Battery top handles.

[sawmikaze]

I don't know much about them. If any of you were gonna buy one what would it be and why ?

 

[TreeLife]

Tree company I worked for had two stihl battery top handles. Awesome little saws all around. He liked it when climbing, but in the bucket he preferred the 200t.

 

[AlfA01]

I have a couple that I bought on sale to use during quiet hours here. The MSA160T is a good little pruning saw. I can take care of most jobs with it, but it is limited to which bar/chain combos it can handle—IMO it’s underpowered for a bar more than 12”. Also 1/4p chain is probably the best choice.

The MSA200 is quite different though. It’s got a ton more torque and can handle much larger diameter wood without chain stall.

For me, besides cutting performance, batteries are the big deal when choosing. Stihl offers four different batteries in the AP range. I’ve got a couple of 300S batteries and they are the bees knees for run time. Anything else is just short lived. Problem with the 300S batteries is the cheese—they list at over 300 a piece here.

If I had to do it again, I’d go with the Husqy 540ixp.

 

[AlfA01]

Tree company I worked for had two stihl battery top handles. Awesome little saws all around. He liked it when climbing, but in the bucket he preferred the 200t.

The little Stihls don’t have the chain speed for certain cuts when you’re up in the trees. I use pass through cuts on some limbs to get them to drop without sagging and the little Stihl just can’t handle it. You end with a peel cut, a hanging branch or a pinched bar. They are good little saws, but are certainly better at certain jobs than others.

 

[Woodpecker]

I had a top handle husky 540ixp and sent it down the river. I know every climber on tree buzz is currently in love with that saw but I didn’t like it. Ergonomics on it killed it for me. It just felt bigger and more clumsy than a ms200/201. When I bought that saw the stihl battery saws had a lame double safety feature that was a deal breaker for me. I do have a little makita battery top handle saw but it really is only a replacement for a hand saw. I do light pruning with it or it makes a great little saw for trimming branches so they go through the chipper better.

 

[Chainmale]

I'm impressed with the 540ixp but I haven't used any other battery saws to compare it to. Might just be impressed that I'm not unimpressed.
One thing for me was using the chain brake every time inbetween cuts and turning it off. Took a bit to drill it into my head that it's still “running” when it's not making noise.
Chain tensioner is absolutely hopeless.

 

[tek9tim]

The Makita single battery saw is definitely a replacement for a handsaw, perfect next to a chipper. The Makita double battery saws are more legitimate top handles. Heavier than their gas counterparts, but power is actually good. Both do pretty well with Archer full chisel chain, especially if square ground. Both have good Dolmar engineering in em.

 

[Philbert]

Key with any battery powered tool is that you are buying into the platform, not just one tool. Batteries are at least half the cost of the tool. So, if I was already 'invested' in one battery platform, I would start there.

Not an issue, and money is no object? I would check out the Husqvarna T540ixp, with a couple of their top end batteries. Has a good reputation for a pro-level battery saw. Husky has some less expensive models too.

STIHL if you like STIHL products or have a dealer relationship.

Makita has 2 versions: XCUo9Z, 36volt (2 - 18 V batteries) and XCU06Z, 18volt (1 - 18 V battery) that are very compact. I would choose the 36V for more power, or the 18V for lighter weight. A plus if you already own Makita 18V contractor tools.

Philbert

 

[Ketchup]

My friends raved about the t540xpi. I took it up a tree. I like not pulling, and it had adequate power but everything else was disappointing. It’s very bulky and heavy. I could see it being okay for chunking down spars, but it sucks moving through the tree with it and even limbing out a pole wasn’t great. I went back to my 2511t. I don’t think the battery saws are there yet.