Newbie needs saw recommendation

[TeeJay]

Your forum is great. I'm currently using it to troubleshoot my old saw, a Homelite 330 (20"bar), which has been my only saw for over 20 years. This saw though, has just become too heavy for me to do any limbing.

I only cut about 30 to 80 hours per year--oak, bishop pine, cypress, black locust. Tasks include landscape & brush trimming, felling and firewood. What saws would you recommend for me to look at. Like everyone I want something light, powerful, easy to maintain (I do it myself), durable and starts easily. Just don't ask me to modify anything though. Hopefully, my old saw will recuperate enough to handle bigger cuts on the ground, so think "in the tree" friendly.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

"in the tree" friendly? Stihl MS 200T or possibly 200 (rear handle).

What kind of felling firewood tasks are you looking at? It's hard to have a saw perform superbly in a tree, and felling and in firewood. I have used my 361 up in the tree, but now that I've got the 200T...well the 361 will stay on the ground now.

Sthil MS 361 would likely fit your bill. Depending on the size you're cutting, possibly the 260 as well.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

 

[GlennG]

Dolmar ps5100 has 4hp and weighs 11.2 pounds.

Street prices are around $380

That should do very well for you.

Glenn

 

[Schultzz]

Any Stihl saw that feels good to you and is within your budget is a good investment in cutting wood.

 

[SawTroll]

....., so think "in the tree" friendly.

Please explain what you mean by that.
Are you climbing, or felling, limbing and bucking the trees?
How large are the largest and the "average" cut you will make with the new saw (apart from the limbing).
Do you have an idea what bar length to need?

 

[Lawn Masters]

Sawtroll, by in the tree, he means literally "in the tree" or off the ground, and climbing basically.

 

[pinus]

IMO, if the load is no more than ca 50 m3 firewood per year (10-12 cords?) the 50cm3 saw can do this work easily. If the load is more, bigger saw has a some advantage.