re: Is a Stihl Chainsaw worth the money?

Go buy it at a local equipment shop and not HD or Lowe's. Spend the money and get a quality product.

My stihl 461 just died on me after 3 hours...scratched up cylinder and compression is below 80...the shop owner is telling me that it looks like their was no oil in the cylinder and that stihl is likely to claim that it was a result of my error using the wrong fuel. The thing is that I bought the premixed stihl fuel and that’s all I’d been using. Personally I think the shop guy who cranked it and went straight to high rpms when it was new is what killed it as it was always a bit tough to get started. Anyone have any experience fighting a shop over something like this? I’ve read a lot of bad reviews on stihl customer service on this kind of thing

Yes

Around here, Husky saws cut faster in pine that is dry....that's it. When Stihl perfected the top handle saws that spun faster, they took over up to 16" (they're way better than Husky top handles). So you can have a Husky that cuts dry pines best, or you can have a Stihl that cuts everything best. Stihls are just better saws because they're designed better

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Big L

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Both big saw companies had trouble with the EPA regs. IIRC, they added more air into the mix to clean up emissions, and that heated up the combustion chamber too much. I haven't run a saw in years, so idk the specifics of those models. I'll take it if you don't want it

Your best bet is to try and get the shop to work with you. They know you bought the premixed stuff there, and I'm assuming the saw looks almost brand new

Day of Katrina, stihl dealer had sold every saw. Drove to the husky dealer and bought a saw. It's run ever since with periodic use with non-ethanol.

But l was cutting trees with a group of neighbors last year. Guy was on a lift about 20' in the air, and dropped a stihl. Buried the blade all the way into the ground, never stopped running. Pulled it out of the dirt, shook it off and kept cutting. Owner had the blade sharpened later that week and refused any compensation for operator-error. Thing never missed a beat.

I deal with one shop only with stihl products and dealer service has been great. But I make more than one purchase a year so they know me.
I asked my dealer years ago about a break in period and he laughed, said anything he sells is expected to run wide open from the minute it leaves the shop. I hope your dealer comes around and helps with that saw.
Like said before, only use non ethanol. Period. And I use the stihl mix oil in the silver bottle.

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I've done both professionally, and will always choose Stihl. Husky parts take a while to come in. You can get Stihl parts that day. Husky saws don't make low end torque like Stihl saws. They make their power higher in the rpm band. You need low end torque when you're cutting anything wet or not pine. That's why Husky saws burn up much, much faster than Stihl saws.


Eta: I have used plenty of both brands on several crews

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I do insurance replacement and we see quite a bit of pro saws on claims. Out in the PNW I will say we see more Husky but anywhere else its Stihl for the high dollar models

I just bought a used Echo as a homeowner it’s all I need and a great saw. But I will say guys think their Stihls are made of platinum or something as used they try and get the new price minus $50, if you buy new that’s grest. I’m not buying something used with the possibility of a new chain and carb costing more than a new saw.

The Stihl homeowner stuff is basically low end big box store junk. The rest is great commercial quality and you pay for it. If you just need a saw a couple times of year just run some pre mix fuel and buy a husky or echo. You don’t need a f350 for a kayak.

I want to mill my own boards out of some timber on our land. Any advice on which rail/mill model I should buy? I've put plenty of hours on the saw, but never used a mill. Thanks for any advice available


I would not use less than 85cc and probably a 90+ saw. I do a little milling with a Husky 3120. Milling is the hardest you can run a saw, very slow, long, and hard cuts.