If your patient you can find a good used pro saw for the same price as a new homeowner saw, its the best way to go but the most time consuming and annoying way to buy a saw.
Upgrading saws...
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Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
Small and light is nice for carrying around. Sub-10 pound saws are what I use most often.
Power and speed are secondary in many situations.
A top handle saw is especially nice to have I think. About the only one you can buy new near your price range is the Tanaka or Hitachi.
Well I missed the boat on the Echo Cs400 for $175. Now the cheapest I can find is $240. While the Husky 435 refurb is still $165. With the 435 being half the price of the Echo, I’m having a hard time justifying the Echo.
I’d really like to get rid of my Poulan Pro 4218. I used it this weekend and it seems like the anti-vibe system is really loose. The motor shakes and wobbles like crazy when you’re holding the handles. Just feel sloppy and cheap, like it’s about to fall apart.
I’d really like to get rid of my Poulan Pro 4218. I used it this weekend and it seems like the anti-vibe system is really loose. The motor shakes and wobbles like crazy when you’re holding the handles. Just feel sloppy and cheap, like it’s about to fall apart.
Check the rubbers (or springs if that's what it has). It might actually be falling apart.
It has springs. It looks like they’re just not as tight as they should be.
The spring systems I have seen often have limting cables inside the springs. If one of those broke the spring would be able to extend farther.
I’ve got a local farm and home store that carries Echo equipment, but they’re pretty small. They have two CS-370 says on the shelf covered in dust and both are 2011 models so they’ve been for sale for about 8 years now. They both have metal handles and not plastic. They are on sale for $230, but I’m betting I can talk the mgr down more on price if they’ve been sitting for that long.
Would that be a decent option for me to consider?
Would that be a decent option for me to consider?
Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
I was impressed that the color matched on all the plastic on the only 370 I've ever seen.
This is rare on a 400.
But I'd still prefer the extra cc's on basically the same saw.
This is rare on a 400.
But I'd still prefer the extra cc's on basically the same saw.
I could care less about matching plastics. Those fade with use anyway. And I don’t buy a chainsaw based on looks.
The manager said they’d take $175 for the CS-370.
I like the CS-400 over the 370 for the simple fact that it has the bucking spikes. I don't need em much but when you do it's nice.
The CS370 also has bucking spikes. I checked.
The 400 was the smallest saw available with them when I got mine. Sorry.
The 400 is only 4cc bigger and would be $75 more expensive. Since I already have the CS-590, I figure the 370 would make a good general use/trail saw for the money. Compared to the Husky 435, it had an adjustable oiler, 2 bolts holding the clutch cover, and a metal handle. So $10 more brand new saw than a refurbished Husky 435 sounds better than $245 or whatever for the new CS-400.
The CS-370 is $307 at Home Depot’s website. $175 is a pretty good deal.
Bobby Kirbos
Scrounger of Cellulose Based BTUs
Keep all 3. I see that 60cc saw doing the heavy lifting. You can do quite a bit with a little 30cc saw and not kill yourself running it all day. Don't be surprised if that is your go-to saw.
That 42cc Poulan....
They are under-rated. Keep it as a back-up to the 60cc saw (you need something to cut yourself free with). Do a muffler mod and re-tune it. Here is what I did to mine:
https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...illing-holes-muffler-mod.312314/#post-6537964
If nothing else, it's your truck saw. If it gets stolen, you're not out much.
That 42cc Poulan....
They are under-rated. Keep it as a back-up to the 60cc saw (you need something to cut yourself free with). Do a muffler mod and re-tune it. Here is what I did to mine:
https://www.arboristsite.com/commun...illing-holes-muffler-mod.312314/#post-6537964
If nothing else, it's your truck saw. If it gets stolen, you're not out much.
A friend purchased a Husky 435 to replace his 340 that locked up. He did not like the choice, says it has less power than the 340. That 340 is dang light too, very good saw for the weight, a 350 or a 353 be almost the same weight with more power. Funny thing is only thing wrong with it is a clutch spring broke.
The used 350s are going for almost as much as the new 435's around here probably for that reason.
But nothing starts like an Echo.
The used 350s are going for almost as much as the new 435's around here probably for that reason.
But nothing starts like an Echo.
I told them to hold the 370 for me and I’d come get it tomorrow. I looked at a Husky 440E today and it felt a lot heavier and it has the same spring antivibe system that is on my Poulan that’s loose as balls. And the fact that my Poulan has a Husky logo molded into the bottom of the handle doesn’t inspire confidence with me.
I think I’ll stick to the Echo brand for now until they give me reason to reconsider. Those Poulan Pros are all over CL and FB for dirt cheap so I’ll probably just keep it for a backup. It’s not worth much on the used market.
I think I’ll stick to the Echo brand for now until they give me reason to reconsider. Those Poulan Pros are all over CL and FB for dirt cheap so I’ll probably just keep it for a backup. It’s not worth much on the used market.
Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
Yep. Piles of new Poulan Pro 4218 that people got at Lowe's for next to nothin all over craigslist.
Got the 370 bought today and tinkered with it a little bit. Looks like a well-made little saw. I pulled the restriction caps off the carb and richened the low and high settings. Started up super easily and seems to run great for the little I messed with it today. Looking forward to trying it out on some wood soon!
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Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
I had a 400 for a short time. I appreciated the aluminum handle on it. Really gave the saw a more solid feel.
