I'm with Ddean on this one, love my Milwalkee because of the quiet. It is easy to carry and light, cause the batteries go in the pack, overall weight might be more (not sure), but for when and where I want to use it, the quiet e-saw wins for sure.
Definetely more pricey, but I feel like I got my moneys worth in the first year of owning it.
I use a stihl MSA200 cordless saw with a 14" bar. One battery is sufficient for most days unless it is strictly saw work then I bring two. I haven't touched my gas saw (Stihl MS261) for trail work since I went electric. As long as your chain is sharp it works well for most saw work up to about 20" diameter. Benefits are the saw is lighter, you don't have to start it, it's quieter, and cleaner to throw in a decent pack. Downsides are cost of entry, the thin bar gets stuck a bit easier if the wood is under tension, and it doesn't compare to a gas saw with a proper chain for ripping.
I would go with a stihl or another electric saw that uses a similarly thin chain, the reduced volume of wood removed each cut compared to a thicker chain seems key to the efficiency of this one.
I also use some of the other cordless tools for building and the house to spread the cost of batteries and get more use from them. For building, the long reach hedgetrimmer is a game changer if you have thick salal or other undergrowth.
Posted by: syncro
do you think it's fair to compare the weight of a higher powered saw with a bigger bar and chain to a smaller saw?
the difference between an 18" bar and a 16" bar is maybe an ounce or two.
Better check your scale.
quick Googling:
Stihl E Bar 16" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 1 lb 9.9 oz
Stihl E Bar 18" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 2 lb 1 oz
A massive 5oz's. Not going to feel the difference on a pack.
Posted by: LoamtoHome
quick Googling:
Stihl E Bar 16" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 1 lb 9.9 oz
Stihl E Bar 18" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 2 lb 1 oz
A massive 5oz's. Not going to feel the difference on a pack.
No, but add that weight to the bigger powehead and that’s why your gas saw is heavier. My point was simply if you compare similar sized saws, electric are not lighter.
Posted by: syncro
No, but add that weight to the bigger powehead and that’s why your gas saw is heavier. My point was simply if you compare similar sized saws, electric are not lighter.
Does anybody even make an electric that is designed to run/power an 18" bar? Everything I looked at in e-saws was 16" or smaller, I didn't need bigger, so it wasn't even a question for me, power wasn't an issue either, so more power wasn't a question, I just picked what I thought was the best e-saw I could get in the biggest size (16"), quiet and light wer my goals.
Apples to apples doesn't work, if the one guy doesn' sell apples.
Posted by: LoamtoHome
quick Googling:
Stihl E Bar 16" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 1 lb 9.9 oz
Stihl E Bar 18" 3/8 .050 For 261 Mount Size 2 lb 1 oz
A massive 5oz's. Not going to feel the difference on a pack.
See, good thing you don’t sell weed.
Posted by: TonyJ
Apples to apples doesn't work, if the one guy doesn' sell apples.
Totally. All this was based on that Hitachi 16" gas saw that I posted earlier, it weighs less than the DeWalt 16" saw.
All that aside, if anyone is interested in a battery powered saw it seems that the Milwaukee is the one to get based on a review from Ave. It's too bad as my power tools are all Dewalt and I was considering getting the 60V saw as a tool only and just using the batteries I already have.
The Dewalt works good enough... I find it takes things down better than my gas version.
Posted by: LoamtoHome
The Dewalt works good enough... I find it takes things down better than my gas version.
Have you noticed or had any issues with bar wobble? After watching that vid I was wondering if maybe he just got a bad saw.
I was reading this forum when I was making my decision about 6 months ago.
Verdict. I bought a Stihl MS171 on sale (they are frequently on sale).
- 16 bar gas powered
I love it. Cuts for a long time and usually when I go out with it, it is a full day of clearing and cutting a zone so I need refills on fuel. Powerful and I like that I can rebuild or replace parts for it. I have used it for bucking up 1-2 foot and slightly bigger logs as well as felling. Keep a sharp chain and start the cut revving high to allow the chain to do the work without adding too much pressure to the system.
No, its not quiet but when I am out building its either sanctioned or after business hours.
I picked up a Milwaukee M18 and in the fall and love it. Great little saw, fits in my builders pack and is not too heavy compared to the MS170 it replaced. I just rolled the dice on a Holzfforma 660 from an outfit called Farmmac. A Chinese clone saw. No clue how this will turn out but it was approximately a grand cheaper than the Stihl 661 that I had my eye on.
My friend just picked up a Stihl MS-261 & can't say enough good things about it.
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