T536LIXP saw. Good place to buy?

Benjo75

Treehouser
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
918
Location
Malvern, Arkansas
I've decided to bite the bullet and order this saw. Treestuff shows out of stock. I have quite a few items ordered with them that haven't been shipped yet. Some from last year. I tried to order from Baileys and that was a royal pain and they acted like I was trying to scam them and cancelled my order. I called and the only way they will place "such an expensive order" is for me to take off work, go to the bank and place a wire transfer. $1k isn't an expensive order compared to what I order from several different companies on a weekly basis. They was all too happy to cancel my order. Anyway, I'd like to get one of these saws and I don't really want to wait til fall to get it in and I'm having a heck of a time even finding one to buy. Any help is appreciated.
 
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  • #6
I've had my electric top handle for over a week now. I love it. It's very nice while climbing since it's so light. Very quiet, minimal vibration. A battery lasts longer than I expected. A tank of oil lasts about 3 batteries worth. Probably equivalent to a 193 but it's definitely not a 200T. I've been keeping it in the bucket and also keeping a 261 in there too and use it for the cuts over about 8 inches. It doesn't cut too well with the nose. I may try a different chain before long but I'm happy with the way it comes so far. It has a variable throttle that is different than a gas saw but very easy to get used to and not really a disadvantage at all. When you let off the throttle the chain almost stops instantly so you have to hold it down farther through a cut. I have 4 batteries and the quick charger so I'm going to look in to their blower and maybe a small to mid size rear handle since the saws are the cheapest part. The batteries and charger are the most expensive. It has two clips on the rear. One for the lanyard and one that stays partially out and is very easy to clip on the saddle one handed. I have a Caritool on my right side. I've been thinking about putting my Shembiner back on then I can get it on and off with one hand. It has a power button on top along with an E button that cuts the power about 25 or 30%. For use if you are in very small limbs and don't need the top chain speed and power. It will turn itself off after a couple minutes of non use. Sometimes I grab it and if it's been a couple minutes since I used it last I'll reach to a limb and nothing. I have to press the power button with my thumb and then it's ready. Not really a problem just something I'll have to get used to. The batteries have 4 nice bright green power lights. You press a button and they show power left in 25% increments. I can see them in the sun with sunglasses on. The chain tensioner seems a little off. It's not as easy to get the perfect tension as I'm used to. It seems to either be too tight or too loose. I'll look at it this weekend in the shop when I have time. I think it's really going to be a valuable tool. I already wouldn't want to go to work without it.

Oh and my favorite thing about it is no exhaust fumes to breathe all day. I didn't realize how much I didn't like that. It's so nice to have clean air to breathe. Minus the sawdust. I believe the exhaust was affecting me more than I realized by the end of the day.
 
Good lead on the Stihl 161. I followed a link from your link and found there is a recall on some 161's. Worth being aware of if someone plans to buy one.

https://www.stihl.com/recall-of-stihl-msa-161-t.aspx


And, Benjo...thanks for mentioning the Shembine...I have never known what it was...I have seen some guys seem to use one in videos (is that What August uses?) but now I see the real thing. I'll buy one of those. I use a BIG Home Depot link now but have to fool with the gate to stow the saw...I like the open Shembiner.

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=16848

shembiner tool.jpg
 
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  • #10
Yeah I liked my Shembiner. The only downside was on my saddle it needed to go through two straps to be stable and that narrowed the opening down a little and made it harder to get the saw out. I use a DMM Oval biner on the back of my top handles to connect the lanyard. The Husky has an extra loop that stays out and would go in the tighter opening. I have hung upside down plenty of times and the Shembiner always held my saw. Never fell out. A rope or lanyard would find its way into it sometimes when I didn't want it. Just had to stop and pick it out. Wasn't really a problem. The Caritool works good but sometimes the little wire gate will get pulled to the outside and a saw could slip out. I keep a Caritool on my left side to and hang a Quickie, Rope Wrench and an extra biner on it. Every once in a while after carrying my saddle to the tree and on the way back I'll find a Rope Wrench laying in the ground only to find out it's mine and the wire gate on the Caritool has opened and everything fell out. I guess I need to invest in a better clip but just haven't yet. My Caritool has held my 200T, 261 and 661 for several years and no problem yet. I hear of them breaking but I'm not too hard on mine. I'm not an acrobatic climber anyway.
 
I've had my electric top handle for over a week now. I love it. It's very nice while climbing since it's so light. Very quiet, minimal vibration. A battery lasts longer than I expected. A tank of oil lasts about 3 batteries worth. Probably equivalent to a 193 but it's definitely not a 200T. I've been keeping it in the bucket and also keeping a 261 in there too and use it for the cuts over about 8 inches. It doesn't cut too well with the nose. I may try a different chain before long but I'm happy with the way it comes so far. It has a variable throttle that is different than a gas saw but very easy to get used to and not really a disadvantage at all. When you let off the throttle the chain almost stops instantly so you have to hold it down farther through a cut. I have 4 batteries and the quick charger so I'm going to look in to their blower and maybe a small to mid size rear handle since the saws are the cheapest part. The batteries and charger are the most expensive. It has two clips on the rear. One for the lanyard and one that stays partially out and is very easy to clip on the saddle one handed. I have a Caritool on my right side. I've been thinking about putting my Shembiner back on then I can get it on and off with one hand. It has a power button on top along with an E button that cuts the power about 25 or 30%. For use if you are in very small limbs and don't need the top chain speed and power. It will turn itself off after a couple minutes of non use. Sometimes I grab it and if it's been a couple minutes since I used it last I'll reach to a limb and nothing. I have to press the power button with my thumb and then it's ready. Not really a problem just something I'll have to get used to. The batteries have 4 nice bright green power lights. You press a button and they show power left in 25% increments. I can see them in the sun with sunglasses on. The chain tensioner seems a little off. It's not as easy to get the perfect tension as I'm used to. It seems to either be too tight or too loose. I'll look at it this weekend in the shop when I have time. I think it's really going to be a valuable tool. I already wouldn't want to go to work without it.

Oh and my favorite thing about it is no exhaust fumes to breathe all day. I didn't realize how much I didn't like that. It's so nice to have clean air to breathe. Minus the sawdust. I believe the exhaust was affecting me more than I realized by the end of the day.

To keep saw in ready mode longer (possibly until battery dies) click chain brake on. Then click it off and it's ready to cut.

No fumes at the tool is nice. I do a lot of trimming etc where it is one cut or a few here, move a little and a couple more cuts etc. - very nice to not have to restart the saw for each separate cut.

Blower is nice, not the huge power of a backpac. Their hedger is nice too, again a little less power than Stihls Kombi unit with the 130 motor. I have the blower and hedger for that too.
 
I taped the gate open on a Kong Paddle biner. I taped the nose of the biner to reduce snags. Works fine. Cheap. Never dropped a saw out. Can be closed, if desired, by removing the tape.
 
Caritool might not be strong enough without the support of the wire clip. It supplies a lot of the breaking strength to the plastic portion.
 
As not a gear-freak or trust-funder, I"ll take a lot from that. Doesn't go on an MCRS. I've stuck with it as my daily-flyer. My TA III is sitting in the bin, sad.
 
I really wanted to buy one of those harnesses too, damn shame about one of the most logical "developments" in gear in awhile.
 
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