Chainsaw Question.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:41 am

I see that Canadian tire has started selling "Troy-Bilt" chainsaws. Has anyone ever owned one and are they good quality?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/ ... earch=true

Digger · Post by **Digger** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:16 am

http://www.troybilt.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 1_14102_-1

Haven't owned one of their chainnsaws but had a lawnmower of theirs work well for years.

Digger

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:21 pm

I looked at them at Rural King.

They ahd a 20" for $199 USD.

I had it in my basket when I passed a display of 18" McCullochs. After handling and looking both over real good I went with the McCulloch.

Basically the 20" was more chainsaw than I needed and the McCulloch was a better fit...

brayhaven · Post by **brayhaven** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 1:51 pm

If they're made by MTD, I'd avoid them. Had a sawmill for awhile and used chainsaws all my life. The only 3 I'd recommend are Husqvarna, Stihl & Echo. My last saw is an Echo, very basic but extremely powerful and very well made inside & out. Just my dos.
Greg

hawg hunter · Post by **hawg hunter** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 2:08 pm

hello there:as far aschain saws go Stihl & Husky are by far the best. Down here in texas we cut lots of oak and mesquite trees.They are both extremely tough on equipment.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 3:50 pm

Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll give the Try-Bilt a body swerve.

Maritimer · Post by **Maritimer** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:50 pm

Personal I would stay away from them and I would get a still or a husqvarna. I own 3 saws, 2 stills and 1 husqvarna and I have never had a problem with either one. One still I use strictly for my chainsaw wench, and I work it really hard when I am winching out moose or hauling my truck out when I get it stuck. Spend the extra money for quality you will not regret it.

kendo kid · Post by **kendo kid** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:40 pm

I've owned Partner, Jonsred and Stihl. Presently, I'm in Stihl. When it comes right down to it the saw will make a difference but not as big a difference as the man running the saw. Good up keep and knowing how to sharpen are bigger benefits and have more impact on how fast the job goes. I like to keep my rakers low and love to see those long curls come rolling out of the log.
Kendo Kid

Zeke · Post by **Zeke** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 12:27 pm

Dunno how much wood you cut, but you can "over-bow" yourself in the chainsaw department real easy.

I gotta Stihl 029 Super (aka Farm Boss) and while it's a great saw after you cut with it for about an hour it gets really heavy.

Husqvarna's are good saws, but I've heard complaints about the reliability of the 55 Rancher... it's probably people who don't adjust their air mixes correctly because the biggest complaint is hard starting. My buddy just bought a Husqvarna 570 - heavier and more powerful than my 029 - he hasn't used it enough to really "test" it's performance, but I suspect it's a good one.

All that said, lemme tell you about my neighbor. My neighbor is the undisputed Firewood King on our street - he's got more firewood stacked around the perimeter of his yard than anyone else I've ever met. He heats with it (of course) but also has some system where his hot water pipe passes through his wood burner, so he "pre warms" the water going into his water heater. If there's a tree down in our area, it's a sure bet that it will end up in one of his piles. He probably uses a chainsaw more often in one year than most folks would in five or six years.

His saws? He's got one little bitty Stihl (an older model that closely resembles their current MS200T) and one even smaller old Homelite. He's used these saws for years, and while it may take a couple more seconds to slice through a bigger log, he can cut all day with the things and not kill his arms and back from the size and weight.

SO, my point? Unless you plan to regularly cut through logs bigger than 24" or are going to be cutting logs that are neatly laid out on an elevated bench (so you don't bend over) get the smallest quality saw that you can... your back will thank you, your arms will thank you, and your big-saw toting buddies will admire you for your common sense.

I'll caveat this post by saying I'm not a professional arborist - but I do cut several times a year with that heavy Stihl - and every time I do, I wish I had a lighter saw.

Here are links to the ones that I'd buy if I had to do it all over again (I like the Echo's best - great saws for the money and priced much lower than Stihl's or Husky's):

http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.asp? ... y=CHAINSAW
http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.asp? ... y=CHAINSAW
http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node1520.a ... nguageId=7
http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node1520.a ... nguageId=7
http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node1520.a ... nguageId=7
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS191T.html
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS192T.html
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS200T.html

Hope that helps!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:49 pm

Don't know squat about Troy Built saws, but they certainly make a great rear-tine tiller.
My current saw is a Husky 350 w/18" bar. Light, powerful, and reliable. I highly recommend it.
Plenty of saw to cut 5 cords/year.

http://forestry.about.com/library/weekly/aa052801.htm

Don · Post by **Don** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:06 pm

As far as chaisaws go. They by far follow that old saying of you get what you pay for. If you only will be cutting a tree limb off here and there the troy will do you but if you plan to use it more regular spend the money and get a husky or a stihl.

Don

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 10:07 pm

I use a chainsaw rarely, but when I want to use it I want something dependable. I bought a smaller Stihl (14" bar) a few years ago, and it hasn't let me down yet. I was helping the landowner where I hunt fell a few dead trees last week. He has a bigger Stihl, and he was dropping the trees, and I was trimming off the limbs (next years firewood

). After he cut a few locusts he decided to drop a big maple (24" diameter, but more like 12x24 with the decay) that was badly decayed on one side, but his chain had dulled on the locusts. I took my little Stihl and (somewhat slowly) felled the maple. It was a lot bigger tree than I'd normally tackle with the small saw, but the saw did a fine job of it.
When I'm not planning on using the saw again for a month or more, I do add an additive to the fuel to keep it clean (Stabyl) sp? The saw usually starts with a couple pulls even after months of storage!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:24 pm

bstout wrote:The husky has teeth on the sides of the chain as well as on top so it cuts a nice channel versus a slot.
Bob

That's funny,..my Husqvarna doesn't have teeth on the sides of the chain.

Can anyone else make such a claim regarding the above quote??

A picture of your saw would tell a thousand words.

I've cut some wood over the years and have never seen anything like you've claimed. Rest assured, I'm not the only one curious about your three sided saw chain. We've been a-talkin.

Come on BOB. WE need a pic!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:15 am

Quickshot · Post by **Quickshot** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:43 am

I think this would work for you