Stihl Chainsaw 280
Long ago, I saw a tree guy toss a small Stihl chainsaw 25 feet to the ground. His partner picked it up, refueled it, and started it on the first pull. While I certainly don't plan to abuse any of my tools to that degree, the incident stuck in my memory.
I've used three or four other brands of chainsaws but when a 50-foot-tall, 34-inch-diameter walnut tree fell on my barn, I decided I needed a better chainsaw than I could get at Sears. A brand new Stihl model 280 with a 20-inch bar cost $420 USD at my local store and I don't regret one penny. I've run my 280 continuously (well, with stops for refueling and lemonade) for eight or nine hours without problem. I pinched the blade at one point (user error) hard enough that I had to use a come-along and bow-saw to get it free, but afterwards it still worked fine! The balance is excellent, the weight is manageable (the less expensive model 290 "Farm Boss" is heavier) and there is noticeably less kickback than any other chainsaw I've ever used. All Stihl saws have a "recommended" or "stock" bar length but are capable of running shorter or longer. I wanted the lightest saw that could actually cut through a 36" diameter tree... so I got the lighter 280 with an extra-long 20" bar which fits perfectly and runs fine; it's chewed through 34" of black walnut, 24" of maple, and 10" of oak so far without complaint.
I'm less than happy about owning anything with a 2-stroke motor -- after all, I've been using an electric lawnmower for decades and driving a Prius since 2001 -- but Stihl has even addressed that concern. Their motors use a 50:1 gas/oil mix rather than the 40:1 ratio of cheaper saws, and they sell a (relatively) environmentally friendly bar oil. They also claim to use 50% less bar oil than other brands, and unlike every other saw I've ever used my Stihl 280 never leaks oil on the ground or into the carrying case.
Real pros -- men who use chainsaws eight to ten hours a day for a living -- will want to spend around $900 USD for the model 361, with weight somewhere between the 280 and 290 and *significantly* more horsepower. For the rest of us, a model 280 or 290 is a big, burly tool that will be more than sufficient.
When asked why the word's best selling chainsaw (it's pronounced STEEL, like the metal) is not carried by Wallmart or Home Depot, Stihl representatives will proudly state "because we don't have to!" To find the Stihl distributor nearest you, use their web site's store locator.
-- Charlie Brooks
Stihl MS280 Chainsaw
$420
Manufactured by Stihl
Favorite (15)
Terry
I am a military soldier stationed in Germany. I went out to cut some fire wood with my German friend and he had a Stihl chainsaw. I cut my own firewood stateside but I have never seen a 15 year old chainsaw that work so well. He told me he has changed the spark plug 6 times and it has the original chain with only 5 changed teeth. That is why I have to buy one for my self. I hope you ship to APO/FPO. Thank you.9
Lou
I recently purchased one of these myself. The 280 if memory serves, is their smallest professional model. As many might not understand a more technical explanation, it means the motor has better design and parts and will hold up longer than the consumer models. The 290 is a consumer product. I have a friend with a 650, we used it to cut down several oaks up to 36" wide. It finally got stuck in the trunk of one of these monsters, our fault, but when the tree was finally down and the saw retrieved, everything worked flawlessly. As long as you run the engine dry when finished, you can store these for years, and with fresh gas and 50:1 oil, they will start right up, most others in my experiance might need carb work to get them to run after sitting for a few years.
Mr. Wise
Charlie,
"...Less than happy about owning anything with a 2-stroke motor -- after all, I've been using an electric lawnmower for decades and driving a Prius since 2001..."
The carbon footprint left behind to create the electricity, and then send it to your house so you can run your electric mower for a couple hours a week is probably a lot higher than if you ran a gasoline mower for the same amount of time -- unless you live next to a solar, hydroelectric or wind power plant. Also, did you ever wonder how big a carbon footprint is required to make the batteries that are in your Prius?
There are many different types of internal combustion engines; Diesel, 4 stroke, Rotary, Radial, 2 stroke, etc... (I could start naming military application engines, but I think you get the idea). The reason the Stihls are 2 stroke is because there's no possible way to get the horsepower to weight ratios that are required to do the job the 2 stroke engines do. What would you like, a hybrid chainsaw?
I've got a Stihl 041AV Electronic that was made in 1970, and an 075AV that was made in 1974. The 041 has a 30" bar and I've got a 48" and a 38" bar for the 075. They both run great, and I wouldn't part with them for any reason.
"...less than happy about owning anything with a 2-stroke motor..." Sell your Stihl to someone who isn't going to bitch about how the greatest chainsaw in the world is made, and buy a bow saw at Home Depot. You smug environmentalists make me sick. You probably also think that forests are NOT renewable resources. People like you are the reason the rain forests around the world are being clearcut. If you really gave a crap about mother earth, you'd let the country who pioneered reforestation technology cut timber, and stop the importation of foreign lumber.
Disgusted,
Mr. Wise
An out of work Timber Industry worker.