Second saw

[ericm979]

I have a Stihl MS241CM for limbing small limbs. It's a nice light small saw. Unfortunately Stihl stopped selling them in the US a year or so back. They were charging nearly the same list price for them as the 261CM. Americans being Americans, most people wanted the larger displacement for $20 more. I had to insist my local Stihl shop sell me one. But I think a 50cc saw is too close to the 62cc MS362 I already had. The 241CM weighs about a pound less than the 261 when full of fluids. It uses 3/8 LP chain which cuts fast for the saw's size. If there's many limbs over 8" I use the MS362.

There's also the Echo CS352. At 34cc it does not cut wood as fast as the 241 but it's even lighter and easier to handle, and super easy to start. I use one for brush.

I don't recommend putting a long bar on a small saw. Too long a bar moves the saw's balance point too far forwards, making it a little awkward to handle. It doesn't seem like a big deal at first but after an hour or two it's noticeable.

Top handle saws are made for one hand operation and manuverability in a tree but the compromise is lack of control. On the ground you use two hands and have room to manuver the saw.

Pinching the saw is due to operator error. A powerful saw will let you get away with a little more of that but not much. I've pinched big saws while cutting limbs. To me it's not worth the extra weight of a heavy saw that wears you out faster when limbing.

 

[dfkrug]

To me it's not worth the extra weight of a heavy saw that wears you out faster when limbing.

Yeah, the weight of the saw makes a big diff on how long you can work before you are exhausted. And add hillsides to the mix and you want a light saw.

I am cutting a lot of standing dead oaks now, and have to use my heavy Husky 455 with 24" bar for the reach. I was using my 37cc Shindaiwa, but it just ain't enough saw. Just carrying the Husky on these mountainsides is exhausting. Hard to imagine bringing my 36" Husky up there.
Felling dead tanoak trees, killed by Sudden Oak Death Syndrome - YouTube

 

[orangeandgreen]

My 362 has a 20" bar and a 24" bar, my 211 has a 14" and a 16". Between the 2 saws and 4 bars I have about every sawing job on the farm covered. I have used both saws to saw the other one out when pinched. This pair replaced a Husky 55 and a 017 which both gave me years of good service.

 

[Snobdds]

Top handles have a higher rate of injury though. If he is on the ground, I don't see the benefit of a TH saw.

Thanks for your first hand knowledge...

 

[4570Man]

Thanks for your first hand knowledge...

Top handles are built for in bucket truck or in tree use. What’s the supposed benefits on the ground?

 

[dfkrug]

Top handles are built for in bucket truck or in tree use. What’s the supposed benefits on the ground?

The advantage on the ground is if you use the saw one-handed. There are situations where you grab a branch with one hand, and saw it with the other. I have used TH saws that way, and it is a benefit.

They are also quite useful if you climb a ladder to do any trimming. Holding onto the ladder is a good thing.

I have sold all of my TH saws, from Stihl 019T to Efco, Tanaka, and Homelite. I run 4 different sizes of saws for my tree work at home, and the TH was not getting used enough. I don't climb trees, and try to stay off ladders when using a chainsaw.

 

[Snobdds]

Top handles are built for in bucket truck or in tree use. What’s the supposed benefits on the ground?

Out west, we don't have hardwoods, we have pine. At my cabin all I have is pine. I start at the top of the tree and limb my way down. I can straddle the tree and get the branches from each side going down to the butt. The only good saw for this is a top handle saw that you can easily come at a limb from any angle.

 

[om21braz]

For limbing on the ground, IMHO, a Kombi, chainsaw attachment and a carbide chain work pretty well. Yes, it does pinch easily but with practice you'll learn how to prevent it most of the time.

 

[yomax4]

I hate limbing with little saws. You don稚 get anything done for pinching the saw. I run 3/8 chain on a 50 cc saw for limbing.

I agree. I limb with an 026 Pro with a 20" bar. Not a big saw and not meant for a 20" bar but it's light, has long reach and it has a 3/8 050 72. Rarely cut over 4" with it. Mostly just use the 361 20" for everything.

 

[4570Man]

Out west, we don't have hardwoods, we have pine. At my cabin all I have is pine. I start at the top of the tree and limb my way down. I can straddle the tree and get the branches from each side going down to the butt. The only good saw for this is a top handle saw that you can easily come at a limb from any angle.

Fair point. I often just limb with my 372 because there’s not many of them. If there’s a lot I’ll use my 353. And the majority of my limbing is just cutting off stobs. The tree guys that most of my wood comes from are bad to cut them off 6” from the tree and I can’t stand that.