Have become Echo fan

[Danth]

I was given an Echo 500Vl and didn't think much about it as I've always had Stihls and been very satisfied. One day I had a few moments to play and tinkered with the Echo and got it running. This is as very nice saw! Added a bucking spike and wow, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Now I've got the hots for a 610. Am I nuts? Best, Dan

 

[s sidewall]

Nothing wrong with Echo, I really like the one I have.

Steve Sidwell

 

[Wood Doctor]

I imagine that my CS-500 EVL is older than Danth's. Here's mine.

Have you got s Pic for comparison? This one still runs very well and has very little plastic on it. I figure circa 1985.

 

[kjalaska]

I gave my son a 500EVL. My dad bought it back around 1977-78, we had a very destructive ice storm with lots of damaged elm trees. I had that saw probably since the mid 90’s and have cut many cords of firewood with it thru the years. Was a good saw until last year when it finally lost spark. Unfortunately have not been able to find a replacement coil for it. My son found another old running Echo for $50, a 550EVL which he loves to cut with. They were heavy saws with decent low rpm grunt.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I gave my son a 500EVL. My dad bought it back around 1977-78, we had a very destructive ice storm with lots of damaged elm trees. I had that saw probably since the mid 90’s and have cut many cords of firewood with it thru the years. Was a good saw until last year when it finally lost spark. Unfortunately have not been able to find a replacement coil for it. My son found another old running Echo for $50, a 550EVL which he loves to cut with. They were heavy saws with decent low rpm grunt.

Here's a used one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/COIL-FOR-E...002689?hash=item5228a1adc1:g:OXkAAOSwADVd3fdG
Not cheap, but it can be bought.

 

[kjalaska]

Here's a used one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/COIL-FOR-E...002689?hash=item5228a1adc1:g:OXkAAOSwADVd3fdG
Not cheap, but it can be bought.

Thank you. I’ll forward it to my son as it is now his project.

 

[SEAM]

I have a few older Echos:









Nice saws, even in the old days. Unfortunately, parts are rare even over here...

 

[North by Northwest]

Nothing wrong with Echo Saws in my opinion. , had a CS 590 a few yrs back very stout performer @ a very good price point !

 

[hanniedog]

Instead of a 610 I would look for a 650 in orange or JD yellow.

 

[Danth]

I imagine that my CS-500 EVL is older than Danth's. Here's mine.
View attachment 782079
Have you got s Pic for comparison? This one still runs very well and has very little plastic on it. I figure circa 1985.[/QUOTE

Here's a pic of my saw. I've done some research on Echo saws and find the
longest saw in production was their CS-60s. Don't see many for sale. Is that because they're great saw's, or because they didn't sell many?

 

[Wood Doctor]

That Pic indicates to me that yours and mine are likely less than five years apart in age. I have another one that needs a new piston ring (one is missing), and it has a chain brake that was optional back then. I've been keeping it for parts because I have several saws this size that I can use instead. The chain brake cannot be moved to the one that runs well.

Regardless, these saws have very little plastic. To me, they are somewhat of a ckassic and I also like my "new" CS-4500 that I just restored:
It operates very well. All it needed was a good cleanup, three new shock mounts, and a new fuel cap. I stole the shock mounts from a beat-up John Deere that was beyond repair. They worked.

 

[Orangeinthebarn]

I was given an Echo 500Vl and didn't think much about it as I've always had Stihls and been very satisfied. One day I had a few moments to play and tinkered with the Echo and got it running. This is as very nice saw! Added a bucking spike and wow, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Now I've got the hots for a 610. Am I nuts? Best, Dan

Echo makes a tough saw. If someone’s budget is the homeowner Stihl or Husky I tell them to buy Echo instead of the homeowner Stihl Husky. Dad has a 590 although I would buy the pro saws only that 590 has fallen well over 400 trees

 

[champion221elite]

Echo makes good stuff. Love my CS490 and would not mind adding a 70 cc saw if they ever make one.

 

[Cliff R]

The 500EVL is an older design. I bought one new in the late 1970's to replace a Mac-610. It served me well for a year or two then I upgraded to a Husqvarna 480CD which I still have an use today.

In the past 20 years or so I've exploited just about the entire line of Echo power equipment. They make some good, very good and excellent models far as chainsaws are concerned.

The top of their pile will be the CS-590/600P/620P and PW's, at least in terms of professional features and decent power to weight.

There are a few diamonds in the rough with other models, the CS-510 is among them.

I found the CS-6700, CS-670's and CS-800's just OK. Nothing overly impressive anyplace so I sent all those on down the road.

More recently I've exploited the CS-490 and find them a bit under-powered, at least compared to my CS-510 and closed port Husqvarna 55's. Still very well made and professional features for the price point.

Not often mentioned but Echo also makes EXCELLENT small power equipment as far as leaf blowers, string trimmers, garden tillers, etc. I own three PB-200 leaf blowers, two of their straight shaft string trimmers (the numbers escape me at the moment) and a garden tiller. ZERO issues with all of them except having to replace a fuel line on occasion and non are less than 15 years old at this point.

I would imagine that many of those older EVL models are hard to get parts for, like many of the Husqvarna saws from that period. Just about everything for the 480 and 2100 have disappeared from the IPL's in recent years.......Cliff

 

[Kyfan]

I had a timer wolf at 1 point loved it but sold it for close to what I gave for it and bought a 261cm. However for trimmers and brushcutters all I will own from now on are echo/shindaiwa I have had exceptionally good luck with them and the local dealer for them is excellent.

 

[Marley5]

Over the past couple of years I've found myself drifting to all Echo's as I help my brother in his logging business.

My brother is a diehard opinionated Stihl guy and I hear the same s##t every day " if it ain't Stihl it ain't real.
I tell him, I got the same saw as you do for half off. Lol

Yeah, Echo makes some great saws.

 

[mountainlake]

Half price and oem parts cost way less, cheap aftermarket parts favor the Stihl. Steve

 

[Wood Doctor]

I picked up this CS-330T about five years ago for about $190 new:
I would never trade it for a Stihl 193T. Note the really strong belt clip. Much better engineering. I even like it better than Echo's own CS-355T. So, it's a keeper.