Do I Need a Smaller Saw than 026 in the 3 Saw Plan?

[bulletpruf]

So I'm whittling down my collection. Started at 100+ saws, but trying to get down to 3 or 4. Currently heating with wood and cutting 3-4 cords/year, but won't be cutting anything larger than 30" or so.

I'm thinking 3 saw plan is looking something like 50cc (026 with 16" bar and .325 or 18" and 3/8), 70cc (044 with 24" or 28" bar and 3/8), and 100+ cc (076 Super with 36" or 48" bar and .404). As you may have guessed, the 076 Super is really just to have around to scare children (and pantywaists), zombie apocalypse, etc.

I also have an 020 Super, but it's a top handle saw, and I keep it for those rare times when I'm in a tree. I know a lot of folks use theirs on the ground, but I do not.

FYI - I'm a bigger guy at 6'4" and 235# so I don't mind lugging around a heavier saw.

What's the smallest saw that you'd have in a 3 or 4 saw plan?

Thanks

Scott

 

[Brushwacker]

I go down to an ms 180 or my 025 when out in the woods for firewood. Nipping off saplings and small trees ground level where I am rolling my truck tires I preserve my bigger saws chains for cutting clean wood and I find the 025 and smaller almost tireless to use and only takes a few minutes to put a good edge back on a 12 to 16inch picco bar. Also i keep an affordable carbide chain for jobs that require cutting dirty wood such as ditches and rivers where high water leaves silt and dirt in the tree trunks. My muffler modded 025 w/ 16inch picco carbide falls 15ish inch trees fairly efficiently and is very light and easy to handle on banks and slopes. Should I need to let go of it and loose it to save my rear I am not out several hundred or more $ either.
I don't give a rat what people say or think, pro saw or not , every 025 I put to much work, last long, have a great power to weight ratio, and work well for professional use and quite a few pros use them or ms250's.

 

[bulletpruf]

I go down to an ms 180 or my 025 when out in the woods for firewood. Nipping off saplings and small trees ground level where I am rolling my truck tires I preserve my bigger saws chains for cutting clean wood and I find the 025 and smaller almost tireless to use and only takes a few minutes to put a good edge back on a 12 to 16inch picco bar. Also i keep an affordable carbide chain for jobs that require cutting dirty wood such as ditches and rivers where high water leaves silt and dirt in the tree trunks. My muffler modded 025 w/ 16inch picco carbide falls 15ish inch trees fairly efficiently and is very light and easy to handle on banks and slopes. Should I need to let go of it and loose it to save my rear I am not out several hundred or more $ either.
I don't give a rat what people say or think, pro saw or not , every 025 I put to much work, last long, have a great power to weight ratio, and work well for professional use and quite a few pros use them or ms250's.

My landlord has an MS170 and an MS250 that I use on occasion. I find myself using them much in the same way that you do -- on dirty wood, small stumps, etc. That way I keep the chain on my 026 sharp and ready to go on the larger stuff. Having said that, if I'm only going to have 3 or 4 saws, I'm still on the fence on whether one needs to be smaller than my 49cc 026.

Good input. Thanks

 

[Joel D'Angelo]

021 is a nice little saw and can be got for 1-200 bucks. Very light and good up to about 12" diameter.

 

[NSEric]

As a larger guy I find a 50cc saw small enough to be my small saw, having a short light bar helps too. I use 50cc saws for clearing small trees and bucking fire wood which is on the small side in my area anyway, we dont need big saws often.

 

[link]

So I'm whittling down my collection. Started at 100+ saws, but trying to get down to 3 or 4. Currently heating with wood and cutting 3-4 cords/year, but won't be cutting anything larger than 30" or so.

I'm thinking 3 saw plan is looking something like 50cc (026 with 16" bar and .325 or 18" and 3/8), 70cc (044 with 24" or 28" bar and 3/8), and 100+ cc (076 Super with 36" or 48" bar and .404). As you may have guessed, the 076 Super is really just to have around to scare children (and pantywaists), zombie apocalypse, etc.

I also have an 020 Super, but it's a top handle saw, and I keep it for those rare times when I'm in a tree. I know a lot of folks use theirs on the ground, but I do not.

FYI - I'm a bigger guy at 6'4" and 235# so I don't mind lugging around a heavier saw.

What's the smallest saw that you'd have in a 3 or 4 saw plan?

Thanks

Scott

Dont you think you are pushing the limits with only 3 saws in your plan
I have a 26cc tophandle that I use a lot, a lightweight 36cc and a 50cc. I guess both myself and the trees around here are generic smaller...
Anyway, after I got my MS241cm it kinda replaces them all.

That said I have a 026 with heat and a 025 on my workbench now, and I was impressed by the low weight of that 025, I know it runs pretty good too.
But I would guess for you that are used to more weight and bigger saws the 026 fits the bill perfectly.

 

[Karrl]

Also about your size and I don’t really want anything smaller than my echo 490. It’s light and handles very well for limbing and cutting down Christmas trees. I don’t climb so a top handle is useless and I’d be more likely to hurt myself anyway.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I realize this could be a Stihl-worship post, but I have to admit that this saw is a tad smaller than a Stihl 026 and has been a great performer for me:


Echo CS-3900. Vintage 1998, it still runs solid as a rock. Almost impossible to find today because the owners keep them on board the same way I did.

 

[anlrolfe]

Stihl worship...
I've got an Echo CS-306 that I'd put above my Stihl MS-180
That Lil' thing gnaws like a rabid beaver.

Something smaller than an 026 ??? depends on how much small limbing and trimming you do.
Maybe not if you've got a POLE SAW.
I see a pole saw as invaluable.

 

[Del_]

My three saw plan:

MS241CM
MS362CM
MS460.

I usually just use the two smaller saws.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'd keep the 020 limber. Lots handier when you have to get up in a tree and deal with limbs/pruning.

 

[cookies]

A 35-37cc saw can be awesome, Light and powerful so its easily ran several hours on a liter of mix, yea the best part is it sips gas. I like the 023-025 or dare I say poulan predator 36cc but It would be a shame not to bring up a battery powered saw for this size category.

 

[bulletpruf]

021 is a nice little saw and can be got for 1-200 bucks. Very light and good up to about 12" diameter.

I have zero experience with those but I did a quick search and seems like they have mixed reviews.

 

[bulletpruf]

As a larger guy I find a 50cc saw small enough to be my small saw, having a short light bar helps too. I use 50cc saws for clearing small trees and bucking fire wood which is on the small side in my area anyway, we dont need big saws often.

Sounds like you could just about get away with a 1 saw plan.

 

[bulletpruf]

Dont you think you are pushing the limits with only 3 saws in your plan
I have a 26cc tophandle that I use a lot, a lightweight 36cc and a 50cc. I guess both myself and the trees around here are generic smaller...
Anyway, after I got my MS241cm it kinda replaces them all.

That said I have a 026 with heat and a 025 on my workbench now, and I was impressed by the low weight of that 025, I know it runs pretty good too.
But I would guess for you that are used to more weight and bigger saws the 026 fits the bill perfectly.

MS241 looks like a nice saw, but I'm fine with the older stuff myself.

 

[bulletpruf]

Also about your size and I don’t really want anything smaller than my echo 490. It’s light and handles very well for limbing and cutting down Christmas trees. I don’t climb so a top handle is useless and I’d be more likely to hurt myself anyway.

Echo 490 looks like a nice saw, but I don't really have much experience with Japanese saws.

 

[bulletpruf]

I realize this could be a Stihl-worship post, but I have to admit that this saw is a tad smaller than a Stihl 026 and has been a great performer for me:
View attachment 959486

Echo CS-3900. Vintage 1998, it still runs solid as a rock. Almost impossible to find today because the owners keep them on board the same way I did.

Nice looking saw, Edwin.

 

[bulletpruf]

That Lil' thing gnaws like a rabid beaver.

Used to date a gal who had one of those...

 

[sundance]

I'm in a different physical range......5'9" and about 200 lbs.
I use the hell out of my Echo CS346 and CS352, often push them beyond "rated" size range. My big saws are Stihl 036's. For the rare tree beyond 20-22" they work fine. I am thinking I should add an Echo CS4910 to the fleet. While I'd like to have a 70cc I'd use it too rarely to make sense.

 

[bulletpruf]

Stihl worship...
I've got an Echo CS-306 that I'd put above my Stihl MS-180
That Lil' thing gnaws like a rabid beaver.

Something smaller than an 026 ??? depends on how much small limbing and trimming you do.
Maybe not if you've got a POLE SAW.
I see a pole saw as invaluable.

Not familiar with the Echo lineup, but I'll check it out.

I have a regular (no power) pole saw. Had a powered one before and just wasn't a big fan.

Thanks