new to chainsaws...what makes a good beginner chainsaw?

You gonna sell him one Mike?

 

Hey SeanG where are you in Central Virginia? You can PM me if you like.

 

What do you feel is better with the 5020? I have several 4218s and I think they are a pretty smooth saw.

 

Is this a good saw? Husky 240

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200594088_200594088

 

The ms170 will be a better saw than the 240.

Buying used you really need to pull the muffler or peek through the plug hole but better is pulling the muffler and looking at the piston and cylinder walls. And also checking compression. Make sure it runs and I does well will review up smooth and stay there. No erratic idle or erratic acceration no racing randomly every now and then. Best is to cut something as well but thats usually won't happen and is not necessary if you know what to look for.

Also I would buy a saw that does not have used motor oil in the bar oil resivoir. And does not have a bar thats all shades of blue like a rain bow with the paint burned off from where they smoked it with a dull chain.

And a saw thats not been used or busted up.

Many can probably articulate it better than I can and will point out things I missed.

 

New small Stihl & some chaps is all you need & your good to go!
Whoops almost forgot steel toed boots and ear & eye protection.
Might as well get an ax & a Fiskars. Pickaroon is handy too.
Of course you need a rack & a tarp.
File is really handy to touch up your new chain which saves you money so you can start saving up for your next saw and of course a splitter.
Got a truck?

 

I am glad it is working well for you. My experience was that it felt "cheap," had a lot more plastic to it than the 5020, and didn't last 3 months for me. Also the extra 2" bar and 8 cc engine displacement together make the 5020 a significantly more productive saw, for very little price difference.

Perhaps I just didn't win and you did?

Greg

 

I don't like the crap often found on CL, and I am a bit picky about "used" stuff. So if I had $200 to spend, I'd go to Home Depot or similar box store, bring a 20% coupon from a competitor (Harbor freight or similar...) and pick up a brand new Echo. I think the CS400 is $250 or so. I've had one for 5 years or so now and it runs great, cuts just about anything and is pretty light weight as well.

I recently (last fall) got a Stihl and love it's added power (it's a bigger saw) and see it's obviously a better saw. But I still go back to the Echo often when in normal or small stuff because it's so much lighter, quieter and burns less fuel (aka requires less refills out in woods...).

Good luck and enjoy! Lots of great info on here.....

 

I like heavy loud saws that drink fuel!!

 

LOL! Me too!

But not when 2 Benji's are in charge!

 

Look at renting a saw from Home Depot or a tool rental place. This lets you feel a saw and get an idea if you like it. Then you could get an idea about what c.c. you can get by with also. Line up a day and rent one. This might make all the numbers we throw at you make more sense.

 

I've had a PP5020 for over 3 yrs now, and it's proven to be much more than I expected, in terms of power, a/v and endurance. Not perfect (not even Stihls are) but very workmanlike, and its issues were easily dealt with.

I've had a PP4218 for ~2 yrs ($94 on VMInnovations dot com, delivered) and my main quibble is that the bar bolts to plastic chassis, with engine bolted to same, just like the wee Stihls, so it doesn't take much violent activity to knock the chain loose. The "torch" plug was a real POS, an NGK is enormously better. Carb needed adjustment- no problem since I already had a Husqy carb tool to make adjustments on my 455r. The chain it arrived with, marked as "oregon" was made of pretty soft stuff. No biggie to make up a better chain, that will now hold an edge very well. The saw is holding up very well also, thank you very much. Treat any saw with benign neglect, and it will crap out on you. IME

Both saws have excellent a/v. Bud with a 250 Stihl tried the 4218 and immediately commented about the superior power and smoothness of the 4218. The 4218 serves me well by taking many lighter duties, letting me keep better saws in reserve for when they're really needed.

 

Welcome to the land of Woodenheads! I have a great running Husqvarna 455 Rancher with an Oregon 16" bar and chain and a Husqvarna Pro 20" bar and chain I sell you for $200 and I'll include a Husqvarna helmet with hearing protection and face sheild and a used, but undamaged pair of Stihl chaps. The 20" bar and chain are unused, new.

 

You might also consider going to a Home Depot rental center and ask about buying one of their used rental saws. They sell them off on a regular basis. They can check their records and see if one is approaching the sell off time and let you know when to come back. I think they base it on the number of rentals.

I picked up a Makita 6400 for $200 a few years ago. The Makita is made by Dolmer and considered a very good pro level saw. And Home Depot even threw in a couple of new chains. Though their chains are junk and should only be used for dirty wood or muddy stumps.

The only drawback I can see, is their saws may be a bit of an overkill for what you need them for. It's a bigger, heavier saw and much more powerful. But it can handle just about any size wood you want to tackle, short of large diameter trees.

 

Welcome to FHC!
Buy new or used from a reputable dealer, ask lots of ???, All the safety gear is a must. Keep it sharp! I prefer Husqvarna, Jonsred I have also heard good things about Stihl, Dolmar and Echo. Whatever you decide. Good Luck and Happy Safe cutting!!

 

Unless you want to get into the hobby of fixing old saws, I would not recommend used unless you buy from someone you have reason to trust. Most of what shows up on Craigslist is overpriced, and it's easy to miss a mechanical problem that will erase all the savings you thought you were getting.

I am unfamiliar with the new saws that would be in your budget. Among used ones, you've gotten some good recommendations. A Stihl 026 would be an excellent choice, as would a Husky 55, and either ought to be affordable. There are many other models that would work for you, but the 026 and 55 are more common than most. I think 50cc is plenty for the uses you're anticipating. Keep in mind that saw chain dulls easily, especially when inexperienced handling puts it in the dirt or nicks a rock so you'll soon be faced with having to sharpen that chain. Maybe you pay someone to do it for you at first, and you discover that it's inconvenient and also expensive, so you buy some simple sharpening tools. You file away half the original chain before you get the hang of it, and anyway to make things easier out in the field you were thinking a second chain seemed like a good idea. And then there's equipment for eye protection, hearing protection, leg protection...

I don't mean to give the impression that the expenses are endless, but it's worth remembering there are other things you'll inevitably need to go with that saw, regardless of which one you buy.

 

Thats a steal!!! OP if your serious about a saw this is a saw that can do most of what any wood burner would want to do.

This is a regular member here not some random guy. I am sure he would post pics of the piston and or the saw in a video for you if you want to see it.

 

Yeah, I skimmed past Ralphie Boy's offer. You aren't going to do better than that.

 

Yup...OP, you better be looking at taking him up on that offer QUICK LIKE! The helmet is a $50 value plus tax and/or shipping if you bought it new. the chaps are around $80 new. So that's $130 minimum right there.

Here is a link to what that exact same saw is currently bringing on CL in my area. http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/4924027113.html

Like I said....quickly pay the man once you see some pics!

If he posts them publicly, we can show you what you are actually looking at/for in those pics.

Basically, you are paying around half of what that saw is worth and getting some protection equipment which is pretty much a necessity for new (actually, all) saw operators.