Any thoughts on this one?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...er-502cc-gas-20-in-chainsaw?cm_vc=-10005

Tractor Supply has a promo going for a free backpack leaf blower with purchase. Was leaning toward an Echo Timberwolf originally. Just for general homeowner use now (hopefully more in retirement).

Recommendations?

Thanks

Well I already see the slam coming, but I'd rather have 4 new cheap saws and a rake, but that's just me. When they get serious problems, I just pitch them or put their parts on another.

A buddy of mine has one and I fixed the oiler on it. ( not the saws fault as he blew saw dust into it while cleaning it with compressed air ) They are nice little saws and fairly lightweight as well. Some have weird shaped rakers on the chains they come with that take some filing down but again that's not the saws fault.

I have both Husky and Stihl and like them both. I bought the Husky where there was a dealer that worked on Husky.
I moved, and bought a Stihl because that's what the dealer here sells and works on.

It's all personal preference I'm a Husky fan I've had a Stihl both are good as mentioned above but the Stihl and I didn't get along as well but these all are timber falling saws not homeowner sizes.
I'd suggest full skip chain on it less cutters to sharpen and bigger chips when you do cut wood.

Allan I don’t think I would recommend that chain to a part time saw user. Your right , it’s great chain but may be a little aggressive for the average person . I personally feel like any chain with anti kickback anything on it feels like a chain that needs to be sharpened. But I also work around the public enough to know the anti kickback chain is a good thing for the average homeowner.

No offense intended Allan , just my .02 .

It is a home owners saw.
Any saw, performance is directly proportionate to the maintenance of the engine and cutting system.
Ask about that extended warrantee. Who dose the work? Then go there and talk to them.

Starting to look like a 2 stroke junk yard at my place. The number one cause of failure is, the fuel we buy.
And lack of maintenance and sharpening.

We wanted cheap and we got it.

Scoob, those anti kickback chains act like depth gauges. .025" or 6 degrees below cutter tips, generally.

Edit, .025" height, 6 degree angle from cutter top to raker top, generally lol.

Yup I know but they are a bear to file down after sharpening the chain as they are so wide at the top. Its ok If I have a few chains to sharpen as I then set up the machine and grind those suckers to the right size. But for one or two chains ... out comes the file

bought an Echo Timberwolf a couple months ago. $429 at local dealer. haven't used it a whole lot. Has plenty of power and not terribly heavy. Starts easy

The safety chains are a good thing for their purpose.
Newbies need to reed that book that comes with saw, twice.

Those chains are a pain in the stern as far as I am concerned

Amen ! Total pain but the book that comes with a saw will not prepare some one that’s never ran a saw for what’s coming when they lay the chain to a piece of hard wood . Just saying !

I have a 455 Rancher that I can't keep the chain tight on, and all the oil out of the saw between uses. Cuts good for the fifteen minutes the chain will stay tight.

I am open to suggestions from anyone on what to do about both problems.

when did husky go to one bolt holding the bar on?

If it is a new chain it will need tightened often until it is done stretching. I doubt that model has an oil adjusting screw on the bottom but check and see.

if you run it with a with a 16 inch bar I think you will be very happy. too many stores order saws with the Max bar length they can do and it is like trying to get the biggest camper your truck can pull and then go drive in the mountains when you hit big wood it works but it is slower going and harder on the equipment.

keep the 20 for those few cuts were you need a bigger cut , like a felling cut but if you run a 20 inch bar fully in wood you have to let it eat it's way through you can't rush it.

I have the 2255 Jonsered the 455 rancher in Red , it is good with a 20 inch bar but better with the 18 inch bar this saw runs 3/8 chisel

a friend has the 2250 the 450 rancher with a 16 inch .325 bar running semi chisel and it is impressive for a smaller saw keeps right up with the 2255. until we get to bigger wood.

store it in a tub and don't refill he oilier the last tank of the day

store spare chains in the bottom of that tub and they will always be in oil

mine leaks out also .

loosen the bar nut a turn then make the chain tight with the adjuster then turn that bar nut down hard and go cut it loosens some but only to about right.

I'm no expert but this is what I have seen.

All of the homeowner saws I ever used break or wear out. i have had husky, echo, stihl, poulan, and some I don't remember. People give them to me and if I can fix them and use them till they die- great. If you are a homeowner buy it. If you heat with wood it will last 3/4 years. Even my Stihl saw is falling apart now. I like Stihl saws right now.I cut with a guy last night for two hours and he has a husky - he said he has three and the one he was using right then was the one that worked. Every time he shut it off the safety kicks on. Every time he starts it he has to kick the safety off. One of the saws had a busted part where the blade anchors to the saw - he said it won't hold the blade.

I burn wood and cut hedge posts for fence. This year I put in almost a mile and a half of fence using all hedge. Keep in mind I had to saw whole trees down to get the posts then cut up all the wood and make fire wood out of it or make brush piles. I tried skip chains, safety chains, carbide chains, and even one that the chain saw guy calls ''the amputator'' and he told me to watch out. They all work fine but if you aren't used to it an aggressive chain can kick an pull way more than a safety chain. Accidents happen fast without warning. I use skip chains on old hedge because it lets me keep my rpms up so my saw has power. The teeth don't bite as much on one wood as fresh wood. If you cut 2'' diameter or less branches with a skip chain you are asking for trouble- better have your big boy pants on.

I have that saw, it's been really good for me. Cut a lot of firewood with it.

450 rancher is near bulletproof. It is one of the best homeowners saws out there.