Saw Advice

[capetrees]

You guys probably get tired of these kind of questions but I assure you I've read and contemplated before posting.

I've been a novice user most of my life before buying some forested acreage in East Texas for a weekend place and retirement home. The Poulan "pro" 20 inch saw I had for 15 years was just not up to the task of more regular use, although I have gotten really good and piecing that thing together and keeping it running.

So with the male ego fully intact, I went to the local Husky dealer and promptly bought a 372XP about 2 years ago. It is a pretty beefy and impressive machine, especially with a 28 inch bar to go with the standard 20.

Its great when I want to really get after a large oak or pine, but for what I do most, limbing and felling small (6-12 inch) trees and in tree use, its just too much saw. So I find myself going back to my small crappy saw for convenience

I'm very tempted to get a Stihl MS193 or MS201 with a 12 inch bar for day to day all around use. I'm just worried about buying too little saw after too much. And not sure if the lack of a traditional handle set up would be a hindrance when on the ground instead of in the tree.

So that brings me to the 261CM 10.8 lbs and 4hp

Or the 201 CEM 8.6lbs and 2.4 hp, although I can't figure why the increase in price over the other saws unless the electronic engine management is that expensive.

Or the Husky 450 rancher II at 11.2 lbs and 3.2hp or the 545 at 10.8 and 3.35hp

Im trying to stay closer to 10 than 12 pounds and prefer a pro level saw for longevity or a good compromise might be the farm and ranch level. I'm not worried so much about saving or spending an extra $100 but I want a great saw to do what I need.

signed, potentially analysis paralysis.....

TIA for your advice

261CM 16" bar all the way. I'd go to hell and back with one of those.

 

[TexasRedNeck]

Alrighty boys. Picked up a 241CM with 16 inch bar today. Dealer days on sale $467. It is a beast of a little saw and I had a blow down about 10 inch diameter elm and this saw ate it up well. It’s light and well balanced and I couldn’t be happier with it. This saw should do exactly what I wanted for most of the day to day work maintaining my land. I can always pull the 372XP out if I have something bigger than about 10 inches or so. I could see myself using this saw in the tree if needed to.

Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions.

 

[CatMan Fetters]

You’ll be happy with that saw!

 

[CR888]

You chose the right saw. Its the best saw in its class & matches your intended use well. See if you can get a Stihl reduced weight bar with it.

 

[Flintknapper]

FlintKnapper, I'm in the Ratcliff area and was outside with the tornado's came through a couple weeks ago. You miss all that? Its a sound I will never forget. We dodged the bullet with just some blow downs and big limbs that hit the wife's van. Others didnt fare so well.

Just drove through your neck of the woods the other day (heading over to Crockett). Yes, you missed the worst of it. About 6-8 miles East of Crockett there are definite signs of a twister having gone through there. I am in Eastern Nacogdoches County and we had blow downs from straight line winds. Had part of Hackberry tree break off...land on one of my outbuildings, my Skag Zero Turn and a Utility Trailer parked nearby. Been cutting it up and hauling it off. Have another one I just discovered fall through the fence line in the back pasture. Alto was hardest hit.

Lots of big timber out your way.

'Pike' saw and tool in (Nac) should be able to get you anything you want in the Stihl line. I think 'Atwoods' here is also a dealer.

Best of luck with your choice and keeping your property ship shape.

Flint.

 

[Flintknapper]

Alrighty boys. Picked up a 241CM with 16 inch bar today. This saw should do exactly what I wanted for most of the day to day work maintaining my land. I can always pull the 372XP out if I have something bigger than about 10 inches or so.
Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions.

Good choice. You will find yourself using that saw a LOT more than the bigger saw. Also nice to have a 'capable' saw of that size to cut your other saw out..should it ever get pinched (it happens).

It should have plenty of power to pull a sharp chain when felling smaller trees. Very important to match your saw to the tree and conditions. If you don't have enough saw to power right up to your 'hinge' on slight leaner's or trees with brittle wood..they can split out on you.

I also find myself using my polesaw a lot...something you might have a use for later on. I don't climb anything I don't have to and try to avoid using any of my saws above breast height (for safety's sake).

Be careful out there.

Flint.

 

[TexasRedNeck]

Thanks. I’m considering a pole saw and may actually look at battery powered saws for that task.

 

[CacaoBoy]

Thanks. I’m considering a pole saw and may actually look at battery powered saws for that task.

I was very skeptical about pole saws, but last year I got a Stihl HT 103 and it immediately became my favorite piece of power equipment.

Now that you have the most excellent 241, if you are not a master sharpener and do not already have one, consider the Stihl 2-in-1 sharpender or the equivalent from Pferd. Before I got mine it seemed like I was always working too hard because my chain was dull. Now at the first sign the chain is going dull I pull mine out rather than thinking I can get just a couple more cuts in.

 

[TexasRedNeck]

Thanks for the tip. I’m trying to figure out the specs on the chain. Very confusing. Stihl has 2 different 3/8 Picco chains that take two different file sizes. I posted a question in an older thread about Stihl chain

Never mind, its 4mm. I found the full specs for the chain on Bailey’s. Stihl’s website is confusing.

 

[TexasRedNeck]

So, a little update. had a very large red oak, maybe 75 years old. Main trunk was about 28 inches. I cut 75% of that tree up with the little 241 and it rocks. I did notice that on re-fuels it seemed a little hard to start. fresh fuel and stihl 2 stroke oil. Other than that it was a joy. Is that normal?

 

[chipper1]

So, a little update. had a very large red oak, maybe 75 years old. Main trunk was about 28 inches. I cut 75% of that tree up with the little 241 and it rocks. I did notice that on re-fuels it seemed a little hard to start. fresh fuel and stihl 2 stroke oil. Other than that it was a joy. Is that normal?

Nice, I have done quite a bit of work with my small saws, but when you need a bigger saw you need a bigger saw.
When I run saws as soon as I here the engine surge I shut it down. I find with the autotune and mtronic saws they have more issues starting if they are ran out of fuel.

 

[Vaboom]

I'm glad you are enjoying the 241. I really enjoy mine and it's a little animal now being ported. I also have the spur converted to a rim setup.

I do the same as Chipper with fueling mtronic/autotune saws. If they run outta fuel seems like it takes a little bit to get back to normal.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

I ran my 261 bone dry on the first tank in the middle of a cut. Took a while to get it started and I was pissed because it was a brand new saw. Ended up flooding it, took spark plug out and cleared it out, let it sit for a minute, then it fired right back up.

So big +1 to don't run the saw out of fuel, you will hear it surge. Just shut down immediately and refuel to avoid this issue.

Re-fuel as soon as you hear it surge and there should be no issues. However, now that I have 15+ tanks through the saw, I did let it run out completely as I was a ways away from my fuel and was on the very last cut, it started up quickly after that. So maybe after they're broken in a while it's less of an issue?

 

[chipper1]

I ran my 261 bone dry on the first tank in the middle of a cut. Took a while to get it started and I was pissed because it was a brand new saw. Ended up flooding it, took spark plug out and cleared it out, let it sit for a minute, then it fired right back up.

So big +1 to don't run the saw out of fuel, you will hear it surge. Just shut down immediately and refuel to avoid this issue.

Re-fuel as soon as you hear it surge and there should be no issues. However, now that I have 15+ tanks through the saw, I did let it run out completely as I was a ways away from my fuel and was on the very last cut, it started up quickly after that. So maybe after they're broken in a while it's less of an issue?

I try not to let any of my saws run low on fuel, but I do understand it happens and have been guilty of running them low myself especially on a saw I know we'll, but I'm more careful not to do it on an AT or MT saw. It's a good habit to shut them down as soon as you hear them surge, it trains you to listen for a problem, imagine if your saw is running lean and it had plenty of fuel, it could be the difference between a light scuff on the piston and needing to replace a scored cylinder.
If you run an AT or MT saw low on fuel they compensate for the lean condition by allowing more fuel to enter the carb. So you run it out of fuel and the carb/computer has adjusted itself to the richest fuel settings it can run at, then you refuel and try to start it with plenty of fuel, the chance of flooding the saw is very high. This was one of the problems guys had with the husky AT saws and many still do, then they blamed the saw because they didn't understand how the saw was working. I hope know one thinks I'm saying there was never a problem with those saws, there were plenty, but there were also many operator caused issues with them too.
I'm not sure if they have changed the new saws to have a start function that has nothing to do with the previous fuel situation, but I've had issues starting my 201, 241, and my 550after running them after they surged and not even totally out of fuel.

 

[CacaoBoy]

I did notice that on re-fuels it seemed a little hard to start. fresh fuel and stihl 2 stroke oil. Other than that it was a joy. Is that normal?

My 241 takes several pulls to start when it has been run dry. It seems as if it needs those several pulls to draw fuel into the carburator since there is no priming bulb. Chipper1's explanation makes sense, but I have not had any flooding issues with the 241 after having been run dry.

 

[chipper1]

My 241 takes several pulls to start when it has been run dry. It seems as if it needs those several pulls to draw fuel into the carburator since there is no priming bulb. Chipper1's explanation makes sense, but I have not had any flooding issues with the 241 after having been run dry.

Yeah, they should have got it right and put a primer bulb on it . I know all the guys are excited about the 500i for that very reason.
Personally I like primer bulbs, when they get nasty looking you know the whole fuel system is ready to be refreshed.
Glad you don't have any problems with yours after running it dry. I enjoy running the 241's they are great little saws with nice creature comforts, to bad they don't handle more like a 550, at least they are a little lighter so it isn't as big of an issue on the smaller stihls I run.

 

[farmer steve]

Thanks for the tip. I’m trying to figure out the specs on the chain. Very confusing. Stihl has 2 different 3/8 Picco chains that take two different file sizes. I posted a question in an older thread about Stihl chain

Never mind, its 4mm. I found the full specs for the chain on Bailey’s. Stihl’s website is confusing.

Hopefully you got a manual with you saw. It will list file sizes for what you are running. 5/32 is what I use on my 241.

 

[chipper1]

Never mind, its 4mm. I found the full specs for the chain on Bailey’s. Stihl’s website is confusing.

5/32 is what I use on my 241.

4mm is 5/32

 

[farmer steve]

4mm is 5/32

We don't do METRIC here in Penciltuckey.

 

[anlrolfe]

Funny, I do 70% of my work with about a 30cc saw....