I won a choice of any Stihl chainsaw (new) listed below for free with any Stihl bar/chain combo I want. Does anyone owned any of these saws? Could you please give me some pros/cons on 16", 18" and 20" bars, chain types and chainsaws to choose?

026 Pro - 48.7 cc (2.97 c.i.) 2.6 kW (3.5 bhp) 10.6 lbs. MS 290 - 56.5 cc (3.45 c.i.) 2.8 kW (3.75 bhp) 13.2 lbs. MS 310 - 59.0 cc (3.6 c.i.) 3.0 kW (4.02 bhp) 13.2 lbs. 036 Pro - 61.5 cc (3.75 c.i.) 3.3 kW (4.4 bhp) 12.8 lbs. MS 390 - 64.1 cc (3.9 c.i.) 3.2 kW (4.3 bhp) 13.2 lbs.

The most expensive one is the 036 Pro, so I'm thinking, go with the most expensive with the 20" bar and the best chain??? But heck, what is the best chain???

I called Stihl for their catalog and did go on their website. Their technical support people say that all Stihl's are good and any choice I make, I can't go wrong. BUT for FREE I want to make the BEST choice!

thanks in advance,

David

-- David (upstate NY) (dkennedy@midtel.net), October 23, 2001

Answers

David,

When I started rural life I bought a inexpensive chain saw at Menards. What a waste of money. Most everyone I have met uses Stihl saws. I bought an 029 Super which has become the 290 and love it. I cut slab wood with it all the way up to huge oak logs left by loggers (24" to ??). I have a 16" bar but have used 18" bars often. The 16" seems a bit easier to handle and suits every situation I have run into. I don't know what you are going to use it for but for all my home heating, clearing needs it is great. Not too heavy either.

-- Paul (pbray@tds.net), October 23, 2001.

We have had stihls for years.. are newest is an 020. no complaints with any them.. 009...007 and the oldest is an s10 (i don't use it anymore as I think it is made from cast iron)all of these are 16"..helps me keep the chains organized :).. we generally don't cut big stuff so the 16" bar does pretty well. However last weekend I found myself wanting a couple more inches to get thru a butt log. Whatever size you get just take into account how it is to be used and how long you'll use it over a day. Do you want to carry the biggest saw all day to cut 10" dia trees (or 2" dia limbs) ?

-- scott (ssbitzer@aep.com), October 23, 2001.

Congratulations on your good luck; Stihl products are very good and you shouldn't have much trouble with it, if you do your part and take care of it (fresh gas, proper cleaning / cooling practices).

I do not live in a region with BIG timber, (12" dia. mesquite limbs are about the largest thing we handle down here), so with that in mind . . .

Unless you already have a big chainsaw, get the largest bar / engine you can afford. You can make do with a large chainsaw on little jobs; making a little one do a job for a big chainsaw is NOT easy. If one of these models is the commercial model, go for it. If you have to cut lots of wood where you are at, it will last longer. I have a 16" Poulan (sp?) now, and have had it for 15 years. I can't remember the engine size, but for now, it works fine for me.

I guess the final judgement is how you will use it; do you expect long running time, or occasional use? Will you be up in the trees? On a ladder? Lots of things to consider.

I do have a Stihl line trimmer and consider it a good machine; it usually cranks with first or second pull. Good luck and again, congratulations, all of us sure can afford free!

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), October 23, 2001.

Why don't you go down to a store that sells them and pick up each one? Just try them out for size. I ended up with one of the shorter ones because the larger ones felt off-balance. Of course, I am only 5'3", which may have had something to do with it, but I really preferred the way the smaller ones felt. Remember, you will have to manuver the saw to cut the limbs!

-- (hooperterri@prodigy.net), October 23, 2001.

get the largest engine,, largest bar, but get a crosscut blade so you can make your own lumber,, then by a regular blade for cutting firewood and such. Those blades are EXPENSIVE,, so if you can get it for free

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 23, 2001.

Paul--I have owned a Stihl 028 wood boss with a 16" bar for about 14 years. Great saw!! I don't think they make the 028's anymore. There have been times when I wished I had a longer bar but not very often. I cut a lot of firewood and try to heat my house here in MN with wood. Whatever you do, buy a good chainsaw. I also have one of those cheapie models that is just junk. The cheapie model is the one I lend to people if I can get it started.

-- Bill (sticky@2sides.tape), October 23, 2001.

Paul-I re-read your question and now realized you won your choice of any Sthil chainsaw. Sorry about that. If it were my choice, I would go with the 029 with a 20" bar. The other option would be to go with the most expensive and sell it, buy a 029 and pocket the cash. I have found that 036 is just a little to heavy for me.

-- Bill (sticky@2sides.tape), October 23, 2001.

I love my Stihl. A co-worker a few years ago was in an MBA program. Their semester project was to completely survey the chain saw market and pick the best brand for quality, value, service life, warrenty, repair costs, etc. Stihl won hands down. Based on that information I made my choice and have not regretted it. My brother acutally uses mine more than I do, he has been using a Poulan, but loves the Stihl. We are buying him one for Christmas.

Congratulations and enjoy!

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), October 23, 2001.

If you want to mill your own lumber, do what Stan said. If you don't, then I'd go for a shorter bar - 16 to 18 inches - and a lighter body. It's nice to have something that isn't too heavy or cumbersome to carry through the woods, and remember, they say a 16 inch bar will cut a 32 inch tree, done with skill.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), October 23, 2001.

David, my husband does some tree trimming and removal on the side, as well as what he does here at home. He uses a Stihl 026 pro with a 16" bar, and has started buying his chains at Smith Distributing here in OKC - not Stihl brand, but seem just as good, and a whole lot less expensive! Anyhow, the 16" bar has always seemed large enough for him, and he has cut down some monster trees with it! One more thing to consider, and I know this is not exactly recommended by the manufacturer, but hubby does it anyway. Will you be doing all your cutting on the ground, or taking it up in the tree with you on occasion? That extra two pounds makes a big difference if you are sitting in the fork of an oak 30 feet above the ground! Aside from that, his Stihl has been used, used, dropped, used, used, used, caught in pecan trees, used, etc. so congratulations - it should last you forever if you take care of it!

-- Christine in OK (cljford@aol.com), October 23, 2001.

I have an 026 with a 16" bar and it does pretty well anything I want it to do on the farm. I once bought a large one (I think 039 with a 20" bar) and it was physically too large for me to handle. That one was intended for professional loggers.

As someone noted in another thread, it seems like most professional loggers/wood cutters use Stihls, which should say something when their livlihood depend on them.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 25, 2001.

OK, where I'm coming from: I've used chainsaws, and my family has owned chainsaws, but I've never owned and used one intensively myself. However, there ARE a few basics. Some are that more power is better, and that less weight is better (once you're past enough weight to keep things under control). A lot of the answer is going to depend on how physically able you are to control the chainsaw you get.

On that basis, forget your MS290 and MS310 - they're less powerful versions of the MS390 at the same weight. Running a more powerful motor under less stress is going to help usability and longevity of the motor. Continuing in that vein, we compare the 036 Pro versus the MS390 - the 036 is slightly lighter and slightly more powerful. If there were any question in my mind, it would be whether to include the 044 (or 046M) in consideration.

Now, we all know that Ken is the handy-dandy vest-pocket size,; and in case you haven't registered it as yet I'm more along the lines of the large economy chaff-bag size. However, I'm also getting to the stage where I'm having to consider what's easiest - what I can manage (for a while) is not necessarily what I SHOULD take on for the rest of my life - so the 026 is worth a look as well - quite a bit lighter, and not THAT much less powerful.

So, that's about it - 026, 036, 044, 046M.

The previous point about getting the most expensive bar you're going to use (say for use in a lumber mill); then paying for a less- expensive daily-use bar is well worth considering. As are the points (here and in the other recent chain-saw thread just 3 or 4 items before) about safety (steel-toe boots, heavy fabric pants and thick socks, safety helmets and eye shields, etc.).

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), October 25, 2001.

I'd like to know how you won this contest? How can I enter? Sigh, I am never so lucky

Gene

-- gene ward (gward34847@aol.com), October 25, 2001.

I have had 2 026's both have worked great and have done all the cutting I've ever needed. Only one problem and it happened 2 weeks ago. I had a chain shortened and the shop didn't file down the raker to the same hight as the rest of the chain and the first time aI tried to use it the vibration broke the front rubber mount. I went to 4 dealers and none had the mount. I called 5 others and none had the part. I had to order it and the delivery took 2 days. Not bad but with the reputation Stihl has I expected to be able to pick up the part at any dealer I went to.

-- Paul (treewizard@buffalo.com), October 26, 2001.

Congratulations on winning a saw! I use a Stihl 026 Pro and a 021. I have a 16" bar on the 21 and a 20" on the 26. They both are killer saws! If I had your luck and could choose a freebie I would go with the 036 Pro with a 20" bar. You can always get a lighter saw later if you wish. I've used Echo, Homelite, Pouland and Stihl. I killed the Echo in about a week and it was pricey! Homelite's were good 20 years ago but now they suck, big time. Pouland, nevermind. Stihl and Huskys are the only two worth the money! Take care, C-ya, Jon

-- Jon Lentz (UMCFAGRGIBLL@spammotel.com), December 28, 2001.

David,

Congratulations on winning the contest. I just got my first stihl chainsaw for Christmas, but I have been using them for years. I actually used to work at a stihl dealer. I just got a MS 310 with a 20' but I would of went bigger if I could of afforded it. Don't get me wrong, my MS310 has some power and it cuts great. I would definitely go with the MS390 or the 036 Pro. The pro probably has some nicer features than the MS390 but they both are good saws. The 036 probably starts a easier and is a little bit lighter than the MS390 it just depends on what you are going to use it for. If you are going to be working up in trees than I would definitely go with the 036 pro. Either way go with the 20' bar. Which ever you decide, I know you will love your stihl as much as I do. Kendan

-- Kendan (myersmagic11@hotmail.com), January 10, 2002.

Hi There, although I have several large powerheads, my favourite is a powertuned stihl 088 Magnum that cranks out 10 horse and sounds like a Tasmanian devil about to be nuetered. My othersaws are Stihl 026,044,064,090, Husqvarna 357, 372 and 385, all of them are powertuned for logging. Please see my chainsaw videos at: www.yukonjohn.ca

-- John Lambert (yukonjohn@direct.com), January 16, 2002.

You want to go with the 036 for sure, i have the 036 and the 025 and love them both, the 025 has 16" bar for limbing and light weight stuff, my 036 has 18" bar for the bigger trees. If you get the 18" with the 036 it would be the best deal as far as i'm concerned, the 20" puts to much drag and slows down the cutting. Also, if you are new to using one it might be a good idea to get an antikickback chain to practice with before getting the more aggressive chains.

-- (ellenrivard@netscape.net), February 06, 2002.