Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[mountainguyed67]

How much fuel do you carry? What’s it weigh?

Good point. We took in 2–1/2 liters, distributed in three different bottles. Batteries could be distributed too. My main aversion to battery is I’m unfamiliar with them. There is a guy in the 4WD club I’m in that has an assortment of battery stuff when we’re out, I call him go go gadget... I could get his impression.

 

[mountainguyed67]

seems hes asking for a lot, but wanting to keep just what he has.

Im basically asking for a modern version of the XL, but am still undecided on going to a rear handle. Gear could be packed around it, and as others have pointed out, it would give more reach. I would also consider going a little heavier, if something is to be gained.

 

[Philbert]

My main aversion to battery is I’m unfamiliar with them.

I was quite skeptical at first. But impressed, and they have only gotten better. Try one if you can. Some Home Depot locations rent them. Still might not be the best choice for you, but you should check them out. Check out some the threads on them to see what other people say (some of these go back a ways, and may not reflect the most current information - no pun intended). That little Makita is just so cute!

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...chainsaws-and-outdoor-power-equipment.177392/https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...20v-lithium-cordless-battery-chainsaw.310665/https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/echo-58-volt-cordless-chainsaw.277864/https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/oregon-cs300-40v-cordless-chainsaw.286385/https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/opinion-on-battery-saws.335855/
Philbert

 

[farmer steve]

@mountainguyed67 . Here my input on the 180. My dad has been using and abusing them for many years. He's going to be 90 in June. He has been cutting about 10 cord or so per year. He literally runs them into the ground. Other than needed maintenance (when i do it)they seem to just keep running. Till they just quit. I do understand what you are saying about packing one in. I did run @James Miller s little echo top handle when he got it and seemed like a good running saw. I forget the model #.

 

[mountainguyed67]

Yes, that can explain the top handle position. Which is understandable. The ms180 is more or less the rear handle version of the 193t. No the truck doesnt care how much it weighs but it is very light, and I found them to very robust for how hard they were used,and little maintenance they required. Using them all day was never tiring, amd they could take 16" well, although slowly. I cant say that for the ms192tc I have. It has its hands full with a 14" bar.

It‘s worth considering then, it’s about 1-1/2 lbs heavier. Not too bad. The XL did have its limits before anything got very big, most of that was seasoned live oak. Very slow cutting with a tiny saw. We would typically go in one day cutting tiny stuff and bypassing bigger stuff, then come back the next day and cut bigger stuff.

 

[mountainguyed67]

@mountainguyed67 . Here my input on the 180. My dad has been using and abusing them for many years. He's going to be 90 in June. He has been cutting about 10 cord or so per year. He literally runs them into the ground. Other than needed maintenance (when i do it)they seem to just keep running. Till they just quit. I do understand what you are saying about packing one in. I did run @James Miller s little echo top handle when he got it and seemed like a good running saw. I forget the model #.

Good information. Thanks.

 

[turnkey4099]

The 193 is 1.74 hp, the XL is 1.43 hp. The 193T weighs 7.28 lbs, XL weighs 7.8 lbs. So pretty close. I could one hand with the XL though, it never kicked back.

My first saw was an XL, nice saw but i doubt that it would cut with the modern saws. 2nd saw was an XL2, both were used saws. I did run a McCulough (?sp?)way back in the 50s for one summer and was on the outboard end of 4' Mall once.

 

[turnkey4099]

I'd just like to know why is a top handle so sought after, and why the hate of the ms180? We ran them as truck saws at the township. They were always very reliable, had decent power and were very light. Arguably they took more abuse then the bigger pro models we had, and if im.not mistaken has the same engine construction as a ms 193.

For me the top handle is the only way to go when brushing out a tree. Although warned against it, I operate it one-handed and use the free hand to grab and toss aside the branch I'm cutting. I used to use an MS210. The top handle cut the brushing time almost in half. Yes, I am wall aware of the danger.

 

[turnkey4099]

Now

stopped by a rancher pal's place other day. had a bunch of pecans lying about below a med sized pecan tree. hmm, i thought... and cracked one. most been there for a bit of a spell. so l tasted it. nice! still sweet and tasty! so gathered up a bag. cracked them all, cleaned and dried. now ready for some homemade pecan pie with scrounged pecans...
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I

stopped by a rancher pal's place other day. had a bunch of pecans lying about below a med sized pecan tree. hmm, i thought... and cracked one. most been there for a bit of a spell. so l tasted it. nice! still sweet and tasty! so gathered up a bag. cracked them all, cleaned and dried. now ready for some homemade pecan pie with scrounged pecans...
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View attachment 889070View attachment 889071View attachment 889072View attachment 889073

intended use:
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Geez...now I'm a gonna have to go and buy an expensive store bought one. I got addicted to them in my years in Texas in the AF. Don't see them on the shelves here much.

 

[turnkey4099]

Got the word on the back operation. March 4. I was hoping for sooner so I could get teh 6 week restriction done before cutting season was here.

 

[svk]

Is this limited by recommendations, or by compatibility? The XL specs say 16” max, but mine has an 18” on it. It was that way when I got it.

The max bar they made was 18” for that bar mount. And the saw wood never pull that much buried in hardwood but sometimes a longer bar is nice when cutting brush.

 

[svk]

Look at a Husqvarna 130 or 135 mark 2. Solid saws of a design NOT based on the ****** 235/240 chassis.

 

[mountainguyed67]

sometimes a longer bar is nice when cutting brush.

Exactly.

 

[mountainguyed67]

I could one hand with the XL though, it never kicked back.

@chipper1 is this what you put a shocked face about?

 

[mountainguyed67]

Look at a Husqvarna 130 or 135 mark 2. Solid saws of a design NOT based on the ****** 235/240 chassis.

I just looked, the power head is over 10 lbs. I did notice that they also have smaller saws.

 

[JustJeff]

May as well go with the dolmar 7900. That's the consensus of pretty much every "what saw should I get" thread on arboristsite!
If you're a top handle fan more power to ya. I don't like em and prefer a rear handle with the longest bar for a limbing saw. I like the reach and ability to cut things on the ground without hunching over like a dog humping a football. Lol. In my experience a small light saw seems to kick back worse than a big saw. Maybe I've just been lucky but that's why I prefer a rear handle. I've run a top handle and I own a super 2 but it just makes me nervous not having that leverage. Again, no offense to those who like their top handles.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[JustJeff]

Apparently you can run a ms180 one handed as well! Lol.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[Philbert]

It‘s worth considering then, it’s about 1-1/2 lbs heavier. Not too bad.

Oh hell: just invite us all over and we’ll bring ALL of those saws!

Philbert

 

[chipper1]

In no way am I saying you are doing it wrong, but please help me understand why you want a top handle? To me a small, zippy rear handle would shine for this work.

I agree.
I prefer the ms193 rear handle, ms201 rear handle, or the ms200 rear handle for the small work. I have a 200t, but the only time I use them other than for climbing is for testing purposes and to get videos if I'm selling them, I'd much rather have a rear handle saw.
Looking forward to trying the new echo 2511 rear handle .
When I'm clearing invasives anything bigger will wear me out in a couple hrs, maybe less .
Smallest saw to get the job done unless bucking is what I usually want.

@mountainguyed67 . Here my input on the 180. My dad has been using and abusing them for many years. He's going to be 90 in June. He has been cutting about 10 cord or so per year. He literally runs them into the ground. Other than needed maintenance (when i do it)they seem to just keep running. Till they just quit. I do understand what you are saying about packing one in. I did run @James Miller s little echo top handle when he got it and seemed like a good running saw. I forget the model #.

James had a 355t, it's a good bit bigger, but still pretty light. Echo makes a rear handled version of that as well, although I don't remember the number and I don't know if they released them here in the states.

@chipper1 is this what you put a shocked face about?

Yep.
It was more a , as in oh my gosh, you're gonna die!.
Obviously if you've done it this long you will probably be just fine, but it isn't something I would advise for a new cutter.

 

[chipper1]

Apparently you can run a ms180 one handed as well! Lol.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

That chain sounded a bit loose, not.
Amazing the difference in cut times when one saw is tuned very fat and the other is just a little fat lol. I bet the one was 1-2k faster in the cut, translate that to around 15-25% more rpm in the cut and it certainly makes a difference. That being said I like to run my saws a bit fatter than some guys, no reason to mess with them with very passing breeze, it's just a waste of time if your not cutting timber to me.
The newest smaller stihl offering, the ms194 would be pretty nice in a rear handle version.
Here's my 192 rear handle. I modded the muffler, advanced the timing and then retuned(eliminated the limiter on the high side of the carb too).
"Sharp" chain that was on it when I got it, it was done by a local shop.
About 10sec average.

After I sharpened the chain.
About 4.5sec average.

Just a tad bit faster, around 4 sec but the wood was a good % bigger. Notice the chain wasn't grabbing as bad because of the power increase, the rpm come up much faster too which is nice when doing a bunch of little trees/branches.

MS200 rear handle, few more rpm .

MS201 rear handle. Good torque compared to the 200 and much better fuel economy. I sold this one and the other one I had which was a standard carb, good thing I found another one to replace it, I like working smaller wood with these. I would have normally used a 50cc saw for this tree, but it didn't take much longer with the little 201, I just wanted to do a video so..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyfy774bsy0