Looking for a lightweight limbcutting saw...

[newbury]

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.
<snip>

With

dozens of huge beech, oak, and etc tree tops

I'm surprised anyone mentioned a sawzall.

I've a range of Stihls (021, 660, 660, 088) and a few Efco's. My go-to limbing saw on big trees (that I convinced to lay down with a 660) is a John Deere CS62 (rebadged Efco 62CC) with a 28" bar. I've a "bad back" and the long bar makes up for the 3 extra pounds over the 021 w/16" bar. The JD CS62 is about the same weight/displacement as your 290.

Now if I have to go UP in the tree to remove limbs then I prefer the 021 for limbs over about 3" or a good bow saw for smaller limbs.

Maybe you just need a longer bar for your 290. Bailey's lists them for up to 42 inches.

I've got a 42" bar for my 660's.


When I choose to limb with that there is no bending over But that's another 4 pounds heavier

 

[Sodo]

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

This is limbing in my book. No use for a sawzall here!

Loggers like a long bar for limbing cuz it saves their back not bending over and they are conditioned to carry a heavy saw. They start a rhythm using the tip rotation to bounce the saw up from branch to branch thats pretty efficient. Normal guy just needs a lightweight saw but will have to bend over.

I had a Stihl MS180 that I liked a lot. Effortless to start, light weight but no longer produced, replaced by MS192. I wish I bought a MS192 but in a weak moment got a MS201.

 

[Trails End]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Stihl MS150 TC. It's a small light weight
saw that weighs only 5.7 lbs. Check it out at Object moved.
I purchased one for my wife to use for trimming lower limbs on trees. It's certainly
easier on my tired back than my Stihl 032AVQ.

 

[tawilson]

Yep on the top handle saw. A buddy has the Stihl and after checking it out I bought the Husky version yesterday. Haven't put any gas in it yet though.

 

[motownbrowne]

I'm surprised that no one has suggested the Stihl ms 241c-m. I haven't used one personally, but they are a lightweight pro saw that comes very highly reviewed from the tree service industry.

To me it would depend on how much limbing you're gonna do. Just a little bit, and I'd get a 35-40cc Echo or homeowner stihl. A lot of limbing, and I'd go for a pro stihl, but that's just my preference.

 

[s219]

Top handle saws have their place -- for me it's for most work I need to do when I don't have two feet on the ground -- and they are handy to carry on a tractor for brush cutting. But just keep in mind they sacrifice a *lot* of safety, especially as you cut near the tip of the bar. I can use a top handle saw all day long for tree work, one-handed or two-handed, but on the ground I'd much prefer a saw that provides a better and more secure two-handed grip.

 

[LD1]

Wow, from a chainsaw, to a sawzall, to an axe.

I agree with other posters about just what kind of limbing you are doing. Buzzing up 3"+ pieces back to the trunk for firewood is what I call limbing. Now way would a sawzall be efficient. And hard to chop off 3" pieces with an axe when they are 10' away and unsupported.

But when doing something like a pine tree where all the limbs are smaller and soft wood, I have a brush axe like this GroundWork® Bush Axe - Tractor Supply Co. that can cut clean through 2" or 3" limbs with 1 swing. Just a very handy tool to have that I have found many uses for.

As to saws, A dolmar PS351 or PS421 would be my choice for a limbing saw. The 029 you have now is not an impressive saw at all. overweight and underpowered.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Unlike many of you, I don't have dozens of different saws and since I only use them for removing a few limbs or sawing up a fallen tree, I only need one saw. I bought a Husky 240 first and while it works fairly well, it is a bit underpowered. I got my Stihl MS270 used for $100 from my brother in law because he couldn't pull the starter rope due to rotator cuff surgery which left him a bit weak in the shoulder. I haven't had the Husky out of the case since. The Stihl is lighter and much more powerful and faster revving so it rips thru a log quickly. Just from watching the chips and listening to the engine, I think the Stihl runs faster under load than the Husky does unloaded. I have no issue using the Stihl for falling or limbing as it handles both equally well. I replaced the 16" bar with an 18" which is the largest the Stihl dealer recommended for that saw. I think it would handle a 20" very well though but the 18" is plenty big for my uses and I don't need the extra weight of the larger bar and chain either.

The best saw for any cutting activity is one that first of you can afford and second one that you can lift and wield effectively without over tiring. The absolute worst thing you can do is operate a chainsaw when you are tired and weak from exhaustion.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

This is what I mean by limbing.

MOST of what I have to cut that is already on the ground is somewhere in one of those pics. Under the whole beech tree in Pic #4 there are at least 3 oak tops buried/behind it.






Have a great Dad's Day weekend all!
Be well!
David

 

[Coyote machine]

This is what I mean by limbing.

MOST of what I have to cut that is already on the ground is somewhere in one of those pics. Under the whole beech tree in Pic #4 there are at least 3 oak tops buried/behind it.
View attachment 430329 View attachment 430330

View attachment 430331 View attachment 430332

View attachment 430333 View attachment 430334

Have a great Dad's Day weekend all!
Be well!
David

Here's the dilemma as I see it. You have a microburst of downed trees, partial trees and leaders, branches, scattered everywhere over a large plot of land. The stuff already on the ground has been there for some time and makes cleanup that much harder. Partly because the longer you leave leaders/trees etc. on the ground the harder it is to do cleanup. The branches get stiff vs. when freshly felled and dirt from rain is now on lots of the wood, making it tough on chain and bar, regardless of what saw you use.
I would not use a top handle saw on that project because of the inherent dangers of the saw's primary use, IN tree work, not for use on the ground due to the top handle design.
People can argue the point all day long, BUT the fact is you are way more likely to get hurt using that tool for your job.

What would I use? I would choose a saw like some of the ones mentioned by various people that have what I have. Possibly the MS180, MS 230 or 270. All are excellent saws, IMHO. All will get the job done.

I would see if I could start by narrowing down what you were going to burn and what to save for firewood. If possible, separate them out, and then go in and cut what needs to be cut. It would depend, for me on what the exact lot laid out like. I can't tell you by the pics where I would start, but I can tell you I'd do a through walk around before just jumping into the pile. One huge advantage I have is the log grapple I have shown in my avatar. It allows me to bring any size log, branch, entire tree to cutting height with little to no effort. It also allows me to get stuff off the ground to see where I can cut to avoid dirt, rocks etc.

You might consider renting one for a week or similar, or better yet buy one! They're cheap when it comes to saving one's back, and once you have one you'll never go back.

I'd be wearing steel toed logger boots, chaps, helmet with screen. AND I'd find some folks to remove what I cut, (ground crew) to stack what was to be burned, saved, etc.

You're safer with a crew than working alone, the work goes way faster and then it's done.