Preference of climbing saws?

[TreeJunkie]

I agree Lumberjack; the muffler modification makes a big difference.

I've modded the mufflers on almost all of my saws and have noticed a huge difference. Just be sure to wear hearing protection, especially if you fire up the modded 660.

My little echo didn't cut worth crap till the muffler was opened up and i put a real chain on it. Out of the box every echo is just about worthless.

 

[newb]

Ive got the Stihl 191. Im making money with it and ive had no problems.

 

[Ny finest]

Stihl ms200t.Anything else for full time work is dumb.
Longevity/Durability:
Echo300:6mo
Husky338:1yr
Sthil200t:4yr
If you use the stihl you can never use anythig else.I bought a huskyand two weeks after that I used my buddy's 200.Its been sitting in my basement ever since.
Used saws are kinda like cars-You never know the complete history of its matainance,repairs etc so your'e always taking a gamble.Just make sure its a financially correct gamble.

 

[Ny finest]

Lumberjack,
i could'nt find the pic in the chainsaw forum about the modded muffler.A little help please.

 

[topndrop]

My little echo didn't cut worth crap till the muffler was opened up and i put a real chain on it. Out of the box every echo is just about worthless.

How do you mod the muffler on the Echo and what chain do you rec? I have never modded a saw in my life... When you guys talk about it, it sounds like me telling my 73 y.o. mother about computers....

 

[topndrop]

If you use the stihl you can never use anythig else.I bought a huskyand two weeks after that I used my buddy's 200.Its been sitting in my basement ever since.

Interested in selling? We are always looking for a good ground saw...

Thanks for the advice. We have narrowed the list to the MS192T or the MS200T.

Are there any well known and trusted sources for used / refurbed saws?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Get the 200, dood.

 

[Stumper]

Stihl ms200t.Anything else for full time work is dumb.
Longevity/Durability:
Echo300:6mo
Husky338:1yr
Sthil200t:4yr

Ny finest, Thank you for insulting my intelligence.

 

[Ryan Willock]

anybody running one of the new husky 338's???

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Ah the great debate. I pay an extra 450 us dollars to get the MS200 over the echo. And its worth it. The echos ARE outstanding value for money but the MS200 is simply worth twice the price over time. (especially with the amount of time lost when bits break on the echo.)

Dropping eucs the echos jam like made on the powery sawdust, the MS just powers through and lives twice as long.

 

[Mike Barcaskey]

I love my 200 so much I do all my limbing and bucking up to 8 inches with it

might even think it's better than my 026 once in a while

 

[Base]

had a husky 335......never again not interested in a 338 bought a ms200t.....and never going back though i always use husky groundsaws but their climbing saws i do not rate

 

[kurtztree]

I like my stihl 020t it was abused and it still runs good. Dropped it out of the tree a couple of times about 40 feet still running.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I just spent the morning breaking up 3 020's that had various terminal problems to make one good one. VERY stoked. And I have a moutain of spares for the future!
Life is good.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

You want 020T muffler mods...........try this!


020T Muffler Mod Thread


This I did last spring......makes a big difference!!!


One important thing..........the muffler MUST be completely taken off of the saw before any of these mods are attempted!!!

 

[Ekka]

Stihl 020 or ms200T's rule.

I still have an echo 350T we use for palms as it doesn't corrode as much but the 020 with muffler mod kicks ass.

The echo's don't run as smooth, I find them finicky, you know, choke then don't choke etc etc and they always seem to drop the idle speed when you put the chain brake on.

I also had a Husky 335xpt and that turned me off Husky for life. I traded that for the 020

 

[Tree Machine]

Horse of a different color

Does the 346XP count as a climbing saw? It's a little heavier than the top-handles, but between the gas tank being larger and the cuts being made faster, the productivity rockets beyond that of the trim saws. You never really get to that point where you're waiting for the saw to get through a larger diameter cut, wishing you'd gotten a bigger saw sent up. On takedowns, I habitually flush-cut branches from the limbs, where the collar may be 2-3X the diameter of the branch. With my choice in climbing saws, that doesn't really matter.

I appreciate, also, the control and predictability. Like many, I will underside notch a limb and then come in from the top with a tapered hinge, or some varient thereof to get the limb to fall the direction I intend. Between the insane power, full-chisel chain and the rakers knocked down a bit, it's like riding a spirited champion racehorse instead of a Shetland pony. It's really not a whole lot heavier, not when you consider the level of performance it offers. The control is better because the power is better and can be counted on.

I also carry a Silky Saw for the small cuts so I don't have to fire up a saw for small diameter material.

If I were trimming palms it would be way different and a top-handle would be the choice du jour. Then I'd go with an Echo for the price and because they start with such great predictability. But, I don't do ladders well and would rather leave palms for the many who are better able.

 

[treeflyer]

Top Handel Chainsaws

hi

i live next to stihl uk and echo uk ive always used stihl from the old 020 to 020t now ms200t i also have the little 26cc echo cs2600 but i had a deal the other day on 3 tanaka tcs-3401 pruners from a shop closing down old stock
thay cost me £100 each instead of £345 i no nothing about this make of saw does anyone no what thay are like or have i been done on that price/ or are thay crap
cheers

 

[tnttreeman]

Tree Machine, I have used the 346XP as a climb saw too and loved it, much for the same reasons that you mentioned.
Alot of the time now I use the Stihl 180C. Not nearly as much power, but light for a rear handle saw. An added benefit, it doesn't need a bar tool for adjustment of the chain. Great when you're way up there. Just pop up the side piece, click the adjustment, and tighten the side piece back down. Down side- the saw had better be razor sharp or you don't have enough power for the bigger stuff.

 

[Tree Machine]

An added benefit, it doesn't need a bar tool for adjustment of the chain.

That is an excellent point, TNT. Can you loosen it enough by hand to put a flipped chain back on ?