7-11" oak cut easily this afternoon. $185 gently used Echo cs400. i did mild muffler mod and pulled limiter caps. Cut this like butter. No need jumping thru hoops trying to buy overseas $900-$1000 "prefect" saw.
Best light weight saw for limbing?
- Thread starter JKendrick87
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My opinion is China saws are junk !So still being fairly new in here maybe it’s an off limits topic… I’ll ask anywaywhat’s everyone’s opinion on the Holtzforma clone saws?
You did smart imo.
Be kinda nice to it & maintain it properly, and it'll serve you quite well for a long time.
So still being fairly new in here maybe it’s an off limits topic… I’ll ask anyway
China saws? Junk or not, not buying them on principle.
Username is appropriate
JKendrick87
ArboristSite Operative
That’s kinda what I figured I would get from y’all! Lol I’m not that desperate for another saw, I was just curious as they’re popping up on social media as of late.
So what's the difference between the 200 and 201 that make people prefer the 200?
JKendrick87
ArboristSite Operative
@lone wolf could probably answer this best.
I personally can't figure that one out.
A 201c is smoother..burns less fuel..has more power..tunes itself...
Got me.
Nostalgia I guess, or that the first round of the 201 with a standard carb sucked so the desire for what it replaced (the 200) grew strong.
JKendrick87
ArboristSite Operative
Found this digging through the archives192T = lightweight, you can buy one new for less than $350, the climbers take it up the tree if we are trimming/pruning, it is light enough for a full day hanging from your hip.
192c or 192ce = a rear handle version of the 192T, goes for a few dollars more than a 192t used, out of production I think, lightest pro rear handle ever made by Stihl, homeowners tend to abuse a small rear handle so maybe a better choice for next to the chipper for pros, rather than homeowners. The different leverage of a rear handle makes folks think the 192ce is weaker than a 192t but in reality it cuts smoother and faster if you don't lay your weight on it.
020T = older version of 200T, differences are cosmetic, unless you have a preference for flippy caps (200t) or screw on caps (020T), can be had used for about $50 less than 200T
200 = just like the 200t, though a bit scarce in the marketplace, it is a small rear handle with very nice power, a good choice for a homeowner wanting to limb up around the house, pricing about the same or a few dollars more than the 200T
200t = pretty much the gold standard of top handle pro saws, there may be contenders amongst other brands, but check a pro truck and see which saw the workers get to work early to "claim" for the day, PRO TIP: it's a 200t. in nice shape they are worth $450 to $575, lots of nice rebuilt saws out there
201t - new model that replaced the 200T, go for a bit more new than a 200T used, but that extra $ gets you a warranty and dealer support for whatever that is worth in your area. The last guy to work on the arborist crew has to settle for the 201T, but in all fairness, if you don't mind kicking in an extra $250 and voiding your warranty, there are number of fine gentleman who can turn a 201T into a 200 killer, again probably not the best choice for a non-climbing homeowner.
150t - personal use limited to about 5 mins at dealer, it is lighter than a 192t and feels really nice in the hand. When we start up arborist operations in March, I will let the climbers decide if we should buy them to replace the 192s, the 150t is about $150 more than a 192t
020AV - this is a solid-ass saw, but I am not ever going to run one, too heavy and just feels clunky to me just standing on the ground with it in my hand I have no desire to fire it up, pretty darn cheap, have a few in a box in the shop, the old school Stihl logos on the recol are worth more than the saw itself to me
With the exception of the 150t I have all of these in my shop now and have used them all as well as having climbers who have used them all.
Dave
Sounds like I would go with the newer saw...
Limpbing is pretty much what I do after using a chainsaw for an hour.....
Sierra_rider
Piss revver
...because they've been conditioned to think that way. The early 201s left a lot to be desired, but the newer ones are better saws than the 200 IMO.
Sierra_rider
Piss revver
Just be prepared to do the quality control on your end. If you don't mind making them right at the beginning, they'll do fine for occasional use.So still being fairly new in here maybe it’s an off limits topic… I’ll ask anyway
I wouldn’t limb with any saw that didn’t drop the tree, switching saws and bar lengths isn’t fun or efficient. I would just use your new to you 310 for all of it. If you’re talking about trimming small stuff too, the 180 is pretty cheap and is a fun little saw. I keep one with a 14” bar and 3/8 lo pro in the truck just for fun, makes a good little camping saw too. I like the 180 better than the 170 just for the boxy shape (not important) and the second bar but (also not important on a saw that small).
thompsoncustom
ArboristSite Guru
Well there good enough for me that I sold my real stihls and replaced them with Holtzforma's versions. I'm actually surprised I've been able to push the little 260 clone above 15k rpm and it's holding together just fine.So still being fairly new in here maybe it’s an off limits topic… I’ll ask anyway
But like Sierra_rider said above you may get one 100% or you may have to work on it right out of the box so it kind of depends on your skill level when it comes to working on them.
If you can do it then sure they can save you a bunch of money but if you have no desire to work on them at all u would be better off with a stihl with a real warranty.
A 170 and 180 are identical other than displacement.
Gotcha I didn’t know that, must have compared to a different model when I picked mine up
link
Gone fishing
I can only refer to my own priorities; I can build it and maintain it entirely myself all the way till Jesus comes back.
The 201 is also tad heavier... why would you brag about more power if it has more weight? They still sell the MS881.
