STHIL MSA 220 T

[AHPP]

On 09/10/2022 at 08:24, Mr. Squirrel said:

What’s the deal with the switches? Are they the same as the 160t, or even worse?

I think the 160T just has two deadman switches, a blade on the top of the handle and a button on the side. You get used to that pretty quickly and it's usable. No electronic switch.

 

The 220T has an electronic switch that turns the saw on and off. The problem is that the saw also turns itself off after a few seconds of inactivity.

[AHPP]

On 08/10/2022 at 21:54, AHPP said:

 

Had a good talk through the switching with a Stihl rep at the APF and then had a go with one in a tree the other day. It's a dangerous piece of shit. The switching absolutely ruins it. Turns itself off when you don't want it off, encourages you to accidentally turn it on when you do want it off, discourages good chain brake discipline. Will cause accidents through mistake and through frustration. The more serious accidents will be on time sensitive cuts, chasing hinges, waiting for wind etc. The saw will prevent people making the cut at the correct time and then they'll panic, mash the button and charge at the cut too late or too far. Will also increase fatigue, handling the thing for longer than necessary.

 

Infantilising professionals will not make them safer or more productive. Nor will it help less experienced users. It'll imbue them with a lack of confidence in their tools and take their minds off the job.

 

I cannot emphasise enough how utterly shit the 220t is. I'm spending tomorrow brushing up on my German and then I'm going to shout at someone from Stihl on Monday. A flagship model and an opportunity to put Stihl at the top of the tree for battery saws. Absolutely squandered. Cretins.

 

I couldn't get anyone on the phone so they're ignoring me by e-mail instead.

[Mark_Skyland]

I thought I would bump this thread as we have had some user feedback on the MSA 220 T.

 

Feedback is "It's brilliant/unbelievable" No negatives yet. It seems that's its is a genuine replacement for any petrol top handle saw.

 

 

[AHPP]

I likewise can update about my whingeing to Stihl. Someone fairly competent sounding from Camberley got in touch and was convincingly interested in my concerns. Whether Germany listen to him is another thing.

Edited January 12, 2023 by AHPP

[Mark_Skyland]

21 hours ago, AHPP said:

I likewise can update about my whingeing to Stihl. Someone fairly competent sounding from Camberley got in touch and was convincingly interested in my concerns. Whether Germany listen to him is another thing.

The switching off after a coupe of seconds was definitely a concern I had when we first got our hands on the saw, I thought that it would really piss people off. I did ask one of the lads and he said yeah it's a bit of a pain but then he just banged on about how great the saw was. I do think that it would be better if it stayed live for a bit longer especially if the chain brake was engaged, I don't see why it couldn't stay live for say 5 minutes in that state! 

[AHPP]

17 minutes ago, Mark_Skyland said:

The switching off after a coupe of seconds was definitely a concern I had when we first got our hands on the saw, I thought that it would really piss people off. I did ask one of the lads and he said yeah it's a bit of a pain but then he just banged on about how great the saw was. I do think that it would be better if it stayed live for a bit longer especially if the chain brake was engaged, I don't see why it couldn't stay live for say 5 minutes in that state! 

It really pissed me off. I already use a 220 backhandle so the battery novelty wasn't enough to win me over.

Edited January 13, 2023 by AHPP

[Mick Dempsey]

On 13/01/2023 at 00:12, Mark_Skyland said:

I thought I would bump this thread as we have had some user feedback on the MSA 220 T.

 

Feedback is "It's brilliant/unbelievable" No negatives yet. It seems that's its is a genuine replacement for any petrol top handle saw.

 

 

What’s the battery availability?

[Mark_Skyland]

7 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

What’s the battery availability?

Not good from stihl UK as I think they are out of stock until next month. We still have some available and I guess other dealers will have stock too, that's in regards to the ap300/500 S batteries.  You want to get the S series of batteries or you won't get max power.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

27 minutes ago, Mark_Skyland said:

Not good from stihl UK as I think they are out of stock until next month. We still have some available and I guess other dealers will have stock too, that's in regards to the ap300/500 S batteries.  You want to get the S series of batteries or you won't get max power.

 

Ok, just curious as Husky batteries are the proverbial hen’s teeth atm. 
 

[Mark_Skyland]

Yes it is a fair bit of a problem. I had a look at when we last had some pro husky batteries in stock, it was last June! I also know that we had some on order before then that haven't arrived yet. That's not to say that there aren't some coming into the country as we may be further down the waiting list than other dealers. But it does show that there can't be many batteries rolling off the production line that's for sure.