Lightweight limbing/firewood saw.

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member
Location
Rochester, NY
Current small saw is a Stihl 026. Looking for something lighter and easier to handle for limbing felled tree tops, maybe up to 6" diameter.

Would prefer to stick with Stihl orange. The 017/018/MS170/MS180s seem like the next viable size down, but on paper they don't seem significantly lighter than an 026. Is a couple pounds worth having the extra saw?
 
I have a 180 love it for the smaller stuff and yes a couple of pounds is a lot I can reach up with the saw in one hand to reach small stuff but yet it will handle 6in no problem, also the 180 is a 2 ring piston as I've been told the 170 is a single
 
Different Orange, but the last couple years I have been running an Echo CS-310 in an orchard where I work part time. At times, I walk up and down rows of fruit trees for long periods of time cutting dead
limbs etc. I have also used one to cut down rows of old trees up to 10 or 12 inch diameter. I am very impressed with how well it starts, how light it is, and how well it cuts. Using it like I have been,
with all the walking, a couple pounds is significant at the end of the day. The only downside in using it like I do is the size of the fuel tank. In checking specs, it is comparable to the MS170 or MS180
Stihl. Our local dealer has the Echo priced at $199.00. Not sure if you have an Echo dealer nearby, but might be worth a look unless you are wanting to stick with Stihl.
 
An MS150 with a 10 or 12" bar is only a bit over 6 pounds, if you want Stihl. I used to keep a Mac 10" for limbing and could do it all day. Since this was built from parts in a box, I'm not certain it was a proper configuration, but it was better than even the 14" 240 that was my next smallest saw.
 
I have 2 ms170 saws- oldest one is 13 years old, love it. was at my Stihl dealer and mentioned that my old saw has cut nearly 70 cords of wood. He couldn't believe it would last that long and gave me a deal on a new one--same saw,14 in bar. Used the new one for a year so I could use the warranty if needed. Still running the old one also, Gary.PS, also have an old Jonsred 70E for the big stuff, like the 24 in dia. elm I cut yesterday.
 
I have an 011 the wife gave me for Xmas in 1988. Also an 023 and 028. all run well, with normal maint. Newest saw is a MS 390, and it is a
horse.
023 was given to me ffrom my BIL needed a little work but runs great.
 
(quoted from post at 09:59:12 09/28/18) Different Orange, but the last couple years I have been running an Echo CS-310 in an orchard where I work part time. At times, I walk up and down rows of fruit trees for long periods of time cutting dead
limbs etc. I have also used one to cut down rows of old trees up to 10 or 12 inch diameter. I am very impressed with how well it starts, how light it is, and how well it cuts. Using it like I have been,
with all the walking, a couple pounds is significant at the end of the day. The only downside in using it like I do is the size of the fuel tank. In checking specs, it is comparable to the MS170 or MS180
Stihl. Our local dealer has the Echo priced at $199.00. Not sure if you have an Echo dealer nearby, but might be worth a look unless you are wanting to stick with Stihl.


Echos little 335 or 355, can't recall which it is, is a nice little top handle powerhouse. I'd go Echo before laying out $$$ for a small Stihl. Anything with a "1" as the first digit in Stihl models have been great disappointments for me.
 
If you want something easy to handle, get a top handle saw. You can run it with one hand while you hold or push the limb you are cutting with your other hand. I'm not a climber, but I have 3 Stihl "climbing" saws. They are my saws of choice for limbing and trimming. Also, at least with Stihl, they will be a pro grade saw.

I believe the current models are 193T and 201T, but don't quote me. If you can find a used 200T, they are one heck of a saw. I have 2. I guess I should also mention that a top handle will also be significantly more expensive than a 170 or 180.
 
Since you have a large saw I would go with ether the Stihl 193T or the Echo 335 T. They are both top handle machines and are great for
limbing and cleaning up tops because of their size. I have an older Echo top handle with 12" bar which is handy.
 
I?ve been using a MS170 as a limbing/secondary saw for over a decade. Doesn?t wear me down using it for long periods of cutting compared to
a larger saw. I have a 16? bar on mine that cuts no problem.
 
I would urge you to stay with Stihl orange. I had an 015 top handle for thirty years that I loved, but it was time. I was angry with Stihl over their stupid gas cap
design so I went off the reservation. Either Dolmar or Echo, and to save a crummy hundred bucks I got the Echo. I am not pleased with it.
 
We have a Stihl and we have to leave it laying on its side or else
the gas and/or oil leak out of the caps.
When I was a teenager, dad bought and we used a 75 lb.
McCulloch that also vibrated. Hated that saw!
Mike S.
 
(quoted from post at 17:45:48 09/28/18) I would urge you to stay with Stihl orange. I had an 015 top handle for thirty years that I loved, but it was time. I was angry with Stihl over their stupid gas cap
design so I went off the reservation. Either Dolmar or Echo, and to save a crummy hundred bucks I got the Echo. I am not pleased with it.


Whats the matter with the Echo?
 
BarnyardEngineering, I used my MS170 today on a broken limb. Good little saw.
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We have a Stihl and we have to leave it laying on its side or else
the gas and/or oil leak out of the caps..

My ~20 year old MS250 started leaking oil like that a few years ago. I stored it on the side for a year or two before deciding to have a look. Turns out the flip cap had a little crack in it. Bought a new cap for a few bux and all is perfect again.
 
If you want to stay with orange check out Husqvarna.My brother had a tree trimer come in to take down trees to put up a
house. The tree trimer had sthil saws. My neighbor handed him his Husqvara and said try this saw.He cut down 14 tree
and didn't use his sthil saw allday long.
 
I have a Stihl MS170 and MS250 and I really like the 170. It's light, fast, and with a narrow chain it really cuts well. I would buy it again.

I don't have any trouble starting either one of my saws and they sit for a long time between uses. I run Stihl synthetic oil and chain lube and they really perform well. I also have a Stihl backpack blower and line trimmer and have been happy with all of them.

You may have noticed that there's no single right answer on this topic.
 
(quoted from post at 12:50:00 09/29/18) My friend had a brand new Stihl saw .He must have pulled the starter a hundred times .Huskavarna !

Tell him to put gas in it next time. :lol:
 
One issue is the choke. The old 015 had a flip lever that you could operate with your trigger hand in operating position. The Echo has a pull button up front that
requires a 2 hand operation if the saw is cold. I don't climb much, but that's annoying. Also on this Echo it seems the chain doesn't stay oiled well enough to suit
me. That 15 was my only saw when I first bought it - used - and I did all my firewood with it for a number of years. This Echo top handle would never hold up to that
kind of abuse. I understand it's not meant to, but I just got spoiled with the 15. Lesson learned. Next time I spend the extra money.
 
I've been using a Stihl 026 Pro for the last 12 years and love it. However I wanted something lighter for the smaller stuff and limbing. I took a long time considering options but finally decided on a Stihl MS150T last spring. Pricey, but I couldn't be happier. It has become my go-to saw for anything 6" dia and under. The weight is considerably less than the 026. it's very well balanced and is easy to use one-handed although that is not recommended for any chainsaw. It's pro saw construction, not a homeowner version, which is responsible for the higher cost. See specs at the link.
Stihl MS150T
 
(quoted from post at 21:26:55 09/29/18) One issue is the choke. The old 015 had a flip lever that you could operate with your trigger hand in operating position. The Echo has a pull button up front that
requires a 2 hand operation if the saw is cold. I don't climb much, but that's annoying. Also on this Echo it seems the chain doesn't stay oiled well enough to suit
me. That 15 was my only saw when I first bought it - used - and I did all my firewood with it for a number of years. This Echo top handle would never hold up to that
kind of abuse. I understand it's not meant to, but I just got spoiled with the 15. Lesson learned. Next time I spend the extra money.

I'm not sure which Echo model you have, but the choke should either lock on if the trigger is engaged or of it's own accord. Most Echos have an adjustable oiler. Have you read the manual or talked to your dealer about it? Have you checked the bar oil hole to make sure it's clean and clear? Is the oil outlet on the crankcase clear? Are you using summer weight bar oil in winter? Echo doesn't make garbage and both items you list sound easily fixable. Again, not sure which Echo model you have, but if it's one of the top handle pro saws, it'll last just as long as the 015. I run Echo, Stihl (4-028's, 041, etc), Husky, Jonsered Dolmar and a mess of others. Echo is just as good or better in many ways than Stihl or Husky. But they are different in design and in platform. For a firewood cutter, given the choice between spending an extra $2-300 on a saw or putting the money into other bills, I'd go Echo every day.
 
Have I checked the bar hole to make sure it's clean and clear? Done a bit of work in my forty years at it. Thanks for the tip.
 

Don't get PO'd Phil. I've done a bit of my own work over the past 40 years myself, including running a small engine/chainsaw repair biz and you would be amazed at the number of backyard lumberjacks that never cleaned a bar groove, read their owners manual or knew they could adjust the oiler on many well made saws. If you want a Stihl, go buy one. But I'd like to know if you've had the Echo back to the dealer to try and figure out the problem or if you're just going to badmouth a good saw because it wasn't what you were used to and you had trouble with it.
 
(quoted from post at 05:59:12 09/28/18) Different Orange, but the last couple years I have been running an Echo CS-310 ....

The 310 is a great little saw.

Another one to look at is the CS370. With it you can run from 14 to 18" bars/chains. Unlike the 310 the 370 has metal dogs and and a bigger engine. Just cost about $80 more.

With Echo. Just avoid the F models (CS370F for example). They have a knob that tightens the chain and they are always needing adjusted.
 
It's just not the saw that a Stihl or a Dolmar is. I don't blame Echo for that, they price it accordingly. I blamed my own cheapness in my
first post.
 
Take it back to the dealer. 1st pull on all our stihls normally, sometimes two or three if they haven't been used in a couple of years. If its more than that the switch isn't turned on. We have one husqy and she hates starting the first time in the day, 5-10 pulls but is one pull after that.
 
We bought a Stihl 011 forty years ago, (or so it seems), been run over by the loader tractor twice, rebuilt, and still cuts well. Last time it needed rebuilt, the dealer replaced the handle with a used 009 top handle style. It's even handier now.

I also have a newer 190 top-handle climbing saw. It is the much-less expensive version of the true professional 201(?). I would pay the extra next time. One-handed use when in a tree or on a ladder/bucket is so much safer.
 


K- My Stihl 011 is a complete piece of junk. I would never recommend anyone get one. That's the difference that we see across the board in opinions on saws.
 

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