Carlos & Siran Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Would love a husky or Stihl but the price is tad steep atm. Looking for something middle ground, reasonable quality for a reasonable price, around 40 - 50cc, 16 - 18 inch bar. Bro in-law has a little 39cc Ryobi which I used today, Revved really quite high and cut blue gum rounds as easily as the bosses 50cc Stihl. Wanting to steer clear of the cheaper Chinese brands, as I feel chainsaws are one of those machines that need to be good quality. Can anyone recommend a good middle ground brand? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 the ryobi may be comparable to the stihl today but compare them again in 5 years time & see how they compare then. i think you'll find the stihl will be just as good then & the ryobi may be a little worse for wear. i think you may be better off buying a used stihl or husqy over a new ryobi or poulan, i have an old jonsered that still goes really well so they could be worth a look. i inherited the j'red so not sure of its history but it does leak all the chain bar lube out the bottom so again something like a stihl is what i would buy if i need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 We have a Poulan - plays up quite a bit, only runs well when you put premium petrol in as well :-? Then you have to strip it down every now and then to get it going... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Depends how often you use it I guess. Dads had a couple of poulans and they've been good. He bought a cheap chinese one from mitre10, no instruction manual, didn't have a prime on it, pullstart was made for tiny chinese hands and had rough edges that made my hands bleed while spending nearly an hour trying to get it going. Took it back and swapped it for another poulan. If you're going to be using it frequently and/or for prolonged periods then go for a stihl, but for occasional work around the house on the weekends something middle of the road should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilah Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 If you get a stihl you won't regret it, even a second hand one. Anything other than stihl or husky will probably drive you crazy. Plus if you would like to on sell if you stop using it, it is way easier with that brand name behind it. Just thought i should comment as i use them everyday, goodluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Thanks for the replies, just talking to a mate and and he said the same, seems a Stihl or Husky is the way to go, off to TM I go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 it's also a buyers market now so don't buy anything until you have spoken to the stihl shop, you may be surprised in the price they are prepared to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 just beware and do a search of the message boards.There has been an incidence of `fake` huskavarnas and stils being imported and sold here in the last month or so.Traders name escapes me at the moment but the fellow that got caught put out alot of warnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Ok thanks Repto, I will probably take Smidey's advice and visit Waipapa chainsaws today, it seems to me that chainsaws are like outboard motors, risky business buying them second hand, and I don't like the idea of buying one unviewed off TM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 i also reccomend stihl even over a husky the after sales support is wicked and you can get allsorts of options for them if you were only going to use it once a month then a ryobi would be fine but for every weekend (or everyday )use nothing seems to last as long as a stihl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I have a husky,what is this after sales support you mention? :lol: never needed anything like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I have a husky,what is this after sales support you mention? :lol: never needed anything like that? have friends in forestry that push the limits of these saws they need it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 9, 2011 Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 have friends in forestry that push the limits of these saws they need it i am confident in saying that stihl are the best saws but even the best saws should be serviced/tuned to keep them at their best just like vehicles. if anything is maintained properly then it will last longer than i would without. I have a stihl weed eater & get it tuned yearly & it's as good today as the day i bought it. the same goes for my old mans stihl woodboss, after a tune it is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted April 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 i am confident in saying that stihl are the best saws but even the best saws should be serviced/tuned to keep them at their best just like vehicles. if anything is maintained properly then it will last longer than i would without. I have a stihl weed eater & get it tuned yearly & it's as good today as the day i bought it. the same goes for my old mans stihl woodboss, after a tune it is better. Same goes for anything mechanical, we have AG100s at work, we each have our own, mine was a complete mess when we got here but over the months I've rebuilt it and kept it maintained, it's now the sweetest runner of the fleet. Even something as simple as a wash and splash some oil around makes a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 We have a Poulan - plays up quite a bit, only runs well when you put premium petrol in as well :-? Then you have to strip it down every now and then to get it going... The grand total work I've needed to do to my Poulan is occasionally adjusting the chain tension. I've had it 3-4 years and I've done nothing to it other than put a better chain on it and it always starts easily. Always starts in exactly the same number of pulls even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Missus came home yesterday with a shiny new Stihl 271, 50ccs, 18 inch bar. Gonna go out firewood cutting tomorrow.........feel like a kid with a new toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 How much was it? I had a look at Stihls when I was thinking of getting a chainsaw. I think all the prices I saw for the smallest ones were over $1K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 i picked up a small stihl chainsaw for around 2-300 on tm about 3/4years ago. had it in the shop for a service last year. apparently its 20years old. still goes hard. all round is a much better saw compared to the big McCulloch i use to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted April 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Yeah well, it certainly wasn't cheap, $1295 all up, but it came with a nice sharpening kit and tool kit, missus also got me a hard hat with muffs and safety visor. Wouldn't want to spend that sort of money everyday but everyone is telling me I'll never need another saw, it's certainly a very nice looking piece of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I have been using one for a few years and they are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I like their newest advert on TV :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted April 23, 2011 Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 my old man bought his which is plenty for fire wood or the odd tree trimming & it was around $800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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