buy second chainsaw help

[davefrommd]

I own a stilh 044 with 24" bar and want to buy a smaller lighter chain saw for cutting smaller limbs and stuff. I don't want a top handle saw but always like lots of power. I like stihl products but would like to try another brand like husky, echo, etc.  I also prefer quality.

I cut firewood for two families maybe twice a year 20-30 trees and split the wood. Though I am cutting firewood not for a business I like buying the best. You know, you pay for quality. I would like to hear your thoughts on which model saw I should buy and where to buy it.  I am new to this forum but see the wealth of information available. Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.  Dave

[Kevin]

Welcome to the forum Dave.
There are so many models available, Stihl and Husqvarna are both proven products and Echo is a quickly rising in popularity.
You will have to decide whether you want to stay with the same pitch and bar groove so that all your chains are the same except for the length of loop.
Are you considering a saw in the 40-50cc range?

If you go with the 260 in 3/8 pitch http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS260.html
the motor mounts I believe will be the same as your 044.
Bars,srockets,chains,files and guides all become common and you always have a spare saw with the same parts but different powerhead.
You might want to confirm this with your local dealer.

[davefrommd]

The last time I was cutting limbs on a ladder I realized the stihl 044 was to big and heavy to be used on a ladder. I need a smaller lighter saw for cutting overhead limbs and smaller stuff. I was thinking about a 18"-16" bar. The chain could be different. For instance a low hanging limb I could just bring out my smaller saw and make a few cuts and be finished. I am sold on stihl chain saws but wanted to try another brand like trying a new tool. Anyways the last two trees I cut from the hurricane storm were 24" & 30" diameter trees. I needed to cut several broken limbs and used a ladder to get to them. I mostly 99.9% cut down trees with out having to cut limbs. Dave

[Kevin]

Ok, we might be going down a different road here.
Why don't you want a top handled saw?
What's the largest limb you had to cut from the ladder?
Do you wear any type of safety harness or saddle?

[davefrommd]

I mostly cut trees down 6" to around 12" diameter notching it out and cutting it on the other side. Then the tree is cut into a length where we use a tractor to lift and take it out of the woods to be cut into firewood size logs then split with the splitter.

This last tree I cut was oak about 30" diameter and the storm had twisted and broke most of the limbs on top to where they were hanging down. I needed to clear the limbs to get to the base of the tree to cut it. I did use a ladder to cut a limb or two and realized my 440 stihl was not the right saw to use. I rarely use ladders to cut trees but did in this case. I decided I needed a smaller lighter chain saw to cut smaller limbs and things. I am not a professional but someone who enjoys cutting firewood each year. The handle in back of a chain saw works best for me. Dave

[Kevin]

I have a 35cc saw for working in the trees, you really don't want less power than that.

[Engineer]

Can't really tell you what to do, but here's my experience.  For a few years I'd been using a little Stihl 025 with a 16" bar.  Worked fine, a bit low on power, but anything up to about a 20" tree was fair game.   When I bought my Logosol, I bought a Stihl 066 and a 28" bar for the big stuff.  That was going from too little to *way* too big.

My most recent purchase is an MS390, which should work fine for anything I'm likely to cut.  It has a 25" bar and I'm going to put a 20" bar on it for most everything, and keep the 025 aside for limbing and small firewood.

I would suggest an MS260 or MS280.  Pick a saw that can handle the same bar and chain combinations that your 044 uses, that way you can switch off as needed and you don't have to run separate bars and chains for each saw.  That's a pain for me with the 025 because it uses different chain pitch and gauge than the MS390 or the 066.  I will most likely get rid of the 025 at some point and pick up a MS260 to be able to use the same bar and chains on both saws.

[SasquatchMan]

Fix that Poulan 235 you got and yer off!  

Kevin and Eng, I think you're right in suggesting a saw that takes the same components as the 44 Dave has, but really, is it likely that a guy is gonna run a 044 with a small bar, or a 260 with a big bar?  Personally I think Dave should just keep the 044, if that'll keep him off of ladders.  

[Kevin]

I run an 18" bar most of the time, that's a decent length in my bush.
Having two saws with interchangeable parts is a big plus if one should have to visit the bench.