Which high quality small chainsaw?

[PokeBoater]

I'm new to the forum and know you guys get tired of the "which chainsaw" discussions, but I need some help.  I'll be mostly cutting small oaks (4-8") in planted pines.  I've been using a Husky 359 and a Stihl 034 and frankly want something lighter (much lighter!). Most of the small saws I've seen seem to be for homeowners who don't do much cutting.  My tree farm is about 60 miles from home and nothing is more aggravating than getting there and having a saw not run, so I want a high quality/reliable saw.  From my looking on the internet, the Husky 336, Echo CS346, Stihl MS200 look pretty good. The Dolmar PS3410TH also looked pretty good, but no dealers around here. Any advice, what to look for, etc. would be appreciated and I don't mind spending a little more for a "better" saw.

[thecfarm]

I would suggest a dealer that is close to your treefarm,so if you do have trouble the dealer might be able to fix it on the spot,if it's minor.I take it you're not using it at your home.I would also buy from them too.Does help when you bring it back for repairs.I myself run Husky,really because of the dealer support.I know of 3 dealers of these and only one Stihl.Can't tell you what size,but someone will.I usally go to the dealer and tell them what I want to cut and they tell me what will work.Chainsaws are like dodge,ford and chevy,just depends on what you like.Welcome to the forum.

[ehp]

you are talking top handle saws mostly there, the MS 200 is very good but around here most guys incuding the climbers are running 346 Huskys and they love them

[ComputerUser]

A couple choices that would be worthwhile: if light weight is the primary consideration, consider the MS200 (non-T) or Husqvarna 339 if you want to put up the bucks, Echo CS346 if you don't.  If you had a Dolmar dealer nearby, the 401 (muffler modded or woodsported) is a good little saw and a hell of a bargain.

The Husqvarna 346 would also be a good choice, though it weigs a good bit more than the others, above.  13" narrow kerf bar, 8t rim, and you should be good to go!

Good used or NOS saws worth considering would include the Husqvarna 238 and 242.  I picked up a NOS/NIB 238se a few months ago for a great price and it is a wonderful little saw for limbing and trimming with a 13" NK bar.

[sawguy21]

I agree with ComputerUser. The MS200 rear handle will do everything you want but the CS346 would also be an excellent choice for less money. Ditch the 'safety' chain on the Echo and go with Stihl 63PM. I don't recommend a top handle saw unless you are experienced with it.

[PokeBoater]

Thanks for the advice folks.  Looks like the Stihl MS200 is about $200 more than the Husky.  Is it really worth that much more?

[jokers]

I think that you`re in a position PokeBoat where a little more weight in a saw versus those that you have mentioned will get your job done ALOT faster than those tiny saws and you`ll be able to run a faster .325 chain or even a 3/8 in those small trees. Accordingly I`ll recommend a 346xp, Dolmar 5100s, or a Stihl ms260 as the first string, the Husky 350 or 353 and the Stihl ms250 would be my second string choices.

The ms200T has a cult like following and I believe that the rear handled ms200 is priced relative to the T model. Is it worth it? Maybe if you`re working in a tree or out of a bucket but even then a bigger, more powerful saw can be used.

You might also want to consider buying a clearing saw which would really save your back in the long run. The Stihls are my preferred choice.

[pbuehning]

This really is a can of worms and a tuff question!!  My go-to saw is a 361 and it will do everything I ask it to do; from limbing to blocking LARGE wood.  I usually dress it with a 18" bar and RS and that handles just about everything short of the big stuff.  That said, it pulls a 25" with skip and is very happy.  Sure I'd like a bigger saw, I just can't justify that kind of money for a saw that might come out infrequently. 

Now the small saw question-the 361 gets heavy when I'm doing alot of limbing and small stuff - heavy means tired sooner and that dangerous.  PERIOD - IMO!!  Well I went thru all the options and asked myself "what do I really need/want" and when I was honest with myself - I wanted a light, fast saw that would last.  Well at under 10 pounds with B & C the MS200 (rear handle) flat out rips.  I bought mine a little over 1 week ago and its everything I wanted.  8 to 10" softwood - no problem.  Light and quick when limbing the top of a downed tree and yet it does pull (can't wait till it breaks in).  Ran thru 8 tanks of fuel last weekend and NO regrets.

Yes there are bigger, faster saws (there always will be) and a 346 is a saw I'd love to have, but my MS200 is like a termite on steriods and super light (plus it's pro grade and will last).  Thanks for listening to me babble.

Watch out - chainsaws are addictive and they multiple when you're not watching.

[rebocardo]

> I've been using a Husky 359 and a Stihl 034 and frankly want
> something lighter (much lighter!).

Well, I think the MS-180c is the best light saw out there (for its <$200 price) for bending down and cutting small trees and above shoulder work without getting dangerous. Though if I was going to be cutting a lot of 8" oak each day, I would skip it. The chain from Bailey's really woke the saw up though.

I bought a MS-250 based on weight (mostly) and price. Same reason as the MS-180c, I wanted something light with an 18" bar. Basically a backup saw in case my bigger saw dies in the middle of a cut because with an 18" bar I can take down a pretty big tree with it. Even though I wouldn't want to buck the same tree with it.

I have been using it much (3 days a week) lately to do a lot clearing, of mostly pine. I had no trouble using it to drop 14+" cherry, oak, and pine. Though for bucking the bigger oak and sweetgum, I grabbed the bigger saw (Husky 365).  It has been nice using it for the 8-10" pine and after dropping and buck a bunch of smaller trees for 4 hours in the hot GA sun, I like the light weight.

If you had a lot of small 4" oak, I would go to a saw with a narrow 14" bar (like the MS-180). Very hard to do a proper notch on a 4" tree with a big saw or to cut the stump low 50+ times in a row without the back and knees feeling it.

How I look at the saws, I rather replace a light duty saw 2-3x then work with a heavier pro saw 6 hours a day and being that much more beat by the saw at the end of the day.

[Climber]

Hi guys,
I am very agreeing about first of all to choose who your dealer is. Then narrow down are you Husky or Stihl guy.
I am Stihl fan.
I have almost all new modes starting from MS200T up to MS880.
My favorite for is MS361. Most of my saws running 3/8 X 0.063 chains. Except 200 and 880.
This is the benefit to bring all to the same standard. Same bars, same reel of chain.
MS361 is light and very powerful. You can run 16" bar and up to 30". Just if you running over 20" bar you need to take it easy.
Victor

[MrJim]

Husky and Echo have some decent saws.  Echo's are heavest for the horse power, with Husky next.  Both those are getting harder to service since they are sold in large chain store like Wal-Mart and Lowes.

MS 200?  Nice but unless u want to spend twice as much I would not.  It is one of their hardest to work on, and really designed for low weight one handed use.

The MS 180 C has about the same power, close to the same weight, and the no-tools-needed chain adjuster.  AND costs less than 1/2.
---------------------- lb    / hp  / chain     / bar lengths
MS 180 C ~ $200    8.8 / 2.0 / 3/8 pico/ 12-16"
MS 200    ~ $540    8.4 / 2.1 / 3/8 pico/ 12-16"
MS 250    ~ $310  10.1 / 3.0 / .325     / 16-18"
MS 260    ~ $460  10.6 / 3.2 / .325 (3/8) / 16-20"


I use an MS 260 with 3/8's chain normally with the full skip, but I do lots of firewood with some fence row clearning with some BIG downed trees every year.



Next I would

I'm new to the forum and know you guys get tired of the "which chainsaw" discussions, but I need some help.  I'll be mostly cutting small oaks (4-8") in planted pines.  I've been using a Husky 359 and a Stihl 034 and frankly want something lighter (much lighter!). Most of the small saws I've seen seem to be for homeowners who don't do much cutting.  My tree farm is about 60 miles from home and nothing is more aggravating than getting there and having a saw not run, so I want a high quality/reliable saw.  From my looking on the internet, the Husky 336, Echo CS346, Stihl MS200 look pretty good. The Dolmar PS3410TH also looked pretty good, but no dealers around here. Any advice, what to look for, etc. would be appreciated and I don't mind spending a little more for a "better" saw.

[submarinesailor]

About 10 years ago I brought a Stihl 017 (now MS170) and it cuts anything I need – my buddy has the farmboss if I need anything bigger.  Sometimes I can't believe just how fast it cuts.  And it only weights 8.4 lbs.

Bruce

[SawTroll]

A couple choices that would be worthwhile: if light weight is the primary consideration, consider the MS200 (non-T) or Husqvarna 339 if you want to put up the bucks, Echo CS346 if you don't.  If you had a Dolmar dealer nearby, the 401 (muffler modded or woodsported) is a good little saw and a hell of a bargain.

The Husqvarna 346 would also be a good choice, though it weigs a good bit more than the others, above.  13" narrow kerf bar, 8t rim, and you should be good to go!
......

It is hard to disagree with you!

I have a 339xp that is set up with the 95VP narrow kerf chain, and it is amazingly fast for its size (weight) - just make sure it is a "new edition" one.

...but the 346xp option (95VP/8-pin) probably is the best choise if you want to work really fast....

[PokeBoater]

Thanks for all the advice.  My local dealer sells Husky, Stihl and Echo.  The only small saw he had in stock was an Echo CS-346 so that's what I got.  Used it for a couple of hours this past weekend and the results were mixed.  The saw cuts the small stuff really fast, as fast as my 359, maybe has a more "agressive" chain?  The light weight really makes a difference in bending over to cut the stumps close to the ground and cutting stuff head high.  I was able to get more work done because it wasn't as tiring.

What I don't like.  The saw is hard to start.  Have to pull it more than my Husky and Stihl and it chokes down more frequently. I got the saw pinched in small oak (~ 5") and bent the chain pulling it out.  Don't think I've ever done that before.  Anyhow, I had a spare chain to put on.  Putting the new chain on is really agravating the way you have to line up the chain adjustment thing with the bar since it is attached to the cover.  I guess the saw is not "tuned" correctly, RPM's are way lower than my Husky & Stihl.  Cutting firewood out of a ~8" oak the saw would bog down.  Also, not a big deal, but the saw definately vibrates more than the Husky or Stihl.  And of course the chain is different, now I have to keep up with 3 sizes of chain, 3 files, etc.

I need to buy one more small saw and I'll probably try the Stihl or Husky if I can just find one to look at.  A lot of you guys recommend the 346xp, but my son has a 350 and from the specs thay look pretty close to the same except for the price.  I used the 350 for a while this weekend and I really like the weight of the Echo better.  Thanks again for the advice.