Echo CS-590 "TimberWolf" Chain Upgrade. Please Help A New Guy...

[TorqueMonster1]

Hello Everyone. First let me say thank you for reading my post. I'm a big fan of online forums. I'm on a number of them because of the wealth of knowledge that can be found there.

I bought an Echo TimberWolf CS-590 about a year ago. Mine came with a 20" bar and the receipt shows my chain as a 72LPX70CQ and is described "20 SUPER 70 CHAIN". I've used it some and have been very pleased. I'm about to start using it A Lot more. I wanted to know if there is an upgrade to the chain and/or bar that would be worth making. AND, before I get slammed for not looking through the many threads on this forum let me say that I HAVE looked. I have come across some but in a lot of them the recommendation isn't really clear, or the thread gets off topic quick etc.

I came across the following list of potential chains for my saw.

72EXL070 Full Chisel - New

72EXJ070 Full chisel full skip - New

72LGX070G Full Chisel

72LPX070G full chisel super 70

72JGX070G Full Skip Full Chisel

72JPX070G Skiptooth full chisel

72APX070G full skip Semi-chisel

72DPX070G -Semi-chisel

72RD070G- Ripping

72V070G -Low-kick

72JPX070G - Skiptooth full chisel

72CL070G- Square ground chisel

72CJ070G Square ground chisel full skip

72CK070G Square ground half skip chisel


Good Grief!! What a list!! I'm sure all of you understand what each one of those chain descriptions means and what situation calls for which chain BUT I don't. If anyone has the patience to explain it (or the basics that I need to know) I sure would appreciate it. I will consider all recommendations BUT I'm really wanting a chain that will cut through the trees as quick as possible and not require a lot of sharpening. This type of chain might cost me more but that' fine, I realize that time is indeed money! AND, if there is a bar that I should change to please let me know. I'm more interested in straightforward swaps as opposed to "modifying" and/or "rigging" something to make it work or compatible.

I have a number of trees that I'll be cutting down. A few oak, walnut, a lot of pine and Every Single Box Elder that I have!! For the most part my chain won't be getting into rocks, dirt and I wont be cutting "dirty" trees that have been drug through the dirt. I shouldn't be encountering nails or old barbed wire fences in the trees.
Thanks Again To All Of You! Mark

 

[Deleted member 149229]

On both of my 590 I run 72 LGX, a full chisel. If you’re sure no dirty trees and do your best to stay out of the dirt it cuts great. I haven’t tried the new EXL chain yet.

 

[TorqueMonster1]

Thank You For The Feedback Dahmer!! I'll look into the LGX. I'm hoping that someone with the knowledge will chime in and explain what means what. Chisel, Full Chisel, Semi Chisel, Ripping, Skip, Square Ground, Skip Tooth, Low-Kick, etc.... I know this makes sense to all of you but to a fella that's new to the "Chain Saw World" it;s Latin. Thank You All, Mark

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Square ground full chisel? Wow. Would probably be dulled by a dusty fart on a 2x4.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Welcome to AS really easy full chisel has a sharp point
And semi chisel has a radius on the corner jump on Google images and hunt around at pictures of semi and full chisel.

Semi lasts longer between sharpening but is not quite as quick as chisel I would suggest semi untle you can sharpen well.

72 links of 3/8 semi chisel is all you need to worry about. Try a chisel too if you have the cash handy.

Then theres the anti kick back chain as a newbie I never had it I bought some accidentally and ended up cutting all the safety bumpers off as on a 24 is was horrible in hard very hard dry gum. But others will say it's fine and on a 20 it probably is.
I don't have any pictures of semi sorry but google is your friend.

 

[cuinrearview]

I'd get some of these, I bet David would remove a couple links for you. Great chain from a great seller at a great price. He might already have some 70 on the shelf.

https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...l072-3-8-050-72dl-full-chisel-14-each.317228/

 

[Huskitoter]

I'm really wanting a chain that will cut through the trees as quick as possible and not require a lot of sharpening.

Haha. Don't we all. It would be great if rocking it doesn't dull it as well.

You have to sharpen any chain if you're gonna cut wood. Find a guide, dremel or learn to hand file - whatever works best for you.

Chain preference seems to vary. Of the types I've tried, they all cut good when sharp and all sucked when dull.

 

[Older by Day]

Welcome to AS really easy full chisel has a sharp point View attachment 748142
And semi chisel has a radius on the corner jump on Google images and hunt around at pictures of semi and full chisel.

Semi lasts longer between sharpening but is not quite as quick as chisel I would suggest semi untle you can sharpen well.

72 links of 3/8 semi chisel is all you need to worry about. Try a chisel too if you have the cash handy.

Then theres the anti kick back chain as a newbie I never had it I bought some accidentally and ended up cutting all the safety bumpers off as on a 24 is was horrible in hard very hard dry gum. But others will say it's fine and on a 20 it probably is.
I don't have any pictures of semi sorry but google is your friend.

I have a lot of "full" chisel chain but have been buying semi-chisel just because stays sharper longer. Whatever you decide, get a couple extra chains.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Cliff R]

The laminated bars those saws come with aren't that great. I used mine a LOT and killed the bar pretty quickly. I took the bar off my 600P and put it on the 590, then put a 24" large mount Husqvarna bar on the 600. The cheaper Timberwolf bar ended up on my Mac 10-10 after I pinched it back down and squared it back up. So far doing fine on that saw.

You'll find in your search for chains that .375-.050"-72DL is more common than .375-.050"-70DL. One by one I'm converting my Echo CS-590/600/620 over to 72DL 20" bars simply because those loops are more common and often less expensive than 70DL.

I use and prefer DPX semi-chisel over the LPX. It just stays sharp longer, especially if you are in dirty material. The difference in cutting performance is minimal, and over a whole tank of fuel the semi-chisel usually does better because it stays sharper.

Whatever path you take here make sure to avoid the Vanguard chain like the plague, it isn't worth two squirts of duck poop........Cliff

 

[computeruser]

LGX works fine for me.

No need for skip chain at that length of bar. No need for ripping because you’re not milling. No need for low-kickback because, well, why would there be a need for that crap?

Some argument could be made for square if you want to learn to file that stuff. Done right, it cuts great - very fast and smooth. But the effort required for me to get a good edge was too great, especially for touching a chain up in the field.

The benefits of the EX stuff confuse me. Sure, the initial grind off the roll might be better/faster than LGX, but won’t you be right back to “normal” after your first resharpening?

As for semi chisel, you might like it if you cut dirty wood. I find it harder for me to get a great edge on that stuff than on regular round filed chisel, so I don’t use it.

So, yeah, LGX should do fine!