But use mine 95% of the time. Much lighter than my other MS361 which has the grunt but sharp chain makes a big difference on smaller saws. Would expect the same on electric ones.

If I could only have one saw MS261 with 18" bar would get my vote
 
TreeDaddy said:
i know this is discussed ad nauseam, but here goes

old stihl farm boss 290 died/burned up......long story but dealer says i used wrong fuel mix OR misused by cutting vines,crepe myrtle,etc

i did neither,but now need a new saw

i have an arborist ms 201-t for hinge cutting,etc but need something bigger for felling larger trees/firewood

?ms 271....? other brands,size


thanks,

bill
Click to expand...

Bought my Stihl Farm Boss with 18" blade back in 1997, still runs great. I now have 4 Stihl chainsaws plus their extension pruner chainsaw.

Buy multiple saws. A Farm Boss equivalent for large diameter work in good. Also buy a smaller lighter size saw for limbing trees and hinge cutting. A lighter saw is a lot less fatiguing and safer when cutting smaller diameter stuff.
 
also food for thought,
I know Husky and Still are the top dogs for most folks(I own a few of each )
but both have rather short warranty's ,( from a few months to under a yr on many)
and many of the Stihl's are NOT made in the USA, even the HIGHER end costing one's
so, look before buying if that matters to you, some are made else where and more or less branded as Sthils!

BUT, ECHO, and there IMO, GREAT saws equal or better than some of the main players like models!
there pro saws, have a consumer 5 yr warranty, for anyone that worries about saw issue's!
that';s a LONG time on a warranty on a chainsaw!


I love my Echo top handle CS 355t, right now might be my go to saw for anything under 12 inches in dai!
it just eats!
have it about 5 yrs now, starts every time in a pull or two!
its been a great saw, and has a LOT of power for such a small light weight saw, use it for trail work all the time on snowmobile trails
if anyone has never used a top handle saw, for small things, you DON"T know what your missing!
 
Last edited:
Thread has been a great chainsaw primer

lotta great tips

much appreciated

bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top