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Help selecting new chain saw

Started by Engineer, September 24, 2015, 07:33:29 AM

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Engineer

Strange subject coming from someone who has been a FF member for so long....  anyway, here's the story.  My dad, who is in his late 70's, has been heating with wood for longer than I've been alive.  He still has his first chainsaw, a 1960's Homelite Super XL blue and silver 'farm saw'.  He "upgraded" to a new Stihl MS-250 maybe 10-12 years ago, for the chain brake and anti-vibe.  He still uses that saw today.  He cuts about 5 cords of wood a year and burns in an early 1970's Riteway wood furnace. 

My brother told me yesterday that Dad came to his house earlier in the day and said that he wanted my bro to check out the saw, as Dad was having a hard time starting it.  Turns out it isn't the saw - it's my Dad.  His strength and arthritis are bad enough that he needs a new saw that is ridiculously easy to start.  It's only an MS-250 but he can't pull it over quickly enough to crank it.

So that's what I am looking for recommendations for - a saw in the same general size class as the Stihl MS-250, with a proven easy-start mechanism that will allow him to pull it over with very little effort.  I do not know who makes easy-start saws except for Stihl.  He's indifferent to brand but it has to be a good-quality, reliable machine.  No Wild Things or Home Depot Poulans, thank you.

Texas-Jim

Stihl makes the MS 251 C, its basicly a stratified easy start MS250. there are two so if you go try to pull one make sure its the C version as the other one is not easy start. I find that if you short stroke ( my term) the rope is drastically easier. When you go to start it pull the rope about a foot or so and release it, then repull. By doing this you wind up the easy start mechanism and it starts very easy. It also has tool less chain tensioning which I'm learning to like. Just make sure go over starting several times, we all want to go back to pulling hard and fast, they don't really like that. I'm sure there are other easy start saws but im not familiar with them.

My mom is 81, I bought her a FS56 RC string trimmer, she has no problems starting it, it has same easy start system.
What we do in life echoes through eternity.

beenthere

Ditto what Texas-Jim suggests. Sounds like the perfect answer for your Dad.

Have not heard of the easy-start design in other brand saws, but may be out there. 

Keep Dad happy.  8)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

mad murdock

As far as a new saw goes, If he wants gas power, the Stihl easy start is the only one I have seen.  Old School, McCulloch had electric start on their 10-10E, 2-10E, etc.  It worked very well, but required some knowledge to keep it functional, as if it sat a long time batteries would not hold up.  The only other option that comes to my mind is the Oregon Power Now, cordless electric, but not sure how practical it would be, having never had ones in my hand whilst cutting wood.  I would guess if a guy had 2 or 3 extra batteries, you could do a fair bit of cutting on an outing. Maybe not practical though, as it is fairly limited on its reach with a 14"(IIRC) bar and chain.  I hope you can get him into something that works for him and he is happy with.  Not a much better way to keep the rust off as one gets older, than cutting and getting firewood :)
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

rburg

 I believe the Dolmar 421 has a comparable easy start system if you want another option.

49er

When easy starting saws come to mind the Dolmar 420 is what I think of. It is all pro construction too. My opinion is you get more saw for your money with Dolmar and Echo in the homeowner line than with stihl and Husky.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2Jv9I1jGkk
Husqvarna EC390 365xt
Jonsered 2188 2165 2260 2253 70e
Redmax GZ4000

ladylake

 
Stihl and Husky home owner or rancher saws are no where near as good as Dolmar or Echo saws in any category .  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

snowshoveler

We are primarily a Husky dealer. But we do keep some Echos in stock.
You sell an echo and then their friends come in and get 1 a couple days later.
They never come back for any repairs, just a chain now and then.
We move a lot of the 490 version.
Great for someone wanting to cut their firewood or maybe a load of logs here and there.
The trimmers are the same way.
Regards Chris
International T5 dozer
JD M tractor
MF skidloader
Jonsered chainmill
Vintage Belsaw

beenthere

Engineer said..
QuoteHe "upgraded" to a new Stihl MS-250 maybe 10-12 years ago, for the chain brake and anti-vibe.  He still uses that saw today.

Maybe he is another who is happy with Stihl..  :) :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

There are other brands out there that can make someone happy.
My first chainsaw was an Stihl 032. Than I went to a Husky for dealer support.
I know what you mean about an Echo. The primmer bulb on my trimmer cracked. Had it for 25 years and the starter recoil wore out on it a few years ago. I'm not one of these owners that use it 10-12 hours a year either. I can burn through 3-4 tanks full a day with it. I have what I think is a mile of stone walls to trim around and that is not counting the other stuff I trim around.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79


Engineer

Quote from: North River Energy on September 24, 2015, 08:24:41 PM
Would circumstances permit one of these?
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/mse250cq/

No, an electric saw won't work (unless he wants to haul a generator around with him?).  He does 100% of his cutting out in the woods.

I was thinking one of the Oregon battery powered saws but I am not sure how receptive he would be to using one of them. 

My brother and I both have Dolmar PS-421's and we are going to see how well he can pull one over cold, that might be an option for him.  The Dolmar is much easier to start than the Stihl 025 I used to own.

49er

Quote from: rburg on September 24, 2015, 03:52:49 PM
I believe the Dolmar 421 has a comparable easy start system if you want another option.
Hey Randy, I have more posts than you. ;) Was there as many people at the gtg. as last year?
Husqvarna EC390 365xt
Jonsered 2188 2165 2260 2253 70e
Redmax GZ4000

weimedog

Why not another Stihl MS250 class saw but this time with the "Easy Start" Like the MS 251 C-BE ?

My wife loves her Husqvarna 543, its about as easy to start as any saw on the planet, light too. It's small for any thing over 15 inches. Work great for brush & limbs along with some fire wood operations. We quickly move to 50plus cc's on the heavier tasks.
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

Kingmt

I haven't used a large amount of saws. I got burnt out on cheap saws early on & Dad had Stihl so that is where I went when I got tired of throwing money at junk saws & Have used Stihl ever since. I have only owned four of them. Altho I did do a complet rebuild on My MS290 a few years ago. My MS660 C is easier to start then my MS290. I don't know if it is arthritis but all but one of my saws makes my hands hurt so bad from running them that I can't hardly move them at night. Now the one that doesn't hurt me is the MS180. It is so easy to start that my wife uses it because she can't start any other saw. My oldest son at 10 years old used to start it when I was teaching him to use one. I'f all I was doing was cutting fire wood & I was picking what to cut I'd suggest the MS180 but upgrade to a .050 bar & chain. Now I did start using the 14" Oregon bar & chain the other day & that seems to be the best $25 I've spent. I hated that .043 bar & chain.

Best of luck in your search. You might take him to the dealer & they can let him play with one. The last saw I bought I probably wouldn't have if the dealer wouldn't have taken me outside & had me run it. If one dealer won't let him start it go to another that will.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Grateful11

Ok this is coming from a new guy and a little off topic but I will say this, as long as your Dad can keep sawing and stay active do whatever you can to help him keep going. I lost my Dad at 83 to Pancreatic cancer, a year before he passed he could out work most men half his age. They didn't find it until he was stage 4 but he was still able to deer hunt one more season by putting in his port a-cath in left side so he could still shoot right handed. He didn't cut any firewood that last year as he had about 10 cords built up. He enjoyed cutting firewood, for his boiler, more than anyone I knew.

Anyway I saw one of those Easy2Start 250's demonstrated at a farm show and it worked quite well with very little effort on the rope starter. If a lighter saw might also help he might want to drop back to a MS 211 C-BE.

STIHL Easy2Start
Here's how it works
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/technology/easy2start/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6feP3aEEg_8

Engineer

Well, Dad tried to pull-start my brother's Dolmar PS-421 yesterday.  No dice.  He just doesn't have the strength to overcome the compression of the engine.

We are probably going to steer him toward the Stihl MS-250C-BE.  Our greater concern is safety in the long run.  Both my brother and I are concerned that if his strength is insufficient to start the saw, is it sufficient to actually operate the saw?  Grip and arm strength is just as important while operating.

Dad can pull-start my brother's Stihl weedwacker (which has the Easy2Start function) very easily.

Kingmt

Why not get a smaller saw then? The 250 still looks like a big saw. 13-14 lbs topped off + bar for the MS251 CBE while the MS180 CBE is more like 10 lbs topped off + bar. After upgrading the bar to the .050 14" it has no problem cutting a 12" log of hardwood.

Is he cutting bigger then that? If so I'd be concerned about him getting away from the tree with the bigger saw also. Smaller saws might be fine also but the 180 is the smallest I've used to know anything about. It has enough power to cut was a anti kickback chain & I've yet to notice any kickback. It's a real joy to carry through the woods also.

Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

beenthere

I say "let Dad do what he wants to do in his remaining years". 
Will we want someone micro-managing our lives at that point of getting older, or just provide some assistance helping us do what we like/want to do? 

The easy-start sounds like what he can handle.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

dougand3

How about a saw with a decomp valve or one you can drill/tap/install valve. I got in a Husky 55 with Mahle cyl/piston and I couldn't start it because of compression...and then broke the recoil trying. Decomp valve later - piece of cake.
Husky: 372xt, 272xp, 61, 55 (x3)...Poulan: 315, 4218 (x3), 2375, 2150, 2055, 2000 (x3)...Stihl 011AVT...Homelite XL...Saws come in broken, get fixed or parted, find new homes

Ianab

Suggestion if you are worried about his grip strength, Get one of those leather gauntlets for the top handle. Then you put out hand right inside that and grip the handle. If you do get a kickback, it helps keep your front hand on the handle, not flicking off and meeting up with the bar. The chain brake should have activated by then, but it can still leave a nasty gash even if the chain is stopped.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

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