Need a 60cc saw for firewood

[woodbutcher56]

Ok I'm in the market for a 60 cc firewood saw. I have a small Echo top handle and a Dolmar 5105. Looking for a good dependable 60cc saw . Considering husky 555 / jonsered 2258, Dolmar 6100,maybe an Echo 590. I would prefer to keep with the same mount bar and chain as the 5105 . I still have a good 20" bar and a few loops of chain from a 455 Rancher I parted with. I'll add I'm a little Leary of auto tune wondering if service life of the saw may be shorter with AT. Thanks in advance for your input!!!

 

[porsche965]

I've put a Husky 555 through it's paces and it is a nice saw. No complaints. Dolmar 6100 same paces and also a nice saw.
But two different saws to be sure in many aspects. The Auto Tune is flawless on this saw and a nice feature to have.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Man! is this going to open a can or worms. Local tree service has been running two 562's for 2 years, no problems yet. I have a ported one that is 3 years old now, with no problems. But, WTH do I know? Keep a sharp chain and most brands will serve your purpose.

 

[grack]

They all good just pay as much as you want.
300-350 ebay shipped echo 590 i have two they have been excellent for nearly five year's no issues.

 

[Mac&Homelite]

I give a vote for a lightly used ms361. Beasts to run after the muffler mod is done to them.

 

[rynosawr]

I dunno....... maybe in Ohio, an autotune will be fine....

here in Denver from 5280 to 10,000 feet (at the high mountain pass areas), AUTOTUNE Husqvarna and Stihl M-tronic saws just downright suck. Tons of saws that fail to start when hot, won't run at different altitudes, and dealers so frustrated that they don't know what to do. Brand new saws, less than a week old, are not uncommon to see at the dealer for service related to the self tuning carb systems.....

I have sold lots of adjustable carb saws to pro arborists, and one owns a Stihl MS362cm...... he is in process of selling it because it has been in and out of a good shop more than he has gotten to use it



My suggestions:

If you have bigger bucks to spend, go with a Dolmar 6100

If less than $400 is your budget, find a 6400 Dolmar/Makita (although a little heavy for a mid-60cc, you could always push it up to a 7900 when you got the chance)

or the Echo 590 does seem to be a great deal as well. I helped a friend who had just bought a echo CS-400 and he was cutting 20+ inch hardwoods for his wood working hobby.....

I told him to see if Home Depot would take it back, even if nothing was wrong with it. They did let him return it for full credit, and he got the CS-590 on sale for $325+tax. I promptly picked up a Stihl RS round chisel chain for him and he loves his big new saw. I told him it should last virtually all of his life if he maintains it (or likely has me maintain it for him) and uses good ethanol-free, synthetic-mix oil fuel.

 

[KiwiBro]

Why not get a saw builder to tweak the 5105?

 

[James Miller]

If you have a solid 50cc saw I'd save you pennies and jump to 70cc. I have a ported 590 for my bigger firewood saw its a good runner but a 70cc saw may have been a better starting point.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

I'll echo the 70cc suggestion. My 036 doesn't get used much. I go from my 261 straight to my 440.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

If you do not want to go with 70cc plan and want to stay away from auto-tune. Ran a 262 for over 20 years and installed 3 rings over that time. Sold it (mistake) and just put together another 262 traded for repairs on two other saws. Feels light and cuts very well with a 20 inch bar. It's still a nice saw in the 60cc class.

 

[svk]

A couple of thoughts:

If you have a 5105 you already have a pretty stout 50 cc saw. I think you'd be disappointed in one of the bargain 60 cc saws like the 590 as it would be a step sideways rather than a step up. No sense paying extra for a heavier saw that has virtually the same HP.

Have you muffler modded your 5015 yet? If you do, you will have virtually the same power of all but the top performing 60 cc saws. If you port that saw (around $300 from the "well know" saw builders) that saw will run right next to a 562 or 6100.

Jumping to a 70 cc saw might be a better idea as some of the other guys mentioned. Otherwise the Husky/Johnny offerings followed by the Dolmar 6100 would be my suggestion.

Also, check the trading post here. Saws generally do not sell well in the summer so you might get a heck of a deal on a good 60 or 70 cc saw. Stay away from brand new sellers, otherwise the seasoned guys on here usually are pretty trustworthy.

 

[7sleeper]

I see it a bit different. Of course you can up a saw by modding, although if you add saw bar length all the modding will not equivalate the 10cc diffence. And then again modding can easily be done on the 60cc saw to equivalate the power of a 70cc saw.
Personally I would choose a combo with 20 cc in between, f.e. 40 & 60cc or 50 & 70cc.

7

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I see it a bit different. Of course you can up a saw by modding, although if you add saw bar length all the modding will not equivalate the 10cc diffence. And then again modding can easily be done on the 60cc saw to equivalate the power of a 70cc saw.
Personally I would choose a combo with 20 cc in between, f.e. 40 & 60cc or 50 & 70cc.

7

I like 60cc & 90cc combo. Mod them both.

 

[sunfish]

I like 50 & 60 cc saws & have no need for larger!

New 60cc; 555, 562xp or 6100

Used; 359 or 357xp

 

[7sleeper]

I like 50 & 60 cc saws & have no need for larger.

Same here. Although mine are older technique. Echo 6701 & Oleo Mac 962 = Efco 162 and for 50cc the Hitachi CS40EM = Zenoah G 5000.

7

 

[BenK]

Quite a few hours on a 555 and it has always ran great. Plenty of arse to pull a 20" through hardwood. That is all I have ever needed for firewood, and likely all I will ever need.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'm a fan of the Stihl 036/360/361/362 series.

 

[BGE541]

I had a 555 and a 620 Echo and would happily run either for a sold 60cc wood saw, I think the echo has more bottom and mid range power while the 555 has more RPM... decide what you need but both are worth the $$$.

 

[woodbutcher56]

A couple of thoughts:

If you have a 5105 you already have a pretty stout 50 cc saw. I think you'd be disappointed in one of the bargain 60 cc saws like the 590 as it would be a step sideways rather than a step up. No sense paying extra for a heavier saw that has virtually the same HP.

Have you muffler modded your 5015 yet? If you do, you will have virtually the same power of all but the top performing 60 cc saws. If you port that saw (around $300 from the "well know" saw builders) that saw will run right next to a 562 or 6100.

Jumping to a 70 cc saw might be a better idea as some of the other guys mentioned. Otherwise the Husky/Johnny offerings followed by the Dolmar 6100 would be my suggestion.

Also, check the trading post here. Saws generally do not sell well in the summer so you might get a heck of a deal on a good 60 or 70 cc saw. Stay away from brand new sellers, otherwise the seasoned guys on here usually are pretty trustworthy.

I have not done a MM on the 5105 only have 6 tanks through it. I have been watching the trading post!

 

[woodbutcher56]

I got a couple prices today $525 plus tax on a Dolmar 6100 and $520 plus tax on a Jred 2258.
I don't really have a need for a 70cc saw and I'm trying to keep the weight down! I'm not getting any younger!!