How to Pick a Husqvarna Chain Saw

Despite the noise and potential danger of chain saws, these are invaluable tools in the garden and woodlot. Before the invention of chainsaws, wood was cut very laboriously with handsaws and axes, making getting in the winter woodpile a big job for a good part of the year. Chainsaws come in several sizes and styles to fit almost any lifestyle, from that of the occasional suburban pruner to the professional lumberjack. Frequency of use and size of the trees you cut make a major impact on the life of a chainsaw, but so does the way you use it.

Light or Heavy Work

If you plan to use your Husqvarna chainsaw to trim a few branches or cut out a hedge in the garden, you probably don't need a powerhouse saw. A lighter duty gas-powered saw, such as the Husqvarna 240 model, with 13- to 16-inch bar, likely will be sufficient for your needs, especially if you are a novice, unused to handling a chainsaw. If the trees are close to your home and a power source, you may even want to consider an electric saw, like the Husqvarna 316EL. These lighter duty saws have the advantage of lower initial cost as well.

Back Yard or Back Forty

Consider how you use a chainsaw and how often you need it. Even if you plan to use it only to cut firewood in winter and your trees are barely 2 to 6 inches in diameter, if you have thousands of them, you may need a sturdier model than the person who has one or two 24-inch diameter trees to cut. If you're only cutting enough to feed the occasional fire for an ornamental fireplace, an electric or light-duty gas-powered model works fine, but should you need to cut enough firewood to fill a small warehouse, you'll want a heftier model. Consider extra features that make long use easier, as well. Things, like ergonomic design, anti-vibration technology, convenient visible fuel supply and easy-start options, make considerable difference when using a saw for several hours at a time. Mid-range models, such as Husqvarna 440e or 450e, are good choices for non-pro firewood cutters, and accept 13- to 20-inch bars to handle wood of many sizes.

Saplings or Redwoods

People who never cut anything larger than a few inches in diameter do not need a 36-inch bar on their chainsaw or the horsepower that accompanies a saw that large. Unless you live somewhere like the Pacific northwest and regularly cut redwoods or similarly large trees, leave the mega-saws to the pros. Big saws are heavy and unwieldy to use, and you don't really want to lug one around unless you have to. They also cost more initially and are more expensive to maintain. For occasional light use, choose a less powerful saw, at or around 2 horsepower, with a short bar under 16 inches. For heavy use and/or very large trees, a more powerful saw in the 3.5 horsepower range or over, with a longer bar, over 18 inches, will prove more reliable.

For the Pros

Farmers and ranchers whose saws see moderate-to-heavy duty clearing fields and cutting enormous piles of firewood will appreciate the dependability of a medium-to-heavy-duty saw in the mid-size range already mentioned with bars up to 20-inches long. A professional arborist who spends his working life in trees may need to invest in a more specialized saw combining lightweight and shorter bar length with power and reliability. Most arborist saws weigh in under 8 pounds and feature sleek, trim designs for flexibility in close quarters. Some, such as the Husqvarna 338XPT, include a special area for attaching a rope to make hauling the saw up and down through the trees easier.