I'm looking for a limber, 14-16" bar light saw

[Baby Grand]

I recently bought a Echo CS360 (36 cc)this is a top handle saw designed for arborist work and smaller limbs. They come with 12"-16" bars and I got the 14" to keep it a bit lighter. Quality seems to be good and power seems good but its not really broke in yet. :thumbsup:

I bought an Echo CS305 14" blade in 2003. It was on sale at Home Despot for something ridiculous like $99 - one of those piles of boxes at the end of an aisle deals. That little saw is sweet and I use it probably 60% and my Stihl MS361 40% of the time, so it saves a lot of wear and tear on the big saw and on me. It always starts, even after sitting with fuel in it for a year. Very light and easy handling. I think it's gone through 4 or 5 chains - and I usually sharpen a chain about a dozen times before I retire it. For a saw that I have considered disposable, it's really performed well and still seems as good as the day I took it out of its box. It's been discontinued, but If I had to replace it I think I'd look for another Echo - maybe the CS310?.

 

[LD1]

LD1,

I found Pendleton's Hardware & Power Products which is a Husky dealer with a repair shop, and the other is way out in Culpeper pretty much a 100 plus mile round trip.

I would like to see/try a Dolmar...

David

Is the one you are saying is a husky dealer...is that maddox feed store? in Loiusa?


What about richmond. How far is that from you because it looks like there are 2 on the outskirts. One in Quinton and one in Chester.

I know it is frustrating. I wish dolmar qould get their act together and get more dealers. Because I honestly believe they DO have the best product for the money. Toruble is distribution

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I am a fan of the Husky 338XPT top handle saw. I run a 16" bar on it for the extra reach when I am in a tree. Plus on the ground it is great for bucking up wood. I have 18" 20" 25" and 36" bars on my other saws but I use the little Husky 90% of the time for any wood under about 16". That way I am not carrying a heavier saw all day since I am not getting any younger.
A good bang for you buck saw is the Echo's. I have had great luck with the small top handle and rear handle saws.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I'd take a different route, trade in your 290 on a MS260/261 with a 16" bar. It'll be lighter than your current saw with the same power. I have a 260 I use for limbing and it is a very nice handling little saw.

I do have an older MS170 that I used to use for small tasks. For the price it was a good saw, but of course it was very slow cutting. I've also experienced more issues with it than any of my other Stihl saws, presumably because it is a homeowner/economy grade saw.

 

[yandeereguy]

I have a 200t for the work your describing and It's a smoking saw, If your on a budget get the 192t.. It's USA made and inexpensive..

 

[LD1]

I'd take a different route, trade in your 290 on a MS260/261 with a 16" bar. It'll be lighter than your current saw with the same power. I have a 260 I use for limbing and it is a very nice handling little saw.

I do have an older MS170 that I used to use for small tasks. For the price it was a good saw, but of course it was very slow cutting. I've also experienced more issues with it than any of my other Stihl saws, presumably because it is a homeowner/economy grade saw.

If it were me and I only had a 290.....I'd sell it on ebay for ~$250-$300, throw another $100 at it, and get a used makita 6401, then spend another $300 for the PS420 new. Perfect two-saw plan IMO:thumbsup:

BOY....I love spending other peoples money

 

[TBarD]

I love my MS-290 with the 20" bar.

But recently I was cutting down a large cherry tree and I borrowed my tenants 14" Stihl for the limbs I had to climb up the tree to get, and it was nice and light.

Or do I just exersize more and stick to my 290 for everything?
David

If you do a lot of cutting and have large trees it is worth it to get two saws, one for big stuff and a small light one for smaller trees and for limbing. I use a Stihl MS-460 with a 24" bar and a MS-260 with a 16" bar and this works well for most everything.

 

[yankeerider]

My little saw is a MS-192C. It's the rear handle version of the 192T. I bought it as a saw for the missus, because of the lightweight and the easy-start system. She doesn't use it that much, so I keep it exercised. anything up 4-5" I'll use it. Bigger, I fire up the MS-361.

 

[ENG18LT]

Go with the 260pro and put a 16" bar on it. That saw will out cut the 290 any day day, I know I had a 290 and sold it to get the 260pro. I also got a 391 with the 20" bar for dropping the bigger trees, very powerful but not a limbing saw. If you like the 290, then you will be happy with the power and weight of the 260pro. I did a quick video on youtube about them, here is the link:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIhc3LFAARE&feature=g-upl&context=G20ce7dbAUAAAAAAAIAA[/ame]

 

[s219]

I'd take a different route, trade in your 290 on a MS260/261 with a 16" bar. It'll be lighter than your current saw with the same power. I have a 260 I use for limbing and it is a very nice handling little saw.

I have a 261 and it's a great saw that will outcut a 290, use less fuel, and save a few pounds of weight. But the 261 is not responsive enough to be a good limbing saw in my opinion. There are days I use only the 261 and it's fine for light limbing as part of a bigger job. But if I know ahead of time I have to do a lot of limbing -- say storm cleanup -- I grab my smaller saw. There's nothing like a free revving smaller saw for quick limbing, especially if you're "wading" into the downed tree to thin it out for cleanup and making lots of left/right cut where the saw is constantly getting flipped and moved to different angles. I can make multiple cuts with the small saw in the time it would take to do one with the bigger 261.

I am mostly a Stihl man, but I think Echo makes a better saw when going 45cc and smaller. All of the Stihls in that size range are homeowner saws (I am not counting top handle pro saws here, of course) and just aren't made as well as the mid-grade and pro-grade Stihls or the Echos. I got an Echo CS-400, and it's been great for limbing. The saw is usually sold with an 18" bar, which would be fine to extend your reach for limbing, but I would not cut 18" logs with it like I would with the 261. I put a 16" bar on my CS-400, and it's a great size all around.