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Calling all knowledgable men........chainsaw

cowgirl

cowgirl

Silver Member
I have a question for all the men and women who know anything about chain saws. Keep in mind I am really dumb when it comes to chain saws, so keep your responses geared towards dumb people like me

So here is the question, my boyfriend wants a chain saw for christmas. He has asked for a Stihl MS 230 C-BE chain saw. Heres the problem, I am finding it really hard to find this excate model, and with my current knowledge (none) of chain saws I don't know what is comparable. I have found one company who stated they would order me one. Is this a good chain saw?

From what I understand he wants a chain saw for cutting down a couple of cords of wood each year. He wants to go up to the mtns and cut his own wood, which would be 2-4 cords of wood at the most.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!!!!!!
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Stihl makes excellent chainsaws. Now, if he has given you the model number, then that is what he wants. If you get him something else, he may not be totally happy.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

I have an MS 230 which is made by Stihl. It is a very good saw will do what he wants. It is made for light wood cutting and not for a logger felling large diameter trees. What is comparable, I don't know. If you look at Stihl's web site and find that saw, look at the spec's for it. That way you will know what to compare it with.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Gatorboy said:
Stihl makes excellent chainsaws. Now, if he has given you the model number, then that is what he wants. If you get him something else, he may not be totally happy.
Click to expand...

Yes - he made it pretty specific. If you can't get the exact model then order it and give him a picture and an ETA.

Do not substitute unless you get him a better model of Stihl.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Well see he's not that knowledgable about chain saws either. he heard this was a really good one and would do what he needs it to do. I guess my question is more geared towards, if this is really a good chain saw and will fit his needs, if not then I would get him a better model.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

A Consumer Report

This review is from our archive. The manufacturer has informed us that this model has been discontinued. However, it might still be available for sale. The MSRP and warranty were valid at the time the model was discontinued
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Might be something to think about or you should get a pretty good price.



The mid-sized Stihl MS 230 C-BE gas-powered chain saw is perfect for cutting firewood and features a starting system that's as easy to operate as any saw on the market. The Easy2Start system uses dual spring technology, which lets the user slowly pull the starting cord rather than having to yank it. The slow pull on the starting cord winds a spring, which suddenly releases and starts the engine.
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I have seen them type of starters and are nice but I don't know the reliability


In addition to being a breeze to start, the MS 230 C-BE also features Stihl's Quick Chain Adjuster, for easy chain adjustment without tools.
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This might be nice if your doing a lot of cutting in one day. A typical chain saw has two bolts you loosen and then a screw driver to tighter and then tighter the two bolts back up.

All in all Stihl makes a dang good machine. You may want to question him in the fact they have quit making this machine. I don't mind discontinued items if your getting a good price to take it off the shelf.

Hope this helps you.

murph
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Stihl Chain saws are as good as it gets . I do not know a professional logger that does not use one . If taken care of that saw will last his lifetime .
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

I have both Stihl and Husky chainsaws...I started collecting them and wanted to get a few years of each including latest models last year. I originally was going to buy the 230 then looked at some of the features on the 270 so I went for that which is the version up as 'mid-range' vs. 'occasional Use'. I use it in a similar way as your boyfriend would but I like chainsaws so decided to buy a few. I have some professional logger friends and they go back and forth between Stihl and Husky so I wanted to try both to know for sure. I bought similar models of each and cut four cords this year...

I tell you, hands down, the Husky kicked the ass of the Stihl on a similar model. Hands down. The Husky absolutely ripped thorugh the wood that the Stihl took probably 40% longer to get through. The suspension of the blade is softer as well and it feels there's more slop in the control. Not at all with the Husky.

So, then I doubled down and bought a big-ass professional heavy duty Husky. That thing is insane. So, I am settling on Husky and selling my Stihl saws...taste test DONE. I do love my other Stihl gear though... blower, power broom, etc...great stuff there. The saw has many great features...it really does...but when it comes down to time spent cutting firewood, it just doesn't hold a candle to the Husky.

I hope you don't buy a Stihl... but if you do... I'd sell you my 270 if you want as it's the best and most recent of the Stihl line-up that I have... it's been through 1 cord of wood...the other cords I used the Husky on. Again, I suggest you buy the Husky but up to you. You can't go *wrong* with the Stihl but the Husky is better. I went to a friend of one of my logger buddies... he repairs both Stihl and Husky and showed me the piston design differences and other mechanical differences... he repairs more Stihl and costs more to repair those as well.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

It is of my opinion that he shouldn't settle for anything less than a 20" bar and that would require going into the 300 series saw. The 310 or 390 would fit that bill unless your feeling generous and then it's the 361.

I say buy him a bigger saw that is in current production!

BTW ........... I agree with Mainer ............ really Husky or Jonsered is the saw to buy!
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Here are some comparisons.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Tamp2fHhg"]Here is some comparisons that are great.[/ame] I love the last one and if you get that one for your boyfriend you will get what you want just about anytime. :hide:
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Mainer said:
I have both Stihl and Husky chainsaws...I started collecting them and wanted to get a few years of each including latest models last year. I originally was going to buy the 230 then looked at some of the features on the 270 so I went for that which is the version up as 'mid-range' vs. 'occasional Use'. I use it in a similar way as your boyfriend would but I like chainsaws so decided to buy a few. I have some professional logger friends and they go back and forth between Stihl and Husky so I wanted to try both to know for sure. I bought similar models of each and cut four cords this year...

I tell you, hands down, the Husky kicked the ass of the Stihl on a similar model. Hands down. The Husky absolutely ripped thorugh the wood that the Stihl took probably 40% longer to get through. The suspension of the blade is softer as well and it feels there's more slop in the control. Not at all with the Husky.

So, then I doubled down and bought a big-ass professional heavy duty Husky. That thing is insane. So, I am settling on Husky and selling my Stihl saws...taste test DONE. I do love my other Stihl gear though... blower, power broom, etc...great stuff there. The saw has many great features...it really does...but when it comes down to time spent cutting firewood, it just doesn't hold a candle to the Husky.

I hope you don't buy a Stihl... but if you do... I'd sell you my 270 if you want as it's the best and most recent of the Stihl line-up that I have... it's been through 1 cord of wood...the other cords I used the Husky on. Again, I suggest you buy the Husky but up to you. You can't go *wrong* with the Stihl but the Husky is better. I went to a friend of one of my logger buddies... he repairs both Stihl and Husky and showed me the piston design differences and other mechanical differences... he repairs more Stihl and costs more to repair those as well.
Click to expand...

Cowgirl ... Please disregard my post .....:sad: Sounds like Mainer knows a hella lot more than I ever want to know about chainsaws :whistling:
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

Big Dog said:
It is of my opinion that he shouldn't settle for anything less than a 20" bar and that would require going into the 300 series saw. The 310 or 390 would fit that bill unless your feeling generous and then it's the 361.

I say buy him a bigger saw that is in current production!
Click to expand...

Agree as well.. some people say: "It's just for firewood so don't worry about a long blade...easy to swing around, handle, etc..."

Blah. I listened to that. I regretted it as there were plenty of instances where a 20" blade (or more) would have helped quite a bit. That's one reason I went with the upgraded Husky.

So, if you're looking to get him a pretty damn good saw...here's the one to get if you do talk to him and 'ok' a brand change (wise advice as ya never know...he may be wed to Stihl no matter what).

1. Great saw... http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node3099.aspx?nid=56074&pid=36866

That would suit all his firewood needs and then some slightly larger felling if needed and felling leads to firewood. With the energy crunch a lot of people are getting into cutting down trees for free so they take the wood...and most of that work takes bigger saws than just firewood and this could handle some larger timber...not massive, but larger.

2. If the wood that you know he may be cutting (some people have plans of trimming their property over the years and using it all for firewood so you may know some tree sizes), is quite large in diameter then you may want to think about a beastier model...but this one is heavy and it does get a bit wearing if you're doing multiple cords and working all day with it... that's why I settled in on have a 455 above *and* this saw with a 24" blade:

http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/node3099.aspx?nid=56422&pid=35488

The Stihl 270 I have is a 2008 as I bought it maybe 3 months ago... so that's there if you're interested... but my recommendation is go for the Husky 455 (if price is too high 'new' and you can get one a couple years older then you're set as they didn't have restrictive emissions controls like the new ones...and you get more raw power out...I have a new and an old and there's a difference but still new is better for 'in-production' benefits like warranty, parts, etc.).

Have fun.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

One thing you should be sure you get him as a stocking stuffer ... a pair of the safety chaps. I know some people think stuff like this is for sissy-boys but the loggers I know use them!

Here's a video to demonstrate the importance...kinda gross but gets the point across.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pilcLXpdJK0"]YouTube - Chainsaw Leg Protection[/ame]
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

He's not asking for the biggest, the best or the baddest. Get him what he wants and he'll be a happy little logger. It may be be the only chain saw he ever owns or uses so as long as he doesn't get into a pissin' contest with his buddies and their Husky's he'll be perfectly happy with it. I say this from personal experience. I always owned Poulan saws for occasional use and was happy with them until a friend came over with his Husky to help me cut up a huge fallen oak tree. He must have out cut me at least two to one. I've had a lust for a Husky ever since but that darned Poulan just won't die. Maybe this next year. :whistling:
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

I have a stihl 025 and have been very happy with it. It only has the 16" blade but it works well for clearning trails / cutting downed trees. If your BF asked for a stihl you probably should stick with the brand he requested. Stihl is good stuff IMHO. Never used a husky so I can't compare .... but my Stihl has given me 9 years of good service with one repair call because of me being stew-pid.
Take the model number your BF gave you to your local Stihl dealer and see what they suggest as a replacement. Go with the next size up if anything ....I would not go smaller than what he asked for.
These puppies seem expensive at first... but like others said you'll get years of use out of them.
Good luck.
 
Re: Calling all knowledgable men..........

EastTexFrank said:
He's not asking for the biggest, the best or the baddest. Get him what he wants and he'll be a happy little logger. It may be be the only chain saw he ever owns or uses so as long as he doesn't get into a pissin' contest with his buddies and their Husky's he'll be perfectly happy with it. I say this from personal experience. I always owned Poulan saws for occasional use and was happy with them until a friend came over with his Husky to help me cut up a huge fallen oak tree. He must have out cut me at least two to one. I've had a lust for a Husky ever since but that darned Poulan just won't die. Maybe this next year. :whistling:
Click to expand...

No, he's not asking for a huge beast ... but the 455 isn't a huge beast...the other is but not the 455. The 455 is a great saw that can be a firewood saw and then a little bit more but not so little that it can't expand and serve other roles where the 230... is just that only. If he wants to do more he's going to have to call upon a buddy or buy a bigger saw. Good thing is Stihl and Husky hold their value unlike many other saw (go look on Craigslist at various brands and you'll see many can be picked up for dirt cheap but H/S are holding 70% of their value even if they look like they've been through 5,000 cords).

But my point is buy the best cut for the buck and that's not in a Stihl or a 230. I try to operate off of hard data rather than Ford/Chevy debate religion which is why I went out and bought both to settle it and I went to a guy that repairs them for a living and he broke down point by point and came up Husky...and he sells both too!

Also, does a person really know if they want a 230 or a 270 or a bigger saw until they try them? I think they should have a showcase outdoor room where you can try out the various saws on wood.... when I got my 270 I was so tickled pink...thought the thing cut like a knife thru butter compared to what I had before... but then I wanted to still try more and see.... anyway, educated consumer is important and doing that from side-by-side data is the best way and trying to optimize a purchase so a person doesn't get caught in upgrade hell.

2 cents... like all..take or leave them.
 
Poulan mankes the smaller Husky's and Craftsman saws.
the Stihl website will give you a breakdown of their model weights, HP, suggested bar length, etc... Bailey's online is a good place to get comparison stats for Husky's. (they also have very good prices on safety gear, timber jacks, spare chains/bars, etc....).

I have a 38 CC craftsman with 16" blade and it was a true workhorse until I abused it badly.
I have an OLD Stihl 390 I picked up at auction 10 years back and it did yeoman service when I was cutting firewood for friends.
I also have a Husky 372 with 32" bar I picked up for turning round logs into square beams and/or planks.
and then for sheer cutting brutality, there's the chainsaw sawmill - which is powered by 2 Stihl 076 models - one on each end of the bar. (that's 112CC of saw on each end!) that will "let" me cut up to a 16x34" beam....

What's all this mean? Talk to the boyfriend and find out why he wants that particular model. Is it one he's used? is it one he was recommended by someone who has one? The easy start and ez adjust features are very nice, and add a chunk to the price of the saw. If you can find the one he wants, it'll probably cost $100 more than the "base" model 230. you may actually be better off buying Mainer's 3 month old one, if he's willing to cut you enough slack to make it worth not having the pretty box and all. ;)
Chaps are nice, but I would suggest the hardhat/faceshield/earmuff combo instead, if you can't afford both.
good luck!
 
OK... Late as always.... I skimmed through this fast, focusing on the OP's comments... did she ever say how much he is planning to run since we know he does not know much about saws. I have a Stihl and love the thing. When I set out to buy this last time I decided it was either a Husqy or Stihl.. I cut WAY too much wood for anything else. I looked at easy starts. I saw them as one more thing to go wrong. Combine that withe fact that my saw almost always starts in about 5 easy pulls.... On bar size... I have the 290 Farm boss with a 20" bar. It's the largest recommended for the saw. I had a smaller saw with an 18" bar before and thought I wanted bigger... but bigger... wears a man out. I know you guys are near my age, so a 20" bar is still manageble, but it might not be through out the life of the saw depending on cutting habits. If he plans on doing a lot of cutting like I do, then I would move him up to a heavier duty saw.... but ask him more questions first if you can... I don't want to be the cause of disappointment... we live close enough for you to hunt me down... :hide:
 
I still think the OP should stick with a Stihl of equal or greater capacity. I know that if I pick out the exact model I want (or think I want) and it turns out to suck then I have no one to blame but myself.

That being said. I have a Husqvarna 55 Rancher with a 20" in blade (no sissy safety chain) and it cuts like a trooper. I have fallen several Douglas Firs (some wider than the blade) and processed many more with it.
 
I have 5 Husy's, including the 455...and Yes - it does cut wood great. I bought the model Stihl you listed 2 years ago. I wanted something for trimming branches, but it turned out to be so much more. It's my GO-TO saw now. Unless I'm cutting something over 12" in dia. it's the saw I use. It's lighter, doesn't cut thru the wood as fast as the 455 but doesn't tire me out as fast either. The easy chain adjustment and easy start features were something I wanted to try. Once you get used to the chain adjuster you'll wish all your saws had it. I thought the dual spring starter was, well, rather strange. When you pull the rope, the saw doesn't turn over until it winds up the second spring. I could live without that feature...my Dad on the other hand LOVES it! He's 76 and not as strong as he used to be but nothing keeps him from playing in the woods. I had to buy a second Stihl last year (same model) - he liked mine so much it ended up at his house.
Bottom line - if he spec'd out the exact model number he wanted, get it for him. It will do anything he'll need. Maybe not as fast as some saws, but he'll have what he wants.
Oh, and once he starts cutting wood, if he likes doing it, he will want another saw - "just in case something happens to this one when I'm WAY up in the mountains". And you can bet, it will be a bigger one.

On the safety side - If he doesn't know much about saws, let him start with the smaller one...which is the one he wants.
 
I'm not nearly as convinced that either Stihl or Husqvarna is better than the other. I have a Husqvarna 353 and a Stihl 039. I've had both for a while but I've had the Stihl far longer. I'm told that newer Stihl saws are made in the U.S.? I don't know if that's true or not, but my 039 clearly says "Made in Germany". Anyway, if I had to choose, I'd say I prefer the Stihl slightly over the Husqvarna. Neither have given me any problems but the Stihl just feels better to me. Over the years I'd say, conservatively, I've cut down and cut up 500 large trees with the Stihl. As long as I don't find any old nails in the wood or accidentally plunge the blade into the ground the chains stay sharp for quite a while and the bars seem to last forever. I realize the Stihl saw I have is larger with more power than the Husqvarna I have, but I can't see me ever going to anything but Stihl for my 'heavier' needs. The Husqvarna was bought at a pawn shop so I'd have 2 saws when we went out for firewood. It's been fine as well. I just prefer the Stihl saw.

I did notice that on the Discovery Channel's Extreme Loggers show that every single logger used a Stihl saw. I've yet to see a different brand shown on that show. There again, they are using a class of chain saws that I'd never need and they generally put their saws through more in one day than an average homeowner will in their lifetime.

I almost forgot, there's one other brand of chain saw that's popular as well, and that's Echo. I've never had one so I can't comment on them any. They look like they are well made, but sometimes looks can be deceiving. Maybe someone else can comment on them. But, as mentioned earlier, if he asked for a Stihl saw, any other brand will likely appear as if you went with a cheaper brand to him.
 
Who are the Dealers around there? Of course, as mentioned before, if he's set on Stihl, any thing else can't have but the slightest quirk or he'll think it's a lemon.

In SD, there's a Stihl dealer in Watertown that knows his products inside and out through personal use and from service work, so I knew that's who I'd be talking to about my next saw (the Craftsman by Poulan didn't quite die and still finds use, but it needed to be semi-retired); I told him what I wanted (BTW, if you only have one saw, you need at least an 18 if not 20" bar unless just trimming; we now have a 16", the Craftsman 20", and 24" on the 361; don't really even need the 20"):

He agreed that I didn't quite have the amount of cutting to go with a "proffesional saw" like the 361, but they take abuse much better including sit for a few months get ran real hard for a day and sit for while; also better power to weight ratios and cheaper to repair. He advised I take a couple saws out back and stick them in a log; but warned I'd wind-up buying the 361 over the 390 if I tried both; we tried a 200 too (aborist saw; very light, but quite powerful) wellllll my wife and I wound up giving each other "his and hers" chainsaws for our anniversary that year!

Also, I asked if the features [like the suffixs you noted on that 270] were available on the 361: he said they were nice gimmicks on the "homeowner saws" but just more weight and more things to wrong for someday wanting it for real work.

That noted; they don't make quite the same model anymore (actually, in Poulan labels and colors they might), but it's vibration handling was pretty good for a "cheap" saw. Also, at their best, the Craftsman starts better, but the Stihl more predicable: it will want some choke unless warmed up good, then no more choke or it's flooded.

Some other things to note (and may explain some of the bipolar loyalty for Stihl vs. Husky): with the number of homeowner saws they sell: most dealers push safty chain and safety bars, also a lot of the pro's tweek their exhaust and a few other simple (and more major items too for some I've read about anyway) items. With the narrow bar on the 20" I have something nice for "surgery" in a pile, but then can plunge with the wide one on the 24". The 361 stock oiler isn't quite enough - even maxed out - IMHO for 24" in really gummy or really dry wood; but the dealer was kind enough to update it free. edit: It seems like Stihl is quite cautious about trying to stay ahead of both EPA and safety regulations, thus I suspect the reason for the items I noted in this paragraph.
 
Well, as you can see, I think out of the woodwork come folks raving about the saw that they own and this is what I was hoping to avoid as it is ONE side of the equation. A couple people have had both and the sense comes that the Husky is a better saw. This is why I did a side-by-side taste test... like I said, hands down the Husky tore through the wood better than the Stihl and did so 40% faster. Total cost of ownership is lower (per the dealer/maintenance guy I know that sells & services both) on the Husky and if you ask folks that have used both in their jobs you'll find Husky will come out on top. Some of this is like Mac/IBM or Ford/Chevy...when people start with one brand they continue.
Again, cut for the buck, the Husky is a superior unit and the Stihl is a sub-optimal decision. HOWEVER, if your boyfriend asked for Stihl... you probably should just get him Stihl given all the myriad of topics people have brought up in this thread (sorry you asked now ;) ). BTW, neighbors with Poulans sit and pull and pull and pull and... finally getting them to fire up. As usual, depends on how you care for things and the Stihl is harder to start than the Husky but both easier than the Poulan. Another neighbor had a craftsman and it died cutting down a branch not long ago... about 4 years old with only moderate use.
So...there more info... I just say get him the Stihl...one up from the 230 to bring a smile to his face but don't get the auto-adjustment feature for the blade... it's a waste as it doesn't work that well.
 
Mainer said:
HOWEVER, if your boyfriend asked for Stihl... you probably should just get him Stihl given all the myriad of topics people have brought up in this thread (sorry you asked now ;) ).
Click to expand...

I've fallen into the trap of trying to get something better than asked for and regretted it.

Get a Stihl, they make a great saw. My 026 is still running strong after 10 years and it was used when I got it.

One additional item you need is the 2 cycle oil to mix with the gas. I don't know about the other brands but Stihl packages both in bulk containers and small containers that are sized for the common size gas containers so you don't have to measure each time you mix it.

The small ones are for one gallon of gas and the larger for 2.5 gallons.

Jim



These are to mix wih
 

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Mainer, what numbers differentiate the "homeowner" and "proffesional" models in Husky? Or are they all built the same? I'm looked at plenty of them and used a couple, but they're sold in farm stores around here, so I've never seen one all apart nor had the chance to try them back to back (different Huskys or vs. anything else) like you.

Your sequence of starting tendencies sounds about the same order I'd list. I know nothing of the red ones, but suspect they'd be better than the Poulans.

I'd still say finding a knowledgeable and reptuatable dealer should be part of the equation for anyone not an expert themselves; yet, as everyone here has noted including myself - if he's sold on Stihl, it's dangerous waters to go a different route. Personally though, I hate the fact they even put their name on "homeowner" equipment with no distiction; just waters down another good name.
 
jim slagle said:
I've fallen into the trap of trying to get something better than asked for and regretted it.
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What part did you regret?

That oil would make for a great stocking stuffer! I don't think there's much difference in quality among the brands, but since I'm running mostly Stihl in yard tools, I buy my oil at the same dealer who treated me right on two chainsaws and a brushcutter so far.
 
Spiffy1 said:
What part did you regret?
Click to expand...

It wasn't a chain saw, but a camera.

She asked for a Canon, I found a Nikon that was better for the same price. Had to get her the Canon she wanted to keep peace in the family. :hammer:

I gave the Nikon to my Aunt. :mrgreen:

That was 15 years ago and I still hear about it from time to time. :hide:
 
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