Chainsaws | The Chainsaw Zone

January 7, 2023January 7, 2023

What Husqvarna Gas Chainsaws Are For Sale?

If you are like me you get overwhelmed with all the chainsaw options these days, both Stihl and Husqvarna seem to have way too many chainsaw products available. All those numbers and letters.

More than once I have wished I could look at a chainsaw number and know exactly what it is. Is the saw from their PRO series or their Residential series? And what exactly are some of the differences in the models and features? Is it an old obsolete chainsaw (like my Husqvarna 257) or is it currently on the market?

Well if you’ve ever wondered this you’ve come to the right place. This information can be found elsewhere on the web but not in one place in spreadsheet form with links (coming soon) like this, (at least that I have found). So without further adieu. Here is a 2023 Gasoline Powered Husqvarna chainsaw product list, (with the specs that I care about in a table format).

The Chainsaw Specs That I Care About

The chainsaw’s NAME, its WEIGHT, the chainsaws HORSEPOWER, the chainsaw’s engine volume / CYLINDER DISPLACEMENT, the chainsaw’s ideal BAR LENGTH, the chainsaw’s SOUND LEVEL (over 85dB, hearing protection is recommended). The chainsaw’s VIBRATION and Husqvarna’s SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE (MSRP). The MSRP will help us to know what kind of deal we have found either on amazon or at another store.

Husqvarna Buying Table Gas Powered Chainsaws for 2023

Enjoy and good luck chosing a great saw! We plan to also share a table like this the Stihl chainsaw and perhaps with the other suppliers. There are many more chainsaws available today from Husqvarna and other suppliers, both gas and battery-powered. But you cannot go far wrong with almost any of the Husqvarna chainsaws.

Please comment below what you purchased and why.

October 2, 2022October 4, 2022

Poulan Pro SM4218AVX Chainsaw Review

Recently an uncle gifted me an Poulan Pro chainsaw. This chainsaw had been given to him by a neighbor who moved away and no longer needed it.

This chainsaw seemed to be well cared for and used lightly.

This saw had decent strength and the chain was sharp, well tensioned and oiled and started up with minimal problems. It had not been run for several years and it took a while to burn through the old gasoline within it.

But it filled in well for my Husqvarna 257 which was down, while splitting 12 ash trees worth of firewood in September of 2022.

Specs:

Engine size: 42cc
Engine tpye: 2 stroke engine
Gasoline type: mixed gas to oil ratio of 40:1
Choke is a pull out tab that was intutive and I was able to figure out how to run it quite easily.
Bubble push button six times to prime the gasoline.
Bar length is 18″
It’s weight was I’d say medium, and lower than my Husqvarna 257. But not as light as a battery powered saw.

This saw is not a professional grade saw in ruggedness and durability. I feel like I could break the saw if I tried to do too much with it. It is defineinyl ideal for smaller scale felling and firewood. I checked the price on a present day comparable Poulan Pro and it was near the $300 price point, that alone is telling.

Retail price for a quality pro series Husqvarna or Stihl these days is $800 minimum.

However, this saw is adequate for what it is intended, light duty intermittent branch cutting, small tree felling, and firewood cutting. If you are thinking of buying one I’d not pay more that $300.

September 10, 2022September 3, 2023

History of the Chainsaw-The Tree Felling Machine

I find the history of the Chainsaw quite interesting. It has had a major impact on the world and it gets little credit. Think of the increase in lower cost and higher supply of wood for building that the chainsaw has provided. Without a doubt the chainsaw for cutting lumber is an invention of Europe, and mostly by Swedish inventors. Sweden is heavily forrested and this explains their desire for a more automated way to harvest wood.

There was also a medical chainsaw used in the 19th century for childbirth. 😳 It was used to cut cartlidge to separate the pelvis in women while giving birth. Yes it sounds horribly barbaric, and is no longer used. Cutting wood with chains sounds like a much better idea.

In 1926 Andreas Stihl, who is known as the Father of the Modern Chainsaw, patented two-man chainsaws. The gas powered saw came in 1929, it was called a tree felling machine and it weighed 101 pounds. Which at least partially explains why it was a two-man saw. The second man held the tip of the bar with a handle while a chain rotated under the handle. This saw was called the “Tree Felling Machine”. Andreas Stihl’s company was founded in 1926 and is still making saws to this day in Germany and in the US (in Virginia Beach and Oregon). Given what I know about chainsaw cutting and seeing photos of this monstrosity, I would imagine that the bar twisted often and the chain frequently became stuck while cutting.

In 1950 Stihl’s company manufactured the first one-man gasoline-powered chainsaw. The saw weighed 35lbs. There are photos of this chainsaw and it is enormous. I bet only large lumberjacks could use these machines, in the 1950’s. Little guys need not apply.

orange and black snow blower — Photo by Fabian Köhler on Pexels.com

I plan to buy a Stihl pro series as my next saw in honor of Andreas.

September 9, 2022January 30, 2023

How to Change A Chainsaw Sprocket

Are you experiencing chain slippage on your chainsaw during cutting?

Earlier this year I changed the sprocket in my Husqvarna 257 Chainsaw and I thought it would be helpful to share how to do this.

The sprocket is the round ~1-1/2” diameter special gear, that converts the engine’s power into chain rotation. It is the mechanism that engages the chain and rapidly rotates it around the bar in its groove.

When chainsaw chains get loose, as they often do, these sprockets can allow the chain’s inward-facing teeth to skip. And over time the sprockets can become worn from the intense friction. The wear then leads to even more chain/ sprocket slips. This began to happen so much to me that I decided it was time to change my sprocket.

I considered taking it to my local Husqvarna dealer but then I figured surely I can teach myself this repair.

So I went online (Amazon), ordered the correct sprocket for my saw (Husqvarna 257), and taught myself how to change the sprocket. It was not too bad of a repair, if I can do it likely so can you.

In the photo to this post I show the old and the new sprockets side by side. The old on the left, the new on the right. As can be seen the old is worn due to many hours of use with chain slippage. This was long overdue.

Changing the Sprocket (on most Husqvarna’s)

Step one: remove the side cover by removing the same nuts that you’d remove to change the chain.

Step two: remove chain and bar.

Steep three: loosen locking nut that holds on the sprocket. This nut’s threads turn counter clockwise. So they loosen to the right. This nut was extremely difficult to remove. I recommend you use an impact wrench. I do not have a an impact wrench but after considerable effort it loosened. For this reason you may want to take your saw to a chainsaw dealer who does these repairs, or find a friend with an impact wrench.

Since my new sprocket I’ve had almost no chain slipping.

Another cause of chain slipping is a broken or non-functioning chain tensioner. I will summarize how to change this in a letter post.

November 24, 2021January 20, 2022

Are The EGO Battery Chainsaws Any Good?

EGO CS1400 review, 56V battery powered

In summer 2021 I purcahsea a CS1400 EGO 56 Volt battery powered chainsaw. I immediately used it to cut up several small trees and branches that needed clearing in my yard. This chainsaw is surpisingly powerful for its small size and the fact that it is battery powered.

Features:

Bar oil reservoir
Chain tensioner with finger grips, (no need for screwdrivers).
Bar/ chain removal with hand tightening, (After years of changing chains and bars with bolts and wrenches, several times per use, this feature was my favorite feature, by far).
No need for the hassle and mess of mixed gasoline.
I got about an hour of continual use per charge.
Rapid battery charge took less than 45 minutes.
Power indicator on the battery itself.

However, one limitation to make note of is that I was not able to successfully cut logs that were larger than 6″ diameter. They seemed to be a bit more than the chain could cut from a power perspective. However if I cut slow enough and was careful to not allow pinching I was able to get through them.

I would highly recommend this chainsaw for the homeowner for general brush clearing, and branch cutting. It’sclean, its powerful enough and it seemed as safe as one can get with a chainsaw.

I purchased this at Lowes but here is a Link to this same saw on Amazon

Also, for more chainsaw reviews I have written click here;

August 10, 2020January 6, 2023

Review Of The Jonsered 625 II Vintage Chainsaw

Recently due to job loss thanks to the Covid 19 panic, I had an opportunity to run a Jonsered 625 II chainsaw. I used it to remove an old stump. It made surprisingly quick work of the stump as expected. The owner wondered if I could get it started, but it easily fired up after I added fuel, the saw had been well maintained, the chain was tight and sharp enough.

Jonsered chainsaws are Swedish made, same as Husqvarna. This saw reminded me of a Husqvarna before I knew they had aquired Jonsered in 1994.

It had the small on/off toggle switch.

Husqvarna AB owns Jonsered Fabrikers AB and they still made equipment up until September 2022.

This 625 II that I was lucky enough to run were made between 1987 and 1997, I could not find an exact date on this saw. They have a 61.5cc engine, (3.75 cu inch). It is advertised as a 4 H.P. (horsepower) engine.

Notable Jonsered 625 II Chainsaw Features

This saw had an 18″ bar but probably could have handled more.

Weight is just over 13 pounds, which is lighter than my Husqvarna 257 so that was nice. They probably don’t make chainsaws with 4HP at 13 pounds anymore.

It had a pull-out choke that I had to manually push back in once the motor was getting fuel. The feel was not much different from the Husqvarna’s, perhaps slightly more difficult. I prefer having the choke easily accessible by my right thumb near the on/off switch. The Jonsered felt a bit cheaper than the Husqvarna. However it had a good deal of power as I ran it. I felt the torque as I revved the motor, which I don’t feel as much with my Husqvarna 257 or the Husqvarna355, however I have no reason to think it was more powerful than the others.

Overall I think I prefer the Husqvarna slightly but this saw certainly got the job done. And would be a good buy for the homeowner looking for a small tree removal or firewood saw.

You may be able to find replacement parts for your Jonsered 625 II HERE

Another review of the Jonsered 625.

Comparable Saw Being Sold Today

If I had to choose a comparable saw to this Jonsered 625 II being made today I would choose the Husqvarna 545 Mark II. at only 11.7 lbs with 3.7HP and an 18″ bar, I am impressed with this saw. In fact I am considering purchasing this saw at my local Husqvarna dealer, but Amazon sells it also.

August 9, 2020January 1, 2023

Husqvarna 365 Special Review

Earlier this week I had the chance to run this Husqvarna 365 Special chainsaw. I used it to remove several small trees and trim some branches from another tree.

The 365 special reminded me of my 257, it has the same toggle on/ off switch and the same blue decompression valve button. The gas and bar oil ports are in the same position. It has a 65cc (cubic centimeter) engine volume.

It ran well with a 20 inch bar and had good power at an advertised 4.6 horsepower. It did feel a bit more powerful than my 3.6 hp Husqvarna 257.

The choke is the pull-out type of the opposite side as the on/ off switch. I like this less than where my 257 choke is located. For this reason I put this saw slightly below my Husqvarna 257. But it is almost a tie.

The word Special in its name means it has side (lateral) chain tensioning but the original 365 does not. Those who’ve used both claim the Special is more powerful.

The Husqvarna 257 Chainsaw – A Comprehensive Review

This post is long overdue. About 23 years ago I bought my first chainsaw and I am still using it weekly. It is an air injected Husqvarna 257. It is mixed-gas (50:1) powered high compression motor with a volume of 57cc’s. I am not a professional tree contractor or lumber jack but I do love this saw as a homeowner and recommend it if you have a chance to buy one. I use it with a 20″ bar. It has a 3.7 horsepower motor which has always been enough for me, as long as my chain is sharp. It weighs over 16lbs with the bar and chain which can cause fatique when used for longer than an hour.

I have used it so much the safety chain brake has broken off. I plan to replace this as I’ve found replacement components online. I’ve rarely had to change components. This saw was pricey at the time but it turned out to be a good investment. Although I am not a professional chainsaw user I have used it for a good deal of firewood and tree removal at my properties through the years.

The 257’s were made between 1994 and 2001, before the more restrictive laws about emissions in 2011 and 2012. As with all gas powered equipment, as emissions restrictions are imposed, power and efficiency per volume of fuel used is usually sacrificed.

Husqvarna 257 Features

Some features include a red kill switch, a choke right above the kill switch. It has lower and upper vibration isolation mounts. The bar oil and mixed gas are loaded on the chainsaws side. Falling spike and quiet-tone muffler. It has a chain break (mine is broken off). It has two nuts for loosening the bar. There is a chain tensioner with flat head screw. There is a blue decompression valve that you push in every time you start the saw.

One complaint I have about this saw is that it is heavy, causing fatigue after about and hour of cutting. But perhaps I am just getting weak. I’ve only replaced the spark plug once, the bar I’ve replaced several times but that was due to problems with my cutting technique.

When I purchased this saw around 1997, Husqvarna was not as widespread in the US, as it is now. It is a Swedish manufacturer of outdoor equipment. There were a few Husqvarna dealers around but these saws were not in the big stores like Lowe’s, like they are now. There are now many Husqvarna saws for the weekend warrior on the market.

Each chainsaw product needs its own review. This Husqvarna 257 chainsaw from the mid-90’s is worth its weight in gold to me. The only limits I would put on this saw would involve the limitations of the user.

Now check out my review of the similar saw Jonsered 625.

If you want an equivalent Husqvarna to this 25 year old 257 based on the spec, I’d recommend the Husqvarna 550 XP, click the link below to order your own.

I just found this site that I like and if you need help with other power tool questions I think it can help you check it out by CLICKING HERE. POWERTOOLMENTOR.com