No idea what you are asking. Are you asking for advice on what chainsaw to buy? What is your budget, what will you use it for? The more you tell us, the more we can tell you, so far you have told us nothing.

Depends on how big the wood is that he will be cutting and how often.

If he knows how to take care of things and properly run a chainsaw I'd spend more money on it. They are not hammers, they are tools that need adjustment and care. I am wondering if he knows how to work a chainsaw if the chain fell off. There could be mechanical reasons why it fell off, but there are many operator error reasons why it could have fallen off.

Ok, assuming he know what he is doing and assuming he is keeping to wood under 30" diameter, I'd recommend a 60-70cc saw from Husky or Stihl. There are others to recommend but I'll stick with these. That size of motor will let you run a 20" bar no problem. You could run larger if you take it easy, but a 20" bar would be really comfortable on a saw that size.

Depending on how much you want to spend you could buy a pro model or save a little and get a landowner/mid-range saw. I'd stay away from the lower end saws.

I know where there is a Stihl 036 Pro for sale(not mine and not a friend either). You might be able to get it for $400 (~$600 retail) but it might be gone soon. It would be one of my top choices in a 60cc saw. Light for it's engine size, good power and very smooth. Post your email if you are interested (don't make it obvious for the spammers, something like "me at here dot com". Granted it is an older version of the saw but the newer saws do not have much on this saw. If I needed a 60cc saw I would probably pick this one up.

For the safety part, one of the best things you could do is get him a good pair of chaps (6-ply from labonville for about $80) and a forestry helmet with integrated hearing protection and face shield. The best

thanks to masiman for your good advice. trust me, he is accomplished with tools! the chain fell off after 2 cuts!! that is not operator error. i'm having trouble finding a dealer for stihl, echo or whatever. spend most of yesterday driving to listed dealers to find l closed and l not worth the trip. as for your offer about the stihl, i wouldn't feel comfortable buying without him looking. will continue trying to find a retailer in this area that sells and repairs. anything within 30mil of 19475 would be worth looking for. again, my thanks

I still screw up sometimes and have my chain fall off :). It almost always is from me not watching the tension on a new chain. As it breaks in they stretch a little. I assume it is the pivot holes widening slightly under torque. There may be some lengthening from heat also but that is just me thinking. Other times, I just didn't tighten down the bar nuts enough or put the chain on the sprocket the correct way. It's always been user error for me when my chain comes off.

I would think in your area that you would have a decent power equipment dealer. If no one chimes in here, post a query over at arboristsite.com. There are plenty of PA folks on there. I know a few are in Philly and it burbs, I would guess someone would have a recommendation out your way.

Ya, I understand about buying site unseen. If you are willing to go the used route, one of the best deals around can be had at HomeDepot. If you can find one with a rental department, call them up and ask if they have any of their chainsaws for sale. They rent out a pro-quality 65cc saw, Makita 6401. After so many rentals they sell them for ~$200. These are ~$450 new. All the ones that I have picked up have come to me in good shape, three of them from two different stores. I'd recommend you still check them over if you decide to go that route. If he is comfortable and/or wants to learn small 2-cycle engine maintenance, he can get really good support for them online. I take care of my two that way.

Buy from a name brand dealer not a big box store. Stick with quality names such as Stihl, Husky, Jonsered. Buy enough power to cut the largest stock you will have to handle and if you want to add versatility buy two bars, a 20 inch and a 14 inch. That way when you are cutting small stuff you don't have the drag and weight of the larger bar and chain. I own two Huskys , a 36 and a 61. The 61 is European made and just keeps on running, the 36 is made in the U.S. and is basically a throw away saw once the hours add up. Always buy name brand bars and chain, I stick with Oregon.
I cut 5 or 6 cords, that's almost 800 cubic feet, of fire wood for myself every year and about half that amount more for friends. At the moment I am shopping for a new small saw to replace the Husky 36 and will probably settle on a small pro model Stihl.

They have some Echo CS600 saws on Ebay for a little over $400, thats a good buy on a saw that compares well with a Stihl 361 or 362. You'ld need to pull the limiter caps and adjust a little richer as almost all saws are set to lean, some dealers might do that and some might not. If you do it yourself you know it's done. Steve