[Fleecewife]

We need to get ourselves a rugged but not too heavy petrol chainsaw.  We have a weeny one for smaller wood but now we need to be able to fell trees and saw up trunks for firewood, and to do it every year.  We like the equipment we invest in to last us out, so a semi professional model would probably be best.  Huskvana or Stihl perhaps.  Does anyone have experience of a model they would recommend please?
Also, have you found a sturdy, safe and efficient sawhorse which will take logs up to about a foot across, min?

[Rupert the bear]

My favourite chainsaw around the croft is My Husqvarna 455 Rancher , I use both an 18 inch and 24 inch bars.
It weighs about 8kg ,I like the decompression valve that makes starting easy , from cold 2nd pull most times.
There is plenty of power even for the 24 inch bar and I regularly take down 25/30 yo trees , when limbing I put the shorter bar on. I've had this one for 5 years now .
My other saw is a Sthil 028av quick stop thats a little lighter with the 18 inch bar is 6kg, I've had this one for 32 years now, apart from chains and bars I have replaced the carb,magneto and fuel lines , less than £60 for those bits ( bit of a money pit there !! )
Saw horse,  I have one like this    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saw-horse-wood-smart-Chainsaw-Timber-cutting-holder-Quick-fire-fast-loading/272224641836?epid=1755572717&hash=item3f61da632c:g:1AwAAOSwLnBX4o0h   
It's ok on solid ground, mine about 10 ish years old when they first appeared, made of thicker steel in those days.
The most expensive chainsawing bit of chainsawing kit is the ballistic leggings , gloves and face shield, not in themselves but replacing legs,fingers and eyes could be a bit of a faff.

[Fleecewife]

Thank you Rtb, funnily enough that Husqvarna is the exact one we were looking at.  Sounds the biz and you use it for similar jobs we shall need to do.  We shall investigate it further 


For the sawhorse, we borrowed one from a friend last year which has a place to attach the chainsaw to the horse, so it can be used with one hand pivoting the saw, and the other hand is used to control the log, which rests in a trough.  I can't see one for sale so far.


We have most of the safety equipment but not the breeks - definitely needed. My first patient in an A&E setting when I was an undergrad was a forester on his first day.  He had no safety equipment (H&S was a bit lax back then) and the saw had slipped and degloved the front of his leg. Gross!  It was also the end of his job, with no sick pay     We can't afford any injuries.  It's like a crash helmet on the bike - what is your head worth? - certainly more than the best helmet available.




Modified: there does seem to be that type of saw horse available after all and not too expensive.  I don't know how sturdy they are.

[oor wullie]

I've got a Stihl Ms181 which does all I need (mostly cutting firewood).  It's light enough to use for hours on end and has never let me down.

[Rupert the bear]

I've got a Stihl Ms181 which does all I need (mostly cutting firewood).  It's light enough to use for hours on end and has never let me down.

That look a nice bit of kit, shame I have no real excuse to buy one .

[alang]

Another vote for the MS181 here. Used one last year and it was great for working with all day. When i get my coppice wood up and running i'll be buying one of these.

I'm just about to get an electric one (Oregon CS1500 - self sharpening) for sawing next to our house as the noise from a petrol one would probably annoy our neighbours quite quickly.

[Fleecewife]

We've just sent off for the Huskie Rancher thanks        Beware   


Now to choose the sawhorse 

 


Oh alang, our neighbours have been driving us demented with a strimmer all day long for a while now (cutting their wildflower meadow - what's wrong with a nice quiet scythe?)  Someone else uses a sawbench endlessly and another is doing some ground scraping to create a driveway to nowhere.  We're quite looking forward to using the new chainsaw just when they've stopped making any noise themselves 

[Rupert the bear]

We've just sent off for the Huskie Rancher thanks        Beware   


Now to choose the sawhorse 

 


Oh alang, our neighbours have been driving us demented with a strimmer all day long for a while now (cutting their wildflower meadow - what's wrong with a nice quiet scythe?)  Someone else uses a sawbench endlessly and another is doing some ground scraping to create a driveway to nowhere. We're quite looking forward to using the new chainsaw just when they've stopped making any noise themselves 

So you are looking forward to a nice frosty MOONLIT evening then      .

[Fleecewife]

We've just sent off for the Huskie Rancher thanks        Beware   


Now to choose the sawhorse 

 


Oh alang, our neighbours have been driving us demented with a strimmer all day long for a while now (cutting their wildflower meadow - what's wrong with a nice quiet scythe?)  Someone else uses a sawbench endlessly and another is doing some ground scraping to create a driveway to nowhere. We're quite looking forward to using the new chainsaw just when they've stopped making any noise themselves 

So you are looking forward to a nice frosty MOONLIT evening then      .

   That should set all the dogs off.  All neighbours are at least 1/4 to 1/2 mile away so a nice quiet night would be perfect. 

[DalesFarmer]

Hi Fleecewife. We’ve had to do the same, having only just moved in recently to our smallholding. My husband also bought a Husqvarna 572 XP with 20” Bar and is very much enjoying using it. It works really well, is quite a substantial size as we have a lot of trees but the weight appears manageable. I would strongly recommend you also purchase safety gear: hat, boots, trousers, goggles etc. Hope this helps...