So after this thread looking for a t-handle
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/echo-cs-2511t-cs-271t-or-cs-355t.315761/
And this thread looking at the top of the line saws
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/stihl-ms-241-pro-or-stihl-ms-201-farm.316679/
I ended up settling for the Stihl MS 211
I didn't like the thought of destroying a magnesium case pro saw from trimming live green palm trees and getting acidic palm juice all over the innards. And I admitted to myself that I will use this saw about a half dozen times a year for trimming and limbing...no bucking period...but I could buck a few cuts up to 12" I guess if I need to. So a pro saw was just not for me. Maybe that incredible Ms 261 C-M one day if I ever purchase more land.
I also realized after borrowing a 201T that I'm not a fan of the outboard clutch since I'm going to have to remove the bar and chain often to clean out gummy palm tree juice. Maybe a MS 150 will finalize my three saw combo one day. hehe
I was looking for the lightest, single bar nut, clam shell, strato engine, Stihl saw I could find. So an MS 211 wound up in my hands today and the 18" bar stayed on it from the dealer. I also purchased a 14" bar and chain to limb hardwood oaks and pecans since I'll have to cut up fallen branches from time to time around my property. I got the saw home and got to work with the 18" setup. I burned through one tank of gas trimming three crepe myrtles and one palm tree. My wife went through the next tank and a half trimming more palm trees and a couple bottle brush trees. She came back to me the first time saying the saw cut off, which was because the gas ran out. She never turns the saw off, she just sets it down running on the ground and I'm trying to brake her of that. She came back another time saying it cut off and she couldn't get it started again. I started to fear the worst; some mechanical break down. But I recalled even I switched hands one time and accidentally hit the control lever into the stop position and I bet that's what my wife did too, she just couldn't get it started back up. I got it started after a couple tries. She didn't have the choke sequence down. But still, my experience through the first tank was that it started right back up on no choke after every time I shut it off for a minute. Don't know why I had to choke it again after it "died" on her. I finished up trimming a hundred yards of fence row underbrush, mostly 1" and 2" cuts, but one after another.
The 211 so far is a dream to run for limbing and trimming. We have a LOT of picking up to do tomorrow to say the least, but the saw didn't wear us out. We need to get a large burn pile going now, largest one we've had in the 6 years we've lived here. The 211 never hesitated to make any of the cuts we were doing today. I had it on and off and back on again time after time without the first bit of trouble. This saw, although it is brand new, ran flawlessly.
What else can I expect during break-in?
I can't wait to run the 14" bar on some real wood cuts.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/echo-cs-2511t-cs-271t-or-cs-355t.315761/
And this thread looking at the top of the line saws
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/stihl-ms-241-pro-or-stihl-ms-201-farm.316679/
I ended up settling for the Stihl MS 211
I didn't like the thought of destroying a magnesium case pro saw from trimming live green palm trees and getting acidic palm juice all over the innards. And I admitted to myself that I will use this saw about a half dozen times a year for trimming and limbing...no bucking period...but I could buck a few cuts up to 12" I guess if I need to. So a pro saw was just not for me. Maybe that incredible Ms 261 C-M one day if I ever purchase more land.
I also realized after borrowing a 201T that I'm not a fan of the outboard clutch since I'm going to have to remove the bar and chain often to clean out gummy palm tree juice. Maybe a MS 150 will finalize my three saw combo one day. hehe
I was looking for the lightest, single bar nut, clam shell, strato engine, Stihl saw I could find. So an MS 211 wound up in my hands today and the 18" bar stayed on it from the dealer. I also purchased a 14" bar and chain to limb hardwood oaks and pecans since I'll have to cut up fallen branches from time to time around my property. I got the saw home and got to work with the 18" setup. I burned through one tank of gas trimming three crepe myrtles and one palm tree. My wife went through the next tank and a half trimming more palm trees and a couple bottle brush trees. She came back to me the first time saying the saw cut off, which was because the gas ran out. She never turns the saw off, she just sets it down running on the ground and I'm trying to brake her of that. She came back another time saying it cut off and she couldn't get it started again. I started to fear the worst; some mechanical break down. But I recalled even I switched hands one time and accidentally hit the control lever into the stop position and I bet that's what my wife did too, she just couldn't get it started back up. I got it started after a couple tries. She didn't have the choke sequence down. But still, my experience through the first tank was that it started right back up on no choke after every time I shut it off for a minute. Don't know why I had to choke it again after it "died" on her. I finished up trimming a hundred yards of fence row underbrush, mostly 1" and 2" cuts, but one after another.
The 211 so far is a dream to run for limbing and trimming. We have a LOT of picking up to do tomorrow to say the least, but the saw didn't wear us out. We need to get a large burn pile going now, largest one we've had in the 6 years we've lived here. The 211 never hesitated to make any of the cuts we were doing today. I had it on and off and back on again time after time without the first bit of trouble. This saw, although it is brand new, ran flawlessly.
What else can I expect during break-in?
I can't wait to run the 14" bar on some real wood cuts.
