Time to convert from small engine to battery tools?

[Gale Hawkins]

Anyone own/use the Stihl Battery MSA 220 c-b chain saw?

The reason I ask is was thinking of getting one for my Godfather who has been keeping on eye on the cabin and won't take anything for it... he shoveled a lot of snow last year when roofs were caving in and just looks after things and I had planned to visit last summer but Covid put a stop to that.

I have the MSA 200 c-b and nothing bad to say... but the 220 uses the larger chain and has good reviews.

The thought was to have local dealer price out a package... saw, fast charger, 300s battery and an extra loop or two of chain...

Batteries are pricey so I was thinking of only one at this time.

He lives in Austria... and a cabinet maker by trade and helped me a lot way back when during construction...

While we have a Harbor Freight and Lowe's Kobalt chainsaws I like your thinking on the 220. The larger chain and local dealer for service would be awesome. Helping others like that is awesome as well.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^
This goes back to my original comment in this thread about deciding on a 'brand' because you are either 'locked in' to that brand's battery system or you have several different, non-interchangeable batteries/chargers lying about.

I've chosen Makita for my battery/cordless hand tools. Their hammer-drill was my initial decision (love it!) and I bought their blower skin via a cash-back incentive. I have two 8Ah batteries for these 'skins' and the batteries were easily the most expensive components.

For my (recent) birthday, gift certificates from friends, went towards a Makita 400mm twin battery chainsaw 'skin'.

I guess what I'm saying is to ask/ascertain if your Godfather is 'locked in' to a particular brand's battery system and you can get him a 'skin' to match.

I had wanted it to be a surprise and I have not seen him since 2015...

Unlike here, Stihl in Austria lets you order online... so I could do an order and have it delivered without any import or extra taxes.

I had been sending out boxes of California Almonds and Mixed Nuts... just from Costco which were very well received... but took several weeks to get there on occasion and a small box is nearly $100 postage!!!

He does have a Makita cordless hammer drill... because I had borrowed it before...

A cousin of mine is dating or was dating a guy that owned a farm equipment business... sold new motorcycles, tractors, micro cars and full line of Stihl... was thinking of asking her to be my go between... this way if it was not what he could use I think exchange would not be an issue.

Attached is a picture of him shovel the snow off the roof of the cabin... he is not a young man but when he sees something needing to be done he takes care of it...

 

[dragoneggs]

Anyone own/use the Stihl Battery MSA 220 c-b chain saw?

The reason I ask is was thinking of getting one for my Godfather who has been keeping on eye on the cabin and won't take anything for it... he shoveled a lot of snow last year when roofs were caving in and just looks after things and I had planned to visit last summer but Covid put a stop to that.

I have the MSA 200 c-b and nothing bad to say... but the 220 uses the larger chain and has good reviews.

The thought was to have local dealer price out a package... saw, fast charger, 300s battery and an extra loop or two of chain...

Batteries are pricey so I was thinking of only one at this time.

He lives in Austria... and a cabinet maker by trade and helped me a lot way back when during construction...

For me... I love the thin kerf for 95% of my needs with my MSA200. Thinking the larger kerf will shorten the battery life but if you need the longer bar and are bucking up medium sized trees on a regular basis... I understand going with the 220. I'm amazed at the 200 and have to think the 220 being a Stihl will not disappoint. Might want to look at the weight difference as well. Haven't researched it but I enjoy wielding the 200 with ease.

 

[JK22]

Attached is a picture of him shovel the snow off the roof of the cabin... he is not a young man but when he sees something needing to be done he takes care of it...

Wow. That is a TON of snow!

 

[ultrarunner]

I really like my 200 but it does use an odd size chain...

I know he sharpens all his cutting tools expertly and have heard the 1/4 pico doesn’t have a lot of meat.

Definitely would save going with the 200 series

Prices are high there... the 300s battery is $400 US for one battery vs $240 in North America

 

[dragoneggs]

True enough on the chain size. In a perfect world I would have both saws. :dance1:

 

[ultrarunner]

Looks like you are ahead of the curve again.

The demand for belt and backpack batteries has left Stihl nothing to sell.

The end game is the total ban in two-stroke "Yard" equipment followed by internal combustion of any fuel source.

Please post in the field update on your string trimmer and model.

Stihl list a fs 135 trimmer but no one has seen it yet and no delivery availability.

I was looking for top-handle saw and it was well over a year for more info.

 

[ultrarunner]

Thoughts on Blowers...

As a kid everyone that was meticulous hosed down walks and porches in the dusty dry months...

Municipalities banned using water for this unless Washing...

The reason being is conserving water so the push was on to move folks to Green blowers as no water required

Then came noise ordinances the banned some models so the move was to quiet models and then the outright ban on any gas blower.

Electric option remains but blowers are called public health hazards... so it looks like the writing is on the wall...

My Stihl AP battery blower is my first and very pleased with it... Use it to clean acre roof at work and to corral leaves at home...

Spreading leaves before mowing let's the mower do the collection.

I see electric mowers sooner than later...

 

[ultrarunner]

The hillsides are humming with string trimmers in prep for fire season... grass already waist high...

Steep hills means tractors/mowers not an option.

Fire department issued notice that only non metal cutting can be done to minimize fire from rock strikes causing sparks...

So no metal blades mechanical or hand held...

If you can't use nylon cord or metal or scythe the leaving only cutting heads with nylon blades...

Remember dozing as it got dark and seeing the sparks from the dozer blade hitting rocks... so every year fires here staying doing abatement work...

Maybe time to invest in grazing animals?

 

[ponytug]

The hillsides are humming with string trimmers in prep for fire season... grass already waist high...

Steep hills means tractors/mowers not an option.

Fire department issued notice that only non metal cutting can be done to minimize fire from rock strikes causing sparks...

So no metal blades mechanical or hand held...

If you can't use nylon cord or metal or scythe the leaving only cutting heads with nylon blades...

Remember dozing as it got dark and seeing the sparks from the dozer blade hitting rocks... so every year fires here staying doing abatement work...

Maybe time to invest in grazing animals?

Yup. That's why we went to cows.

My mowing time window is short, between the slopes being too slick to safely work on them to too dry is often only a couple of weeks.

All the best, Peter