chainsaw recommendations

The same most will tell you: Husqvarna or Stiehl (purely personal preference and what service/dealer is closer). As you not gonna use it hard the later won’t really matter much.
Make sure you buy the right size; limbing with a heavy saw is tiring and therefore dangerous. Too small of a bar will get you in trouble with big lumber and a long bar on a small saw will be frustrating to say the least. 50cc is a good compromise, if you only cut small trees and branches once a year in the yard you can go down to 40cc (saves you $). If you’re needs significantly change and you might be better off anyway getting a second saw (70cc).
Regardless of what brand of saw you buy, if you don’t use it frequently, buy the premixed gas (high octane rating, with stabilizers and without any ethanol) and make sure you store the saw properly when you don't use it for a while

just buy the stihl or husky.

You can get replacement parts for the thing. The off brands you will never be able to service.

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Originally Posted by Waftrudnir

, if you don’t use it frequently, buy the premixed gas (high octane rating, with stabilizers and without any ethanol) and make sure you store the saw properly when you don't use it for a while

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I only use premium fuel for all my equipment. usually just get the echo oil mix.. I'm lazy.. one bottle mixes 5l to exactly 50:1 cost more but I only use 5-10 a year in my trimmer and blower.. between my property, my dad's, and an elderly couple I trim every other week...

Okay... I'm gonna take a closer look at the sthil later.. my only concern it is listed as home owner quality.. and the 1 year warranty..

Funny echo makes great lawn equipment.. (everyone I know (contractors) uses them over sthil) guess their chainsaws are not so..

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Originally Posted by topher

I only use premium fuel for all my equipment. usually just get the echo oil mix.. I'm lazy.. one bottle mixes 5l to exactly 50:1 cost more but I only use 5-10 a year in my trimmer and blower.. between my property, my dad's, and an elderly couple I trim every other week...

Okay... I'm gonna take a closer look at the sthil later.. my only concern it is listed as home owner quality.. and the 1 year warranty..

Funny echo makes great lawn equipment.. (everyone I know (contractors) uses them over sthil) guess their chainsaws are not so..

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Contractors I know use stihl only. Could be people are using them as disposables.

I read this morning that the market is balanced between the Husky (41%) Stihl at 40%...Echo capture only 4% of the market.

http://forestry.about.com/library/tr...-chainsaws.htm

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Contractors I know use stihl only. Could be people are using them as disposables.

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No.. these are guys with multiple trucks on the road.. I dunno.. one guy recently switched to the echos for all their trimmers.. maybe got a good deal from a big dealer in Toronto, I dunno.. I don't follow that stuff.. I just ask people that know for recommendations and go from their.. I feel the echo / sthil debate is a Ford vs Chevy thing for a lot of people.

But I'm not a small engine guy (can fix them) but I have other things in life to follow.. I'm just tired of renting and or bugging friends to borrow their chainsaws.. and end up getting their pos husky that barely started (lack of proper maintenance) dull chain.. and non working brake.. (He loaned it to a guy that cut up firewood with the brake on)

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Originally Posted by topher

I feel the echo / sthil debate is a Ford vs Chevy thing for a lot of people.

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Uh NO...it would be the same as a Silverado vs Smart car debate...LOL...

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Uh NO....that would be a Silverado vs Smart car debate...LOL...

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I'd take the smart car over ANYTHING Chevy... 3 Chevy vehicles. Nothing but trouble

If I had the money I'd buy a Stihl but currently have 2 Poulans that have been great for several years. One 14" & a 20". Have brought them camping tons of times cut lots of cords of wood, cut down trees etc and have never had a problem with either of them.

Stihl is my preference, run a 290 and a 362, but I do have a couple older husky as well