16"-18" Chainsaw recommendations

get something bigger than the 170. The chain sucks ass

too true you will be able to file the chain a bit for up keep but you will be kicking yourself in the ass when your buying new chains on the norm.

I have 2 years now on the stock 170 chain. I use it 1-2 days per month.

This year ive been running a Husqvarna 353 E-Tech with a 18-20" bar. I could not be happier with the Saw. Reliable,powerful and is'nt very heavy its a lower class of professional saws but definately holds its own. I have run Stihl and Husqvarna and both have been good to me, keep your saw happy and it will make you happy. Heres some info.

http://www.husqvarna.com/ca/en/products/professional-chainsaws/353-e-tech/

this ^^ be it a Sthil or a Jonsered(same as husky) or a Husky go for the pro quality and you will have a screaming hot saw that will last forever OR buy a poulan every 2 years and brag about how much $ you saved until you have spent as much as if you had bought a pro saw

look at the spec sheet the power to weight, how high the engine revs, you want magnesium engine cases, the homeowner saws have plastic engine cases to save weight/$$$ and they don't have the HP

I'm getting the 353 next year, a Sthil 261 is comparable or a Jonsered 2153 is the exact same saw as the husky 353 with red covers

BTW Husky AB owns makes poulan/muculloch/weedeater/Gardenea/Jonsered/dixon

husqvarana also makes sewing machines..

husqvarana also makes sewing machines..

And motorcycles. Unsure of your point

MS170 is great for hiking into places. MS270 is great for your firewood and building a trail next to your truck. ;)

MS270 is a much better saw for hiking into places if your not a girl and can handle carrying an extra couple pounds through the bush. It's really not a big deal and the extra power is nice.

That being said I did a ton of work with a 16" Poulan back in the day, but I was a scrawny 16 year old kid so the light weight small saw was good when I bought it, what's your excuse? :lol:

Sorry Sven, just busting your balls but if your buying a new saw don't let a couple of lbs difference turn you off buying the right tool for the job, it's how you get stronger.

edit: Can't spread any more rep to you Uncle Duke, sorry

lol, too much awesome to require rep?z..:)

The 170 is good on gas, if you start with a full tank, and a 1 liter bottle of fuel, you can cut for most of a day. (And a liter bottle of chain oil)

I haven't had any problems with the stock chain on mine. If you buy the kit, it comes with a case and 2 chains.

too true you will be able to file the chain a bit for up keep but you will be kicking yourself in the ass when your buying new chains on the norm.

kind of a threadjack

I don't have much saw experience but when I sharpen my chain it never comes close to cutting as smooth as a new chain. Is it my sucky sharpening technique? Is this normal? Am I damaging the chain beyond sharpen-ability when I tag rocks or dirt?

The 170 is good on gas, if you start with a full tank, and a 1 liter bottle of fuel, you can cut for most of a day. (And a liter bottle of chain oil)

I haven't had any problems with the stock chain on mine. If you buy the kit, it comes with a case and 2 chains.

the gas thing is a good point as a bigger saw will go through more fuel - hence more stuff to pack around.

kind of a threadjack

I don't have much saw experience but when I sharpen my chain it never comes close to cutting as smooth as a new chain. Is it my sucky sharpening technique? Is this normal? Am I damaging the chain beyond sharpen-ability when I tag rocks or dirt?

yes, no and maybe.

it takes time and experience to be able to sharpen a chain effectively. one thing that will affect chain performance is uneven sharpening, the teeth have to be cutting all at the same depth to be effective. there are guides you can buy that help until you get the hang of it. i use this guide in the field all the time simply becuase it makes the sharpening process faster:

but if you want to get factory performance using an electric sharpener is the way to go. you could also take them in to a shop to get them done.

unless you explode a tooth it can be sharpened to a good degree again, but it may need more material taken off so it won't cut effectively until the rest of the teeth on the chain are at the same height.

it's much more effective to sharpen your chain frequently with just 2-3 passes with the file. overall you'll get way better cutting performance than waiting to sharpen until the chain is noticeably dull.

if your willing to spend a few extra bucks, something like this seems like a great option too:

http://www.toolsnob.com/archives/2010/12/powersharp_chainsaw_sharpening.php

you tube it. proper technique makes a big difference.

you def need a vice and a chain guide unless you are the james brown of chain sharpening…

After 7 years of clearing and building mtb, quad and moto trails my ms210 is stihl going strong. Seems after 7 years I could use some better technique though, as a couple minutes after this pic was taken today, I had to leave the bar and chain in the tree. :crybaby:

After 7 years of clearing and building mtb, quad and moto trails my ms210 is stihl going strong. Seems after 7 years I could use some better technique though, as a couple minutes after this pic was taken today, I had to leave the bar and chain in the tree. :crybaby:

if you need some help let me know

Thanks Dave, I think I have an old bar and several chains to go cut it out. The trails sure are a mess.
I can only think of a few occasions where I wished I had a larger saw. The 170 would be a good choice.