Best Two-Saw Combo and Help with New Project

Hello All,

Just got a new MS 260 :greenchainsaw: Really like the 260 and successfully tackled a 16" dead oak that was leaning towards my house.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=79819&highlight=ms+260

Would like anyone's opinion on the best "two-saw" combination.

Also have a new possible project that I would like to get an opinion from the forum. I have a huge, dual-trunk tulip poplar tree that towers over my neighbors house (see photo). Each trunk is 3 ft at base and about 100 ft high, and they really rock and roll when the wind blows.

Had an arborist inspect it last spring because one has some dead limbs at the top as result of a late freeze and drought last year. He said they were healthy and no evidence of rot, but are inheriently weak due to the size and dual-trunk. He recommended trimming and an option for cabling to strengthen them. Cost estimate for trimming was $630 and another $600 for the cabling. After doing some research I was not convinced that cabling would be beneficial due to the size, and might actually cause harm if not properly maintained. About 10 years ago I got a cost estimate to remove the trees for $3,000.

I've lived here 18 years and the tree has grown much larger since then. It's a beautiful tree, but now feel it may have grown into a safety hazard. On the other hand, it will probably be here long after I am gone.

I'm sure it would destroy my neighbor's house and possibly cause serious injury or death if it were to fall on them. It sits beside my driveway so there is easy access with a bucket lift. Not sure if this would be too much for me to handle. Would definately need a larger saw (Recommendations!!!). Due to it's size, there may also be some value to a local mill.

Here are my options: 1. do nothing (just part of hazard living next to big trees), 2. trim dead branches, 3. trim branches and cabling, or 4. cut it down. If 4, then what new saw would do the job? My neighbor says we can do it ourselves with an 85 ft bucket truck, but not sure those are available for rent.

Any opinions would be helpful.

Highly unlikely a bucket truck would be available to rent due to liability concerns but that looks like the way a tree service would deal with it. They could also climb and block it down but that also takes the right equipment and experience to do it safely.

Stihl 090/056, Mac cp125/sp81, Homie 750 or 990/540, Dolmar 166/143. These are all GREAT two saw combo's.




I may have a bias.

I'd say 346xp and 372XP but so would a great deal of people. So my new 2 saw fav. is Partner 500 and 7000. Picked them up today...nice having a couple yellow screaming beasts.
I think i'd let the pro's handlle stuff leaning over my house.

How about a husky 346 xp and a husky 359 , I have the 346, now to work on the 359 !!!!

If you're into color coordination and already have a 260, how about a 260 and a 440?

Starting from scratch, I'd think a Jonsered 2153 and a Dolmar 7900.

I'll stay with Stihl 'cause you already have a 260. Either a 460 or 441. I hope that you plan on cutting big wood on a regular basis if you plan on buying a 70+ cc saw, otherwise you're spending allot of money for a nice mantle piece. Again in the Stihl family, if you're honest and feel that you probably don't need a big saw - think about a muffler modded 361 - it will pull a 25" bar and cut quite nicely with a 20". 4xx series saw = approx $900, 361 = approx $600.

Just my opinion.

Roy M said:

Highly unlikely a bucket truck would be available to rent due to liability concerns but that looks like the way a tree service would deal with it. They could also climb and block it down but that also takes the right equipment and experience to do it safely.

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That is what I was thinking about the bucket truck. I was planning on just getting it trimmed. Of course my neighbor would like it cut down, and is trying to reduce cost by doing it ourselves. He has some climbing experience and safety gear, but bringing it down safely is probaby beyond his ability. I know that 50 ft lift buckets are available for rental here, but that is not sufficient.

May ask him to share cost if he wants it down.

pbuehning said:

I'll stay with Stihl 'cause you already have a 260. Either a 460 or 441. I hope that you plan on cutting big wood on a regular basis if you plan on buying a 70+ cc saw, otherwise you're spending allot of money for a nice mantle piece. Again in the Stihl family, if you're honest and feel that you probably don't need a big saw - think about a muffler modded 361 - it will pull a 25" bar and cut quite nicely with a 20". 4xx series saw = approx $900, 361 = approx $600.

Just my opinion.

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I could never justify owning two saws without going into the tree/firewood business. However, the 441 or 460 would seem to be the perfect match with the 260.

If I had researched this site more before buying the 260, I would have bought the 361. However, I still like the weight/balance of the 260, and it more than meets my needs.

If I were to attemp this job with the giant poplar tree, would probably try to rent a larger saw, or possibly buy a new one and then sell it as near-new on flea bay.

bigredd said:

I could never justify owning two saws without going into the tree/firewood business. .

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You need to justify having two saws???

IMO, I think a good 2 saw combo would be an 044 and an 066 in Stihl or a 372xp and 395xp in Husky.
As far as your tree. I think I would hire a tree service.
But if you tackle it yourself, I would use the saw you have and find a good used 044/440 or 066/660.
If you get one in good shape and a decent deal, you can just resell it after your done and get most if not all your money back.
I think this would be cheaper than renting one.

What?? no one has said "The best 2-saw combo is 2 MS361's."??? Y'all are slackin here :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

BaldSawRunner said:

What?? no one has said "The best 2-saw combo is 2 MS361's."??? Y'all are slackin here :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

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The 361 does it all and needs no help from another saw.

Banshee said:

The 361 does it all and needs no help from another saw.

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This from a man with 7 saws and not one 361 in sight:jawdrop: ?

Darkness77 said:

This from a man with 7 saws and not one 361 in sight:jawdrop: ?

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Just haven't gotten around to trading them all in for one 361 yet. J/K

Best combo is MS361, with a couple of different set-ups.....

Who can own just two?

Depends on where you use your saws. I would not have any use for half the saws mentioned here.

if you are gonna do it your self stick with the saw you have and get a little top handle saw.

The 440 660... are production saws and like you said, you couldent justify having 2 without running a fire wood buisness.


















361 is a pussiefied 440

For me personally, my 2-saw combination would be an Echo CS-370 and a CS-8000.
That way I would have the 8000 as my felling saw (with a 36" bar there arent very many trees that it couldnt handle cutting down) and then I would have the lighter 370 for doing my limbing and bucking.
IMO, the ideal 2-saw set would be a saw that is in the 35cc range to use as your limbing saw and they having something that is 50cc or more as your felling saw.