MS 150 worlds lightest top handle

I believe mine was right around 450 after tax. Worth every penny if you do a lot of pruning work IMO. It's a whole different deal for me now pruning the first 3 jobs I took it on I finished quite some time ahead of schedule I was surprised at how much time and energy was saved. I find myself only reaching for a handsaw if I need to hold onto a limb and throw it down. The rest of the time I use the 150 except on real small tip work.

It's a huge difference between the 150 and 200 as far as weight hanging on the saddle. In odd positions it is much more stable to use and is real easy to manipulate. I don't think I have cut a single piece of dead wood over an inch with my handsaw since I got it. Makes handsaw blades much longer I am hoping. The major downfall of the 150 is the odd chain. You will have to buy stihl chain for it so hopefully Oregon will make one to fit at some point. It holds very little fuel and I thought it would constantly need to be filled but even that is not the case so far.
 
Got to run the 150 this weekend. Man did i like it for a little saw. I used it to brush out a removal. Could hardly tell it was there. This one had a 12" bar. I'd drop it to a 10 or 8. I went into it with very low expectations. It really blew me away. Great pruning saw.
 
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450? Isn't the 192 like $100 less than that?

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Yeah they are and I said the same thing but they are a whole different saw. Comparing a 150 to a 192 is like comparing a 192 to a 200, big difference. Power is not its main objective it's being light weight. I have not opened it up and really looked at the internals but I am assuming it is built similar to a 192 but it seems to be a little better quality so far. I hated to pay more for less saw but that is normal when you are buying a "professional" grade saw.

Once I picked up the 150 I did not even consider the 192 anymore. It is much closer to the weight of a 200 with far less power. As soon as I can find a 10" bar I will put that on as the 12" really is not needed. I have run a 192 in the past and was not impressed at all it is too heavy for the power output. Where the 150 lacks in power it makes up in weight loss.

I took some of my extra biners, slings, and my handsaw off my saddle and just put the 150 on there and it felt really close to normal in weight of my saddle. It truly is hard to hate it it's just so light and saves a lot of handsaw work. Another nice thing is the little carving bars and small chain work well for cutting in a tight crotch, no more damaging bark with a handsaw when it won't fit
 
I just orderd one today...$395 ( my stihl dealer gives me 10% off), will get it next week....will give it a review
 
Today, with previous sporadic but much appreciated use, took out my ms150 for some big tree pruning. Used it a little and then went to give a little tightening to the chain. The crank case nut was stuck on the crank case bolt/post. Wouldn't budge. Screw out or in on the nut...and the post/bolt moves with it. Wish I could use it tomorrow but n/g.

I think the design of homeowner's saws are that that post/bolt of the crank case cover is based in plastic as opposed to metal as in pro saws. I may be totally wrong on this...just an observation....but disappointed just the same regardless of what the reason is. You can't take the post/bolt all the way out to take off the casing and re install it as there is a washer like plate on the inside of the casing attached to the bolt/post that prohibits this.
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I'm sending this along to STIHL for a look. I hope it helps.

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Thanks Mark. I took it in to my dealer (Central Tool of Evendale, Ohio) and their tech. said a larger stud could be inserted. I asked him to contact Stihl also. I absolutely DIE for this saw and hope it can be ironed out.
 
Vetster, sorry to hear, hope all gets sorted out for you!

Im loving this little monster, just so light on saddle and great for pruning....I guess I need not crank down that bar nut to hard, I keep eye on it...
 
I am the only one that uses her and I have an anti crank down technique by pushing with my thumb til it hurts so pretty sure my human torque wrench was not the cause...but who knows. It is such a surgical tool that mebee I need a little adjustment.
 
Follow up...they were talking a larger post installed and intuition tells me that a bigger post into the hole (by me) may just crack the housing leaving yours truly with egg on the face. So....they order a larger post with Stihl's good wishes and...you guessed it...the structure cracks....leaving egg on their faces...

fine with that but they order a new casing and ...eeek...backordered...a week or so ago. I ask for a new saw to forego the torture and the distributer relents...if by mid week this week...

jury is in sequester...meanwhile busy seasons ticks away

tic tic tic....

any help Chis?
 
Vet, thats just messed up, hope u get Lil' monster up and going....being a new saw I can see the back order thing...I tried to get a chain made up and the had to order the links, nothing instock for new saw
 
Finally back on the road (finally) probably thanks to Chis (thanks Mark). Replaced the whole casing. Used ALL day yesterday with lots of lowering and pretty big cuts in drastic pruning job. I adore this saw. Thanks Central Tool too.
 
I owned one of the first 015's on the East Coast according to my dealer in NJ. Quite an upgrade from the McCullough Power Mac 6's all the rage before that.

Then the 020's and then I remember after I moved to Ohio from NJ hearing that they asked a number of tree companies across the country what they wanted in a climbing saw, the 020t. Mrs. Butcher, a sweetheart of a woman at Madison Tree and Stihl dealership told me they were one of them that had input on things like the see thru tank, rear lanyard built in ring, lighter, powerful, mid balanced tophandled saw amongst other things.

This ms 150 is revolutionary for pruning imo. The 201 tho, I used it today on a td and Stihl should be ashamed of itself. Fortunately I have a tec that is going to mod mine to make it useful tomorrow. It was totally useless today in a Ch. elm td chunking wood (bogging) and the ms 150 could have done all it did on the up to 8 to 10 dia limb removals be it rigging or just slamming them.

What friends are you speaking of Chis? Stihl engineers or arbs?
 
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