Echo CS355T first thoughts/review

[Wood Doctor]

In all honesty, I think it started when someone thought it was a good idea to move the carb to the back of the saw and place it above the cylinder head. That meant super long controls for the choke and the throttle, and long fuel lines were also needed to reach the carb. Pivots and bends had to be everywhere. It's rather amazing any of this works at all.

 

[Marshy]

Including @Marshy.

 

[7sleeper]

Actuallly I assume it is quite also quite on purpose to make it complicated. The more complicated and reliant on speciallity tools the less likely that some "home grown expert" will risk it a second time and the more likely that the stihl dealer gets the job.

7

 

[hseII]

View attachment 579925

 

[Cope1024]

I just bought a CS355T. Haven't cut with it yet, but if fires on the first pull choked and starts on the firs pull with the choke off. Getting ready to try it out on a Live Oak next Saturday.

 

[KenJax Tree]

IME they're good runners but won't hold up to everyday hard use.

The few we had lasted about 6 months before the handle, chain brake, the piece under the handle, air filter cover, were cracked or broken beyond use. The small holes for gas and oil are a PITA.

Goods saws for the price if its not gonna be used everyday.

 

[mountainlake]

I'd think if you treat it half way decent it will last a long time, start throwing it around like some workers that don't like Echo will do , its going to break. Steve

 

[KenJax Tree]

Hate for Echo only exists in these forums. Guys hanging in trees don't care what color it is or what name is on the side as long as it starts and cuts. Echo saws do both well, however durability is lacking. Nobody threw anything around, saws just take a beating getting pulled around through tree canopies. They hit by falling branches, get stuck in crotches, bounce off everything while swinging off a lanyard, etc.

I'm not brand loyal i have Stihl, Husky,Dolmar, and Jonsered. I also have an Echo blower and Weedeater, and a RedMax edger.

I've never used one of Echo's rearhandle saws so i can't comment on those but the newer top handle durability leaves a little to be desired. The older 360T was bulletproof.

If Echo spent the money and made the 355T a mag case saw it would be a game changer and they'd surely have a winner.

 

[Wood Doctor]

[QUOTE="... I've never used one of Echo's rearhandle saws so i can't comment on those but the newer top handle durability leaves a little to be desired. The older 360T was bulletproof...
[/QUOTE]
So is my 330T. It was a proven design after years and years of success. I also like my much older 3400 that refuses to give up. Even older Echo top handle saws run today. I've repaired oodles of these saws and put them right back into action.

 

[bikemike]

Ok I pulled the trigger and got a new CS355T about 2 weeks ago and decided to post a thread on my first thoughts and review. First of all I have to say I am impressed with the build quality of this saw, it feels real solid and not flimsy at all. The first thing I did when I got home was to pull the muffler screen to see what was inside and I was surprised to find an empty can no restriction at all. No need to mod the muffler here.

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The next thing I noticed is that it has an actual metal bucking dog it's not big but is more than you get on other brands and more than enough for this size saw

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Another feature I really like is the interchangeable hand rest for the handle. It came with 2 grips and a plug if you prefer it without the grip, personally I liked the orange one. This reminded me a lot of the new Glock pistols and allows the user to custom fit the saw to their hand somewhat

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I also really liked the air filter setup, on the back where it should be, easy to access and clean, and made of a durable material that will do a good job of cleaning the air without being too restrictive.

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I know this is a small thing but it's another thing about the saw that I noticed and liked. The fill caps for the fuel and bar oil have male threads on the saw and female on the cap and as always the cap has a keeper to keep from being lost, but can easily be removed if nessary.

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Ok on to putting it to work, I took it out for the first time with the factory chain and quickly found that the chain was like most factory safety chains and cuts but not as well as it could, a quick change to some Oregon 91 vxl and all was good. I found the balance to be great. The weight is a touch heavier than other top handle saws but not by much and I would much rather have a touch more weight than a flimsy saw. With the new chain it chewed through 6"-10" hardwood like it was nothing and wanted more the only time I could get to bog was with a good amount of pressure in some 14" red oak. Throttle response was good and snappy actually surprising for a bone stock saw.

There are only two minor things that I wish were different. First I wish it had a rim sprocket instead of a spur on a pro style saw I would like to see a rim, but that's small and can be easily fixed. The other thing is even more minor an that's the controls are backwards from Stihl, the choke position is forward and stop is back where stihl is just the opposite and I find myself putting it to stop and trying to start it, but I will get used to it.

All in all I have been very impressed with the saw and can tell that they put a lot of thought into performance and making the best saw possible. I think that this is a strong contender to take over as the king of the top handles now that the ms200t is no longer made. It has great balance, low weight, great performance stock, excellent fit and finish, and a great price. So if your in the market for a top handle don't overlook the Echo CS355T

Don feel too bad about the clutch. All the stihl top handle saws are a spur sprocket too. Nice saw. Wish my 360 would give up kinda to buy a 355t. But the 360t is been dead reliable and a work horse.

 

[Dave P 71801]

Just an update after a year of hard daily use this little CS355T is still going strong. It still starts and runs as good as it did on day one. So far all I have had to do to it was replace the clutch about a month ago and basic maintenance things like air filter, fuel filter, and the bar I am very pleased with this saw, after doing a muffler mod and re-tune on the carb It runs as good if not a little bit better than my 200t. As far as durability goes it is tough as nails, I have used it hard and even accidentally dropped it from about 30 feet up and nothing has broken. This saw has been so good that I have only gotten my 200t out a couple times over the last year and I'm buying 3 more from a friend that is getting out of the business. I've always been a Stihl guy but this saw has impressed me and if Echo makes big saw as good as this one I'll be an Echo man and not even look Stihl anymore. So in my opinion this is a great professional quality saw and if you are looking for a top handle saw this is as good as it gets.

 

[James Miller]

I picked up a 355t a few weeks ago. Strong saw for it' size.

 

[stubnail67]

View attachment 644838 I picked up a 355t a few weeks ago. Strong saw for it' size.

Cool Pic....

 

[Wood Doctor]

Cool Pic....

I just showed this Pic to my 355T. She's jealous and ready for action.

Note that Echo saws are the only top handle saws that I own. I still consider the 330T to have been the best buy.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Maybe they're built better now. Ours didn't have the metal spikes on them it was plastic. We got ours when they first came out and they didn't last long.

I don't climb anymore but would like the little CS 2511tes

 

[James Miller]

Cool Pic....

I was expecting to be scolded for boring with a t handle.

Maybe they're built better now. Ours didn't have the metal spikes on them it was plastic. We got ours when they first came out and they didn't last long.

I don't climb anymore but would like the little CS 2511tes

My dealer says the end of April be or he can even get a 2511. Heard the same from other dealers here on AS.

 

[KenJax Tree]

I was expecting to be scolded for boring with a t handle.

My dealer says the end of April be or he can even get a 2511. Heard the same from other dealers here on AS.

It might depend on their distributor. My dealer has had them for a couple months

 

[gixxergone]

I just started climbing when a big pine next to my garage needed to be cut down so I bought all the gear and started climbing. Not a smart way to do it but watched a bunch of videos on youtube and went at it slowly. I started with an eager beaver 2.0 14" saw and it took 7 to 2000 pulls to get it restarted even after warm, actually tied a flathead screwdriver to my ergovation belt so I could make adjustments to see if it helped but it didn't. So I bought a stihl 201 m-tronic used off ebay and this one you have to pull 3-4 times to get it running even after warmed up, and it is literally like brand new. Beautiful saw and way more powerful than the McCulloch. I found a cheap Echo CS-355T and pulled the trigger just to see and this thing was abused with sap covering the handle and all through the side cover/brake. Cleaned it up as best I could and started it up, took 4 pulls and let it warm up then shut it down after getting it dialed in. 5 minutes later it started with one pull after sitting in 32 degree weather. I climbed with it yesterday in 38 degree weather and same thing, it literally started with one pull no matter how long in between use! Just as powerful and cut just as fast as the stihl so that MS201TC m-tronic will be going up on ebay real soon. Going to have the local dealer check out the echo before I do that just in case but seems like it's a beast of a saw as it is. Will definitely get a new one if I decide to go into the arborist trade, love the climbing and actually repelled down for the first time yesterday. That was a blast.lol I have a 5/8" rope with a prusik as a backup while climbing with fliplines and to the 7/16" static line while repelling, just can't do anything without a backup.lol

 

[HaveSpursWillClimb]

Just joined here. Lots of great info. Thanks for the add.

I'm toting an Echo 2511 now with a CS-355T 16" on order. Love the CS-2511T.

 

[Dave P 71801]

Just joined here. Lots of great info. Thanks for the add.

I'm toting an Echo 2511 now with a CS-355T 16" on order. Love the CS-2511T.


I also have a 2511T and its my #1 when the wood gets too big I call for the 355T. 2 things the 2511 needs .043 gauge bar and chain I run a 12" but it dose ok with a 14" 50 gauge has too much kerf why do you need to make the bigger chips? Number two it desperately needs a no cat Muffler that has been opened up and the carb retuned. I found me a piece of 10 inch Red Oak and I did some baseline cuts then I swapped out the muffler for a no cat that is opened up retune the carburetor and put all the 12 inch 43 gauge bar and cut on the same piece of 10 inch Red Oak my times were cut in half and another thing after I did the modifications you can just kind of lazily Pull the Rope one time and it's going to start the 2511 is an amazing saw end. With the 355 I can tackle any Tree in anywhere Echo has really stepped up their game I feel like they are now on par with Stihl and Husqvarna. How do you like your gecko steels? I love mine I'm on my second pair of gaffs and my fourth pair of pads.