Buying Advice

[holeycow]

Where did oakiedokie go?

Most of the folks here would consider only one saw on that list. The cs590 is a sweet deal oakiedokie. Especially if you get it on sale. Someone mentioned a new-in-box one for 250.00! Can't beat that.

However, a nice 50cc saw is less demanding and handier overall. Keep in mind the majority of professional logging work involves a 70cc saw, which those guys think is a handy little saw.

That's kinda where a 60cc saw comes in..handy enough and also capable of dealing with almost any normal tree situation.

So you buy that Echo cs590. And you still find yourself reaching for the little craftsman, cause it's handy for a quick, light job.

The Echo is NOT the equal of the pro offerings from Stihl or Husky, but it's got a character of its own that is universally appealing, and for the overall build quality, it's a steal when you find the good sales.
You need one.

Then you need a nice little 40-50cc saw, because when you find the right one it will be the saw you use most. Get a good used one. A professional Stihl or Husky made prior to the epa clampdown which gave us less reliable saws. There's another couple of hundred to 250 dollars.

You need at least two saws. Just ask us.

Haha!

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

I'm with you. I'm 57. Spine surgery, lower back problems, shoulder problems, knee problems. I like my 50cc saws too, but my biggest problem is the work that comes after the cutting is done.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

Exactly! Cutting the wood is the gravy. The rest is the real work. Young nephews, strong backs. Some pizza and walk around money make short work.

Sent from my SM-T377P using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Ok, I will take your word for it. With all the crap I have wrong with me, might as well give it a try. Sold my 390xp and ported 562 on Marketplace (seriously, my wife sold them for me on marketplace). Why not give it a try with smaller saws? Found this beauty cheap, low hours, clean, p/c are nice (viewing through exhaust port), saw starts, idles, revs and oils as it should. Sure hope you guys did not steer me wrong!

 

[Husky Man]

I am in the need more than one saw camp, we ALL will pinch a bar on occasion, having a second saw is Nice then, a second bar and chain can be an option, unbolt the powerhead, mount up the extra B&C, retrieve the stuck B&C, or at MINIMUM have some Plastic felling wedges and a Serious Pounder on hand, but More Saws are MORE FUN

I'm 55, and for about 25 years my 66.7cc 266XP "Ol Reliable" and a 23 Compact, Top handle were my "2 Saw Plan", Hell before I found AS, I didn't even Know that I HAD a "2 Saw Plan"

I still enjoy running the Bigger saws, WHEN they are the right tool for the task, but the 353 and 550XP, get a Lot of use in wood 16" and smaller.

It is really nice to choose the right saw for the task, you will feel much better at the end of the day, not over working yourself with too much saw, and not overworking the saw with not enough saw for the job

Hi, I'm Doug, and I have a Problem.......................

Well, Actually TWO Problems,
My Budget isn't BIG Enough,
and my GARAGE, isn't BIG Enough



Doug

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Think I have the extra camp saw you need!

 

[ammoaddict]

Ok, I will take your word for it. With all the crap I have wrong with me, might as well give it a try. Sold my 390xp and ported 562 on Marketplace (seriously, my wife sold them for me on marketplace). Why not give it a try with smaller saws? Found this beauty cheap, low hours, clean, p/c are nice (viewing through exhaust port), saw starts, idles, revs and oils as it should. Sure hope you guys did not steer me wrong!
View attachment 860692View attachment 860693View attachment 860694View attachment 860695

I have a 40cc craftsman/poulan that looks just like that. I got it as non running. I replaced the fuel lines and cleaned the carb. I did a muffler mod on it and it actually runs pretty good now. I rarely use it because it has no AV. I do fire it up once in a while though.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Lionsfan]

Ok, I will take your word for it. With all the crap I have wrong with me, might as well give it a try. Sold my 390xp and ported 562 on Marketplace (seriously, my wife sold them for me on marketplace). Why not give it a try with smaller saws? Found this beauty cheap, low hours, clean, p/c are nice (viewing through exhaust port), saw starts, idles, revs and oils as it should. Sure hope you guys did not steer me wrong!
View attachment 860692View attachment 860693View attachment 860694View attachment 860695

I saw those ads, had a sneakin' suspicion they were yours.

 

[esean]

You've gotten plenty of good saw recommendations above, so I'll just comment on the honeysuckle removal. You're wasting your time just cutting it. The invasive bush honeysuckles (Amur and Tatarian honeysuckles) will just resprout with even more stems. I don't like to use herbicides unless absolutely necessary, but in this case it's the only effective way to eliminate bush honeysuckle short of yanking up the root ball. There's tons of honeysuckle control info online, but your best options are cut stump treatment with glyphosate or triclopyr amine diluted 50%, or basal bark treatment with triclopyr ester at 20%. If you're already planning to cut them, go ahead and spray the cut stumps immediately after cutting. For those you've already cut, you'll have to basal bark treat the stumps or foliar spray the regrowth. Its worth the hassle - bush honeysuckle will destroy the native understory in time.

 

[OakeyDokey]

Where did oakiedokie go?

Most of the folks here would consider only one saw on that list. The cs590 is a sweet deal oakiedokie. Especially if you get it on sale. Someone mentioned a new-in-box one for 250.00! Can't beat that.

I'm still here but have been busy and have not had much time to respond.

I've leisurely read through the responses here and have gotten a lot of good advice. Thank you to everyone that has replied. This will be short and I'll come back later.

I still have not yet bought anything but I keep going back to the Echo CS490. The reason that I haven't bought it yet is that it apparently seems like a no-brainer to move up to the CS590 for only $50 more. My logic on strongly considering at the CS490 is that it still has a lot of power and in the hand it seems a lot lighter and more maneuverable than the CS590. It seems that for the majority of what I am doing that the CS490 will more than suffice. I explained this to my brother-in-law and he seems to agree with most of you here that I should get the CS590 for when I do need it. There is a guy in my neighborhood that has a Stihl 044. He is very generous and we often borrow each others various tools. He has more than once offered his 044 should I ever need to use it. I' thinking if one of the really big trees on my property needs to come down that I have that option.

Back to my brother-in-law: he told me to get the CS590 and to keep my little 42cc Craftsman for light limbs, small honeysuckles, etc (there were some comments here with advice on the honeysuckles and I will get back to those later). I explained that the Craftsman seems like it might be on the fritz. Starting it is super easy, it usually starts on the 1st or 2nd pull, but it is making this odd squeaking or "chirping" sound when it is idling. Something seems not right. I only paid a little more than $100 for it years ago and it has served me well so I'm not going to put a lot of money into it. If it's an easy fix I will hang on to it.

Since I originally wrote this I was back in the Stihl dealer buying some plumbing items and actually almost pulled the trigger on the MS250 for $299 (it's that price until near the end of November). I'm glad that I didn't because I have heard too many stories about people having a hard time starting them. I think I have ruled that one out.

And if someone knows of a new CS590 for $250, I sure would like to know where that is. I have scoured eBay and have not seen great deals. I have also checked on Craigslist and haven't seen much. I'll check Facebook marketplace also. I don't do Facebook but my wife does so I'll use her account.

A friend told me about a guy that he knew that had a this Makita EA5000 at a good price. I guess that he bought it and only used it once and thought that he wouldn't use it that often. He had buyer's remorse and bought something less expensive. I was interested because I heard that this is essentially a Dolmar and is a very good saw. It doesn't matter because I was too late and he sold it to someone else.

Anyway, thanks again, everyone. I'll respond back and look through the thread more carefully when I have time - probably early next week. The fall color in Ohio is beginning to peak and I'm going to be doing some serious hiking in SE Ohio this weekend and looking at this...

 

[holeycow]

You gotta stop looking at that ms250. It's the worst saw by a lot on your list. If you need to buy a Stihl, then spend the money and get a 261. If you are fixated on a little saw, why don't you look into a Makita 4300, which is really a Dolmar 421. It's a better saw than either the ms250 or the Echo 490. By far. And likely less expensive than either. It's worth more money than either. By far.

There's a reason that there are a ton of Dolmar 420/421/Makita 4300's in use, yet almost none ever come up for sale used.
your initial post said 12-16", occasional 24". That is 60-70cc territory...more like 70 as soon as you get to 16", imo.

I am like many other responders here who recommended the cs590 out of your list. You would have gotten that suggestion even if it wasn't on your list. I'm surprised no-one else brought up the 4300...but now that you nearly bought an ms250 (eegads!) I thought I would offer a MUCH better alternative.

any 50cc saw will handle lighter than a 60cc saw. Which is nice for limbing. But when you get down to bucking 12-16" wood there's no contest.

me; I would sacrifice some handling for bucking proficiency in the case of 12" and up wood. If you have overjudged the size of your trees (common, btw), then get a PRO 50cc (Husky or Stihl) or something like that little Dolmar, which is a sweet, sweet saw to run. The Dolmar 420/421 is a better example of a saw, imo than the 5105. I have both. Both good saws no doubt, but the 4300 is top-of-class and the 5000 is not. You'll figure out the stupid Dolmar/Makita nomenclature, it's annoying.

PS, keep your eyes peeled for a Husky 353/Jonsered 2152. Get rid of the stock muffler if it's a "green fuel cap" model,. Buy a 20.00 chinese replacement. They are a decently powerful, great handling saw.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Sure are different trees in different places. Out here on the left coast I wouldn't feel undergunned at all pulling a 16" bar with 50cc's.

 

[holeycow]

No doubt, but many run 20's on 50cc which, when buried are a gutless wonder compared to a bigger saw, imo. I run 16" on all my 50's and 18-20" on 60's which lets them rip in all conditions. Anywhoo, I'm outa here..

good luck to the OP on whatever he chooses!

 

[pl_silverado]

Buy the biggest pro saw you can afford and stick a 20” bar on it. You’ll be happy. I wouldn’t buy anything smaller than an MS361 unless you go for a two saw plan.

For the last 5 years I’ve ran two saws, MS150T with a 12” bar and MS461 with 20” bar and never wanted anything in between. It absolutely rips thru anything you throw it at. That 150 has the most hours on it by far, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one if anything ever happens to it. They have been perfect for maintaining my 3 wooded acres and cutting up firewood.

I recently added an MS500i to the collection with a 20” bar on it, not because I needed it, but I was intrigued by the fuel injection and it’ll make the times where I got the 461 bar pinched easier to deal with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[OakeyDokey]

You gotta stop looking at that ms250. It's the worst saw by a lot on your list. If you need to buy a Stihl, then spend the money and get a 261. If you are fixated on a little saw, why don't you look into a Makita 4300, which is really a Dolmar 421. It's a better saw than either the ms250 or the Echo 490. By far. And likely less expensive than either. It's worth more money than either. By far.

The Makitas/Dolmars were not originally on my radar but after reading your post I called around. The dealer network is not as large as the other brands I'm looking at.

A dealer that I called still has some 4300s in stock as well as the 5600s. He sells the 4300 for $369 and the 5600 for $449. He let me know that he is having a "Makita Days" sale coming up and is discounting both of those 15%. That will make the 4300 around $314 and the 5600 around $382. This gives me even more to think about.

 

[MJM268]

Was at my dealer last week, Husqvarna has $150 off pro saws (xp) with a trade in...awesome deal, usually its $75 off in Fall. Husqvarna as usual not advertising the deal...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[rta01]

Regarding throwing chains - made a "big discovery" yesterday. The one that I hoped to achieve. I use a Milwaukee M18 volt chainsaw quite a bit. I have four really huge batteries for it. The 16" .043 bar was prone to throwing chains and spindly at times.

I decided to try a 14" .050 bar and could not be happier with the decision. A really big reason is that it is ~ 75% less likely to toss a chain. Going to try a 12" .050 bar next.

.043 is popular on the battery driven chain saws. But I believe they are prone to tossing chains when the work gets real. Of course hours of hard cutting yields stretched chains. But the .043 would even toss taut chains pretty easily. Certain angles it just could not hack.

As for OP - many posters here have forgotten more than I know. My feeling is that two chainsaws are great to have. For one thing - it isn't unusual to have a saw have problems on any given day. Plus you have a back up to cut out a pinched saw. The big reason though? Sometimes a 24" bar is very nice, perhaps even needed. Most of the time, for most users, a 14" or 16" bar is more appropriate.

I like to cut significant trees with a good 64cc saw and 24" bar. For cleaning off limbs and smaller cuts - I love a 14" bar on a battery saw. But battery saws have pros and cons and many have no interest. On the other hand, many pros have found they are ideal quite often. They are shockingly strong with good batteries. Here is my rundown:
DeWalt - cheapest. 12" bar and limited battery power available. Easiest to handle I am almost sure.
Makita - 16" and uses two batteries. But two 5 aH batteries only last a somewhat short period of really hard work
Milwaukee - 16" but comes with monster 12 AH battery. You can do really serious work with a couple 12 aH batteries!

So many options it boggles the mind.

Use ethanol free gas! Or you will be rebuilding carbs!

I absolutly concur on the Milwaukee battery saw throwing chains. I had really been considering changing the bar/chain and your comment and observation convinces me that is the way to go.

 

[softdown]

The Makitas/Dolmars were not originally on my radar but after reading your post I called around. The dealer network is not as large as the other brands I'm looking at.

A dealer that I called still has some 4300s in stock as well as the 5600s. He sells the 4300 for $369 and the 5600 for $449. He let me know that he is having a "Makita Days" sale coming up and is discounting both of those 15%. That will make the 4300 around $314 and the 5600 around $382. This gives me even more to think about.

Makita Days? Wonder when that is and if it will affect the 7900 via mail order. Too remote to do retail.

 

[Husky Man]

Was at my dealer last week, Husqvarna has $150 off pro saws (xp) with a trade in...awesome deal, usually its $75 off in Fall. Husqvarna as usual not advertising the deal...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Do you know more specifics about this, or where I can find more info?

I will be working in Medford, OR again this week, and the Dazey's Hubbard's is a Husky dealer, they have a Good deal on a T540XP, $479, IIRC, and if I could trade in an old nonrunning saw that was given to my Wife, that would push that deal from Hmmmmm, to I'll take it

When I called the store the Lady on the phone didn't know anything about the trade in offer

Thanx,
Doug

 

[OakeyDokey]

I've narrowed it down to the Echo CS 590 and the Makita/Dolmar EA5600FRGG.

Echo CS 590 --- 3.85 HP and 13.2 lbs without bar. With a 20" bar I can get it for $399. Echo is also running a promotion through the end of the month and including 3 additional chains with the purchase. I am not sure what type of chains they are. Buying from a dealer and not a big box.

Makita/Dolmar EA5600FRGG --- 4.1 HP and 12.8 lbs without bar. The dealer that I spoke of earlier said that he decided to only do "Makita Days" on his 4 stroke lawn equipment but since he spoke to me earlier about it, he would honor what he told me and actually make it 25%. That make the price of this saw about $337. If I decided on the 4300 it would only be $277.

At this point I think I am leaning toward the 5600. My only hesitation is that parts availability seems to not be as good as Echo.

 

[OM617YOTA]

With those deals, I'd do the Makita without a doubt.

Parts realistically aren't a big deal, modern pro equipment is quite reliable, especially for a non-pro user. Keep a few basics on hand yourself, extra bar and chain, spark plug, clutch, drum, sprocket, pack of bar nuts. Rock and roll man, that's a great deal. I paid in that range for a very clean 034, and had it been available I'd have jumped on that Makita instead my 30 year old Stihl, no question.