New Topper, which model & petrol or electric?

[Stihl123]

200t all day long!! 

@KWarb17 has a fully worked 200t, it's lovely!! Yes, spud really went to town on it 

 

 

[AJGard]

Just to put a spaner in the works, the main topper I use is a 1year old 201tc with timing advance and muffler mod.....absolutely love it, I did a head to head with a 200t (it was ported, muffler mod and timed advance) and my 201 ate the 200t for bfast. I would buy another 201! 

[spudulike]

From a repairers side, the MS200T is by far, the easiest to work on, the MS201t is fairly similar but the T540XP is one that I hate more than most.

I have been told the 540 has a nice clip allowing you to clip it to a strop but a second clip allows you to hook it on your belt - with a suitable clip. I am not a climber but this is cited by many as being orgasmic!

The 540 is damn difficult to strip...if any Husky techs want to argue the point, I will stick £100 down to be the first to strip and get the piston off a fully assembled MS200T against them doing the same on a 540 and no powered tools to be used either!

Can't say too much about their use but the 200 has a nice spread of power, no revving it up to full tilt then hitting the wood like some. 

If you do get a 200....make sure it is as original as possible, especially the top end and carb. I have yet to see a cheap aftermarket carb work well and unlike most, I prefer the accelerator pump carb as I find them much much more stable in adjustment!

Just seen the latest post.....did the MS200T have an OEM top end/carb and what compression did it pull? Was the same cutting gear used? Was it tuned correctly .........lots of things determine how a machine works and one test doesn't prove too much in my book!

 

[arboriculturist]

3 hours ago, Gnarlyoak said:

Hello all, toying with the idea of treating myself to a new top handled saw.

 

Just wondering if its time to consider going the electric route or stick to a petrol driven variety. Currently have a MS200T which I predominantly use on take downs & an Echo 360TES which I mainly use for pruning (but I do wish I'd got a 2511T for that instead!)

So was considering just getting a new Stihl 201TCM but started thinking that it might be a good time to bite the bullet & get an electrickery saw now instead as sooner or later they'll probably be the only option on offer before much longer (thinking along the lines of you will not be able to buy a new petrol driven car after 2030)!

 

So any regrets or rave reviews from others that have made the switch? Is an electric only a good option for pruning works or can they compete & hold their own on a large take down? Taking down a large oak or beech with my 200 and 14" bar I'd have no qualms about the saw's ability to do the job, but would an electric be struggling by the time the small brash is off and I start chogging the bigger limbs let alone the upper part of the stem of a diameter equivalent to the length of my bar?

 

Then if electric is the route to go down whose electric saw is best, Stihl MSA161T; Husky T540i XP; Echo DCS-2500T; Makita ?? (once upon a time Makita would never have been on my radar, but time & again recently Makita kit seems to get more & more good reviews and thumbs up from other AT members, so is it probably worth considering?!?!)

 

Thoughts, pros & cons, from the esteemed AT collective much appreciated.

Thanks

 

A slight derail - but the terms 'Topper' and 'Topping' have no place whatsoever, in any shape and or form in modern Arboriculture.

 

Any professional Arb. training course worth it's salt will discuss this at the early stages of any course that relates to working on trees with hand saws or chainsaws.

 

The majority of professional experienced people working in Arb. dropped the terms a long time ago, as they understand the short and long term consequences of 'Topping' trees and how it adversely impacts on the health of trees.

 

David Humphreys may have also posted on this subject several years ago.

 

 

[Moose McAlpine]

7 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

 

A slight derail - but the terms 'Topper' and 'Topping' have no place whatsoever, in any shape and or form in modern Arboriculture.

 

Any professional Arb. training course worth it's salt will discuss this at the early stages of any course that relates to working on trees with hand saws or chainsaws.

 

The majority of professional experienced people working in Arb. dropped the terms a long time ago, as they understand the short and long term consequences of 'Topping' trees and how it adversely impacts on the health of trees.

 

David Humphreys may have also posted on this subject several years ago.

 

 

 

Pretty sure the OP meant it as a shortening of "top handle".

[Stubby]

8 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

 

A slight derail - but the terms 'Topper' and 'Topping' have no place whatsoever, in any shape and or form in modern Arboriculture.

 

Any professional Arb. training course worth it's salt will discuss this at the early stages of any course that relates to working on trees with hand saws or chainsaws.

 

The majority of professional experienced people working in Arb. dropped the terms a long time ago, as they understand the short and long term consequences of 'Topping' trees and how it adversely impacts on the health of trees.

 

David Humphreys may have also posted on this subject several years ago.

 

 

Spoil sport 😁

[arboriculturist]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

Spoil sport 😁

'Stubby' - The man is 100% professional in all he does.

[allseasons]

I have both husky top handles and love them both and both my climbers have the new mark 2 husky and love them and one has alwasy had sthil and says he wont swap back now

[Moose McAlpine]

3 minutes ago, allseasons said:

I have both husky top handles and love them both.

 

T525 and T540?

[KWarb17]

1 hour ago, Stihl123 said:

200t all day long!! 

@KWarb17 has a fully worked 200t, it's lovely!! Yes, spud really went to town on it 

 

 

Toppers are like a lot of things...you'll get used to anything (not the T540🤫) but the difference between the 200 and 201 is debatable. I only love the 200 because it's what I've always used and have just got used to it being a little heavier than a 201.

If you have the chance to fully rebuild a 200 then go for it, if not just stick with the current 201tcm😁👍