Homelite 16in. 2.0 Cubic In. Chain Saw, Reconditioned Model 3314

Comment: I have used my Homelite 3314 for close to ten years. In that time, the first several years was sporadic use to prune trees. The saw sat in storage for three or four years when I lived in apartments. Now I use a woodstove and the saw works hard all the time, bringing down trees and cutting them into stove lengths. The only "problem" I have had is I need to order a new air filter -- they are kind of felt fabric and the manual recommends soap and water. I used gasoline and it is in rough shape after several years of hard use. As far as throwing chains like another reviewer said -- never happened to me. Any chain saw will need to have the chain tension adjusted from time to time, perhaps two or three times in a day of hard cutting. And any chain saw will need competent chain sharpening. I find that it is well worth twenty dollars or so to buy a new chain at the beginning of my cutting season.

Comment: I bought this chainsaw back when I was poor and couldn't afford anything better from Home Depot. From the start I assumed I could maybe get a couple years worth from it and it would be fine for cutting up firewood when going camping and maybe cutting down a tree here and there.

Seven years later.... I have treated this saw like crap..., I have never done any sort of maintenance on it, I chuck it in the back of my work table in the garage if it's lucky and maybe let it sit outside for a year if it's not. I live in Colorado and it winters outside in the shed, I don't use fuel stabilizer or even bother to freshen up the fuel in the spring.

I don't take care of it simply because I want it to die since that will be my justification for getting a 'real' chainsaw. I have always wanted a Stihl or Husquvarna with a 18-20 bar.

I have been waiting for this thing to die forever... I also admit I have mildly abused it in order to achieve that. I have not been successful and so even though I resent it continuing to live I feel I must comment on it's durability.

What have I used it for? I have cut down four rather large trees and maybe 4 smaller ones. Largest one was 16" in diameter and as anyone who has cut down a tree before knows that most of the work involved is in cutting it all up after it's down.

I also have taken it camping all these seven years, sometimes it gets put away if it rains sometimes not. I casually lend it out to friends who need to 'cut some wood' or whatever.

My point is that even though I purchased this thing at Home Depot for around $150 I have beat the crap out of it, done nothing to help it survive, done things with it is was never designed for and basically abused it with the intention that it should die to make way for something else that I wanted and it's still running without any problems or complaints.

Shallow and materialistic of me maybe..., but regardless the fact remains that this lowly chainsaw that I have neglected and abused for seven rough years still continues to run. It always start within three pulls even after sitting in a heat baked storage unit for over a year. I take it camping without ever bothering to see if it will run because it always does.

I've replaced the chain on it a few times. First time was my fault... I was cutting down a large cedar tree and didn't have any oil for the chain lube, second one was cutting through railroad ties with nails in them (don't recommend that), I'm currently on my third chain. Get a 5/32" chain file, don't abuse your chain, make sure you have plenty of oil for your chain luber, and your first one will last for a long time.

In seven hard years I've never ever had the chain come off like one other reviewer mentioned so I can only suggest some other personal factors are in play...

Bottom line... If you want a decent, easy starting, reliable medium size chainsaw for moderate home owner stuff or a chainsaw that will cut wood on your camping trips, buy it! I endorse it even. However, if you think you might want something bigger later on, don't buy it. Spend the $400+ and get you a Stihl!

This model is built by John Deere even though Homelite puts their stamp on it so maybe that's why it's still running after all I've put it through.

--James

Comment: I bought this thinking it would do all the heavy lifting that my pole saw (Remington) wouldn't or couldn't do and the opposite was true. After the blade came off twice, it became so dull after 10-11 small diameter trees that I couldn't even use it. I had to pull out my little, electric Remington pole saw to take care of the rest of my trees (dropping them and cutting them up). I'm going to get another chain and get the original one sharpened and if round 2 is as underwhelming, I'm taking it back to Home Depot and getting something else.