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BTW: I don't think anyone answered the adjustable oiler allows you to dial in how much oil to give the bar -- it's a pro saw feature.
It seems the 550 doesn't have the adjustable oiler -- just one rate fully automatic. not a big deal probably runs 16, 18" just fine.

For my 372 w/ adjustable oiler it's like 3 turns out for 24" bar and all the way out for 28" bar... for me as long as the bar isn't getting hot and oil tank doesn't empty before fuel no problem. I leave my oiler turned all the way up on 372 for both 24" and 28" bar. I haven't run a 20" on the 372 and don't see the need -- pulls the 24 with authority.
 
This is great -- he's got ya thinking! Only other thing I could recommend is to go to a dealer and test run both saws in some wood out back or whatever.
You said your budget is $600 -- if you can get the saw in NH there will be no tax so I would think it would be under $700 with 20" bar and chain since the retail is $740 and I couldn't imagine paying full retail price.
I would think $675 with bar and chain would be a good price and $650 could be a great price.

Quick google search I'm seeing 555's going for around $650 and 562's going for around $700 but one or two places $650... they are really close in price I think... street prices seem to be w/in $50 of each other, not $100 but I could be wrong.

Did you get any quotes from dealers like Chapel in NH? They should give you some prices over the phone I would think.

OnTheRoad thinks exactly like me -- he's right a 70cc + 50cc is a great two saw plan, he's confirmed w/ direct experience the 60cc is a great one saw plan.
My first 10 years of running saws was a one saw plan -- the 262XP at 62CC.
Now I'm at a 3 saw plan... something like 9 saws when you put mine and my brother's together....

Good luck!

Correction, you got me thinking, he's just got me pushed closer to the edge!

BTW: I don't think anyone answered the adjustable oiler allows you to dial in how much oil to give the bar -- it's a pro saw feature.
It seems the 550 doesn't have the adjustable oiler -- just one rate fully automatic. not a big deal probably runs 16, 18" just fine.

For my 372 w/ adjustable oiler it's like 3 turns out for 24" bar and all the way out for 28" bar... for me as long as the bar isn't getting hot and oil tank doesn't empty before fuel no problem. I leave my oiler turned all the way up on 372 for both 24" and 28" bar. I haven't run a 20" on the 372 and don't see the need -- pulls the 24 with authority.

That's what I figured but wanted to be sure.

I assume I was on point the combined choke/stop control?
 
I just looked at my 550 and it does have an adjustable oiler. All of my saws have them and I keep them turned up all the way. Oil is cheap. The 562 has a 20" bar and the 550 has an 18".

The 562 and 550 have the choke/fast idle/kill in one. It's great.

FYI after you buy the 562, run it for a while and then do a muffler mod but skip having it ported. Despite having mine done by a great porter, it's not a day and night difference from stock. You can get a good portion of the gains I paid $300+ for by doing a free muffler mod.
 
FYI after you buy the 562, run it for a while and then do a muffler mod but skip having it ported. Despite having mine done by a great porter, it's not a day and night difference from stock. You can get a good portion of the gains I paid $300+ for by doing a free muffler mod.

Does everyone see what just happened there? Hahahaha.
 
I am sorry but I see absolutely no sense in buying a pro saw for at max occasional use! Unless you are suffuring severely from a small "bar" syndrom!!!

Of course a full pro 60cc saw is sexy and makes you feel wooshy and part of the team... but will it be the right tool for your budget and needs??? To be honest I highly doubt it! I also have and had a bunch of 50 and 60cc saws. And to be honest what you need is either a "universal" model which would be by your wood/work description a solid 50cc saw, or if you really want to spend some money get a 40 & 60cc combo. And I am also no pro but I definately don't want to be carrying a 60cc saw around all day in the forest I am thinning out.

Will a AT/MT saw make you happy? I believe so.
Do you have a dealer who can repair a AT/MT saw close by? If not I would run away from them!
WHY? Because any hillbilly small mechanic can repair a conventional two stroke.Without the correct computer hock up many problems of AT/MT saws seem unsolveable.

Is a AT/MT saw so much faster/better/higher quality? No to all answers! We are speaking about fractions of a / to single second/s in a cut. So by the end of the day you will save in major wood after ~60 cuts, about a minute or two of time. If you need that time well then you might be severly suffering of the above syndrom. And if in doubt just look at the comparison vids on the tube.

Further having a pro saw in a shed is about the easiest steal in the world! By the time you notice it was stolen, you would have laughed at some idiot selling this pro saw on the bay for so cheap weeks ago...

What would I buy? Personally I would get a Dolmar 421 or Echo 490 both for similar money and only a little more than 1/2 of your budget. More than enough for serious work and light enough to use most of the day! Actually I would lean VERY hard in the direction of a 40 & 60cc combo like the Echo 400 & 590. You CANNOT get more saw for your money at the moment and would be in the same range as only one pro saw! They are exactly after the same idea like Husqvarna with reducing the pro line a little here and there and then you have the economy line, but the core and quality is still there!

Good luck!

7
 
Oh I forgot! Actually the BEST buy in your situation would be a Poulan Pro 5020! Mag case for absolutely zero money (http://www.amazon.com/Poulan-Pro-PP5020AV-20-Inch-Carrying/dp/B0052EL9YU). There are a few threads on the saw here (all of which are very favorable although it ain't PRO...) and it is more than enough for your needs.

Personally I have no problems cutting up trees in the 24 inch category with a 50cc saw. I don't understand why so many have problems with reaching over to the other side and cutting from there...

7
 
To each his own i guess, pro saws are built better, period. The poulans are are bic lighter, throw away quality. Resale value on them after 3 years is $50 at best, if it's still running. I bought a new 181se in 1984, and a new 298xp in 1986, both saws still run like new, have never been apart and have never let me down, and that includes about 3 years of professional falling and bucking. I could probably sell them now for close to what i paid for them new. Buying pro quality has nothing to do with how big your twig and berries are (although i think bar size on some saws may represent a lack thereof to some!). If the difference in price is only about $100, it's a no brainer. 60cc saws are light, unless you climb for a living, no one needs a 40cc saw, i limbed and bucked all day with those 2 saws, i'm 150lbs soakin wet. I would guess a 3 year old 562xp in excellent condition would still bring close to $400, i don't kno for sure. And thieves steal chainsaws, period, unless your advice is to buy a saw so undesireable, that even a thief won't take it! Sorry if i'm insulting anyone, not trying to tell anyone what to do, just making the point that husky pro saws are on another level to any homeowner saw, and they are worth a premium for the many years of top performance they provide.
 
I am sorry but I see absolutely no sense in buying a pro saw for at max occasional use! Unless you are suffuring severely from a small "bar" syndrom!!!

Of course a full pro 60cc saw is sexy and makes you feel wooshy and part of the team... but will it be the right tool for your budget and needs??? To be honest I highly doubt it! I also have and had a bunch of 50 and 60cc saws. And to be honest what you need is either a "universal" model which would be by your wood/work description a solid 50cc saw, or if you really want to spend some money get a 40 & 60cc combo. And I am also no pro but I definately don't want to be carrying a 60cc saw around all day in the forest I am thinning out.

Will a AT/MT saw make you happy? I believe so.
Do you have a dealer who can repair a AT/MT saw close by? If not I would run away from them!
WHY? Because any hillbilly small mechanic can repair a conventional two stroke.Without the correct computer hock up many problems of AT/MT saws seem unsolveable.

Is a AT/MT saw so much faster/better/higher quality? No to all answers! We are speaking about fractions of a / to single second/s in a cut. So by the end of the day you will save in major wood after ~60 cuts, about a minute or two of time. If you need that time well then you might be severly suffering of the above syndrom. And if in doubt just look at the comparison vids on the tube.

Further having a pro saw in a shed is about the easiest steal in the world! By the time you notice it was stolen, you would have laughed at some idiot selling this pro saw on the bay for so cheap weeks ago...

What would I buy? Personally I would get a Dolmar 421 or Echo 490 both for similar money and only a little more than 1/2 of your budget. More than enough for serious work and light enough to use most of the day! Actually I would lean VERY hard in the direction of a 40 & 60cc combo like the Echo 400 & 590. You CANNOT get more saw for your money at the moment and would be in the same range as only one pro saw! They are exactly after the same idea like Husqvarna with reducing the pro line a little here and there and then you have the economy line, but the core and quality is still there!

Good luck!

7
What you are saying could be defended in a utilitarian, strictly-dollars-and-sense argument. That doesn't matter one bit because some of us like nice ****. I don't need 7 (or is it 8?) pro saws. I don't need Sugi Hara bars on all of them. None of them need to be ported. I could drive a truck half the size of the one I own. Actually, I do have one half the size of that truck and drive it too. I could get by with a 2050 PullOn, easily.

Point is, if the guy wants the best saw he can buy, he should have it. Who am I to deny this man happiness?
 
To each his own i guess, pro saws are built better, period. The poulans are are bic lighter, throw away quality. Resale value on them after 3 years is $50 at best, if it's still running. I bought a new 181se in 1984, and a new 298xp in 1986, both saws still run like new, have never been apart and have never let me down, and that includes about 3 years of professional falling and bucking. I could probably sell them now for close to what i paid for them new. Buying pro quality has nothing to do with how big your twig and berries are (although i think bar size on some saws may represent a lack thereof to some!). If the difference in price is only about $100, it's a no brainer. 60cc saws are light, unless you climb for a living, no one needs a 40cc saw, i limbed and bucked all day with those 2 saws, i'm 150lbs soakin wet. I would guess a 3 year old 562xp in excellent condition would still bring close to $400, i don't kno for sure. And thieves steal chainsaws, period, unless your advice is to buy a saw so undesireable, that even a thief won't take it! Sorry if i'm insulting anyone, not trying to tell anyone what to do, just making the point that husky pro saws are on another level to any homeowner saw, and they are worth a premium for the many years of top performance they provide.
I agree with everything you said but a $400 562 will probably need a piston and cylinder or will be beat to death.
 
Just re-read your post sleeper7, gotta say the comment about "hillbilly mechanics" rubs me the wrong way. I'm a licensed auto mechanic and the stigma of being a dirty, grease monkey, hillbilly, too dumb to be anything else so i'll be a mechanic attitude that people in general have towards mechanics in this world is hard to get past, even in the movies the mechanic is always dirty, ugly, boarderline retarded, it's one of the reasons i don't do it any more. I get more respect telling people i'm a truck driver, got my license in a week. Was a 4 year apprentice program to get my red seal technicians ticket. Remember, that hillbilly fixes your saw, car, truck, whatever because you can't
 
What you are saying could be defended in a utilitarian, strictly-dollars-and-sense argument. That doesn't matter one bit because some of us like nice ****. I don't need 7 (or is it 8?) pro saws. I don't need Sugi Hara bars on all of them. None of them need to be ported. I could drive a truck half the size of the one I own. Actually, I do have one half the size of that truck and drive it too. I could get by with a 2050 PullOn, easily.

Point is, if the guy wants the best saw he can buy, he should have it. Who am I to deny this man happiness?
I am not denying a man of anything. His money his choice. All I am doing is answering his first proposal to what he might really need.

Further the myth that any of these median level = farm saw type is going to die prematurely after a few years is simply ridiculous! There are countless reports of well known members here who have reported that the "el cheapo" saws are holding up for a unexpected long time! Reports about Stihl 250's being misused by groundcrews, multiple sprocket replacements, etc. all draw a very clear picture for me and confirm the rule of the thumb that the time life from quality makers of the three classes of saws (hobby ~ 3-500hrs, semiPro=farmer ~700 - 1000hrs and pro ~1500hrs) seem to be true! So if we take this into perspective and estimate the true runtime, I would estimate after the description about max 5 hrs runtime(that is the time the saw is actually running, NOT the time running around the forest with your saw in your hand looking for the next job!!!) per year!!!, that would leave the critisized "mediocre" saw a life span of at least 10 - 20 years trouble free use. Of course by that time aging of the rubber parts is a problem, irrespective of brand and quality level and what some people here believe.

How well it really stands up is always dependent on the user and how well he takes care of his equipment. And since the OT declared he is quite a handyman I have no doubt whatsover that he can take care of his equipment by himself.

What I see as much more important than the "next" stronger saw up is the ability to sharpen your chain and maintain your equipment well. Any pro looger with the mediocre saw will be WAY faster simply because the above and the right techniques are implemented in his work.

So yes I see no sense at all compensating and buying a saw that is simply not needed by the above mentioned job description!

And if brtt485 really wants a AT/MT saw, then I would at best recomend again the "mediocre" level => Husqvarna 545 or if it has to be a 60cc saw a 555. With those the budget is much more easily reachable.

7
 
Just re-read your post sleeper7, gotta say the comment about "hillbilly mechanics" rubs me the wrong way. I'm a licensed auto mechanic and the stigma of being a dirty, grease monkey, hillbilly, too dumb to be anything else so i'll be a mechanic attitude that people in general have towards mechanics in this world is hard to get past, even in the movies the mechanic is always dirty, ugly, boarderline retarded, it's one of the reasons i don't do it any more. I get more respect telling people i'm a truck driver, got my license in a week. Was a 4 year apprentice program to get my red seal technicians ticket. Remember, that hillbilly fixes your saw, car, truck, whatever because you can't
Sorry but you have totally misunderstood what I intended to say, or even worse, I totally f******ed up in my vocabulary. Either way, for me a hillbilly is in NO way a dumbskull. It is for me the rural mechanic who works on a lot of different equipment but isn't employed by one of the large companies (f.e. a John Deere dealership). With that he often doesn't have access to the specialized equipment (f.e. the electronic readout boxes from Husqvarna or Stihl). Further since these electronic carbs are rather new in the industry, a lot of mechanics have simply had no contact/experience with them and with that I am sure problems repairing will evolve. Replacing a fuel line, carbs, membranes or sparkplugs is something very basic and these are besides wrong fuel for the majority of problems responsible in the world of chainsaws irrespective of brand.

And yes I prefer the hillbilly guy repairing my car, because with them I often know it will work right.

7
 
I probably missed where you said you'd only go new on a saw.

There's a lot of good deals to be had on used pro saws here. Honest bunch of guys.

I'm a Stihl head. I don't think husky's are built as well and I do own a 262XP. Not trying to start a fight here, to each their own.

That being said, a one saw plan that would be half of what youre looking to spend and would last you a lifetime, would be a clean Stihl 034/036. Basic design, no electronics, powerful enough, mag case. Very trim size for a 60cc saw and rather light.

I own ~15 Stihl/echo/Husky sass from 33 to 92cc's. My 036 and 066 stay in my garage gassed up and ready to go for the surprise tree I find across my road once a year.

The 036 is a tough saw to beat.
 
I probably missed where you said you'd only go new on a saw.

There's a lot of good deals to be had on used pro saws here. Honest bunch of guys.

I'm a Stihl head. I don't think husky's are built as well and I do own a 262XP. Not trying to start a fight here, to each their own.

That being said, a one saw plan that would be half of what youre looking to spend and would last you a lifetime, would be a clean Stihl 034/036. Basic design, no electronics, powerful enough, mag case. Very trim size for a 60cc saw and rather light.

I own ~15 Stihl/echo/Husky sass from 33 to 92cc's. My 036 and 066 stay in my garage gassed up and ready to go for the surprise tree I find across my road once a year.

The 036 is a tough saw to beat.

:numberone:

I am using one 034 Super for the daily stuff and have 2 Supers and 1 normal 034 (all runners, one 034 is "like new") for back-up plus 2 ready to use crankcases just in case. Paid less than 300 bucks for the lot. Probably won't be able to use all of them, but it is my favorite Stihl (next to the 076 and the 020...).
 
if it was me and all i had to cut was 70 acres i think i could borrow a saw long enough for that-- LOL--

if you want to accomplish everything you need to do and stay well inside of $600 i say the 590 timber wolf is tops -- they can be had new for $400 about anywhere and lots of times a good bit less than that . i'm running a 24" on mine and i have cut some saw logs with it-- it has power to spare.

it is the same saw as a 600P , crankcase and so on slightly smaller carb i think--

the 620P is also a hell of a saw --it is expensive though and far more saw than you need for what you want to do-- i want a 620P but i haven't found much this 590 can't do in the woods so .i an't just running out and plunking that $600+ on one just yet--

personally i ain't impressed with all the computer saws and their expensive modules and smog-gadegtry--my saw shop buddie loves um-- all the warranty work is paying his bills-- and people have a "fetish" about how light a saw is--

i'm thinking if you can't run a 13lb saw-- you don't really need a saw to start with. being a pound lighter is good if it ain't an IMPORTANT pound they decided to delete-- i know of a lot of the old saws that ran 20 years+++ with 10 years of brutal use and neglect-- thats a long time for an electronic device and when it bites the big one you probably looking at more than the saw is worth --if you can even get the module--

if it was me i would get the 590 or maybe shop for a used saw-- a nice pre smog 371-372 or a stihl 044/ms440 are still very hard to beat even after all these years--

you might look around for a used dolmar/makita
 
Leave the office for a few hours and come back to quite the debate! Bear with me as I respond,

I am sorry but I see absolutely no sense in buying a pro saw for at max occasional use! Unless you are suffuring severely from a small "bar" syndrom!!!

Of course a full pro 60cc saw is sexy and makes you feel wooshy and part of the team... but will it be the right tool for your budget and needs??? To be honest I highly doubt it! I also have and had a bunch of 50 and 60cc saws. And to be honest what you need is either a "universal" model which would be by your wood/work description a solid 50cc saw, or if you really want to spend some money get a 40 & 60cc combo. And I am also no pro but I definately don't want to be carrying a 60cc saw around all day in the forest I am thinning out.

Will a AT/MT saw make you happy? I believe so.
Do you have a dealer who can repair a AT/MT saw close by? If not I would run away from them!
WHY? Because any hillbilly small mechanic can repair a conventional two stroke.Without the correct computer hock up many problems of AT/MT saws seem unsolveable.

Is a AT/MT saw so much faster/better/higher quality? No to all answers! We are speaking about fractions of a / to single second/s in a cut. So by the end of the day you will save in major wood after ~60 cuts, about a minute or two of time. If you need that time well then you might be severly suffering of the above syndrom. And if in doubt just look at the comparison vids on the tube.

Further having a pro saw in a shed is about the easiest steal in the world! By the time you notice it was stolen, you would have laughed at some idiot selling this pro saw on the bay for so cheap weeks ago...

What would I buy? Personally I would get a Dolmar 421 or Echo 490 both for similar money and only a little more than 1/2 of your budget. More than enough for serious work and light enough to use most of the day! Actually I would lean VERY hard in the direction of a 40 & 60cc combo like the Echo 400 & 590. You CANNOT get more saw for your money at the moment and would be in the same range as only one pro saw! They are exactly after the same idea like Husqvarna with reducing the pro line a little here and there and then you have the economy line, but the core and quality is still there!

Good luck!

7

Everything you are saying makes total sense, is very logical, and impossible for me to argue with. That said, I think OnTheRoad summed it up best. Do I need a Pro Saw, absolutely not but that isnt why I want one. I drive a desk for a living but I drive a Sierra 2500HD w/ Duramax to that desk every day and certainly not because I needed it! I work hard for my money and I like nice things. I am a very analytical person and when I am buying a new toy or a new tool, I like to do my research and know as much as I can about what I am buying to make sure that the money I am spending is getting me the best possible product.

if it was me and all i had to cut was 70 acres i think i could borrow a saw long enough for that-- LOL--

if you want to accomplish everything you need to do and stay well inside of $600 i say the 590 timber wolf is tops -- they can be had new for $400 about anywhere and lots of times a good bit less than that . i'm running a 24" on mine and i have cut some saw logs with it-- it has power to spare.

it is the same saw as a 600P , crankcase and so on slightly smaller carb i think--

the 620P is also a hell of a saw --it is expensive though and far more saw than you need for what you want to do-- i want a 620P but i haven't found much this 590 can't do in the woods so .i an't just running out and plunking that $600+ on one just yet--

personally i ain't impressed with all the computer saws and their expensive modules and smog-gadegtry--my saw shop buddie loves um-- all the warranty work is paying his bills-- and people have a "fetish" about how light a saw is--

i'm thinking if you can't run a 13lb saw-- you don't really need a saw to start with. being a pound lighter is good if it ain't an IMPORTANT pound they decided to delete-- i know of a lot of the old saws that ran 20 years+++ with 10 years of brutal use and neglect-- thats a long time for an electronic device and when it bites the big one you probably looking at more than the saw is worth --if you can even get the module--

if it was me i would get the 590 or maybe shop for a used saw-- a nice pre smog 371-372 or a stihl 044/ms440 are still very hard to beat even after all these years--

you might look around for a used dolmar/makita

This is why I love these forums, great information and great people always making you think. There are some great points here. I like technology which is what drew me to the AT/MT saws but inherently with that comes more sophisticated troubleshooting and problems. There is definitely something to be said for not having an AT/MT saw that your local small engine shop can work on if I cant figure it out myself. I am trying very hard not to go back to the drawing board.....Used vs new? AT/MT vs no? Lots to think about.....
 
You asked for an analytical review of your ideas sofar, that's what you got...

:)

7
 
You asked for an analytical review of your ideas sofar, that's what you got...

:)

7

I agree and couldn't be happier. This is the type of discussion that leads to me making the right decision for me!
 
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