The MS150 Has Arrived

[Bermy]

See...it's your fault for posting the mods for the 150...Stihl should bow at your feet for the sales they'll get for the 150...but they won't 'cause we had to 'modify' anyway, thanks!

 

[stig]

I used the T150 to re-pollard 13 of lindens today. You can see them in front of the "castle" in the picture: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/11061110

It REALLY shines for that. The little bar tip is perfect for getting into the mess of sprouts and taking them apart fast and cleanly and the saw is so light that even with my busted wrist, I can onehand it in weird positions..
We had another climber working with a T200 and I did 5 trees every time he did 3, more or less.

It probably won't matter for the Americans but for those of us who does a lot of re-pollarding, it will pay for itself quickly.

 

[biggun]

Exactly Stig.

Any reduction work they are great for. Dare I say it, they are really useful for topping hedges aswell. A lot less fatigue when one handing the saw whilst it is cutting on the horizontal plane.

(Shit, did I just say I topped trees and one handed out loud)

 

[BOTS]

MS 150 is the ultimate pruning saw, hands down

My go 2 saw for deadwooding tall pines, furs ect..as well

 

[Jed]

Dang Stig: Did you knock all that out in one day? Looks like a ton of work, man.

 

[stig]

2 climbers, two groundmen and a chipper= 6½ hours, ½ hour lunch break included.
It only takes about 20 minutes to ½ hour to repollard one of those, clean up is the biggest part of it.

 

[Mick!]

It's pollarding time here as well, best thing about it is it's easy chipping, nice straight sticks.
Easy money really. Priced right of course!

 

[stig]

Absolutely.
I like doing it.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I don't remember if this was said before, but don't trust the hanging ring at the back of the ms150.

I was pollarding a horse chestnut. My chainsaw is always secured by a lanyard and as often, I had to drop it to drive (or catch) a limb by hands. No biggy with this little saw. But this time, one side of the ring popped right out of the saw's body and she took a free fall to the ground. Hopefully, I wasn't very high in the tree, maybe 15 - 20feet, and a few limbs laying on the black-top made a cushion. Not very comfy, as the saw got some cracks on the clutch's cover, but far less than I worried.

 

[FJR]

Is there a good solution that you found to fix that problem? Or do we just need to be incredibly careful every time we hang the saw up?

We have been having an issue with the integrated key way wearing out on the flywheel. We are now on our third flywheel. Seems ridiculous. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[stig]

Yes.
But that was from an improperly tightened flywheel.
I used the saw once, then couldn't start it again.
Got a new flywheel, pronto, from my dealer.

 

[FJR]

That has been my suspicion. Was yours improperly over tightened or under tightened?

 

[stig]

Under.
Flywheel came loose.

 

[FJR]

Makes sense. I will have to give the dealer a call and see if they can give me a torque spec as I would hate to have to get another flywheel.

 

[HolmenTree]

Sometimes when changing out the flywheel reusing the old key can cause loosening problems .Always use a new key.

 

[stig]

Mine was changed under the warranty.
It has run fine since.

 

[Magnus]

They come loose if tightened too hard as well as too loose.

 

[Magnus]

Can key be replaced on 150? I thought it was casted in flywheel?

 

[DMc]

Both of mine are fine. The one that Randy tweaked gets run almost every day, hard. Replaced the bar and worn out drive sprocket, so the clutch came off and back on with no issues.

 

[HolmenTree]

Can key be replaced on 150? I thought it was casted in flywheel?

Maybe it is......I was just giving free advice to anyone who may have a key issue with any other saw.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Is there a good solution that you found to fix that problem? Or do we just need to be incredibly careful every time we hang the saw up?

I didn't took the time yet to find a good fix for the ring. Now, I just fasten the lanyard to the damper spring at the low end of the handle. It plays its role of shock absorber and that's fine, but the chainsaw hangs sideway and seems to be caught under all the limbs. A little irritating...

 

[Bermy]

Just went and checked my ring...looks fine. Little beast is running just fine as well.
I only have a short 4" piece of strap and a ring (from a cut-up old bungee lanyard) and clip on and off my harness.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I think that the ring popped out probably by a side load with the biner inverted (a strong dog leash biner), like in the first Petzl Zigzag's failure.
The ring isn't closed but has a "U" shape. One end is tied to a small metal plate, the other is just held in a hole in the plastic body. During the shock, the ring was folded and became narrower, so the free end was pulled out of its hole.

 

[Bermy]

Yeah, makes sense, I can see how that might be a weak area where the ring is just in the hole.

 

[Magnus]

I find when I get saws in with broken keys they often are not clean on contact surface. Even a fingerprint is lubricating too much.
When assembling i clean contact surfaces with acetone. That remove any fat, oil or other stuff.
Then assemble it again and use correct tension on correct nut (with correct washer).
The tension in materials is what hold it on cone, key is just for alignment and if needed it can be set without. Clean aluminum stick to steel very well.

I have many saws running without among my customers.