T542i

evo

evo

Been here much more than a while
Location
My Island, WA
Alright so the saw has been out for a while, what is everyone’s thoughts?
I’m toying with one to complement my 540i which I already have two bli200x batteries for.
I’m seeing the current offering for a Kit is a 542 plus bli200x, charger, AND a extra free bli300 batt

For some reason I got it in my head that this new 542 has a different recommended battery, but the old ones would still work?

And the carrot on the stick has me thinking of also getting the rear handle saw only just cause there is now the bli300 battery on the table.

Currently have the kit plus extra free battery and one additional battery in the cart, this would give 5 batt’s between two saws.
 
I have.... 8 different climbing saws now? Ran the T540i for a few years before getting the new T542i and it's the best climbing saw I've ever owned, and my daily driver 90% of the time.

The modest increase in power over the 540i combined with the feedback the clutch gives you makes it so much more capable making larger cuts, and making those cuts safely without risking the auto-cutoff stopping the saw on you in a critical moment.

I only use the 200x battery when climbing, and even in the rear handle on the ground. And use the exact same two year old batteries in the 542s now along with other new ones. By my tastes the 300 battery is WAY too heavy, but if you wanted to buck a bunch of trunk wood in the tree without sending the saw down, you can do that as it has almost twice the amp-hours.

With that free charger/battery deal, I took advantage and got the new top and rear handle, with two more chargers and three more batteries. The 300 battery is relegated to being used in the blower and a backup in the truck. At this point the 540s live in my basement, as backup saws and unless the 542is break and I need something to use in the meantime, that is where they will stay, even though they are great saws as well.


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27RMT0N said:
I have.... 8 different climbing saws now? Ran the T540i for a few years before getting the new T542i and it's the best climbing saw I've ever owned, and my daily driver 90% of the time.

The modest increase in power over the 540i combined with the feedback the clutch gives you makes it so much more capable making larger cuts, and making those cuts safely without risking the auto-cutoff stopping the saw on you in a critical moment.

I only use the 200x battery when climbing, and even in the rear handle on the ground. And use the exact same two year old batteries in the 542s now along with other new ones. By my tastes the 300 battery is WAY too heavy, but if you wanted to buck a bunch of trunk wood in the tree without sending the saw down, you can do that as it has almost twice the amp-hours.

With that free charger/battery deal, I took advantage and got the new top and rear handle, with two more chargers and three more batteries. The 300 battery is relegated to being used in the blower and a backup in the truck. At this point the 540s live in my basement, as backup saws and unless the 542is break and I need something to use in the meantime, that is where they will stay, even though they are great saws as well.


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You are a real saw whore. I love it. I only have 4 top handles. Will add the 542i shortly. Per your advice. Glad I waited as usual..
 
southsoundtree said:
Where are you seeing the deal, @evo?
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It's supposed to be anywhere that sells the series of tools, but many websites are not actively promoting it. Many sites are still not even selling the 542i and only list the 540i saws which I really don't understand. Buying the old model now would be very, very stupid.

Husqvarna Promo

arbsession.com arbsession.com

Every product in this category includes a FREE BLI300 BATTERY & QC500 CHARGER! YEAH YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT!! FREE!!! THAT'S $469.98 FREE for ONLY a limited time, while supplies last! HURRY BEFORE IT'S GONE!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

So you order the 'bare tool' one and it will come with the free charger and battery deal. Make sure to confirm before checking out.
 
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Thoughts on 14” or 16” bar? Going to pick it up today if they have it in stock, the dealership is a 2 minute drive from the job site… I’m assuming it’s a similar weight distribution to t540? IIRC it ran best with a 14” but maybe the power output on the new one changes that?
 
Stumpsprouts said:
Thoughts on 14” or 16” bar? Going to pick it up today if they have it in stock, the dealership is a 2 minute drive from the job site… I’m assuming it’s a similar weight distribution to t540? IIRC it ran best with a 14” but maybe the power output on the new one changes that?
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I run a 14" on both the new and older version. It's still no 201 in terms of power (never used a T540 gasser) but it could certainly handle a 16" bar well enough. As with all battery saws, big cuts really chew through battery fast, so a longer bar is more about having that little bit of extra reach rather than 'bucking bigger wood'.
 
True that! Used my 540 to take a madrone off a truck. Just a quick one hour job, limbed the entire thing on 25% of the battery, the half a dozen trunk wood cuts ate the remainder 75%.
One or two of the cuts I had to roll the saw in the cut to make it through with the 14” bar.
I haven’t used a 193 but I imagine it’s about the same.
I personally don’t really like or trust the 540, the speed in the cut is there. It’s not a saw that one can blast through the last little bit and expect consistent results like you can with a ms200. (I have a 201 but avoid that saw too)
 
27RMT0N said:
I run a 14" on both the new and older version. It's still no 201 in terms of power (never used a T540 gasser) but it could certainly handle a 16" bar well enough. As with all battery saws, big cuts really chew through battery fast, so a longer bar is more about having that little bit of extra reach rather than 'bucking bigger wood'.
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Now hang on a minute.
Are you saying that this will not match a 201 or a 540 petrol (I have both)
in a cut?
 
It's a bit less powerful than a 201 in my experience, yes. Not a long ways off though.

Still, I use the T542i over my ported 201 nearly every time because it's close in power and has all the usual benefits of all battery saws (ease of use, quiet, etc).

These days about the only time I use my ported 201 is when I have a lot of trunk wood to cut. For example yesterday I climbed out this fir and bucked the whole trunk down to the stump into 14" rounds while in the tree, including refilling the gas/oil in the tree since I was solo. That's a job battery saws are not quite up to yet, and it wouldn't have liked the 20" stump cut.

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Surely, if you will carry extra gas and oil in containers, you could also carry an extra battery or two?
 
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Absolutely I can, but my ported 201 with a 16" bar could buck that tree into firewood twice as fast as my 14" T542i.
 
I mean, don't quote me on that time exactly, but it is certainly quite a bit faster and especially with the extra 2" of bar, meaning I didn't have to walk the saw around the lower larger trunk wood as much.

Edit: For that much bucking, I'd probably have to bring two extra batteries and the oil bottle as well. Wouldn't save any weight, and would cut slower.
 
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27RMT0N said:
It's a bit less powerful than a 201 in my experience, yes. Not a long ways off though.

Still, I use the T542i over my ported 201 nearly every time because it's close in power and has all the usual benefits of all battery saws (ease of use, quiet, etc).

These days about the only time I use my ported 201 is when I have a lot of trunk wood to cut. For example yesterday I climbed out this fir and bucked the whole trunk down to the stump into 14" rounds while in the tree, including refilling the gas/oil in the tree since I was solo. That's a job battery saws are not quite up to yet, and it wouldn't have liked the 20" stump cut.

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Ported is an important distinction when comparing.
So it holds it ground with a stock 201? Or better than a stock 201 but not quite a ported?
 
evo said:
Ported is an important distinction when comparing.
So it holds it ground with a stock 201? Or better than a stock 201 but not quite a ported?
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Oh geeze, so many variables it's almost impossible for me to put them all in an accurate list. I've got a muffler modded 200, I've got a stock 2nd(?) gen 201 (non-m-tronic, but after all the initial problems of the first 201s people hated) and I have the newest gen ported 201. I haven't run the stock older 201 in years, ever since getting the 200 and muffler modding that. And I've never run the latest gen stock 201, only my ported one.

Regardless, the best climbing saw is NOT about being the post powerful one.

It is a balance between power, weight, ergonomics, ease of use, reliability, etc. ALL battery saws are just nicer to use than gas saws, period. Quiet, no pull-starting, no idling on your belt, no clogged carbs, no fumes, easier communication with the ground. The list goes on and on. Both the T540i and T542i have the look, feel and reliability of the best professional grade tools. Because that's what they are. The 542i just refines the formula a significant amount.
 
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