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TSI chainsaw????

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StucknAz

Active Member
I’m looking for a light weight saw to tackle my tsi projects. I have a big stihl that wears me down quick and most of my trees are under 10”. Anyone have a lighter weight reccomendation to reduce fatigue?
 
Depending on how much cutting you plan to do in a day I would say look at a Milwaukee hatchet. If you're planning on a lot of cutting my Stihl MS 194T has worked great for me.
 
Spend the money on a professional saw. Stihl has the home owner line and the professional lines. Stihl seems to have the market in Midwest...but logging out west lean towards Oregon and Husqvarna.
 
I have found those MS170 and MS180 you will be replacing parts in 3-5 yrs depending on usage. But for the price, if get a couple hundred hours. Doing good
 
I bought the m180 last year to do my tsi work. It’s a good little saw but wish I would have spent the extra money on the top handle version. After using a buddies for a day I thought it was a game changer but I’m a cheap a$$
 
Stihl 201 T-CM for smaller stuff & Stihl 261 C-M for medium stuff…
They are both awesome saws!!!
I’ll edit to add if you’re looking for a lightweight saw, the 201 is a much better choice. I love the top handle. It’s very lightweight, it cuts like an animal and you’d swear it’s a bigger saw .
 
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Call me crazy - but I've switched to a pole saw for cutting stuff under 10". May be a touch slower cutting but I can work for much much longer without having a sore back from bending over. Also feel like I can trim up cedars and reach the trunks of them better when standing 6-8' away and reaching in with the pole saw. Back hasn't felt this great in years!
 
I’ve had a couple spine fusions and farm work always puts me down for few days, that’s my reasoning with the question
LoessHillsArcher said:
Call me crazy - but I've switched to a pole saw for cutting stuff under 10". May be a touch slower cutting but I can work for much much longer without having a sore back from bending over. Also feel like I can trim up cedars and reach the trunks of them better when standing 6-8' away and reaching in with the pole saw. Back hasn't felt this great in years!
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I have a Stihl electric saw and it’s great for small projects . Just did a bunch this weekend in Iowa & Missouri.

The only drawback is the batteries last maybe 2 hours max . It’s a good light option for small stuff.
 
It really depends on what you have in your arsenal already. If this will be your only saw, I’d recommend the MS261. It performs exceptionally well across a range of tasks, including general chores, firewood cutting, and TSI work. However, if you already own a saw of similar size or larger, I’d suggest considering a T-handle model. Personally, I've had excellent results with my MS194T. It's lightweight, fuel-efficient, and has just enough power to keep you working efficiently. Just make sure you keep the chain sharp.
 
261 here with 16” bar & full chisel chain. I am not running like my younger years but still have 6 of em. Slowing down on cutting.


Also- this…. This is what every Tsi guy NEEDS!!! :) ;) & watch vid at bottom.

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The 261 is hard to beat for a small saw as others have said. I have 3 of them no problems so far. I switched mine to 3/8 sprockets and chains which slows it slightly but ups the torque. I only do it so its the same as all the big saws.
 
Hardwood11 said:
I have a Stihl electric saw and it’s great for small projects . Just did a bunch this weekend in Iowa & Missouri.

The only drawback is the batteries last maybe 2 hours max . It’s a good light option for small stuff.
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Is there a particular model?
 
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