What do you currently run?

[Burnham]

Missing the boat there, brother. In my opinion, anyway. Top handles are wonderfully useful, and a good runner will take you right up to 20 inch wood, properly deployed.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I was wondering about that post...

 

[Burnham]

Yeah, well...we might differ on some things Butch, but we see a lot of things the same, too.

 

[biggun]

Top handles definitely have there place IMO. Can't remember the last time I took a tree down purely with a rear handled saw.

 

[pigwot]

To each their own. I have only used a top handle a few times contract climbing for another company, where they sent up their saw.
Handsaw for the little stuff, then pull up the 346 with a 16" bar for the next phase, and a larger saw when I get to the big wood.
Maybe in the Pac NW with all that coniferous, less dense wood I'd use a top handle, but with the denser, heavier deciduous trees here, I like the power and speed of the rear handle, slightly larger saw.

 

[squisher]

Wow. I'd be lost without a tophandle.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

ya, no kidding, Justin, in our land of conifers.

I have opted at times to handsaw halfway through, snap, and guide fir limbs, then come back in with the chainsaw for stubs, so as to do less one-handing, but sometimes you need the speed of a chainsaw.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've never seen or heard of a climber that didn't like a top-handled saw. Interesting.

 

[Hedgerow]

I like a top handle, and I ain't even a climber...

 

[Mick!]

Top handles are the mutts nuts. If you opt not to use them it's a free world, but it's like opting not to use power steering or have colour tv.

 

[Tucker943]

The man that started me out climbing didn't use a top handle. He hated them and said they were junk. I don't believe he ever used a good top handle. He climbed with an 026. I climbed for the 1st year with a Husky 142.

Im curious if he ever went to a top handle.

 

[pigwot]

Like Chris I learned from someone who used a rear-handle saw when a saw was needed.
It was the days of manila triple twist and a tautline and a 24" Fanno handsaw until the big wood, and only then did a powered saw come up the tree.
All lowering was natural crotch on big manila triple twist bull ropes. Slower and very methodical; moving the ropes safely out of the strike zone before anything came down.
I don't hate top handles, but have never owned one. Now if someone has a well-loved 200T they want to send me I'll try to get to like it

 

[Mick!]

My old boss didn't use them, used to call them "those bloody flat iron saws"
When he picked up my 020 and used it he was very impressed, at that time he was over 60 and too stuck in his ways.
Thought chippers were a waste of time as well.

 

[treesmith]

I started climbing with Poulan top handles. That's all Asplundh had. After going through about four of them, I started using a Stihl 021, and loved it. Finally switched to a 192T, then finally to a 200T. Have no intention of changing again. I hope my 200Ts last at least 20 more years. I'm running two now, both bought in 2010 I think, one bought new, and the other bought used.

 

[HolmenTree]

I carved sculptures with my first 020 in the late '80s then switched to the new style 020AVT in 1995; then had about 5 after that.
Good saw.

 

[Burnham]

One of the best ever made, my opinion...and that includes a goodly lot of bigger bucking and felling saws in that opinion. Though I have to concede, Stihl they all have been .

 

[Levi]

200t for removals although I voted other because I have really been liking the 192 for pruning and small removals.

 

[kevin bingham]

the 150 is geting used more than my 200 or the 201 these days. I have even been grabbing it for the first half of removals. I like my 201 better than the 200. i dont know why

 

[squisher]

The new 201's seem quite ripping to me.

 

[Mick!]

The new 201's seem quite ripping to me.

There is more rejoicing in heaven for one sinner who repents.........

 

[squisher]

Heh, I've repented nothing. I've got a early 201 and that thing is a total dog compared to the newer one and Stihl won't do a thing about it. No 'upgrade kit' available around these parts.

 

[rbtree]

I carved sculptures with my first 020 in the late '80s then switched to the new style 020AVT in 1995; then had about 5 after that.
Good saw.

At my first job in tree care, we used Homelite Super EZ Automatics. Reed valve saws. Back handled of course. 2.5 ci, not bad saws. At second company, in 1977, they had a couple 020 AV's, which, at that time, hadn't had the carb boot problem solved. So we ran the bombproof but slow and heavy rear handled Echo 302S saws, followed by the 330, also rear handled. That co had an 015, but I don't recall using it much. At that time, many arb's used the Poulan S 25, but we never heard of them. Then I switched to the 020AV's and the AV Super, circa 1986, until the Husky 335's came out, a year after the 020T made its debut. Way back in the late 80's the 020's went to about $500. Considering inflation, that was exhorbitant compared to today's 600-700 for the latest 540, and 201....

I think my first 338 was woods ported by Dan Henry, and was kindy doggy. Shortly after that, about 2011, I got my first 2139, that was dead on reliable and fast. I'd had a couple 335's that were strong runners, but developed the unreliable running condition after a couple years. But the latest 338's simply kick ass, and run for years with no problems, as long as they have been muffler modded...as you know....

 

[rbtree]

The rest of my quiver is slowly being rebuilt, replacing stolen saws. I'm adding a like new stock 562 for $500 from an Idahoan on Arb Site, for $600. Comes with extra chains and two extra bars. Having heard how good they are in stock form, I may just leave it that way.... unless my mweba woods ported 550 spanks it badly. I know my Ed Heard ported 357 will be faster.....

I'm looking for a good condition 390 to have ported, then I'll likely put my 660 up for sale, as a ported 390 will walk all over a muffler modded 660, and save 1.5 pounds, too boot.

I have a ported 372 that will be put back together soon, after a plug thread repair... I may add a ring and give it a light hone, another 372...and a 6401 Dolmar to add the 7900 jug to , and ported muffler...will prolly leave it just like it is, as the identical one I had was a strong runner, but was stolen. Will check my ~10 yr old Dan Henry ported 7900 to see if all that is wrong is a coil that acts up when hot......

And then there's the two 3120's, the oldie, built about 1985, is going strong, after a re-ring and hone by Lakeside Andy, my great friend. It was ported in 2002 by the infamous Dennis Greffard, of Clearwater, BC, who hosted two log shows, attended by several of us Arb Site pioneers. What fun! That was when I met Robert Andrews, and was in the Clearwater bar when he fired up his Predator...and run the 407 lb beast through a 26" pine log in 1.2 seconds. (not in the bar, at the log show, you fools!! HAH!) The other 3120 is attached to my Alpine Magnum stump grinder, that makes me $160/hr, when I'm forced to use it for those tough access stumps.

Oh, and I have an old 2100 that blows 170 compression, and a sweet Stihl 056 Magnum Super II, the 5.7 ci beast. Seldom use either, but will never part with those two classics!

 

[HolmenTree]

At my first job in tree care, we used Homelite Super EZ Automatics. Reed valve saws. Back handled of course. 2.5 ci, not bad saws. At second company, in 1977, they had a couple 020 AV's, which, at that time, hadn't had the carb boot problem solved. So we ran the bombproof but slow and heavy rear handled Echo 302S saws, followed by the 330, also rear handled.

Great stories Roger , thanks for sharing.
Back in the day Homelites had excellent power to weight ratio saws, even for todays standards. Just weren't the easiest to work on and I don't think Loctite was invented yet.
My older brother collects vintage saws, he has a Husky 2100 with only a few tanks through it and also has a 1960 Partner R11 that never had fuel in it. The only top handle he has is a 1964 Stihl 07, yes classified as a 16 pound top handle Haha.

Speaking of those 1970's Echo 302's here's a good write I posted here once before.
Oops I got the second page 5 mixed up with page 4.

 

[stig]

That ain't a "giant" Redwood, Willard.
As Redwoods go, it is a midget.