chainsaw recommendation to complement my venerable Stihl O41AV

[Scott Blakely]

Hi all,

I have a Stihl 041AV that I bought when I was 17. It has been a tank. Rebuilt once and I finally had to put a new bar on it because I wore the other bar out completely. (but kept it as the Stihl dealer keeps trying to get me to contact Stihl and see if they would take in it and give me a modern saw because it is so old) - but it is a good friend to me.

That being said, I have just purchased an overgrown piece of property that has lots of small trees, etc. that have been allowed to grow up and the 41 is just to big to carry all over the property triming off stuff that barely warranty a touch of throttle.

So I have been looking for a smaller saw from Stihl or possibly Husqvarna and I am really struggling. I am not sure I want a top-handle saw - but I definitely want one that is 10lbs or less. the MS-200 is too much $ for the work I will put it to. I have the 41 for anything more than 8-10 inches.

I have looked at the 151 (dealers only seem to stock the T model, if they can get one is stock)

I looked also at the 194 (again, I can only find it in the T model) and was all set to buy one until I noticed the PLASTIC bucking teeth.... Really? And no way to replace them short of replacing the entire shroud and there is no part number for just the shroud according to the dealer. And I doubt they would have much "bite" anyway.

So now I am back on the hunt.

I don't want anything of less durability that the 41 has given me - and I don't need a new saw that can handle more than a 14" bar as I have a big saw already.

So far I am not finding a good match, so I thought I would pose the question here. to me, it seems like there is a gap in the Stihl and Husqvarna line ups for a heavy-duty 12-14" bar saw that is not a "t" model.

I welcome all suggestions.

Regards,

[Jack Frederick]

I recently, on the recommendation of a friend, bought an Echo CS 310 16" saw. My use has been light, but my friend has been clearing about and acre and a half of pine/oak for fire clearance. I was shocked when I saw how much he and his wife have done. With my "Thurs Old Man discount" it was $180. It does not meet your criteria for a super durable piece, but for the cost...! It starts, runs & cuts as well as my old Stihl, which the repair shop said was not worth fixing.

[Tom M King]

Yeah, the pro saws that size are for in tree work. My "big" saws are a little newer than yours- 036, and 066. My small saw is a 180. It does come with the easy start, and built in chain tensioner. I don't care for the easy start, but it works fine. I actually like the built in chain adjuster, because the little .043 chain stretches sometimes before you've run a tank of fuel out, so I can tighten it without turning the saw off.

The 170 is cheaper, but the 180 has a bit more power, which can keep the chain going better. I've been tempted by the little pro saw-forget the model number, but the 180 is a reliable little saw. I don't use it for dropping much of a tree. I'll get one of the larger saws for that, but the 180 makes a good limber, or to carry on the tractor when clipping trails.

If you want a Really small saw, look at some of the cordless ones. I have the little single battery Makita, which is a lot easier to start up in a tree, or bucket lift, and does a fine job dropping limbs. I cut a 6" Red Oak limb with it, but it took almost a whole battery charge.

If you only have worn out one bar on your 041, you probably don't really need a pro small saw anyway.

[Warren Lake]

not up on saws but a few things when I hire an arborist friend he has a number of little Stihl saws top handle and throttle special model top quality, hangs off his belt, he climbs like nothing I have seen, more so as he is 60. We took seven trees down one day and a few were hard one uprooted and leaning over a cottage, one over a hydro line, that line already been broken off in the storm and re hooked up.

I think there are three levels of stihl. Maybe there is offshore stuff assembled on an old Military base in Germany, heard some story like that. Then what I was given as a gift MS250 ive used six or more years and while not full time I use stuff hard. Its never let me down and ive toasted the chain on it from that much use, the 18" and still have the 16" it came with. As a mid level saw its worked for me and has never let me down. STuff in the past my father gave me it could bring on a mental illness. Someone mentioned Echo my weed whacker has never been serviced every and is used very hard and on a number of places, it still works fine which speak highly of at least that model.

Always thought Shania could do a promo. "Your Stihl the one"

Id check into the levels maybe stuff has changed but that is my recollection three levels and mine is mid level. I priced out the little ones the arborist has and they were double or more.

[John K Jordan]

I have four Stihl saws. My favorites are two MS250 saws, one a C model. The weight is close to your spec, certainly light enough for general use, limbing, firewood, etc. I have one big saw with a 24" bar and it's simply too heavy for general use. (I did use it to cut up a 48" trunk on a downed oak once!)

The C model is nice for two reasons - it has a spring-loaded ratchet pull rope so you can pull several short strokes rather than one he-man stroke. Second, the chain tension adjustment doesn't need any tools. Both saws have run "forever" with no service other than cleaning the air filter. Always start. I keep 16" bars on them which is fine for even cutting up a 30" log.

BTW, the price on Stihl carbide chainsaw chains has come down. I recently bought one from Baliey's OnLine where I buy all my chainsaw and tree-related stuff.
https://www.baileysonline.com/
I usually buy bar and chain combos with a few extra chains.

JKJ

[Tom M King]

Funny, I posted my earlier post while I was home for lunch. I was moving some trees that I had dropped a while back.

I took the 180 to buck up this 15" Red Oak, and took this picture. It, of course, wasn't as fast as either of the larger saws, but it went right on down through it, and never sputtered, or hung the chain up.

I'm planning to get a MS261C-M, woods ported by Mastermind, late next Fall, for secondary thinning of a 100 acres of Pines I'm doing some experimenting with. The 261 only weighs a little over ten pounds, and stock, has a bit more than 4 hp. It would be my next step up from the 180, which I think weighs about 8 pounds.

This 180 is on it's third chain, and I swear it seems like it's gotten stronger.

It's 90 degrees now, and that's about all the running a chainsaw I want to do today.

[Alex Zeller]

Do you have a specific brand of cordless tools? If so I would get a cordless saw that uses the batteries you already have. Otherwise I would look into cordless saw reviews in general. There's several really good options out there. I'm basing this off of your comment barely touching the throttle. That just screams "battery powered" to me. They are very capable of cutting more than a couple of limbs.

[Peter Kelly]

Not sure if it’s in your price range but the 40.2 cc Shindaiwa 402S is a great little saw. Lightweight, smooth running and super easy to start. Should be able to find one for less than $350.

[Tom M King]

I remembered a picture of the 180, next to the 21 year old 036, and older 066. I don't know of another 8 pound saw I'd replace it with.

https://www.woodtalkonline.com/uploads/monthly_2016_05/CIMG1834.JPG.ed36507849c5a1fd848d61b222e13dd5.JPG

[John Grossbohlin]

In my experience running a longer bar for cutting small stuff is a lot easier on your back... less bending. How long of a bar depends on your height and arm length.

Having adequate power is important too as making the cuts quickly is easier on your back and arms also...

I currently run an MS261 with an 18" bar and an MS461 with a 25" bar (sometimes a 36"). The MS261 replaced an MS271... the lighter weight and more power of the 261 is definitely noticeable. The power head weight is about 10 lbs as I recall.

A few months ago I helped a friend clean up some trees. He has an MS170 and it was painful to watch him cut slowly and hunched over. He used my 271 and instantly understood how hard HE was working with the 170.

Based on your description I'd look at the 261. It's a pro saw with a good track record.

[John K Jordan]

In my experience running a longer bar for cutting small stuff is a lot easier on your back... less bending. ...

Since I am elderly and feeble I picked up a new tool which eliminates the back problems from bending and hunching over when chain sawing. Keeps the chain away from the ground too.

435939

It will easily hold a 2-3000 lb log or tree or one end of a much heavier tree at a comfortable height off the ground. :D

It will also take down small trees (about 10" dia or so) without using the saw - dig a little around roots and push from maybe 8-10' up. I've also been using it to load logs onto the trailer then place them gently on the sawmill. And it should come in handy if I need to bury a horse. Get one for your own back yard!

[Jim Becker]

I have an .029 Farm Boss and while it's not super light, it's not heavy, either. I happen to have an 18" bar on it, although it came with a 16" bar. I've had it since about 2001 and it's always started great, even after a long hiatus.

[Scott Blakely]

Hi all,

Thanks for all of the answers. Lots of great info and perspectives in these responses. Unfortunately I am no closer to making up my mind, but I will look at the 180 again. I am not going to go the batter route. This leaves you open to the "oh, they don't make that battery any longer." kind of design nonsense.

I will also look at the Echo.

I am not sure About the Farm Boss. It is very much like the 041AV except that it is lighter and my wife will also occasionally use this saw and the o41AV is too much saw for her.

Unfortunately, I cannot open any of the attached pictures posted - but I thank those for posting them.

[Jim Becker]

Scott, viewing photos can be obtained by clicking on the "Donate" button up above and becoming a Contributor for $6 a year. (or more if you prefer) You also get access to private messages, the Classifieds, and a few other things as a Contributor.

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If there's a possibility that you can physically access a Stihl dealer in your area, take your spouse with you so she can pick up one of the lighter saws like the Farm Boss or even smaller, and see if she's comfortable with that. There's nothing like having them "in-hand" to get a feel for the weight and that includes for you, too.

[Ole Anderson]

I have an 018 and an MS290, my son has an MS250. Frankly the 250 is a nice compromise the 290 Farm Boss being quite a bit heavier, although I have sawn a ton of wood with the 018 and it is my go-to. I have Poulin Pro that gets used if I need to chop roots. Top handled saws are recommended only for pros up in the trees as they are inherently more dangerous as your hands are much closer together and less able to deal with kickback. But most of them are built to tougher pro standards.

[Tom M King]

I had an 018, that ran great after 21 years. The reason I have the 180 is that a friend borrowed the 018. His method of locking his garage was parking a vehicle against the out-swinging doors. That worked fine until he decided to drive that vehicle to work one day. He bought the 180 to replace my 018 that was stolen.

[John Grossbohlin]

There are a couple saw features that should be considered.

One is gunning sights. These are lines embossed and/or painted on the power head that you use to line up your cut in directional falling. They also help you get the back cut to line up with the face cut when you set the hinge. Some saws have a second gunning sight pointing down the length of the bar that lets you judge where the bar tip is when it's buried in a tree/log. Many of the low end and homeowner saws lack gunning sights. Pass on those.

Another is bumper spikes (dogs). Steel are preferred over the plastic ones molded into the power head case. The steel will bite into the bark and help keep the saw in position. They also let you pivot off the spikes if you are bucking larger logs. The plastic bumper spikes tend to slide on the bark... they need a hard edge on the bark to "stick." If you are dealing with rough bark larger dogs, even two dogs, may be needed for effective use.

Regarding the bumper spikes, they are a poor substitute for a properly sharpened chain... Take a Game of Logging class (GOL1) for safety, sharpening and felling training. It's well worth the day! Alternatively, there are a couple old school loggers on YouTube that have good videos on hand sharpening:
Ironhorse has a great video on how a chip is formed. This is the theory you need to really understand chainsaw sharpening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aezO8-punDU.
Buckin' Billy Ray Smith has a number of sharpening videos... different techiques https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMUje6I1l64lLH5_AD4XwrHQ9A-I2F1RM You may recognize Buckin' from the last season of Ax Men.

Regarding the GOL training. I've participated both as a student and host. Without fail all students benefit. New guys who have less than an hour of cutting, professional loggers and municipal workers, as well as amateurs who've run a saw for 40-50 years will walk away as safer, more effective chainsaw users. Don't be fooled into thinking the old guys who are on their 2nd, 3rd or 4th saws do best. I brought a kid to the last class I hosted whom I had given about a hour of hands on training before the class--his total saw experience. The trainer said that the kid had the best stump and exhibited the best safety practices. Bad habits by untrained guys are tough to correct! :rolleyes:

[Alex Zeller]

Hi all,

Thanks for all of the answers. Lots of great info and perspectives in these responses. Unfortunately I am no closer to making up my mind, but I will look at the 180 again. I am not going to go the batter route. This leaves you open to the "oh, they don't make that battery any longer." kind of design nonsense.

I will also look at the Echo.

I am not sure About the Farm Boss. It is very much like the 041AV except that it is lighter and my wife will also occasionally use this saw and the o41AV is too much saw for her.

Unfortunately, I cannot open any of the attached pictures posted - but I thank those for posting them.

Batteries can be a mixed blessing. If a brand sticks with them then you are all set. If they come up with a new style you are going to b hosed sooner or later. The good news is most popular brands of cordless hand tools have added a chainsaw. I'm currently using Milwaukee tools so I'm locked into their batteries. With so many of them out there even if Milwaukee changed design I'm sure the current design will still be sold by someone for quite some time. My neighbor just bought the Milwaukee chainsaw and loves it (I haven't used it yet). For me the idea of not having another engine to maintain is very much a plus. Like he said, fill it with bar oil, pop in a battery, and start cutting. I know Stihl makes at least one but without any other cordless Stihl tools it's not as tempting.

[Roger Bull]

I've been running a MS261C-M for about 6 years now and it has been great. The dealer talked me into the M version and there are no fuel adjustments. All are done automatically. It's about 10 pounds and plenty of power. Good range of chain types fit this saw as well. If I had to do it again I would get the same model.

[Ryan Yeaglin]

I've had it since about 2001 and it's always started great, even after a long hiatus.

A lot can be said for proper care to ensure easy starting. Draining the fuel after use in it will be stored for a while works wonders.

[John Grossbohlin]

I've been running a MS261C-M for about 6 years now and it has been great. The dealer talked me into the M version and there are no fuel adjustments. All are done automatically. It's about 10 pounds and plenty of power. Good range of chain types fit this saw as well. If I had to do it again I would get the same model.
I have an MS261 without Mtronic. I heard too many negative things from tree service guys and shops about the computerized Stihl and Husky saws... I'm Okay with tweaking the carburetors, using non-ethanol gas and synthetic mix oil, keeping the air filters clean and changing a spark plug occasionally. Keeping after the maintenance has led to all 7 of my Stihl machines being trouble free.

[Jim Becker]

A lot can be said for proper care to ensure easy starting. Draining the fuel after use in it will be stored for a while works wonders.

That's true, but so I can be honest and upfront...I've never drained mine since I've owned it. It starts with a few pulls under choke and then choke released if it sputtered even if it's sat for months which is typical for my usage. It's just plain a good saw!

[Tom M King]

I have way too much small equipment to worry about draining it every use, and I certainly don't want to run one dry. I do use only non-ethanol gas though, so every piece is ready to go when it's called on. That, and the Stihl synthetic mix, has never failed me. I do use Klotz, when the Stihl dealer is out of gallon jugs of mix, but go back to the Stihl when I have it.

[John K Jordan]

I have way too much small equipment to worry about draining it every use, and I certainly don't want to run one dry. I do use only non-ethanol gas though, so every piece is ready to go when it's called on. That, and the Stihl synthetic mix, has never failed me. I do use Klotz, when the Stihl dealer is out of gallon jugs of mix, but go back to the Stihl when I have it.

I don't drain either and the saws (Stihl) always start up nicely even after sitting idle for months - since I have several saws some only get started rarely. I use only the Stihl oil (which contains stabilizer) in pure hi-test gas. Perhaps draining is critical for some types of saws and fuel mixtures or in cold climates, I don't know.

BTW, I knew a guy who always had trouble starting his Stihl. Turns out he didn't read or follow the starting procedure in the manual. Stihl says to start it the way Jim mentioned - apply full choke, pull a time or two times until the engine sputters, then flip off the choke and pull two or three more times until it starts and runs. The MS250-C also has a fuel primer bulb which I use. My largest saw has a primer bulb and a compression release.

[stevo wis]

Hi Scott,
I just had to chime in because I have my Dad's 031av. He died in 1979 so its got to be 50 years old and still starts and runs well. I did have to work on the recoil starter and since the parts are no longer made I had to buy from ebay where I found some new old stock.
I also i also have a ms150c and ms261 and they are all great saws.

[Ben Helmich]

I have the MS290. It's pretty heavy if using it all day. Great saw, though. The 026/Ms260 is lighter and almost as strong. More of a pro saw I think. +1 on the long bar for reach. 20" works well for me. I'd start with the bar I want and find a light saw that will run it. You cant really go wrong here. Anything this saw wont handle you can get your big saw. I'd get something light.

[Charley Preston]

I know the MS200T is a spendy little saw, but it is a powerhouse that will fit in your pocket. I paid about $700 for it over 10 years ago and it still screams today and it easy to pack around. I love it on my four wheeler or on foot. I do some minor arborist work and light enough I barely feel it hanging from my belt. But it’s powerful enough I’ve felled almost 24” trunks with it. As with any tool, you get what you pay for.

[Mitchell Garnett]

I've had a MS250 with an 18" bar for over 20 years - great chain saw. If I were buying another, I'd probably give serious consideration to the ECHO C400. (both are larger than what the OP is looking for)

A comment regarding longevity with new chainsaws: go to the trouble to use high octane ethanol free gas. Pre-mixed with oil has gotten cheap enough that even pros I've worked with buy it in large quantities. A compromise if you are a not using the saw as much as the original poster and you don't use the saw up for extended periods - run it empty and put a little of the canned pre-mix in, make sure it is off and give it a couple of pulls to flush the fuel system. older saws don't have this problem - it comes from carburetors having to be redesigned so chainsaws can meet emissions standards (thank you EPA) .

This is what I learned going through factory training for both ECHO and Stihl (I repaired both) for several years.