I started a few threads here looking for advice on what saw I needed. The situation is I have logging in back of my cabin that has left huge piles of slash. They took only the straight bottom 1/3 of the 12-24" diameter oaks. Working from the house back, I want to limb and haul further into the woods everything smaller the 3". And buckup the rest for years of free wood burning. My primary saw is a 260 pro. I needed a backup / emergency rescue saw. I thought a battery saw might work, but realized I needed to work for hours with a lighter limbing saw.
Saw spec
30.1 CC
1.7 HP
8.6 LBS
16" bar about 14" usable
Chain 3/8 P PMM3
8.5 OZ fuel
$189
The first tank of gas today. Limbing, 4-8" bucking and few 11" rounds. Just about non stop cutting for about an hour, before I heard it running out of gas.
Starting
I've started it a few time before using it today. The manual is the standard Stihl procedure. Until today I didn't get the burp after 3 or 4 pulls with full choke. So not to flood it I went to 1/2 choke, and it fired off in a few more pulls. Went immediately to no choke and idle. It idled perfectly. Today I got the burp and finished the starting procedure perfectly. I am a bit spoiled having a decompression valve on the 260. I have to remember to keep the left arm stiff starting this saw. Some have said they can dislodge the choke control. I didn't have this issue, but think you need to make sure you are at full throttle before pushing the choke leaver down. It feels like the lockout won't take a lot of forcing.
As I worked the restarts were easy with no choke, 1/2 pulls.
Idling
The idle was perfect, and smooth with no warm up needed. The chain was stopped. My 260, for has had 2 speed idling issue. sometimes stalling when it drops to a slower idle speed.
Cutting
The saw was light and easy to handle. Throttle control was responsive, no hesitation. When I got into a few 11" cuts, I stopped the chain in the wood. Because of breaking it in I was at 1/2 -3/4 throttle. Just trying not to load the saw. The chain was razor sharp. It took only the weight of the saw to go through the 11" rounds. Just guessing, the 11" cut was around 10 seconds at 3/4 throttle. The chain size was no issue for me.
Overall
It's not my 260 (4 HP), and it wasn't supposed to be. It definitely feels like Stihl quality. And for $189. If your wood burner, processing a lot of full, large trees, this is not your only saw for that. But for occasional limbing, bucking some smaller rounds it's fine. If you have long term usage, please add your comments to my 1 tank review.
Thank you brothers for steering me to this saw.
Saw spec
30.1 CC
1.7 HP
8.6 LBS
16" bar about 14" usable
Chain 3/8 P PMM3
8.5 OZ fuel
$189
The first tank of gas today. Limbing, 4-8" bucking and few 11" rounds. Just about non stop cutting for about an hour, before I heard it running out of gas.
Starting
I've started it a few time before using it today. The manual is the standard Stihl procedure. Until today I didn't get the burp after 3 or 4 pulls with full choke. So not to flood it I went to 1/2 choke, and it fired off in a few more pulls. Went immediately to no choke and idle. It idled perfectly. Today I got the burp and finished the starting procedure perfectly. I am a bit spoiled having a decompression valve on the 260. I have to remember to keep the left arm stiff starting this saw. Some have said they can dislodge the choke control. I didn't have this issue, but think you need to make sure you are at full throttle before pushing the choke leaver down. It feels like the lockout won't take a lot of forcing.
As I worked the restarts were easy with no choke, 1/2 pulls.
Idling
The idle was perfect, and smooth with no warm up needed. The chain was stopped. My 260, for has had 2 speed idling issue. sometimes stalling when it drops to a slower idle speed.
Cutting
The saw was light and easy to handle. Throttle control was responsive, no hesitation. When I got into a few 11" cuts, I stopped the chain in the wood. Because of breaking it in I was at 1/2 -3/4 throttle. Just trying not to load the saw. The chain was razor sharp. It took only the weight of the saw to go through the 11" rounds. Just guessing, the 11" cut was around 10 seconds at 3/4 throttle. The chain size was no issue for me.
Overall
It's not my 260 (4 HP), and it wasn't supposed to be. It definitely feels like Stihl quality. And for $189. If your wood burner, processing a lot of full, large trees, this is not your only saw for that. But for occasional limbing, bucking some smaller rounds it's fine. If you have long term usage, please add your comments to my 1 tank review.
Thank you brothers for steering me to this saw.
