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Limbing Saw

71PA_Highboy

An Unknown but Engorged Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
442
Messages
186
Loc
Near the Triad, Lookin' at the freeway
Need a small limbing chain saw. I have an older Farm Boss for anything larger. What is the best ~12" small, easy to handle for a few hours at a time? I have never had a small saw so looking for input.

Only had Stihl and Jonsereds, so other brands are unknowns.

Budget saws are not really what I am interested in, but a QUALITY saw at a decent price.
 
Husky has a good limbing saw as you describe as does Stihl, hit a local saw shop and grab one. The top handled saws you'll appreciate if you do it often. T435 with 12" would be great. Similar Stinl would also be great.
 
Husky
sthl
Cuz no johnsereds out here..
Ive an echo top saw (not limb) that rocks (30yo)
 
What’s the echo limber that everyone was raving about?
 
cj3a said:
I think this is the one.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/echo-cs355t-first-thoughts-review.309918/
Click to expand...

I have one and LOVE IT. I put a 14” bar on mine and if the bar fits, I use it. My “big” saw is a husky 562xp, with a 29” bar. I’ve cut about 50 trees between my two properties since the fire. I’ve only put 3-4 tanks through the husky. I have yet to process my pile, these are the oaks from one. The logs on the right are 14’, for reference.

photo42441.jpg
 
kennyjeeper said:
Check out Dewalt 20v.
Click to expand...

I was gonna recommend the milwaukee.:grinpimp:

​​​​​

Seriously, a battery powered saw is great. I have a husky 040 that needs a carb, but I haven't bothered to spend the $15 on it because I have the milwaukee saw that always starts.:cool2:
 
kennyjeeper said:
Check out Dewalt 20v.
Click to expand...

Got one last year after several reqs here. Been great for cleanup, limbing, etc. Just grab and go.

It is a little strange to get use to, you're lining up the cut and there silence, no 2 stoke idling in your hands, nothing. A few times I stopped thinking I was missing something
 
I got a Stihl MS 170 for limbing. It does great for that purpose and I sometimes get carried away and start blocking with it instead of the bigger saw. It’s light and easy handling and was $170 when I bought it a couple years back. Definitely would recommend it.

I use a 40v battery pole saw and so far it is doing well. I just bought that a week ago and have only taken down about 5-6 limbs. The silence of electric is nice though.



edit: I saw you said to use for a few hours at a time. I’d skip electric then unless you are cutting right near your house and also buy multiple batteries.
 
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gladman said:
Husky has a good limbing saw as you describe as does Stihl, hit a local saw shop and grab one. The top handled saws you'll appreciate if you do it often. T435 with 12" would be great. Similar Stinl would also be great.
Click to expand...

I was at lowes getting stuff for a different project and looked there. They had a 435 regular rear handle for under 200. Is the top handle worth the extra $135 or so? I have never used a top handle so I have no clue as to its value.

Is the top handle and rear handle the same machine with just handle differences or are they completely different?
 
71PA_Highboy said:
I was at lowes getting stuff for a different project and looked there. They had a 435 regular rear handle for under 200. Is the top handle worth the extra $135 or so? I have never used a top handle so I have no clue as to its value.

Is the top handle and rear handle the same machine with just handle differences or are they completely different?
Click to expand...

I think same just location difference. the location is handy for limbing, the other will work, but for lots of repetitive work, I think you'll like what the T gives you.
 
I really like my Husky T435. Had it about 1.5 yrs and use it all the time. I had never had a top hand saw, so it does feel a little different with hand placement compared to a conventional saw, but WAY better than conventional when you are cutting one-handed. It comes with a 14" bar, but the dealer put a 12" on mine because I wanted a light saw with good power.

They also make a T540, which is a a full on professional saw. I handled both of them, and chose the T435. It was a bit lighter, and was over $250 less than the T540, which retails at $580. I'm just a non-pro user with a bunch of trees on my 5 acres, so I wasn't using it 8 hrs/day every day.
 
We have a stihl ms180 kicking around the gets used the most out of everything. There's a 14" bar on it and it'll pull it through anything no problem. Those little saws are the best, you can throw it around all weekend and not feel a thing. I just had to replace the oil line and aside from a carb cleaning and filters that's all I've done to it in the last 15(?) years
 
Wheelerfreak said:
I got a Stihl MS 170 for limbing. It does great for that purpose and I sometimes get carried away and start blocking with it instead of the bigger saw. It’s light and easy handling and was $170 when I bought it a couple years back. Definitely would recommend it.
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This was my approach as well. MS 391 for felling and big cuts and the MS 170 for everything else since it is so light you can run it for hours without having to stop as much.
 
I've been running a garbage-can 80 dollar chinese garbage zenoah-g2500-clone saw
that thing is game changing, going from mid-sized 50cc saws to that little toy

Thought about buying the cs2511t, but figured I'd buy the cheap shit to see how useful it'd be.
if this thing dies, I'll buy one of those cs2511t saws same day

ETA: woah, just looked them up and those echos are selling everywhere higher than the $400 MSRP, they used to be slightly below (like 360ish) as you'd expect
 
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Speedy said:
This was my approach as well. MS 391 for felling and big cuts and the MS 170 for everything else since it is so light you can run it for hours without having to stop as much.
Click to expand...

Funny. Those are two of the saws I have and use now. I'm looking at getting an MS461R, but I need to figure out a way to justify a 1k saw:homer:
 
Speedy said:
This was my approach as well. MS 391 for felling and big cuts and the MS 170 for everything else since it is so light you can run it for hours without having to stop as much.
Click to expand...

391/180 here. If the 391 ever dies I'll get a 362
 
D Nelly said:
We have a stihl ms180 kicking around the gets used the most out of everything. There's a 14" bar on it and it'll pull it through anything no problem. Those little saws are the best, you can throw it around all weekend and not feel a thing. I just had to replace the oil line and aside from a carb cleaning and filters that's all I've done to it in the last 15(?) years
Click to expand...

Exact same story for me. I have about 12 years on my MS180 and besides one oil line and normal maintenance, it's been solid. I got it over the 170 to have the slightly larger engine with the same 14" bar. With a fresh chain, it'll chew through anything I need it to. It's also a great size to throw in the truck and take in the woods. As cool as the top handle saws are, a rear handle made more sense for me for use on the ground and increased safety as I'm no Arborist.

71PA_Highboy find the local dealer/service shop you like for Stihl, Husqvarna, or the professional Echo saws and get what they have. You'll want easy parts and service availability when you need it. In the PNW there is a Stihl dealer practically every 10 miles and my favorite hardware store is a service/warranty center so that's what I run. I have all Stihl for my current gas equipment, and I'll be adding more soon.
 
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The smallest saw I have is a MS362, I sort of like limbing with it cause it has a 25" bar and gives you some decent reach.
I was helping a friend out a few weeks ago and grabbed his little MS171, at first I was less than impressed, but after using it for an hour and not feeling like my shoulders were falling off I decided I need to get one.
 
Another vote for the MS170 or 180. Bought the 170 last year as my local place had them on sale. Use that way more than my bigger farm boss. 14" full chisel chain, it runs through wood pretty good.
 
Fuck this thread, cost me $650.
I have a ton of trees to trim, and my MS362 is going to kill my shoulders. I set out to buy a MS170 or MS180, but saw this and couldnt resist it. Love being able to use it 1 handed, need to be careful with it though, I can see how you could easily catch your leg or face with it. It doubles as a beam saw, which I was thinking about buying, so 2 birds 1 stone sort of deal.
IMG-3867.JPG

It is my new favorite saw though.
 
Baconator said:
It doubles as a beam saw, which I was thinking about buying, so 2 birds 1 stone sort of deal.[TACH]
It is my new favorite saw though.
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heh I use my little 25cc toy as a framing tool, too
it's just amazing the difference a light little saw makes, you don't really think about it until you use one
 
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