# What is an easy starting chainsaw for a Sr Citizen



## Metalman

I seek hands on experience about which chainsaws are truly easier to start for a Sr Citizen. 

I made a mistake of believing the cartoon on a Echo box at the orange store that claimed Easy Start, User Friendly, Long Lasting. Once out of the box, I found that I could not pull the rope hard enough to start the saw. Took 2 trips back to the orange store to get a refund, but when I started talking about doing "market research" in their parking lot by asking potential customers to try pulling the starter rope to determine if they agreed with the Easy Start claim on the box, I got it back.

I visited an independent Echo dealer to discuss what he had, and he eventually agreed that none of the Echo line he had would work for me. His target market is the professional landscaper operations, many of which are staffed by relatively young illegal aliens.

I am 70 years old and have some arthritis in my shoulders. I am not a total wimp, 6'-3" about 220 lbs. We have 10 acres in rural Central Texas where we are starting up a market garden and orchard. I need to cut down some small to medium size trees during clearing. Most trees are Winged Elm and next are Yaupon Holly. Largest caliper is about 8 inches, but most are in the 2 to 6 inch range. 

Besides clearing our property and fence rows, I would like to collect about a cord of fire wood each year for our wood stove.

I have absolutely no problem starting our Stihl 70R trimmer (27 cc displacement).

Hand on experience will be greatly appreciated.


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## Bret

A hard starting chainsaw is just what you need to keep working that shoulder. 

I have a Husky with a compression release for easier starting. It starts OK with minimum effort if it has fresh gas/oil. Good luck.


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## DaleK

I think you'd probably be better off with a generator with electric start and an electric chainsaw. My father is 69 and hasn't been able to start any of my saws for a while now. The other option if they're all small trees might be a Stihl or Husky clearing saw (basically an overgrown weedeater with a blade) but they're expensive.


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## Harry Chickpea

I rarely even start my Husky anymore for anything less than a full on tree. For the type of work you describe, I use a 14" electric and a 2200 watt generator that I bring to the area in a wheelbarrow. It is MUCH lighter in weight, revs up when I want it, and the process is much quieter and more sane.

One thing - don't expect to start a 2 hp electric on anything less than a 5 kw generator. It'll stall the generator on startup inrush.


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## Ray

I know you can have a lemon in any brand, with that said, I always used stihl throughout my life, but bought into the tv commercials several years back and bought an off brand chainsaw which no one could. Start traded it in for another, same brand which wouldn't,t start without much effort!!! Then another brand wit same result!!! Real ----ed off after weeks of ,trying other brand chainsaws I went and bought another stihl, now 3 years later I can pull it normally under three pulls at 10 degrees and it's running!!!!! I'm sure there are other brands just as good but I just don't want to spend a couple years trying to find which ones! Best wishes, ray


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## NickieL

In not in your age range but being only 5 feet, I find most stringed things hard to start. I'm also on the look out for an easy start chainsaw, so will keep an eye on this topic.


Sent from my iPhone using Homesteading Today


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## Bret

NickieL said:


> In not in your age range but being only 5 feet, I find most stringed things hard to start. I'm also on the look out for an easy start chainsaw, so will keep an eye on this topic.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Homesteading Today


 I still can't start a yoyo or paddle ball.

A friend much my senior made a platform to hold his chain saw. He stands on the platform to start his saw. Works for him.


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## Allen W

Stihl used to make one that you pulled the rope and then an internal spring? spun and started the saw.


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## jwal10

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/battery-and-electric-saws/msa160cbq/

....James


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## MichaelZ

I have a Husqvarna 49 and it has started dependably for about 15+ years now. Pull the choke, 2 pulls, push in the choke, start. Go with a 40-50 cc saw, either the 440 or 450 model.


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## dizzy

DaleK said:


> I think you'd probably be better off with a generator with electric start and an electric chainsaw. My father is 69 and hasn't been able to start any of my saws for a while now. The other option if they're all small trees might be a Stihl or Husky clearing saw (basically an overgrown weedeater with a blade) but they're expensive.


Other than that my generator is a pull start, this is what I use. I cannot run a gas powered saw. The fumes trigger my Meniere's disease, but am far enough away from the generator to have it not bother me. I cut quite a bit of firewood this way. In fact, I'll be heading out in the not too distant future to get a truck load of wood.


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## driftwood

you could get a young illegal alien to run saw for you...
i know a little cute girl that has a stihl saw that the rope pulls out slow easy and it starts the saw...


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## clovis

Truthfully, you should consider a cordless Sawzall with several extra battery packs.

I also have a problem sometimes pulling cords too, and have found that for small stuff, the cordless recip saw is the best tool that I own. 

Buy yourself a good handful of 'brush and limb' blades, and buy some extra battery packs while you are at it. Some of the brush blades come in some pretty good lengths.

I was able to cut some pretty big limbs/small logs by plunge cutting on different sides of the log to get the depth that I needed when the blade wasn't long enough. 

The downfall is that you won't get much cutting done with each battery, even with a full charge.

No, it isn't fast cutting like a chainsaw, but it does work well. I cut down at least 50% of a dead tree, and many people said it couldn't have been done at all with the Sawzall that I had. Just plan your work, and keep your battery packs charged before you go out.


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## clovis

A quick check on ebay shows that many are listed as pruning blades.

I see that 9", 10" and 12" blades are available. I think I was using a 9" blade that was called a 'brush and limb'.

I like the new style of aggressive teeth on the Milwaukee and Freud blades. I'd love to try them sometime, since I use my Sawzall for all the time for cutting wood/limbs/small trees. 

My dad owns a chainsaw too, but routinely borrows my cordless Sawzall for tree cutting. He's been taking down some pretty good sized pine trees with it, and uses it almost exclusively for delimbing the tree. 

I feel that the Sawzall is much safer to use, especially when using a ladder to reach higher areas.

Of course, the Sawzall won't be much help getting 5 cords of wood each year, but it will help you in the orchard and fence rows.


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## farminghandyman

an electric saw is nice, depending on your property size and where you want to use it,

with fresh gas my stihl saw starts good,


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## donewithcity

Stihl does make a easy start saw, I have one - just a couple of light pulls of just pull slow to wind up the internal spring and it starts right up. Nice when you are precariously perched in a tree. Mine is a 45cc it came with a 16" bar but I put an18" on it.
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/homeowner-saws/ms251cbe/


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## Roadking

Husky, Stihl, anyone of them are a lot easier if you put an old axe handle through the hand guard and stand on it while pulling the cord. Also prevents a run away saw.
Aside from that, genny and Remington electric saw is the way to go, IMO.

Matt


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## dizzy

farminghandyman said:


> an electric saw is nice, depending on your property size and where you want to use it,
> 
> with fresh gas my stihl saw starts good,


When needed, I unload my generator from the back of the pickup and carry it into the woods. Did that yesterday and got a whole pickup load of dead oak.


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## AtomicFarmer

I've also heard good things about the Stihl spring-assist start. I really don't have personal experience with it; my MS-290 just has the standard pull start. It's worth looking into.

This thread does show that there are lots of options out there.


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## mrs whodunit

I have an Echo that is very easy to start.


I can cut wood all day long but a hard starting chainsaw is something I cant do.


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## pawnee

i have not got one yet but the battery powered chain saws looks to be good get a couple spair batterys and it should last as long as you and the you can take a rest as they charge


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## unregistered41671

*HAND SAW OR CHAINSAW?*








Old Jake had cut firewood by hand with a swede saw for a living going on 50 years. He averaged about four cords a day. His son was home from college and watching him work remarked, "You could probably cut 10 times as much if you bought yourself a chainsaw."

"Not interested in those new fangled things," Jake responded.

His son returned to college and Jake began to think that maybe the young guy was right; his old body seemed to ache more and more at the end of the day. So he went into town and bought a brand new top-of-the-line chainsaw.

The first couple days were not very productive--he only cut one cord each day. By the third day he had cut 3 cords but was dead tired. "This is not working," he thought to himself, "My son said I should be able to cut 10 cords a day. I'm taking this stupid thing back."

The next day he was in the hardware store complaining to the sales clerk about his lack of production. "Blade seems a little dull, but not that bad. Let's start it up," the clerk muttered as he pulled the starting cord.

"What the hell is that noise?" Jake hollered.
http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Workshop/Jokes1.htm


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## homemaid

Stihl make a great easy start as others have said. It has a compression button on it. Go to a Stihl dealer and check one out.


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## Evons hubby

Grandson


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## Metalman

Metalman said:


> I seek hands on experience about which chainsaws are truly easier to start for a Sr Citizen.
> 
> I made a mistake of believing the cartoon on a Echo box at the orange store that claimed Easy Start, User Friendly, Long Lasting. Once out of the box, I found that I could not pull the rope hard enough to start the saw. Took 2 trips back to the orange store to get a refund, but when I started talking about doing "market research" in their parking lot by asking potential customers to try pulling the starter rope to determine if they agreed with the Easy Start claim on the box, I got it back.
> 
> I visited an independent Echo dealer to discuss what he had, and he eventually agreed that none of the Echo line he had would work for me. His target market is the professional landscaper operations, many of which are staffed by relatively young illegal aliens.
> 
> I am 70 years old and have some arthritis in my shoulders. I am not a total wimp, 6'-3" about 220 lbs. We have 10 acres in rural Central Texas where we are starting up a market garden and orchard. I need to cut down some small to medium size trees during clearing. Most trees are Winged Elm and next are Yaupon Holly. Largest caliper is about 8 inches, but most are in the 2 to 6 inch range.
> 
> Besides clearing our property and fence rows, I would like to collect about a cord of fire wood each year for our wood stove.
> 
> I have absolutely no problem starting our Stihl 70R trimmer (27 cc displacement).
> 
> Hand on experience will be greatly appreciated.


 
Thanks for all the responses!

I found our answer in a Stihl MS 180 C equipped with 16-in bar.

This chainsaw with the Stihl EasyStart system a breeze to start, especially when warm. I have no reluctance to stop the saw to change positions because I know it will be so easy to re-start.

For anyone within practical driving distance of Bryan/College, Station Texas, the Stihl dealer of choice is Bryan Outboard, a great family run business.

Stihl makes two larger saws with the EasyStart system, but we do not need the additional power for our application for up to about 8-in caliper. 

My wife is getting more and more comfortable driving our Massey Ferguson 132S tractor with multiple implements, so I assume she will be operating this saw sooner rather than later.

Thanks again!


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## swamp man

Sweet. Nice, quality machine, and it sounds like you're in good shape with follow-up service.


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## Wingdo

I haven't hit the 70 year mark yet but am not too far behind you. That said, I've been using chainsaws since I was nine and where I agree with Stihl being about as good as it gets as far as a good/hard working saw I had two that I ended up giving to my sons since starting them wasn't in my best interest if I actually wanted to have anything left for cutting the tree!

I now have a newer Polan, which isn't much of a saw but it is light, primes with 8 pumps and still allows me to fire it up and actually cut a little firewood. It'll start on the third/forth pull about every time. Of course since the old body isn't up to much these days I out maneuvered the pull by affixing a clamp to my little trailer that I can clamp it to while starting... it basically holds the saw firmly in place so I can brace myself with my left and pull with my right arm (basically an isometric exercise).

The clamp works better than the saw so anything I have left physically after starting it can go into cutting... and yes, even a crippled up old man can cut a good amount of wood as long as he doesn't have to load/pack/split it.

Good luck
Wing


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## alleyyooper

Just got done reading about the Mikita 36Volt chain saw. Uses a pair of 18 Volt batteries. Check out their Web site for more information.


 Al


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## Jan Z

I've been happy with my Stihl and I'm 65 and crippled up. 

One thing I learned is to watch out for the E-10 fuel, it's nasty stuff for small engines in that it does not keep well, absorbs moisture and will corrode some carb parts that are zinc based. That stuff will make any small motor / tool hard or impossible to start.

I use a fuel additive called StarTron and it really helps, it's better imho that all the rest and it will save you major repair bills. 

I always drain and run them dry too. You can use the StarTron for diesel with gasoline but only use 1/2 oz per ten gallons


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## big rockpile

Allen W said:


> Stihl used to make one that you pulled the rope and then an internal spring? spun and started the saw.


 Still do, light pull start it right up.

big rockpile


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## Gray Wolf

I'm a pretty fit 67 and don't have any problems starting the two 20" Stihls I have, BUT, when it gets much below freezing, I bring them inside for a few hours to warm up first before I start them. Much easier! Then I just don't let them sit very long before restarting while cutting wood.


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## topofmountain

I know most of you will label me crazy, & really don't care. But I don't buy new chainsaws I find them in yard sales etc. My last yard sale I scored a A weed Eater trimmer & a high wheel mower for $7. Then my buddy gave me a chain saw, he knew I needed one around the homestead. So he opened up his garage & said help yourself. He says I don't have over $5 in anyone of them. So they were in various conditions about a dozen of them. I found one with a mix match of parts. Put some gas in it & (HERE IS THE SENIOR CITIZEN EASY START) a shot of starting fluid & it came to life running perfect. So as I was getting ready to put it in the truck he says grab a hand full of chains that fit. So for FREE I have a nice little chainsaw & a few extra chains. YARD SALES MEN & WOMEN. STARTING FLUID turns the hardest starter into ease. Just for the record he & I are both OLD FARTS. Just for the record my FREE chainsaw has cut non stop for about 4 hours one day. Except for pit stops. It was being run by my helper, a young 20 year guy that knows what work is.


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