The small Poulans are in that price range but while some people do well with them, I won't spend my money there. Stihl MS170 would be a better choice.

+1 on the Stihl. Many like the MS170 and 180 as a small saw.

I'd vote for a Husky or Echo also but I do not know their model numbers in that size.

How much does the Stihl MS170 chainsaw cost?

Thanks.

TBB

An MS 170 should run about $169.

Don't forget to purchase the proper protective gear, too - eye protection, ear protection, gloves, and safety chaps!

The entry level Husky's are rebadged Poulans so no gain there. A customer brought a month old 137 in on Friday with the muffler drilled out.It was turning 14000 rpm but was hard starting. He wants warranty LOL. The small Echo's are very good but over his budget.

"The small Poulans are in that price range but while some people do well with them"

I haven't heard it put quite that way. Very on target.

I'm a poo-lan type. That $104 shark does pretty well when you put an oregon bar and chain on it. Still might be under $150 with the mod. I also have a 3400 counter vibe that is 25 years old now. I did the oregon bar on that one as well.

Peace

i bought a 14"craftsman about 6 years ago for this very purpose. it has worked fine, all i do is start it and let it run for a few minutes each month. the self oiling quit on it last year, but i was able to disassemble it and clear the clog. i knew better than to try and cut 6 cords of wood with it, and sure enough 2 cords in it went. but since i cleared the clog it has been fine. price, about 120.00

The Poulans we have around my area are:

3216 $140

3314 $110

4218 $170

And some other model that's purple and green that $150.

TBB

A couple years ago I bought a McCullough on sale at Target for $75. It was small (I think a 12") and somewhat underpowered. It worked fine for the first year. After that, it would only start once a day. After it had warmed up, it wouldn't start again.

A year or two later, I bought another McCullough at Home Despot for $80. It had an 18" bar and a bigger motor, but was still underpowered. After a year or so, the oiler died. I couldn't get the flywheel off replace it.

I sold both of them for $20 to some kid who was looking for small engines for projects.

I won't buy another chainsaw until I can afford a good Stihl or Husqvarna.

In the meantime, when I need one, I rent one. For $20, I get four hours use of a really good quality saw. The chain is always sharp when I pick it up, and it even comes with a gallon of gas and a bottle of bar oil.

I let stuff pile up, then rent the saw for a few hours and plow through my whole pile at once. Granted it's not as convenient as just grabbing the saw from the garage when a huge branch falls in the yard. But for occasional use, renting is a very attractive option.

I have a Stihl 170, its a great little cleanup saw. I would not use it to take down anything serious but it does everything a cleanup saw should do. I think I paid $170 last June for it.

I think Consumer Reports did a report on chainsaws in the October issue ('06). Does anyone know what they had to say?

Thanks.

TBB

Who are they (tongue in cheek)?

I was in the Sears parts store yesterday and they had new gas chain saws on sale for around $150-$160. One was an 18" model.

If you want affordable and what you are cutting is just behind your house a few times a year, why not go electric?

They are far easier to maintain than gas when used rarely and will last a long time for moderate infrequent usage.

Look at the upper end of the Craftsman or McCullough electric saws. They will be in your price range and should last a decade with your usage.

I used electric saws for many years before switching to a Husqvarna pro saw. If I'm making a few cuts close to the house I sometimes still use the electric.

Would it be a problem (ie: electrical problem) to run a dropcord about 250 feet? Thanks for the tip.

TBB

250' shouldn't be a problem if you use 12ga (or even better 10ga) extension cords. I've done 250' before and you do notice the saw slows down a little bit under load. I wouldn't want to go much longer.

If the saw draws 12A and you have 120v power at the outlet and a 250' extension cord your available voltage at the saw will be ...

113v with 10ga cords
109v with 12ga cords
102v with 14ga cords
91v with 16ga cords

You may fry the saw motor or pop a breaker using the 14 or 16 ga extension cords. Also try to plug in on heavy wire (ie a 20a/12ga house circuit going to the garage or kitchen) or as close to the breaker panel as possible.

For two years of very hard use, cutting MANY big trees and several railroad ties, I've had ZERO problems with my Poulan Pro 295... 20 inch chainsaw. It was factory remanufactured (with warranty) and I got it from Lawn Station for $118. (lawnstation.com)

jim

250 feet of extension? Big power drop.
Besides if you don't have 250 feet of extension
you would be looking at 100 bucks for the saw and 100 bucks in cord if you were lucky.
I'd opt for the poulan. Thanks for the prices TB.
Avoid the purple one.

I'd up your budget a tad and get one of the low end Echo's. I think they're about $200.

The arborists love them!

go on ebay and buy a good used sawed with enough *ss to cut what you need to cut.A Stihl 250 290 or Husky 50 or 55 rancher would suit you fine.The ladies saws like the poulans and the Stihl 170s are fine for cutting grass and those tough weeds like thistles,and thats where it ends.Your lookin at around $175 for somethin worth buyin.Electric chainsaws were meant for 1 thing,people stupid enough to buy them,dont become a statistic.

Shellbark raises a good point - a good used saw would probably be a better choice. That said, I would avoid buying on eBay because so many of the saws there are misrepresented or worn out. Go stop by a saw shop and see what they have available in the way of used saws. Most saw shops will offer up trade-ins that they've taken in, looked over, and cleaned up.

As for the badmouthing of the MS170/180, these are surprisingly competent little saws in their intended role. I've run an MS180 before and was quite impressed. It worked through 6-10" hardwood with respectable performance and with some patience could be used on larger stuff, too.

The perjorative reference to these saws as "ladies saws" is not particularly useful - they are a tool intended for a particular purpose. Here, that purpose is smaller cutting and trimming tasks performed by the occasional saw user. They're not intended for day-in, day-out use, for cutting up large wood, or for blocking many cords of firewood in an afternoon. But in their intended role, they shine. Many of us who have multiple saws have a small saw for trimming around the house, for carrying with us when we're clearing hiking trails, or for leaving on the ground next to the chipper to nip branches that the chipper's feed mechanism can't break down. I've always preferred to run the little Echos (30x, 34x series) in this role, but the little Stihls would work equally well. I've currently got saws ranging from 30cc with a 10" bar to 111cc running 41" bars. Each one has its a purpose that it is best at and if the job calls for a little saw I don't see any need to grab a bigger one than is necessary.

Electric saws are also a good idea, especially if you're going to be cutting in one place or indoors. The only problem is that the few truly good ones out there (Stihl, Dolmar, Makita for example) cost at least as much as a small gas one. The other cheapies - Black and Decker, Wagner, etc. - are less than useless.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

Having owned the MS192T for a week and cut almost a 1/2 cord of wood from fallen tree branches up to 8" thick, I have no doubt the MS170 would make a fine saw.

The MS170 shares the same engine with the 192T, which has been a wonderful experience so far.

I also have a 5 year old 3.5hp 16" Craftsman electric saw, and it too has been very reliable for light duty around the house. I have gone through 2 other electric saws, so I have a better understanding of their limitations.

I also realize I would not use the MS192T to clear up one of the big oaks on my property. I would follow the suggestion of others and buy something like a Husky 361 or similar size Stihl. I would also consider buying used from a good local saw dealer. I might also rent the bigger saw for the job.

If the MS170 is anthing like the MS192T, it is capable of working far more than grass and thistles. :)

Good luck