Stihl or Husky?

[HillBill]

Or more specifically....

A Stihl MS181 with a 16" bar?
http://www.stihl.co.uk/STIHL-Produc...or-property-maintenance/21345-110/MS-181.aspx

Or a Husky 435?.....with freebies
http://www.husqvarnachainsaws.co.uk/acatalog/Husqvarna_435_petrol_chainsaw_.html

I've had the same model Stihl before. Its a good saw, i liked it and cant decide whether i want another or whether i want to try a Husky.

I know there are some experienced chainsaw users on here so i thought i would ask your opinions

Thanks

 

[Mesquite]

Got to be the Husky with machete

 

[spandit]

I'd say if you liked the Stihl (I've got an MS181) then stick with it... why do you need to replace it?

 

[HillBill]

I'd say if you liked the Stihl (I've got an MS181) then stick with it... why do you need to replace it?

I "had" a stihl .

I sold it a couple of years back when i needed funds for something. Now it a case of either the same saw, or something different.

 

[robin wood]

there are no bad stihls or huskies. A few things to consider. Do you still have your old 181? if they still make the same model I always have a preference for same again as it means I have a free supply of spares.
otherwise Husky is 40cc against stihl 31, bit more grunt and these are small saws so a bit more grunt would not go amiss.
Last thing I would say is it is rarely a good idea to buy a saw with the longest bar it will pull, far better run it with the 12" or 14" (that will cut a 28" tree) the longer chain gives more drag so it cuts slower, costs more for new chains and takes longer to sharpen but mainly it just feels a real drag having a long bar on a small engine. A nice little saw with a 12" bar will cut fast and most folk firewooding and such are most of the time cutting less than 12" anyway.

 

[bayleaf]

If you are going to be using the saw everyday,go for the husky.They have always had a better and more sustained attack.If you are going to be using the saw occasionally,go for the stihl.They have always put up with being layed up for a while much better,tho' not infrequently just a shade heavier than most Huskies.
The old husky adverts had it absolutely correct 'King of the Forest'.Better balance,more power.
My advice is based on first hand industrial experience.I hope it helps.

 

[greensurfingbear]

there are no bad stihls or huskies. A few things to consider. Do you still have your old 181? if they still make the same model I always have a preference for same again as it means I have a free supply of spares.
otherwise Husky is 40cc against stihl 31, bit more grunt and these are small saws so a bit more grunt would not go amiss.
Last thing I would say is it is rarely a good idea to buy a saw with the longest bar it will pull, far better run it with the 12" or 14" (that will cut a 28" tree) the longer chain gives more drag so it cuts slower, costs more for new chains and takes longer to sharpen but mainly it just feels a real drag having a long bar on a small engine. A nice little saw with a 12" bar will cut fast and most folk firewooding and such are most of the time cutting less than 12" anyway.

Agree with that. We have a husky and a stihl at work and I find the husky has a bit more bite. We use 15" bars and they suit us fine.

Not much in it really I suppose, the one thing to bear in mind is replacement bits and what your local supplier carries, pain in the butt waiting for new bits.

 

[HillBill]

I had a 14" bar on the last one and that did a good job. The Husky comes with a 15" bar as standard but it can take up to an 18" so i guess that puts it roughly equal to the stihls 14" with a bit more power.

Its going to be used for some light felling, nothing major, limbing and cutting firewood. If my girlfriend has anything to do with it she'll have me trying to carve a mushroom with it

there are no bad stihls or huskies. A few things to consider. Do you still have your old 181? if they still make the same model I always have a preference for same again as it means I have a free supply of spares.
otherwise Husky is 40cc against stihl 31, bit more grunt and these are small saws so a bit more grunt would not go amiss.
Last thing I would say is it is rarely a good idea to buy a saw with the longest bar it will pull, far better run it with the 12" or 14" (that will cut a 28" tree) the longer chain gives more drag so it cuts slower, costs more for new chains and takes longer to sharpen but mainly it just feels a real drag having a long bar on a small engine. A nice little saw with a 12" bar will cut fast and most folk firewooding and such are most of the time cutting less than 12" anyway.

 

[demographic]

Which has the better local dealer support?

 

[HillBill]

Which has the better local dealer support?

Both have dealers with support within 10 miles. In fact one of the shops does both stihl and Husky.

 

[HillBill]

Thanks Bayleaf. I expect it will be used every week at least once. I always end up using tools for more than i originally bought them for anyway, its with this in mind that i'm leaning toward the husky. It just seems more capable.

I've been looking at chainsaw mills, would either of these saws be ok doing some light milling? The husky can go up to 18" bar, would it have the ability to slice up, say..a 12" log?

If you are going to be using the saw everyday,go for the husky.They have always had a better and more sustained attack.If you are going to be using the saw occasionally,go for the stihl.They have always put up with being layed up for a while much better,tho' not infrequently just a shade heavier than most Huskies.
The old husky adverts had it absolutely correct 'King of the Forest'.Better balance,more power.
My advice is based on first hand industrial experience.I hope it helps.

 

[robin wood]

Thanks Bayleaf. I expect it will be used every week at least once. I always end up using tools for more than i originally bought them for anyway, its with this in mind that i'm leaning toward the husky. It just seems more capable.

I've been looking at chainsaw mills, would either of these saws be ok doing some light milling? The husky can go up to 18" bar, would it have the ability to slice up, say..a 12" log?

I wouldn't think of milling with anything less than say 60cc and that is working it hard. Milling burns saws out. I have a 120cc husky and an alaskan mill but I would always try to get the log to a big bandsaw out of choice.

 

[Siberianfury]

i have a stihl 13" and its been perfectly reliable with no problems. never used a Husky but have heard good things about them.

 

[demographic]

Thanks Bayleaf. I expect it will be used every week at least once. I always end up using tools for more than i originally bought them for anyway, its with this in mind that i'm leaning toward the husky. It just seems more capable.

I've been looking at chainsaw mills, would either of these saws be ok doing some light milling? The husky can go up to 18" bar, would it have the ability to slice up, say..a 12" log?

If you're looking at chainsaw mills then arboristsite.com has a very good milling forum.
There's a chap called BobL on there thats done some very interesting stuff milling very hard Australian hardwoods and making chainsaw mills.
One thing I read about milling with a chainsaw (never having done it though) is that its often worth richening the carb jet slightly so it runs slightly cooler.
You also either need to buy ripping chain or file the chain differently for ripping instead of how they are normally filed for crosscutting.

If I remember right, the MS181 has a fixed jet system in the carb which is not adjustable by the user so might not be the best for it.

I have no idea whatsoever about the Husky so can't comment but both saws are on the small side.

 

[HillBill]

I wouldn't think of milling with anything less than say 60cc and that is working it hard. Milling burns saws out. I have a 120cc husky and an alaskan mill but I would always try to get the log to a big bandsaw out of choice.

Theres a saw mill within a few miles of me, would a place like that slice up some logs for me do you think? Obviously at cost. I have some 2ft wide yew logs i'd like slicing up.

 

[HillBill]

Yeah i thought these saws would struggle a bit. On the Husky site there is a small mill for upto a 20" bar, which got me thinking that the saw i'm looking at might work for smaller stuff. It's not something i need the saw for anyway, just something i thought i might be able to do had i the opportunity.

I'll have a look on the forum, thanks for the link

If you're looking at chainsaw mills then arboristsite.com has a very good milling forum.
There's a chap called BobL on there thats done some very interesting stuff milling very hard Australian hardwoods and making chainsaw mills.
One thing I read about milling with a chainsaw (never having done it though) is that its often worth richening the carb jet slightly so it runs slightly cooler.
You also either need to buy ripping chain or file the chain differently for ripping instead of how they are normally filed for crosscutting.

If I remember right, the MS181 has a fixed jet system in the carb which is not adjustable by the user so might not be the best for it.

I have no idea whatsoever about the Husky so can't comment but both saws are on the small side.

 

[spandit]

Theres a saw mill within a few miles of me, would a place like that slice up some logs for me do you think? Obviously at cost. I have some 2ft wide yew logs i'd like slicing up.

How the heck are you going to transport them there? Report back if they'll do it - can't see why they wouldn't

 

[robin wood]

Theres a saw mill within a few miles of me, would a place like that slice up some logs for me do you think? Obviously at cost. I have some 2ft wide yew logs i'd like slicing up.

It depends on the mill and the logs. Generally speaking folk running narrow woodmizer type blades are happy to take risks because blades are only £20, folk running bigger mills with bigger blades will need convincing there is no metal inside your log so they will want to know its from inside a wood away from fence lines rather than a garden or street tree.

 

[HillBill]

In the back of my estate I bought them from a tree surgeon freshly felled 18 months ago, I drove maybe 70 miles to collect them. they are in 3ft lengths the thickest of which is just over 2ft. I have 3 pieces like that, the a few smaller sections about a foot in diameter and the same length. I want it all slicing up into various thicknesses for different jobs. I was never planning in using the chainsaw for these though

 

[HillBill]

It depends on the mill and the logs. Generally speaking folk running narrow woodmizer type blades are happy to take risks because blades are only £20, folk running bigger mills with bigger blades will need convincing there is no metal inside your log so they will want to know its from inside a wood away from fence lines rather than a garden or street tree.

Cheers Robin, I'll give them a ring and see what they have to say