Best carry in saw for trail building?

[D&B Mack]

346xp or if you need more compact 200T

 

[nmurph]

Gentelman and mesdames;
I have 3 saws but am looking at another for trail clearing. I'll be cutting small logs (6-8" diameter) and branches. My lightest saw is a 357 xp but I'd like to get something a little smaller for the purpose that can fit in a carrybox and be packed in foot or horseback.


Sthil has an MS 250 which only weighs 10.1 lbs that is on sale for 379 up here in Canada and I was wondering how what you think of it. I have never owned a small saw that was reliable and would appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Thank you!

There is nothing wrong with a 250 for the use you discribe. I have used one for many, many hours and it never missed a beat.

Any of the small Huskies mentioned above will also work, though I understand that Husky is considerably more expensive in Canada than in the US. The 340/345/346/350/353 are very similar in weight, though the 346 stands out in performance.

The 200, while a fine, light, saw, it is expensive for the non-pro user and for the use you describe (and I doubt that it is as strong as the 250).

If you want something light and cheap, consider a Dolmar 401. They are 9 pounds actual weight, not factory specs, and surprisingly strong. There are some still available new, but they are pretty common on Ebay and sell for $150 or less.

BTW, as a reference, your 357 weighs a couple of ounces shy of 13lbs, empty, with no bar or chain, not the 12.1lbs the factory claims.

 

[kevin j]

Sort of depends on the tradeoff between cutting time and carrying time.

For clearing motorcycle trails and setting sections, cutting is minimal and carrying is a lotm, so I use a top handle echo with 12 inch bar. That makes it narrow enough to fit crosswise on the lower part of a backpack frame. I modified the Kelty frame with 3/4 copper tubing to hold the saw in place, and the upper compartment holds all the other stuff needed. I posted pics here a couple years back, but can't find them now.

kcj

 

[zogger]

settings

Sort of depends on the tradeoff between cutting time and carrying time.

For clearing motorcycle trails and setting sections, cutting is minimal and carrying is a lotm, so I use a top handle echo with 12 inch bar. That makes it narrow enough to fit crosswise on the lower part of a backpack frame. I modified the Kelty frame with 3/4 copper tubing to hold the saw in place, and the upper compartment holds all the other stuff needed. I posted pics here a couple years back, but can't find them now.

kcj

Go to your settings page, then click on your attachments and you can find the pics again

 

[joeclimbing]

Thanks

Thank you for your advice, folks, I appreciate.

It has to be light and packable I'm leaning toward the 200 (ms), or a used 260 (if I can find one), or t435; which leads me to another question - would all or any of these packable saws work well for me to pack in and still be functional and balanced with a short 16" bar?
Sorry, I should have mentioned this in my initial post.

 

[jmethodrose]

if it was me I'd be tempted by a tophandle saw - MS200, or more likely the Makita tophandle as it's much cheaper. I haven't run either though (disclaimer)

If I had to choose a saw I've ran, I'd go for my 346xp with 13" bar, or a 260 with the same.

cheers,
Joe

 

[jus2fat]

if it was me I'd be tempted by a tophandle saw - MS200, or more likely the Makita tophandle as it's much cheaper. I haven't run either though (disclaimer)
Joe

FYI...the MS200 is NOT a top handle saw...that would be the MS200"T".
Same motor...just in rear handle version...AND it's $50 MORE!!!...$650

OP...if you're considering this saw...it's a GREAT one...if ya got "deep pockets"!!!!

J2F

 

[Zombiechopper]

normally I would say 12" bar on any of the little saws you are looking at, but I see you are on the Island. Your wood is going to be a bit bigger and mostly conifers I bet so 16" would be ok. Whatever you get, on a small saw make sure it is 3/8 Low Profile- what Stihl calls picco chain. Even on an MS 250 it performs much better than .325

I really think you should get an MS200 if budget allows, or an MS211. If you go bigger you start getting too close in weight to saws you already have

 

[homelitejim]

I picked up a ms170 on trade thinking I was going to sell it, but was impressed with the performance for such a small saw, 30cc. It fits nicely in my saw clamp on the 4 wheeler, the 14" bar does not go past the mud flap so it stays fairly clean except the dust. Nice and light and will run awhile on a tank of gas. I see many barely used examples on the CL for around $150 and think they are a touch over $200 new with the gold service plan. I have had the bar buried in a 30" piece of seasoned elm, which is about the hardest wood I have laying around here besides some mountain ash and it just keeps cutting. I also really like the ms211, got a chance to demo one not to long ago, the only bad thing I could find on the saw was the $350 price tag, but would not hesitate on picking one up used for under $200 if I had the cash. I am sure that a equivalent Husky, Echo, Redmax, Poulan, Makita, Dolmar, or any other small clam shell saw would perform as well.

 

[Boskaerm]

A vote for the Husqvarna 435/440. Very light, with good power up to 7-8" of oak!

 

[scenescence]

Top handle saw is the way to go. The 200 is by far the best and also the most expensive. Other top handles will work if speed is not an issue. The ms192t is lighter even yet but down on power also keep an eye out for husky/echo versions. A ms200t with a 16" bar is one bad arse trail cutter, if the blowdowns get bigger than say 30" I pack my 026 with a twenty inch bar removed and stowed inside my pack. Keep building and clearing oh ya and watch out for those top handle saws it's easy to take them for granted.

 

[046]

rear handle MS200 hands down is your best choice. that is if $$ is not a factor.

trail building works best with lightest saw you can pack and still do the job.

if you need to watch your pennies $$$ ... even the lowly MS170 will do a nice job.
just keep your chain sharp. Asplundh uses MS170 as their production climbing saw.

MS180 works well too... keep an eye out for a low hours Stihl 021, 35cc very light package.
Stihl 021 would be the poor man's MS200.

Stihl MS200.

top handle MS200T would be a horrible choice for trail building.
kickback is possible even with a small saw. you need two hands operating a saw.

top handled saws are specialized saws for climbing. In UK they won't sell a top handle saw unless you can prove certain training requirements has been met.

Top handle saw is the way to go. The 200 is by far the best and also the most expensive. Other top handles will work if speed is not an issue. The ms192t is lighter even yet but down on power also keep an eye out for husky/echo versions. A ms200t with a 16" bar is one bad arse trail cutter, if the blowdowns get bigger than say 30" I pack my 026 with a twenty inch bar removed and stowed inside my pack. Keep building and clearing oh ya and watch out for those top handle saws it's easy to take them for granted.

 

[BigJ]

top handle MS200T would be a horrible choice for trail building.
kickback is possible even with a small saw

It's what I use and find it works perfect. Incidence of kickback is no greater, just potentially more severe. Keep your face out of the way and it's a non issue IMO. It's the reaching with the left hand to grab what you just cut is what I personally find to be a higher potential for an injury.

 

[SawTroll]

A vote for the Husqvarna 435/440. Very light, with good power up to 7-8" of oak!

Another good choise, if money is "tight".

 

[Zombiechopper]

a Top Handle is excellent for trail building. Also great for packing when walking a fence line.

 

[Zombiechopper]

top handle MS200T would be a horrible choice for trail building.
kickback is possible even with a small saw. you need two hands operating a saw.

top handled saws are specialized saws for climbing. In UK they won't sell a top handle saw unless you can prove certain training requirements has been met.

Um, no. They do have spots for both hands on them. I'm pretty sure tweezers are prohibited weapons in the UK so I would never use a law they have as a basis for generalizing how safe a particular tool is.

 

[046]

didn't say it wouldn't work... for MS200T is probably the most powerful saw for it's weight available.

what I said it's a bad idea to use a top handled saw for general purpose cutting like trail building.
this has been debated many times already ... save top handled saws for climbing!
been using a MS200T for years ... sometime it's hard not to use it for trimming.

It's what I use and find it works perfect. Incidence of kickback is no greater, just potentially more severe. Keep your face out of the way and it's a non issue IMO. It's the reaching with the left hand to grab what you just cut is what I personally find to be a higher potential for an injury.

a Top Handle is excellent for trail building. Also great for packing when walking a fence line.

Um, no. They do have spots for both hands on them. I'm pretty sure tweezers are prohibited weapons in the UK so I would never use a law they have as a basis for generalizing how safe a particular tool is.

 

[Zombiechopper]

didn't say it wouldn't work... for MS200T is probably the most powerful saw for it's weight available.

what I said it's a bad idea to use a top handled saw for general purpose cutting like trail building.
this has been debated many times already ... save top handled saws for climbing!
been using a MS200T for years ... sometime it's hard not to use it for trimming.

I know Man. I'm just pushing the buttons We've done this debate many times before. I'm in teh camp that believes top handles are excellent tools to use on the ground. There is no such thing as a dangerous saw, only dangerous operators

 

[mountainlake]

Echo CS400, muff modd $200 off Ebay you'll never look back. Otherwise a MS260 muff modd or a small Dolmar. The Echo CS400 is listed at 10.1 # but ready to cut with a 16" B@C wieghs 13# even, a MS260 will be a bit below 15#. Steve

 

[jmethodrose]

FYI...the MS200 is NOT a top handle saw...that would be the MS200"T".
Same motor...just in rear handle version...AND it's $50 MORE!!!...$650

OP...if you're considering this saw...it's a GREAT one...if ya got "deep pockets"!!!!

J2F

my apolgies, we don't have the rear handle version in the UK so I tend to refer to all 200ts as 200s!

UK law is confusing on the subject, but AFAIK it is not "illegal" to use a tophandle saw on the ground, or buy one without the climbing tickets. Stihl and Husky policy is not to sell to unlicensed, but for example my Efco dealer is quite prepared to sell me a top handle saw, even though I don't have tickets because Efco don't really mind. At least that's how I understand it...

Health and Safety guidelines don't advise use of tophandle saws, but I don't think that makes it illegal in itself.

Anyway, as the OP is not in the UK this is a moot point!

cheers,
Joe