Thread: Size Chainsaw for Firewood?

OMG,,
another chainsaw thread,,
run for the hills!

Thanks for the help.
I'm not really interested in which brand rather whether a 55cc with 18" bar will be ok or will i regret not buying the 64cc with 20" bar?
I would love a pro saw, but the budget won't reach that far.
This year i managed to cut all our timber with a 33cc and 14" bar, so im looking for the balance between size, power, weight (i'm not a big bloke) and money.

Any of those saws you mentioned will be fine. I'd personally get the 20" bar, but I have (and use) three different saws for cutting firewood. I only use the size I need to, as there's nothing worse than hanging off an oversize chainsaw all day doing fiddly branch work.

Originally Posted by cewilson

Any of those saws you mentioned will be fine. I'd personally get the 20" bar, but I have (and use) three different saws for cutting firewood. I only use the size I need to, as there's nothing worse than hanging off an oversize chainsaw all day doing fiddly branch work.

or trying to do more than the saw is capable of.

I wasn't going to post, but buggar it, we use a 251 Woodboss for our firewood duties, this is the farm duties saw, just got two loads last weekend, trailer and ute load full, the Woodboss is perfect for this and we use it for camping as well.

Baz.

Have been using and thrashing an 023 for years, still going but a little worse for wear.

Still got it but I mainly use a 460 Magnum now. Don't know how I ever got by without it.

Honestly though, it is a very powerful saw, the weight can be a pain at times, sore lower back etc after a few hours serious cutting, but it'll do everything I need it for (felling tree's, firewood, scaring the local kids etc) all day, everyday.

OK, I wasn't going to get into the brand stuff, but I'm damned if I'd pay $1200 for a consumer grade POS 64cc saw

A Makita DCS6401 would run rings around an MS391, it's three times the saw, built to pro specs, almost half the price and built in Germany by Dolmar who have been making petrol powered chainsaws longer than Stihl (Fact, and have been owned by Makita since 1991)

For an extra $150 or so you can have a 73cc DCS7301 that runs alongside the Husky 372XP and creams the MS440 Stihl, with anti-vibe the equal of the Husky and miles ahead of the Stihl.
For another 150-200 you can have the DCS7901 which is yes, 79cc and blows the doors off an MS460 and easily beats the old MS064 (I've run them side by side, and I modified the muffler and re-tuned the 064)

The new MS441 is a really good saw, but are stupidly priced.
The MS361 has really poor air filtration, it isn't suitable for Australian timber/conditions, particularly firewood use, but I'm not sure about the new MS362.

Stihls are so ridiculously overpriced in this country it's almost immoral.

Originally Posted by vogue

Thanks for the help.
I'm not really interested in which brand rather whether a 55cc with 18" bar will be ok or will i regret not buying the 64cc with 20" bar?
I would love a pro saw, but the budget won't reach that far.
This year i managed to cut all our timber with a 33cc and 14" bar, so im looking for the balance between size, power, weight (i'm not a big bloke) and money.

I cut most of my wood with small saw (488 Shindowia 48cc???), and yes i regret not going to something in the 65-75cc range.