Looking for a lightweight limbcutting saw...

[MossflowerWoods]

I have a20" Stihl MS290 FarmBoss and I love it, but it gets heavy limbing...

I have dozens of huge beech, oak, and etc tree tops I need to process for firewood and burn pile now that the clear-cutting is done

I like Stihl.

I looked at a MS250 woodboss my logger suggested, but it seems kinda big, or bigger than I need, but I do not want a toy saw, I want a good & durable saw.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance & Be well,
David

 

[s219]

Well, you could replace that boat anchor 290 with a MS261 and have a smaller lighter more powerful saw that is better for limbing, but won't give up any balls for regular cutting. Will be pricey, but hard to beat two saws in one. A Husky 550XP (or 346XP if you can find one) would be a good option too, and slightly more nimble than the Stihl 261.

There are no compelling Stihls I'd recommend in the mid range or homeowner range. To me, they are a way to burn $$ that are better put into a Stihl Pro saw, or a Husky pro saw, or a better grade saw from any other manufacturer.

If you want to keep the 290, a good smaller lighter saw is an Echo CS-400. That is smaller enough to broaden your quiver of saws compared to the 290. It is priced about the same as a Stihl 250, but is better construction (the 250 is a homeowner saw with a 50 hour rating). And you can get the Echo at Home Depot, in addition to Echo dealers, so they are easy to find. They usually ship with an 18" bar, which is good for limbing (longer reach), but I prefer a 16" bar on that saw for any regular cutting. I have half a dozen saws now, but still like that little Echo for the right mix of size/weight/power/reliability. Echo has a couple other saws that are a little bigger and decent, but not as light and nimble as the little 400.

I almost forgot, I have a mildly used Stihl 261 that I keep meaning to sell -- if interested, give me a holler. I just don't use it much anymore with a Husky 562XP and Echo CS-400 in my lineup. The 261 is a great saw, but I simply bracketed it out of use with two other saws. Have a few extra bars/chains that go along with it. I'd only suggest the 261 if you want it to overlap or replace the 290. Otherwise go smaller for a two-saw strategy.

Whatever you do, stay away from anything sold at Lowes, or the cheaper homeowner saws from Home Depot, TSC, etc... Just a way to burn $$ in the short term.

Good luck!

 

[Baby Grand]

I have an old, 14" Stihl 011 AV that is light and rips through tree top limbs.
Can't say what their current, equivalent, model is, but I'm sure one of TBN's tree guys can.

 

[The Deerslayer]

I too have the MS290 and went through a similar consideration as you a few years back. I needed something to handle the limbing as well as smaller quick jobs. I ended up going with the MS180. It is light and has handled all tasks given with great ease. This set up with the duo works great for my needs (4-6 cords a year).

 

[roadhunter]

I've been researching this same topic and keep coming back to the Echo 370 or 400. Everywhere I look people seem to really like the Echo saw for this application. I'm going to snag one and do the muffler mod and tune the carb which everyone recommends on these saws.

 

[jeff9366]

For limb work a battery powered reciprocating saw is superior to a chainsaw.

 

[roadhunter]

LOL. Superior in what way?

Sawzall is not even remotely close to being a replacement for a limbing saw IMO. Would be nothing but a waste of time.

 

[jeff9366]

Respect other opinions.

 

[4570Man]

For limbs under an inch it is hard to beat a good axe. A good axe is the secret. I have a tractor supply axe that couldn't cut a stick of butter in half. I have an axe that was my great grandpas that will cut a 1 inch limb in one swing.

 

[Sodo]

Limbing is a fairly wide category.

Since this is a chainsaw thread I have to say I have a Stihl 028 AV Super with a 24" bar. Have to own a decent size saw for credibility in discussing more sensible saws.

I have a razor sharp axe, it has its benefits in some situations, but I don't use it often.
=============

1/2" limb or 3"?
Cutting "at the trunk" or "away from the trunk"
Cutting 5 limbs or 300?

A battery powered recip saw could be the best choice of tool at the top of a ladder. I don't enjoy pulling starter ropes while on a ladder, or up in a tree. Squeezing a trigger has its benefits. If a chainsaw cuts a limb in 3 seconds vs 20 seconds with a recip, sometimes in the overal scheme of things; the "safer" unit is prudent use of "17 seconds". My Stihl mS201 (high performance pro unit $649) could easily take 17 seconds just to get it started.

I have 12" echo chainsaw that's 20 years old. Very very used, looks like it might be on it's last legs, but, always always always starts on 1st pull. I'm currently having doubts why I ever went away from Echo, except that Stihl is "cool".

Also have a weedeater-type polesaw, it's in new condition and I suspect it will remain in new condition for awhile because it's so strenuous to use. My tool of choice for limbing is 95% brushcutter type Echo PAS 266 with a 7 1/4" carbide skillsaw blade. It cuts with surgical precision, I like it.

 

[rustyshakelford]

For limb work a battery powered reciprocating saw is superior to a chainsaw.

It might be good for trimming a tree that's standing but I'm not about to be bent over with a Sawzall limbing a tree that I've layed over.

LOL. Superior in what way?

Sawzall is not even remotely close to being a replacement for a limbing saw IMO. Would be nothing but a waste of time.

Don't have to worry about getting gas or oil on your close is the only benefit I can think of.

Respect other opinions.

I do respect it but it's a poor choice for limbing trees. With a saw and 20" bar you don't have to lean down near as far or get wrapped around the limbs to get to the base. The limb could call on you if your not paying attention.

Op

261 is a good saw. If you want a really light saw and don't use it very frequently, or limb big trees a 180 would work for you. 14" bar and narrow chain. Just not pro or mid range.

Brett

 

[Coyote machine]

Look at my signature at the bottom of this post. I use all the saws listed in my collection. The 011AVs are great saws from the 1980-'90s, and work great with 14'-16" bars. I use the 180C now a lot because it is lightweight. I cut anything and everything I need with the various saws in my collection. Some of them are fairly close together in cut ability, and that is because I bought a couple of them at pawn shops, because they were available really cheap vs. a new saw of equivalent size/price.

Sawzall type cutters can be useful for pruning limbs, but are not suited to lots of limbing, though their weight and battery vs. gas/oil can be advantageous. Personal choice, I'd say; it depends on what you're cutting, when, and how, and how much you're doing at one time. I try to use different techniques for different situations, depending on the terrain, what the weather is, (wet or dry conditions, etc.)

 

[jeff9366]

I have pictured Sawzall.

I have two Stihls.

I am 67 years old and started using saws on trees about age 15.

For limb work a battery powered reciprocating saw is superior to a chainsaw.

Milwarukee makes a Sawzall blade called "THE AXE" which is amazing.

 

[Coyote machine]

'Superior' is relative to what you do and what your choice is. I've been doing tree work since my first real job working for a tree company. Various tools work for different jobs, for different people. There is no RIGHT thing for everyone.

 

[hslogger]

Differenttttt strokes fer diffferenttttt folks
I have found the Stihl 017, or Ms170 to be fine and dandy for knocking snotter limbs here and there. Stay away from the one hander saws. Even in the hand of a professional aborist, they are iffy and invite abuse of your body. I have mine set up with 14inch bar and , full compliment chain, and full floating sprocket like big pro saws. For my dollar they are great in this application.
Remember it ain't the size of the wand, tis the magic behind it.

 

[s219]

I think people must have different ideas what "limbing" means. For me, it means walking alongside dozens of felled trees, some perhaps 24-30" or more in diameter, and nipping off hundreds of large and small branches. For that you need a balanced, nimble, fast-revving chainsaw to be most effective. Not all chainsaws are good at limbing -- some simply can't rev fast enough or have lousy balance. Pro loggers tend to have just one saw, and it has to be good at felling and limbing. Funny to see these guys limbing with 70-80cc saws, but it's common. I'll limb with my Stihl 461 if I have to, but prefer a smaller saw.

Sawzall is great for pruning and dealing with roots. Would never choose it for limbing though, at least not where productivity mattered.

 

[jcummins]

I use MS270 with 20" bar.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

+ 1 for the MS 170. It is nicely balanced and is a lot easier to quickly move from limb to limb than my MS 290.

 

[roadhunter]

I think people must have different ideas what "limbing" means. For me, it means walking alongside dozens of felled trees, some perhaps 24-30" or more in diameter, and nipping off hundreds of large and small branches. For that you need a balanced, nimble, fast-revving chainsaw to be most effective. Not all chainsaws are good at limbing -- some simply can't rev fast enough or have lousy balance. Pro loggers tend to have just one saw, and it has to be good at felling and limbing. Funny to see these guys limbing with 70-80cc saws, but it's common. I'll limb with my Stihl 461 if I have to, but prefer a smaller saw.

Sawzall is great for pruning and dealing with roots. Would never choose it for limbing though, at least not where productivity mattered.

I think you must be right.

 

[hopm]

Power to weight on a small saw a 250 is hard to beat. 180 is also an light weight quick little saw that I really like.