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Author Topic: What brand of saw do you use?  (Read 48211 times)

Offline A.O.

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #25 on: January 17, 2018, 06:33:46 PM »
You can get different heads for them. Mine came with the saw blade (like a circular saw blade) but I also have a 3 point brush blade good for tall heavy weeds and grass, and also has a string trimmer head which is what it wears most of the time these days anyway. Nice to be able to put the big dog stuff on if needed though.

Offline furu

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #26 on: January 18, 2018, 02:23:03 AM »
I had to look up the clearing saws, they look much like my husky 225r trimmer, which did come with the blade attachment.  It is for sure obsolete, no chance on getting original parts for the cutter head, so I had to buy one of the newer styles that uses the nylon knives, they work, but don't last. anyway good info for sure.

The nylon would not last very long as I go after a 4-6 inch stem while doing PCT.  Just doing site prep of vine maple would destroy anything other than the chisel blade.  I do like the tri brush blade for some lighter stuff.

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Offline A.O.

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2018, 07:33:07 AM »
The nylon would not last very long as I go after a 4-6 inch stem while doing PCT.  Just doing site prep of vine maple would destroy anything other than the chisel blade.  I do like the tri brush blade for some lighter stuff.



So you will cut 4-6 inchers?? 2 or maybe 3 is about as big as I've done.. My 4-6 inchers get a chainsaw or pushed out with the tractor. And yeah that tri blade is nice..

Offline furu

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #28 on: January 18, 2018, 09:34:24 AM »
When doing PCT you just thin out the ones you don't want/need and then drop them where they are to decay back into the soil. No need to push anything out, as it is forest land that is receiving a TSI prescription, not total clearing for some other use like pasture land or building. Obviously when they are up at 6 inches you have to do a cut from both sides as the depth of the blade does not cut it (pun intended) but smaller you can cut them pretty much in one pass.  In most cases I would say that at 6 inches you have waited a little long to do the thinning but I have seen stands that for soil difference reasons have had areas that have grown much more vigorously and have produced stems that are easily 5-6 inches where the other areas of the stand are still down at 4 inches and under in general.
The problem then is having to thin trees that are obviously that robust but when an entire area has had growth of that nature, that fast, you have to thin it or the growth will be self limiting pretty quickly and then you have a suppressed stand that goes nowhere and you lose overall stand vigor.  The nice thing is the canopy closes over more quickly and thus the competing vegetation dies off or is suppressed so that the stand does better overall.
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Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
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Offline jb griffin

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #29 on: January 19, 2018, 08:04:01 PM »
Since this thread was brought back from the dead I'll chime in.
I'm a Husky man thats currently running a Echo cs-590, and forced to use a Stihl at work. Lol
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Offline Ox

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #30 on: January 20, 2018, 09:20:42 AM »
I started with an old Homelite Super XL 20" hardnose that I used to impress the loggers with, who were using Husqvarnas.  It had the torque where I could really file down the rakers and put a helluva hook on the teeth and you had to really hang on to it.  That little saw would really throw the chips.  Then on to an old Echo that ran about the same.  Then some other cheap ones here and there then finally onto a Stihl 034 Super AV w/ 20" sprocket bar.  It's my only running saw at this point and I use it for everything.  It gets heavier every year and it was never a light saw to begin with.
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Offline Kirk Allen

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #31 on: January 21, 2018, 01:59:17 PM »
My brother runs stihls so we have a good time poking each other when we are cutting.

I think most saws on the market will do a great job as long as you take care of them! 
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Offline bandmiller2

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #32 on: January 21, 2018, 07:24:20 PM »
I've got half stihls and half Huskys and a sacks Dolmar. I don't mess with cheap box store saws. My opinion Huskys cut a little faster than Stihl but Stihls live a little longer, its a wash. I would sooner work on Huskys. My go to saw is a Husky 365 20" bar I bought for $3.50 and rebuilt. Life is too short for cheap saws. Frank C.

Offline drobertson

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #33 on: January 22, 2018, 11:28:12 AM »
Talking about cheap saws, my dad was the champion of picking these up,, funny thing is he seldom used them, so he never had too many complaints, :laugh: and if they did not start, well all the better for him, it was a good day when sawing was put off to trying to resurrect a saw that will not start.  That said,  I bought a small poulan years ago in a silent auction benefit.  I really thought I had the bull by the horns with little saw, and well, I did both hands trying and trying to get this thing to run.  When it did it was a sweet little limber, but that carb was a pain in the butt, I reckon it was the carb.  Its' collecting dust now.

Offline starmac

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #34 on: January 22, 2018, 12:04:41 PM »
I have had all my saws for a while, with the exception of a small 235 husky. I picked it up just mainly to keep in the log truck, incase I need to saw a limb off or cut something that has fell across the log road, which happens from time to time. Generally one of the logging crews will get to it first though and normally an axe is handier to trim any branch that sticks out of the load.

My biggest and least used saw is an old 266 that just won't quit, but doesn't get much use anymore either, 24 in bar on that one.
I have a 455 husky with a 20 in bar, that just keeps going, it is a consumer grade saw and you can tell it easy enough, but has been a good saw, even if a little on the slow side.
I have 2 346's and these are the meanest saws for their size I have ever used bar none, one wears an 18 in bar and the other a 20.

Running the log truck I see what all the local pros use, it is pretty much an even split between husky and stihl around these parts. I know some tried dolmar and claimed that they actually were just as good when new, but didn't hold up as well, as far as I know none of them uses them anymore except for one I know that has one for a backup saw.

Offline jb griffin

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #35 on: January 23, 2018, 08:13:16 PM »
I'd love to get my hands on a 346, them things are wicked fast little saws. Also have a couple project saws a wore out 350 Husky and a 120si Dolmar that needs a carb thats not available.
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Offline Cutting Edge Saw Svc.

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #36 on: January 25, 2018, 03:50:11 AM »

I've never been a big fan of Stihl.  Mainly because of the difficulty working on them, opinion based off older models.  The newer ones I've had my hands on seemed even worse with over complicated small parts, easily broken (plastic). 

I was a die hard McCulloch user from youth.  Still have 'em.  Yes, heavy saws that didn't scream like other brands.  But made TORQUE.  They got a bad reputation for not starting once hot, but opening up the carb jets just a "whisker" cured that problem and the fuel economy noticeably improved.  Learn quick to re-fuel at the first hint of a near empty tank and they'd always start in 1-3 pulls.  You didn't dare run a Mac out of fuel though.  Only cure to restart was a lengthy cool down.

Favorite to run was a Mac 7-10 24".  Handled a 32" with little problem.  But after an hour in winter time, your fingers would be snow white from no blood left in the digits caused by vibration (no anti-vibe).  But the amount of wood you could cut in that hour was impressive.  BIG, long chips and lots of 'em.  Much like Ox describes with his Homelite.  Even from across the holler, the sound of these old saws was recognizable.  These new ones all sound alike (screaming).

Run all Husky now.  Very fond of the 372XP frame.  Easy to service and very durable with a good power/weight ratio.  Seems very balanced with 24" full-comp/chisel  and handles a 32" semi-skip/chisel in hardwood well.  Even the little 435 X-Torq 18" semi-chisel is a great limbing and small firewood saw.  Technically the wife's saw, but I use it quite often too, especially when milling.

Still fire up an ole' Mac every once in awhile though.   :) 

Now that most saws have computers, I don't have a use for 'em   >:(  ... Don't care what brand. 
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Offline A.O.

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #37 on: January 25, 2018, 06:50:24 AM »
I had a couple McCulloch's for years, a large and a small one. I always thought they were great saws, started getting difficult to get parts though.

I ran a deer ranch down in Texas for a number of years, got a crew to do cedar removal and the owner went out and bought a bunch of Polan saws.. they didn't last long and we replaced them with Stihl

Offline Ox

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #38 on: January 25, 2018, 08:23:02 AM »
Now that most saws have computers, I don't have a use for 'em   >:(  ... Don't care what brand.

This.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline furu

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #39 on: January 25, 2018, 11:52:15 AM »
Not that everything can be blamed on the EPA but the saw manufacturers  had to do the computer thing to meet the EPA requirements.  As a result it is hard for the average owner to have the equipment to work on anything other than the basics.  Look at any car built after 2000.  It is only getting worse and will continue.  The era of the shade tree mechanic is gone.  If it is about the fuel system and the delivery of it. You have to have a computer with the proprietary software.  Look at the lawsuit that is going on with the tractor companies where the claim is being made that if you do any maintenance on the engine you are in violation of the digital rights act (DMCA) because of the software.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline starmac

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #40 on: January 25, 2018, 05:49:02 PM »
Epa has basically destroyed a lot of industry, you literally can not get a good semi engine anymore because of it.
I don't remember what year it was, but it has been years since I bought my troybuilt tiller. The very next year they changed from kohler engines to Briggs, I ask why and it seemed the kohler could not meet the new epa standards, like I was going to run my tiller enough to ruin the planet. lol

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #41 on: January 03, 2019, 10:54:20 PM »
Dad had lombard's, maybe four over the years, then came homelite's, poulan's and then Stihl's, gone through a few myself, starting with 660 and 361, both nice saws, wore them out, then to a 460, traded that for a 461 and the 660 got traded for a 661 and the 361 traded for a 362 which was stolen.       

As for the best brand, simple, the brand you have good local service for, my favorite saw, the one that someone else runs and fixes and does the cutting for me.       

Offline kbeitz

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #42 on: January 26, 2019, 05:36:57 PM »
I got a ton of different kinds of saws. I like the Stihl saws the best.
I also use commercial electric saws. Anyone else use them?

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Offline Ox

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #43 on: January 27, 2019, 08:53:46 AM »
No, but I would if I had one.  One of those would be handy around the mill.  I currently use a little battery skilsaw and a really sharp carpenter hatchet to trim off waney boards and trim knots that interfere with carriage travel.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline furu

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #44 on: January 27, 2019, 11:33:23 AM »
I don't know about any of the new/recent manufactured electric saws but the ones of old did not have clutches in them and thus were viewed as extremely dangerous.  Safety gear is designed to stop a chain by binding it up and bringing it to a halt very rapidly before it chews through to the body and you end up severely injured.  The electric saws of old (10 years plus) would keep right on cutting until the trigger was released. The newer electric Stihls I have no idea about.  I have a small electric and it scares me due to the lack of a clutch.  My 120CC Stihl saw with a long bar is a pussy cat, while I respect it I do not fear it.

I just went to the Stihl website to see if the newer electrics have clutches and I still don't know the answer it was not clear.
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Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #45 on: January 28, 2019, 06:11:25 AM »
Kbeitz, I have two of those Milwaukee electrics they are the cats pooper around the mill and short run firewood cutting 20" bars. There were years ago some heavy duty electrics only problem they ran on 400 cycles and had to have their own generator. I had a couple of them for a wile but worthless with out the genny. Here tell some of the new battery chainsaw are real handy. Frank C.

Offline Crusarius

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #46 on: January 28, 2019, 06:15:37 AM »
I love my stihl ms261cm. best saw I have ever run. Being in the fire service we typically run stihl. But the CM version its awesome.

I do use my milwaukee M18 battery sawzall for trimming. works ok.

Offline kbeitz

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #47 on: January 28, 2019, 05:08:54 PM »
Bandmiller2.... I bet you could use a VFD to get your 400hz.
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Offline terracefarmer

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #48 on: February 24, 2019, 06:29:27 AM »
I always thought an electric saw would be very handy to have around the mill.   

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: What brand of saw do you use?
« Reply #49 on: February 24, 2019, 07:00:45 AM »
T farmer their very handy around a mill especially for logs with the nubs. On the tail end of a circular mill an electric saw and a cradle to cut slabs is handy especially to keep the off bearer busy when your handling logs. Frank C.