How “rebuildable” are mid-level or modest pro-level chainsaws?

[MarkMac77]

“I think 45-50 ccs is more what you need.”

I was initially looking at that range, but it seems most of them are at a lower price point and I was concerned about durability.

Before I got my 18V Milwaukee, I would borrow my father-in-laws 40cc poulan “Wild Thing”. It’s always a total PITA to use, and 40cc didn’t impress me much. I borrowed it this year after my electric let me down. It was total garbage after sitting a couple years. I spent $30 on a new primer bulb, fuel lines, fuel filter, and a spark plug, and it still wouldn’t run beyond a shot of ether. I may try cleaning the carb in an ultrasonic bath or by hand, but I have bad luck with carbs that small. I definitely don’t want a saw in that ^ category.

A quality 50cc might be good, but (A) searches reveal the 50cc saws getting trashed (my first consideration was a Husky 450, I searched it here and the results weren’t motivating), and (2) I really like the idea of a 20 inch bar and searches seem to indicate 50ccs is a tad underpowered for a 20 inch bar.

 

[sean donato]

“I think 45-50 ccs is more what you need.”

I was initially looking at that range, but it seems most of them are at a lower price point and I was concerned about durability.

Before I got my 18V Milwaukee, I would borrow my father-in-laws 40cc poulan “Wild Thing”. It’s always a total PITA to use, and 40cc didn’t impress me much. I borrowed it this year after my electric let me down. It was total garbage after sitting a couple years. I spent $30 on a new primer bulb, fuel lines, fuel filter, and a spark plug, and it still wouldn’t run beyond a shot of ether. I may try cleaning the carb in an ultrasonic bath or by hand, but I have bad luck with carbs that small. I definitely don’t want a saw in that ^ category.

A quality 50cc might be good, but (A) searches reveal the 50cc saws getting trashed (my first consideration was a Husky 450, I searched it here and the results weren’t motivating), and (2) I really like the idea of a 20 inch bar and searches seem to indicate 50ccs is a tad underpowered for a 20 inch bar.

Most 50cc saws will run a 20" but not well. 18" max, 16" is better. Ported is a but different but thats a different topic. If your in hardwoods and want that 20" bar to work decent then it's a 60cc minimum imo.

 

[Franny K]

​

Buy an Echo or Stihl or maybe a Husky. Do NOT buy Home Depot etc. Buy something from the aforementioned that is common and used in the trades.

It sure looks like one can buy any Echo chainsaw on line at Homedepot. Pretty much anything Makita as well but doubt gasoline stuff by now.

Search Results for echo 361p at The Home Depot​

Search Results for echo 361p at The Home Depot
www.homedepot.com

 

[mudfly]

“I think 45-50 ccs is more what you need.”

I was initially looking at that range, but it seems most of them are at a lower price point and I was concerned about durability.

Before I got my 18V Milwaukee, I would borrow my father-in-laws 40cc poulan “Wild Thing”. It’s always a total PITA to use, and 40cc didn’t impress me much. I borrowed it this year after my electric let me down. It was total garbage after sitting a couple years. I spent $30 on a new primer bulb, fuel lines, fuel filter, and a spark plug, and it still wouldn’t run beyond a shot of ether. I may try cleaning the carb in an ultrasonic bath or by hand, but I have bad luck with carbs that small. I definitely don’t want a saw in that ^ category.

A quality 50cc might be good, but (A) searches reveal the 50cc saws getting trashed (my first consideration was a Husky 450, I searched it here and the results weren’t motivating), and (2) I really like the idea of a 20 inch bar and searches seem to indicate 50ccs is a tad underpowered for a 20 inch bar.

The only thing I will add to your 590 thought is IF you buy one from a big box store or order one online, make sure sure you tune it. It will likely be lean out of the box or that was my experience at least. If you go to an actual dealer make sure they start and tune it for you.

You may or may not have to trim the limiters on the high and low jet. Some do, some don’t. Mine are trimmed so I can tune it where it needs to be. Usually I don’t have to touch it much but I cut from 90F to 0F so +/- 1/4 turn makes a difference at times.

 

[mbrick]

What's the diameter you are typically cutting?

Echo CS-490 is 10.5 lbs and CS-590 13.2 lbs.

That is a fair difference and a 50cc saw is still pretty capable. I've done a lot of work with my 550xp.

Regardless, tune the saw and get a good Pferd chain sharpener. You'll be very happy with either Echo.

 

[leecopland]

I cut probably 4-5 cords of wood a year, plus cleanup duty on my 10 acres. I have an old Deer (Efco) CS-56 (56cc) that is big and heavy. Its really more than I need, most of the time, but indeed nice with the occasional large tree. I think all the guys giving advice are correct. 60cc saw may be more than you need.

I do a lot of cleanup and small stuff and some trimming from my poor mans bucket (shuttle cage on a pallet fork on my loader) so I have smaller saws too. It would be a horror to live with only one big saw. Get a smaller saw and longish bar. You can still work through the bigger stuff with patience.

As for rebuild. Doubtful with care you would ever need to completely rebuild any quality saw discussed here. BUT as I have painfully learned with my EFCO/Deere CS-56, parts availability is EVERYTHING. (EFCO no longer makes parts and Deere never did) Little stuff will break. Lines will get old, and some are specialty jobs that cannot be replaced with off the shelf stuff.

Buy an Echo or Stihl or maybe a Husky. Do NOT buy Home Depot etc. Buy something from the aforementioned that is common and used in the trades. You will have parts, service manuals, and internet wisdom down the road. Not so with the entry level crap. Nice thing about Stihl is that there is nothing really unsupported out there. My impression is that Echo makes some entry level stuff that will not get long term support.

But sounds like you are looking at saws that are beyond that category anyhow.....

I too have an Efco cs56, and enjoy using it. Recently moved to the UK and hoping parts may be easier to find here IF needed. I also brought a Solo cs56 for the same reason. Both saws have decomp and pro like features.

 

[Jonny Quest]

If you are going up into the pines in AZ, you are likely to be 3,000 feet + elevation. A factory tuned saw for sea level operation will be a bit “richer” at your elevation. You may not need to worry about tuning…

JQ

 

[Cliff R]

I have a CS-590 with about a zillion hours on it at this point. Can't kill it. Matter of fact just had it at the wood pile yesterday cutting up a bunch of logs to split and fill up the wood shed. It's been flawless all these years and never needed anything aside from bars and chains. I'm getting close to needing to replace the clutch drive sprocket and will upgrade to the CS-620 variety with the removable drive.

I would NOT recommend a CS-490. Decent "pro" built saw but "weak" for 50cc. You'd be WAY better off for the money buying two CS-590's at $350 each and putting a 24" bar on one and 18" bar on the other.........IMHO.........

It is also NOT an option to just fire one up without removing the limiter caps on the carb. Echo more than most sent their saws out WAY too lean and on this new fuel you can damage the P/C. It's childsplay to remove the carb on a CS-590 to pull the limiter caps and modify them. I can have the carb off and on the bench is less than two minutes and that's taking a coffee break in between!..........

 

[ChuckMI]

At two cords a year, you will never wear out an MS250 but it is too wimpy to talk about in this forum. I'm not sure what the difference is between an MS250 and an MS251.

 

[sean donato]

At two cords a year, you will never wear out an MS250 but it is too wimpy to talk about in this forum. I'm not sure what the difference is between an MS250 and an MS251.

Both garbage and better off with any other 50cc saw out there.

 

[Kel71]

Cliff R - Where do you get the cs590 for $350? Echo deal days?

 

[quahog]

Cliff R - Where do you get the cs590 for $350? Echo deal days?

Home Depot seems to be the best price I've seen even without discounts. I'm tempted to pick up the 24" next year to use as a dedicated wood yard bucking saw while using my 550 XP Mk II and 572XP in the woods doing felling and limbing.

24"


20"


18"

 

[OM617YOTA]

A 60cc saw is the best firewood size, big enough and small enough. In reality we're talking about less then a pound of weight difference in most cases.

A 60cc saw was my single saw plan for over a decade, supplying 3 households for awhile, 40+ cords of wood. Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[HansFranz]

I gotta agree with the folks who say 60cc. My one-saw plan for several years was a MS361. It is still my go-to saw for 90% of what I do. Light enough not to be TOO tiring, powerful enough to gitter dun. I muffler-modded mine, and it's got a lot of power. And I keep it sharp.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I have a CS-590 with about a zillion hours on it at this point. Can't kill it. Matter of fact just had it at the wood pile yesterday cutting up a bunch of logs to split and fill up the wood shed. It's been flawless all these years and never needed anything aside from bars and chains. I'm getting close to needing to replace the clutch drive sprocket and will upgrade to the CS-620 variety with the removable drive.

I would NOT recommend a CS-490. Decent "pro" built saw but "weak" for 50cc. You'd be WAY better off for the money buying two CS-590's at $350 each and putting a 24" bar on one and 18" bar on the other.........IMHO.........

It is also NOT an option to just fire one up without removing the limiter caps on the carb. Echo more than most sent their saws out WAY too lean and on this new fuel you can damage the P/C. It's childsplay to remove the carb on a CS-590 to pull the limiter caps and modify them. I can have the carb off and on the bench is less than two minutes and that's taking a coffee break in between!..........
View attachment 1035432

Not all Echo saws come lean from the factory. I have better than a half dozen new Echo's and none were lean out of the box. Some were tuned on the money and some were rich. If you get yourself a Stihl limiter cap removal tool there is no need to remove the carb to remove the limiter caps.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

At two cords a year, you will never wear out an MS250 but it is too wimpy to talk about in this forum. I'm not sure what the difference is between an MS250 and an MS251.

Completely different saw, not many parts interchange. Neither are my favorite..

 

[Cliff R]

"Cliff R - Where do you get the cs590 for $350? Echo deal days?"

Check Ebay, there are almost always several NIB CS-590's on there for under $400 with free shipping.

I would NOT use one before removing the limiter caps so you can fine tune it. The only Echo saw I've worked on here right out of the box that was rich enough at WOT was a CS-620PW. Every CS-590 I've set-up didn't run for chit till fully warmed up, to lean everyplace, and needed fine tuning on both the L and H mixture screws before cutting with it.

Another major "variable" for carb tuning with these saws is the fuel you are using and where you are living (density/altitude). For example, if you are using E-10 vs "recreational/boat" fuel you'll have to make slight adjustments to the carb one vs the other to get it where it needs to be......FWIW.......

 

[coffeebrk]

An Echo cs400 would be a huge improvement over your 18v Milwaukee tools. You can pick up near mint examples for around $200. The cs400 wakes up with a muffler mod. Go to your dealer and handle some saws, get a feel for the weight of 50cc-60cc saws.

 

[user 184817]

I am a Stihl guy my Dad a Husky guy and my buddy runs echo’s all great saws with decent warranty can’t go wrong with a good name brand saw. I have been thru a few poulans etc and won’t play with them after buying a better quality saw.

My ms 250 has cut a lot of wood but only use a 16” bar. I have a ms392 for larger trees which is also a great saw. A 16” bar can cut a lot of tree.

I would recommend using TRU fuel or other stabilized fuel for your last tank of the season at min. Why? So I don’t have the carb issues that you have experienced.

I won’t cut this winter due to an injury but my wife will with her own saw so I ran some try fuel for my last day of cutting in my saws. And yes my wife can use my saws if she wants but for what we are doing her little ms 170 fits the bill.

Good luck

 

[sean donato]

I am a Stihl guy my Dad a Husky guy and my buddy runs echo’s all great saws with decent warranty can’t go wrong with a good name brand saw. I have been thru a few poulans etc and won’t play with them after buying a better quality saw.

My ms 250 has cut a lot of wood but only use a 16” bar. I have a ms392 for larger trees which is also a great saw. A 16” bar can cut a lot of tree.

I would recommend using TRU fuel or other stabilized fuel for your last tank of the season at min. Why? So I don’t have the carb issues that you have experienced.

I won’t cut this winter due to an injury but my wife will with her own saw so I ran some try fuel for my last day of cutting in my saws. And yes my wife can use my saws if she wants but for what we are doing her little ms 170 fits the bill.

Good luck

Kinda funny your banging on poulan but all the stihls you listed are homeowners models.........