Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?  (Read 2720 times)

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« on: September 26, 2020, 05:39:16 pm »
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?
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2020, 06:17:14 pm »
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

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2020, 11:44:26 pm »



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  :thumbsup:


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  :o   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.




« Last Edit: September 26, 2020, 11:49:41 pm by Fleecewife »
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

oor wullie

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Strathnairn
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2020, 03:06:17 am »
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

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2020, 01:04:04 pm »
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

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2020, 03:26:13 pm »
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.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2020, 03:32:44 pm »



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


Now to choose the sawhorse  :horse:

 


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  :D :innocent:
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2020, 09:19:12 pm »



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


Now to choose the sawhorse  :horse:

 


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  :D :innocent:
So you are looking forward to a nice frosty MOONLIT evening then  :) :) :)    .

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2020, 09:31:02 pm »



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


Now to choose the sawhorse  :horse:

 


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  :D :innocent:
So you are looking forward to a nice frosty MOONLIT evening then  :) :) :)    .

 :roflanim:  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.  :D
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

DalesFarmer

  • Joined Sep 2020
  • North Yorkshire
Re: Any suggestions for a rugged, petrol chainsaw?
« Reply #9 on: September 28, 2020, 12:20:22 pm »
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...

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS