Best light weight saw for limbing?

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

Echo 501P, Timberwolf, or even a CS400. Makita ea4300FR, ea5000p, or Ridgeline.

Echo markets their 501p as the lightest saw in the 50cc class at 10.6 lbs dry.

https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws/cs-501p

 

[Evan]

All joking aside any good 50cc will do well for limbing and general wood cutting

 

[cuttinstihl]

Loving my 4300 Makita for small wood and limbing. After a cat delete and retune, it runs an 18” lopro bar and chain with no struggle. I like a 14” lopro setup on mine, that’s where it balances best for limbing IMO

 

[Jwilliams]

Echo 2511 with a muffler mod

 

[Sawdust Man]

All joking aside any good 50cc will do well for limbing and general wood cutting

Exactly what he said....

 

[Sawdust Man]

Echo 501P, Timberwolf, or even a CS400. Makita ea4300FR, ea5000p, or Ridgeline.

Echo markets their 501p as the lightest saw in the 50cc class at 10.6 lbs dry.

https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws/cs-501p

The echo 4910/501p is a very good saw but not on par with the ms261.
I didn't really believe that myself....so recently I bought both saws. As much as I wanted the echo to be equal to or at least super close to the Stihl......it just isn't.
The Stihl has much better acceleration, and the av on the echo is nowhere near as smooth as the Stihl.
Bottom line is the Stihl way outperforms the echo.....you can make more sawdust faster with the ms261

The echo is a very good saw, that would last a person for a long time.... it's just not as impressive as the Stihl.....but it is substantially less expensive, therefore it's still a very good value, imo.

 

[JKendrick87]

The echo 4910/501p is a very good saw but not on par with the ms261.
I didn't really believe that myself....so recently I bought both saws. As much as I wanted the echo to be equal to or at least super close to the Stihl......it just isn't.
The Stihl has much better acceleration, and the av on the echo is nowhere near as smooth as the Stihl.
Bottom line is the Stihl way outperforms the echo.....you can make more sawdust faster with the ms261

The echo is a very good saw, that would last a person for a long time.... it's just not as impressive as the Stihl.....but it is substantially less expensive, therefore it's still a very good value,

The echo 4910/501p is a very good saw but not on par with the ms261.
I didn't really believe that myself....so recently I bought both saws. As much as I wanted the echo to be equal to or at least super close to the Stihl......it just isn't.
The Stihl has much better acceleration, and the av on the echo is nowhere near as smooth as the Stihl.
Bottom line is the Stihl way outperforms the echo.....you can make more sawdust faster with the ms261

The echo is a very good saw, that would last a person for a long time.... it's just not as impressive as the Stihl.....but it is substantially less expensive, therefore it's still a very good value, imo.

Appreciate the advice and suggestions! I’m so glad I found this forum. I’m addicted and enjoying learning. It’s going to be hard for me to stray away from Stihl as that’s what I’ve grown up with and have some that are sentimental to me. But I’ll definitely keep Echo in mind!

 

[bwalker]

Its not discontinued, just not sold anymore in the US. You only want big saws with long bars remember?

I don't know why anyone would want one over a 261 anyways.

 

[Sawdust Man]

I don't know why anyone would want one over a 261 anyways.

Mega tons of really small limbs.....
Leastwise that's my reason.

 

[bwalker]

Mega tons of really small limbs.....
Leastwise that's my reason.

But the 261 is the same saw with more power. What's the point in that?

 

[Del_]

But the 261 is the same saw with more power. What's the point in that?

To me the point is that I can tell a difference.

The MS-241 pro saw which is 9.9 lbs and 3.1 Bhp and the MS-261 at 11.6 lbs and 3.9 Bhp.

Plus I believe the body of the 241c is a bit smaller.

I really like my 241C with a 16" bar running PS chain. I much prefer it over my 026 but I've never run an 261c.

I have a buddy with a 261c with a 20" .325 bar and I much prefer my 241c with the 16" PS chain.

It cuts faster than his 261c, too. But then he's not into chain sharpening and takes his to the dealer. Sucks to be him.

 

[Sawdust Man]

But the 261 is the same saw with more power. What's the point in that?

The point is cutting a lot of very small wood.
They are not the same saw.
241 is 9.9 lbs, and smaller.
261 is 10.8 lbs, and is bigger.
I limb tiny cedars with a gazillion limbs for hours at a time..... I have no need for more power, just speed.....

 

[JKendrick87]

I will have a 261 at some point that’s my goal!

 

[Del_]

The point is cutting a lot of very small wood.
They are not the same saw.
241 is 9.9 lbs, and smaller.
261 is 10.8 lbs, and is bigger.
I limb tiny cedars with a gazillion limbs for hours at a time..... I have no need for more power, just speed.....

I've been a certified arborist since 1991 and prune all types of small woody plants and trees like Japanese maples, etc. I like my MS 200T for this type of pruning too. A also use hand pruners and non powered hand saws quite a bit. On woody plants like crepe myrtles it is often hard to get into tight places and sometime plunge cuts are needed to do the job as well as possible. It's hard to plunge cut with a non powered hand saw!

The need for a powered, light weight and small chainsaw is high, and that is why I like my 241c so much.

No doubt the majority of folks in this thread consider limbing as only cutting limbs off of felled trees. For that kind of work I agree a 261c is as good as or maybe even a better choice.

I've seen many an arborist cleaning up downed trees one handing a MS 200T and tossing the cut limbs butt first towards the chipper operator with quite high efficiency. Sometimes lowered limbs can be quite entangled in the surrounding landscape and on top of plants that are of high value and are best not stomped into the landscape.

Did I mention that I love my 241c?

 

[2000ssm6]

That’s my dream saw!

You will pay as much for a nice 200 as you would a 261. I run a 20" ES light on a muff modded 261, like to grab it when the 70cc saws get a little heavy.

Between the 2, I'd go for the 261 as it can do more but still light for the power it makes.

 

[sean donato]

The point is cutting a lot of very small wood.
They are not the same saw.
241 is 9.9 lbs, and smaller.
261 is 10.8 lbs, and is bigger.
I limb tiny cedars with a gazillion limbs for hours at a time..... I have no need for more power, just speed.....

Starting to sound like the difference in a 50 to 60cc saw.... same logic I used to skip over 50cc in my current line up.
Having said that, I've been using the 192tc for limbing quite often lately. It's light and works on smaller limbs. Same reason I got it to climb with. I have 90% of a 200t and the biggest issue I find myself dealing with it weather to keep it a top handle or try and get a rear handle kit for it.

 

[bwalker]

To me the point is that I can tell a difference.

The MS-241 pro saw which is 9.9 lbs and 3.1 Bhp and the MS-261 at 11.6 lbs and 3.9 Bhp.

Plus I believe the body of the 241c is a bit smaller.

I really like my 241C with a 16" bar running PS chain. I much prefer it over my 026 but I've never run an 261c.

I have a buddy with a 261c with a 20" .325 bar and I much prefer my 241c with the 16" PS chain.

It cuts faster than his 261c, too. But then he's not into chain sharpening and takes his to the dealer. Sucks to be him.

From what I understand the 241 is the same chassis with a smaller cylinder and a different bar mount/chain side cover.
I'd look for a cherry 346xp if I needed a small saw like that.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

From what I understand the 241 is the same chassis with a smaller cylinder and a different bar mount/chain side cover.
I'd look for a cherry 346xp if I needed a small saw like that.

It's not the same chassis.

 

[lone wolf]

I've been a certified arborist since 1991 and prune all types of small woody plants and trees like Japanese maples, etc. I like my MS 200T for this type of pruning too. A also use hand pruners and non powered hand saws quite a bit. On woody plants like crepe myrtles it is often hard to get into tight places and sometime plunge cuts are needed to do the job as well as possible. It's hard to plunge cut with a non powered hand saw!

The need for a powered, light weight and small chainsaw is high, and that is why I like my 241c so much.

No doubt the majority of folks in this thread consider limbing as only cutting limbs off of felled trees. For that kind of work I agree a 261c is as good as or maybe even a better choice.

I've seen many an arborist cleaning up downed trees one handing a MS 200T and tossing the cut limbs butt first towards the chipper operator with quite high efficiency. Sometimes lowered limbs can be quite entangled in the surrounding landscape and on top of plants that are of high value and are best not stomped into the landscape.

Did I mention that I love my 241c?

Well now get a MS 150 and advance the timing and open the muffler and tune it. almost half the weight of a 200T.

 

[Del_]

Well now get a MS 150 and advance the timing and open the muffler and tune it. almost half the weight of a 200T.

The MS 150 sounds like a nice little saw.