Small saw needed, which one?

Considering getting a second saw lighter than my Stihl ms290 with 20" bar. How much does a ms170 cost? Will it cut ok or need muffler mod or what? What bar and chain is recommended? For cutting up firewood. And it doesn't have to be Stihl but I saw something about price on ms170 and I was surprised it was that low. Maybe it was an old price. Anyone know price? Tips appreciated.

EDIT: I am open to any brand but locally I have Stihl, Husky, Echo that I am aware of. Not sure if Dolmar is around here, never heard of that brand really. And, I can't envision cutting tons of wood, it's not very cold here. Firewood, and the occasional fallen tree. I want something reliable and easy to start! I don't have much experience, but the 290... I keep thinking a lighter saw would be more to my liking for most work. I'm not a muscleman and no spring chicken, lol. I don't even have to sell the 290; if I get broke, I can sell it, lol.

 

A 30cc saw is going to be limited to very light use...mostly limbing.

 

The 170 is the bottom of the bunch. Usually these are just under $200 and yes they will cut wood. However I would ask what dealers do you have in your area. What does the best dealer carry, are they willing to let you "test drive it" in wood.
For homeowner / farm saws I think Dolmar and Echo give you a better saw then Stihl and Husky.
A 40cc saw range is a very useful saw something with a 14-16" bar.
Just to name a few that I would look real hard at is
Dolmar 421
ECHO 490
Stihl 241
Echo 400

 

I have a few 170-180s that are in various stages of "improvements" . given the choice to spend on replacing them I would look to the Dolmar 420 series saws. for a little more you get a LOT more saw... fordf150 can hook you up with new, used, heated and all the service you could ever need.
Nothing wrong with the 170 series saws and I am a diehard Stihl guy, but the Dolmars are better money spent on the lower price point saws. IMO.

 

Ya fordf150 is great to deal with and some of the best prices, he sells both Echo and Dolmar. I would shoot him a pm he won't steer you wrong.

 

I'd be lookin at Dolmar & Husqvarna for a 'good' small saw.

Get a Husq 545 and you probably wont use the ms290 any more.

 

It would help to know why you want the smaller saw. Weight, just a back up, or???? I ran 009 Stihl for years and they can be picked up for cheap. The 009L has more CC's than an MS200. Same way you can't judge a saw by the plastic Research the cc's.



I bought a Stihl 192 new and have been really happy wth it. Powerhouse? No. But you can saw all day limbing and such with it and not be tired. Thing is so light, it's like an extension of your hand.

 

The Stihls are very nice saws. But you pay the higher price, obviously. I use to have a Farm Boss and really liked it. But when I decided to upgrade to a larger saw I did not want to pay Stihl's larger prices. So I went with an Echo CS 680.

To get smaller and lighter saw without losing too much cutting power you probably don't want to go much under 45cc.

I wanted much lighter so I bought one of the new Echo CS 361Ps, but I only use it for limbing and cutting of small firewood. Up to say 6". Anything bigger and I want more power for quicker cutting time. So I break out the CS 680.

Here is a 45cc Echo but the price may be more than you want to spend.

ECHO CS-450P 45.0cc Professional Cutting System Chain Saw - ECHO USA | ECHO USA

The Echos are a good quality saw at a better price. You can check them all out on that web page.

 

I've had Stihl 170 and 180's . Great small saw. My only gripe....is I'm able to feel more vibration than I'd like. But a great saw for the money .
But....I also had a Dolmar 350 . for the extra $50.....I got a rediculously good cutter....and was the smoothest saw Ive ever owned. Basically no felt vibrations....and was of pro construction to boot. All mag crankcase. One of the saws I should have kept
But if I was looking today...hands down Dolmar 421
I'm currently using an older Husky 42 Special. Light and handy....and for the size smaller Ash trees its cutting....it drops a surprising amount of wood..in a short period of time ! Leaving the user extra energy for other tasks lol !!!!

 

For Sale - Stihl 036 Pro | Firewood Hoarders Club

 

That's a darn good deal there !! Bye bye ms290 lol !

 

I always think I want a smaller saw, than I grab the 461 and it cuts so fast I do not want to put the thing down. If you have the physical need, it makes sense. The time difference between the big and small saws is just so dramatic. Good luck and let us know where you land.

 

I fall into the physical needs category
But there's nothing like buzzin through Firewood with a bigger saw though

The small saws work...but I search out the right size small wood too....cuz them small saws...hate big wood !

 

I edited my OP to reflect more why I am considering this. A lighter saw might be more enjoyable to operate for most stuff, plus, I have had trouble with this (used) ms290 that I bought a year ago. I hope to get it lined out and running great and maybe I'm close now after a frustrating few weeks of late, but, I certainly want a reliable saw that starts. I could keep the 290 or trade/sell it.

 

It will be more enjoyable..if you seek and search out the proper wood for it to cut. In my opinion....all my small saws have been tolerable and handy at cutting anything 10" and under.
Anything bigger....take a few aspirin ...and get the bigger saw out
It's always a battle for me between weight of the saw.....and time spent cutting.
I'll never be without a 30-40cc saw...I hope lol !
If I ever "have" to go smaller...I'm gonna hang it up

 

All makes sense. I hope you get the 290 squared away and get into a saw you enjoy!!

 

We

well said

 

Yawner , you can check this out. I went with the 241 Stihl which is a pro saw but there is some good info here
New saw search | Firewood Hoarders Club

 

Lots of great advice already given! Since you already have a decent size saw in the 290, provided you get it running right, it's a good idea to look for something in the 40 cc range. Check out the dealers in your area and get your hands on as many saws as you can. If a dealer will let you run some saws, then that is best. Maybe check out the FHC map and hook up with a member near you if any have the saws you are looking at.

If you want a tool that is going to last and be a pleasure to use I would encourage you to stick with the pro version of each brand in the size you want.

I have personally run the Dolmar 421, echo 450p, and I own a Stihl 241. They are all great saws! I have never run a Husqvarna 543 xp but it also looks and felt like a great saw.

Once you get the smaller saw nailed down it might be a good idea to save up and upgrade the 290. Depending on your philosophy of use you can probably find a good used 50cc pro saw, that will do everything that 290 did and more in a lighter package. Or if you want more power and performance step up into the 60cc pro saw range for about the same weight. Good luck with your search and let us know what ya choose.

Also if you need help getting the 290 running right there are plenty here that can help with that too, so don't be afraid to start a new post and ask. Welcome to FHC!

 

I'm in the get a 50cc saw camp. After a couple of hours of cutting a 545 will feel A LOT lighter than your 290 but it is big enough that you can still get some real work done with it.