Best 3 cubic inch lightweight saw

[timberrat]

stihl

stihl ms 260 pro. the saw can run a 14",16",18",20"24" bar.

 

[musch]

stihl ms 260 pro. the saw can run a 14",16",18",20"24" bar.

A 24" bar?
Seriously?

What are you cutting? Ham?

 

[asb151]

yeah,i said it

XL12 is one tough saw. Thats for sure!

 

[rahtreelimbs]

stihl ms 260 pro. the saw can run a 14",16",18",20"24" bar.

A 24" bar?
Seriously?

What are you cutting? Ham?

Styrofoam!!!

 

[chuckiehow]

Quit counting at over 100,000 red cedar posts that we cut over the years with 3.0 cu saws and smaller. Very few diameters over 16" and the 025/250 Stihl seems to be the perfect saw for us. We keep four running at all times. The 026 Stihl weighed about one pound more than a 025 fully fueled; both with 16" bars and the difference did its number on our elbows and shoulders. Now we stick with the 025/250 because I do most of the repair and we have lots of used parts from saws gone bad.

Wore out a bunch of Homelite (when they ran), Echo, McCullouh (when they were'nt flying apart) and Poulan saws before landing on Stihl. Jonsered or Husky would be my next choice. Wish Stihl had a better air filter system and a better carburetor.

 

[timberrat]

24" for limbin

A 24" bar?
Seriously?

What are you cutting? Ham?

i am using the 24" for limbing ponderosa pine:greenchainsaw:
it is the damed best limbing saw:greenchainsaw: :greenchainsaw:

 

[musch]

Thats an interesting method.
Is it for the reach?
I imagine that would be easy on the ol back!! :biggrinbounce2:

 

[timberrat]

long bar

Thats an interesting method.
Is it for the reach?
I imagine that would be easy on the ol back!! :biggrinbounce2:

thats only reason for longer than normal bars on small saws:yoyo: i have to use the longer bar on my stihl ms 260 pro for limbing too many years running krapee old equipment has ruined my lower back

 

[rbtree]

I'd like to hear from those who have used all of the top contenders. One thing is saw weight. Young and strong guys probably pay less attention to poundage, but it was a factor that I considered. I bought the Dolmar 5100S, but the lighter weight Husky 346XP really appealed to me. If Husqvarna finds a way to boost displacement to 50 cc without adding weight, they will sell even more.

My quiver:

Shindaiwa 488, lightest, well built, good power
Solo 652SP, clad in Craftsman Green, well built, Ok power
old Husky 44.....muffler mod only, a littler screamer.
my 2nd modded Husky 346XP, amazing power for its engine size
Dolmar 5100S, heaviest, but most powerful, gobs of torque,
very well built


Disclaimer, all but the 44 are fully woods modded.

I have had 2 026's over the years, never liked them much..too soft antivib, flimsy master control lever... barely adequate power in stock form...I'd only rank it ahead of the Solo in the above list.

 

[SawTroll]

stihl ms 260 pro. the saw can run a 14",16",18",20"24" bar.

13" is standard here.......:greenchainsaw:

 

[timberrat]

is that 13 sold with .325

13" is standard here.......:greenchainsaw:

sawtroll
is the saw you can get .325. mine was set up for .375 safety with a twenty inch bar. i get good results running non safety woodsman pro 30rcs on a oregon power match plus bar with the chain riders lowered a few thousands.

 

[SawTroll]

sawtroll
is the saw you can get .325. .....

The standard here is .325 - the shortest 3/8" bar we can get is 15", I believe.

 

[farmermike]

I'm sure happy with my 346xp. For 95% of my cutting it's perfect. I am going to find a used big saw for cutting the big stuff,I think this has more to do with this site than actual need! . It's light it's handy it's smooooooth and with a 20nk chain the thing just cuts and cuts. The air filter stays clean, unlike my stihl and it used about half as much gas as the 029 I replaced it with. Only dislike is the outboard chain break. Pain the arse to change chains. All and all a good saw, glad I bought it.

 

[blis]

I'm sure happy with my 346xp. For 95% of my cutting it's perfect. I am going to find a used big saw for cutting the big stuff,I think this has more to do with this site than actual need! . It's light it's handy it's smooooooth and with a 20nk chain the thing just cuts and cuts. The air filter stays clean, unlike my stihl and it used about half as much gas as the 029 I replaced it with. Only dislike is the outboard chain break. Pain the arse to change chains. All and all a good saw, glad I bought it.

Its just matter of getting used to it, after that it doesnt matter if its outboard or inboard clutch when changing chains...

 

[Lakeside53]

Its just matter of getting used to it, after that it doesnt matter if its outboard or inboard clutch when changing chains...

sure....

 

[SawTroll]

Its just matter of getting used to it, after that it doesnt matter if its outboard or inboard clutch when changing chains...

True, at least on the smaller Huskys/Jonsereds.

The stepped bar bolts on the Stihls are a bigger nuisance....

 

[bcorradi]

The stepped bar bolts on the Stihls are a bigger nuisance....

Huh? How are the stepped bar bolts causing you nuisance?

 

[SawTroll]

Huh? How are the stepped bar bolts causing you nuisance?

Because the bar tends to slip down to the thinner parts of the bolts, if you don't hold the bar in place during initial tensioning.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Its just matter of getting used to it, after that it doesnt matter if its outboard or inboard clutch when changing chains...

For me I'd sooner have an inboard clutch.

The outboard is a little more hassle............but that is what it is!!!

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I dont have a prefernece as far as inboard or outboard clutches...

But i do think the inboard mount is a little easier to change chain with...