Which saw for limbing?

[NextEndeavor]

I’m considering the purchase of a second saw primarily something lightweight for the job of limbing and/or for cutting just the very small stuff. The limbing process seems to take a lot of low back work due to bending over to trim up the wood we are after. That said, which is the right saw for that duty? My main working saw is a very satisfying larger Stihl.

 

[SolarAndWood]

A 50cc saw in your favorite color.

 

[HittinSteel]

A 346XP or a longer bar for your current stihl

 

[Rick Stanley]

I agree with the above. A long bar will help the back situation big time.

 

[smokinj]

Limbing saw needs to be the lightest thing you can find........Bar length should mean nothing and the kerf should be small. Ms180 or a 192t fits the bill very well. You should not be bending over if your truly limbing. 40cc and under.

 

[Exmasonite]

Can we ask what your primary saw is?

I guess you can look at it one of 2 ways:

1) Get a true "limbing" saw, like Jay suggested, 40cc or less

2) Get a smaller saw to complement the larger saw, not quite a true "limbing" saw but smaller/lighter. Example would be like s 260/261 or 250.

Advantages to option 1: Super lightweight, less stress on back. Probably less $$ for the smaller saw.

Advantages to option 2: Lighter saw but since it's a little beefier, also a decent "back up" if the big saw goes down. If you change the sprocket, you may be able to swap out bars/chains between that and your big saw in a pinch. Will also be able to support a longer bar to save your back a little (I like the 20" bar on my 260 for light stuff- really saves my back)

 

[smokinj]

Can we ask what your primary saw is?

I guess you can look at it one of 2 ways:

1) Get a true "limbing" saw, like Jay suggested, 40cc or less

2) Get a smaller saw to complement the larger saw, not quite a true "limbing" saw but smaller/lighter. Example would be like s 260/261 or 250.

Advantages to option 1: Super lightweight, less stress on back. Probably less $$ for the smaller saw.

Advantages to option 2: Lighter saw but since it's a little beefier, also a decent "back up" if the big saw goes down. If you change the sprocket, you may be able to swap out bars/chains between that and your big saw in a pinch. Will also be able to support a longer bar to save your back a little (I like the 20" bar on my 260 for light stuff- really saves my back)

There it is! lol Dead on. I have been both routs and like a real limbing saw over a more general purpose saw. Very very light saw for this job other wise run your favorite saw 95 percent of the time.

 

[Exmasonite]

jay-

hehe... i went the other way but out of necessity- started off with the 260 and then happened upon the 660 and couldn't pass it up. So far, as a relative novice, i've really only been running the 260. Wanna give that a month or so of getting used to before jumping up to the bigger saw. i'm sure from there, there'll be no looking back.

But, as the OP already has a bigger saw and is hopefully comfortable using it, a true limbing saw (like the 180/192) is probably the best bet to solve the problems he's describing.

 

[Rick Stanley]

Limbing saw needs to be the lightest thing you can find........Bar length should mean nothing and the kerf should be small. Ms180 or a 192t fits the bill very well. You should not be bending over if your truly limbing. 40cc and under.

How do you mean that if you're "truly limbing" "you should not be bending over" ?? When I limb a tree that I just dropped and I intend on removing all of the limbs right where the tree fell, I do a fair amount of cutting close to the ground and it requires me to reach, bend and twist to get it done. I've suffered with a bad back for years and a little longer bar saves A LOT of bending and reaching.

 

[smokinj]

Limbing saw needs to be the lightest thing you can find........Bar length should mean nothing and the kerf should be small. Ms180 or a 192t fits the bill very well. You should not be bending over if your truly limbing. 40cc and under.

How do you mean that if you're "truly limbing" "you should not be bending over" ?? When I limb a tree that I just dropped and I intend on removing all of the limbs right where the tree fell, I do a fair amount of cutting close to the ground and it requires me to reach, bend and twist to get it done. I've suffered with a bad back for years and a little longer bar saves A LOT of bending and reaching.

Don't know what your cutting but the limbs that are on the ground brake off the only ones I am going to cut are the one in the air. Clear the path for the big saws. Brush gets piled up and left. If its on the ground I will use the 460. (I am only opening that tree up to be safer for the production saws) 4inch and under. 40+ inch tree done the way we do it can be done in just a couple hours.

 

[Rick Stanley]

Limbing saw needs to be the lightest thing you can find........Bar length should mean nothing and the kerf should be small. Ms180 or a 192t fits the bill very well. You should not be bending over if your truly limbing. 40cc and under.

How do you mean that if you're "truly limbing" "you should not be bending over" ?? When I limb a tree that I just dropped and I intend on removing all of the limbs right where the tree fell, I do a fair amount of cutting close to the ground and it requires me to reach, bend and twist to get it done. I've suffered with a bad back for years and a little longer bar saves A LOT of bending and reaching.

Don't know what your cutting but the limbs that are on the ground brake off the only ones I am going to cut are the one in the air. Clear the path for the big saws. Brush gets piled up and left. If its on the ground I will use the 460. (I am only opening that tree up to be safer for the production saws) 4inch and under. 40+ inch tree done the way we do it can be done in just a couple hours.

I'm cutting mostly Red Oak, White Oak and Red Maple right now. This is for firewood. They are live trees, 4"- 30'' in diameter and none of the limbs break off and many are near and on the ground. I limb them in the woods where they fall and bring them out whole and saw them to length. The saw I use mostly, really a homeowners saw, is a little Husky 55 Rancher with an 18" bar on it. Not a powerhouse for sure, but if I keep it good and sharp it will do the job and it's light as a feather. There is a pair of Jonsereds 510's here on the farm also. They are real light and small too, but have little stumpy bars on them. They kill my back. I hate 'em.

 

[smokinj]

Limbing saw needs to be the lightest thing you can find........Bar length should mean nothing and the kerf should be small. Ms180 or a 192t fits the bill very well. You should not be bending over if your truly limbing. 40cc and under.

How do you mean that if you're "truly limbing" "you should not be bending over" ?? When I limb a tree that I just dropped and I intend on removing all of the limbs right where the tree fell, I do a fair amount of cutting close to the ground and it requires me to reach, bend and twist to get it done. I've suffered with a bad back for years and a little longer bar saves A LOT of bending and reaching.

Don't know what your cutting but the limbs that are on the ground brake off the only ones I am going to cut are the one in the air. Clear the path for the big saws. Brush gets piled up and left. If its on the ground I will use the 460. (I am only opening that tree up to be safer for the production saws) 4inch and under. 40+ inch tree done the way we do it can be done in just a couple hours.

I'm cutting mostly Red Oak, White Oak and Red Maple right now. This is for firewood. They are live trees, 4"- 30'' in diameter and none of the limbs break off and many are near and on the ground. I limb them in the woods where they fall and bring them out whole and saw them to length. The saw I use mostly, really a homeowners saw, is a little Husky 55 Rancher with an 18" bar on it. Not a powerhouse for sure, but if I keep it good and sharp it will do the job and it's light as a feather. There is a pair of Jonsereds 510's here on the farm also. They are real light and small too, but have little stumpy bars on them. They kill my back. I hate 'em.

Woods cutting, my limbing saw would be a 361.Woods tree's theres not much to limbing there. Yard birds is what I would call limbing.

 

[TreePointer]

Woods cutting, my limbing saw would be a 361.Woods tree's theres not much to limbing there. Yard birds is what I would call limbing.

That's what I use. I like the 361 with a 20" bar to cut treetops from eastern hardwood timber harvests. It's light enough for when I have to reach, but has enough power that I don't have to set it down and start up a bigger saw for bucking. Treetops around here are usually 16" and smaller.

Now if I'm processing an entire tree for firewood, I'll limb it with a 346XP and buck the large diameter wood with a much larger saw.

A big factor for me is how long my cutting session will be. The 361 is a great do-it-all saw, but a lot of reaching will make my arms tired if it's a long session. With my western PA hills, there often is a lot of reaching and sometimes from awkward positions. That's where the 346XP really shines.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi - Hard to argue with the above. i like the 50cc Dolmar 5100 as it's light, fast, and can do it all if needed. This Winter I was reduced to walking in a bunch of times. The 5100 was used for a bunch of dropping and limbing sessions. Easier to carry, easier on fuel ; )

For bucking i live the Makita 6401 but would love it even more with the 7900 jug and piston setup !

If I was cutting more yard and fence row trees which are 'bushier' I'd lean to a smaller/lighter saw. Woods trees are cleaner - less limbs, and one tends to leave 'em where they fall.

 

[lukem]

Woods cutting, my limbing saw would be a 361.Woods tree's theres not much to limbing there. Yard birds is what I would call limbing.

That's what I use. I like the 361 with a 20" bar to cut treetops from eastern hardwood timber harvests. It's light enough for when I have to reach, but has enough power that I don't have to set it down and start up a bigger saw for bucking. Treetops around here are usually 16" and smaller.

Now if I'm processing an entire tree for firewood, I'll limb it with a 346XP and buck the large diameter wood with a much larger saw.

A big factor for me is how long my cutting session will be. The 361 is a great do-it-all saw, but a lot of reaching will make my arms tired if it's a long session. With my western PA hills, there often is a lot of reaching and sometimes from awkward positions. That's where the 346XP really shines.

Me too. Great one saw plan. If I was doing nothing but limbing all day I'd want a smaller saw...bucking 20"+ all day a bigger one. 361 is good for both in short bursts, which is what i find myself doing most of the time.

 

[jeff_t]

I picked up a used ms270 last summer to use for limbing and smaller stuff, but I don't find myself using it very much. I like the 28" bar on my Dolmar cause I don't like bending over. Plus, l still kinda get a charge out of running it since I put the 79cc jug on it, even limbing ;-).

 

[Mt Ski Bum]

Personally, I use my 21" Sven saw to cut branches & smaller stuff, but assuming you want another chainsaw, I'd go with a smaller (maybe 40cc or less?) saw with maybe only a 14" or 16" bar- possibly a Stihl 211, 180, or 170