Echo's new top handle: CS-355T

[heyduke]

I'm glad some one posted to this thread, or I might have missed this comment. Are you saying the highest you have been up in a tree is 60 ft.? Position, position, position. experience and skill my friend.

mill bill-

oh yeah, i've been higher than 60 feet but not where i'm living now. the only trees that high around here here are the old growth ponderosas and we let the lightning trim them. i was only responding to an hombre who didn't know much about climbing, trimming or arborist's saws but was tellling the us how to do it. i should have bit my tongue and poured another cup of coffee. where i'm living now the most hazardous climbs, for me, are the fremont cottonwoods. they can reach over 60' and usually lack any vertical stem for a tie-in. and they have a nasty habit of biting the guy with the job. i don't know why i called out 60' as significant. i always consider the space between 10' and 30' the most dangerous. and to tell you the truth i usually enjoy a little wind, keeps you cool and the motion is pleasant.

and incidentally, i posted that comment more than two years ago, aug. 2013. you may be the only hombre who ever read it. i gotta get back to juggling my two top handles and mr. peg, the three legged cat.

 

[bikemike]

They do recommend that you use both hands but that's not always the case that you can have doth hands on a saw when you need to swing tips down for a toss to prevent damageto property where rigging ropes will not be of any use. But yes all the climbers on here do use doth hand when they can cause it is safer for 2 handed operation

I love it! The worlds largest tree company's Forman's manual states that chainsaws shall not be operated with one hand. I want to point out that the word they use is shall not should.

OSHA also agrees with that company they state, Keep your hands on the saw's handles, and maintain secure footing while operating the saw. Note that it says hands, not hand.

Silly me for having concerns about someone with limited training and experience, operating a saw with one hand.

 

[bikemike]

does the cs 330t have any chain break issues?

Yeah they are tough to draw back to release the chain brake the 330 360 355 all have the same issue very simple fix. My old 360t is a work horse and I was not impressed with the chain brake being hard to draw back. Me I am a echo top handle guy but I have been considering a 201 for the construction of the build or the original **** rippin 200t I like magnesium cases. But I can't disrespect echo they have come along ways from the 340 341 3400 top handle with performance.

 

[heyduke]

For any members who are interested, Echo just lowered the price of the CS-355T with 16" bar to $359.99 and it comes with a "free" carrying casae. When you figure that a 201 goes for $649.95 plus tax (692.20 in VA), my son who cracked the fuel tank on the one Brad modified for him went with the Echo. Plus he gets a one year warranty versus Stihl's 90 day! No idea how long this price will last, but it is on the Echo website and my dealer in Yorktown said they got an email advising them of the price reduction. Guess Echo is really going after the tree climbers.

The only downside to the saw that I can see is the fact it comes with some Echo bar that while made by Oregon is a *astard size...57 drive links and has a real narrow tip designed for low kickback. So we will be upgrading to an Oregon 56 drive link bar.

Just thought I would pass this along.

i don't own a 355t yet, might never need one, but i do have three echo 360t's and a stihl 020t (the one that is the same as a 200t). for some reason, the stihl always gets left in the shop. i like the echo's ergonomics better. i have a stack of nearly new fourteen inch bars that have been replaced by 12 inch bars (45dl). even though i'm tempting fate, risking life and limb i often use them on the ground, not just in the tree. i've even been known to operate them with one hand.

 

[zwoehr]

For any members who are interested, Echo just lowered the price of the CS-355T with 16" bar to $359.99 and it comes with a "free" carrying casae. When you figure that a 201 goes for $649.95 plus tax (692.20 in VA), my son who cracked the fuel tank on the one Brad modified for him went with the Echo. Plus he gets a one year warranty versus Stihl's 90 day! No idea how long this price will last, but it is on the Echo website and my dealer in Yorktown said they got an email advising them of the price reduction./QUOTE]

No wonder Home depot had them on clearance a month ago. They must have known in advance. I thought I had missed out because when I decided to finally buy one they were sold out.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

[bikemike]

Yeah I don't know why ppl dog the 360t I have many hours on mine tree climbing brush clearing lot clears and mine cuts everything I put a 14" bar to. 20 inch pine ain't nothing for the saw to handle. Now a 192 I won't pay 50 bucks for those saw I think are total junk I'd rather have the stihl 150 over a 192

i don't own a 355t yet, might never need one, but i do have three echo 360t's and a stihl 020t (the one that is the same as a 200t). for some reason, the stihl always gets left in the shop. i like the echo's ergonomics better. i have a stack of nearly new fourteen inch bars that have been replaced by 12 inch bars (45dl). even though i'm tempting fate, risking life and limb i often use them on the ground, not just in the tree. i've even been known to operate them with one hand.

 

[MCW]

I still stand by my statement. If you think you can buck up limbs with a top handled saw faster, more efficient and safer than a rear handled saw i doubt your credibility.

Who mentioned bucking up limbs? Ground based fruit tree pruning is where a lot of top handle saws are used. No bucking up logs there I'm afraid. Free hand removes cut limbs. Pays to think outside the arboricultural box sometimes methinks.

 

[bikemike]

i don't own a 355t yet, might never need one, but i do have three echo 360t's and a stihl 020t (the one that is the same as a 200t). for some reason, the stihl always gets left in the shop. i like the echo's ergonomics better. i have a stack of nearly new fourteen inch bars that have been replaced by 12 inch bars (45dl). even though i'm tempting fate, risking life and limb i often use them on the ground, not just in the tree. i've even been known to operate them with one hand.

Me too I will slice n dice delimb buck what ever it will get through with a 14". Just yesterday I put a low pro picco on it and put the screen back in. Yeah I don't like running the screen now that the intake end of my saw is opened up. So I'm gunna take it our and deal with the extra noise. And with all ur 360t are the all gutted out for the exhaust or do you still have a stock saw too?

 

[heyduke]

Me too I will slice n dice delimb buck what ever it will get through with a 14". Just yesterday I put a low pro picco on it and put the screen back in. Yeah I don't like running the screen now that the intake end of my saw is opened up. So I'm gunna take it our and deal with the extra noise. And with all ur 360t are the all gutted out for the exhaust or do you still have a stock saw too?

interesting question. you may not like the answer. i have two 360t's with modified intakes and mufflers. i recently bought another with light use, that is blueprint stock. after careful carb tuning it keeps up with the modified saws. all three out perform the stihl in timed cuts. i know that won't sound right to the many stihlifarians worshiping on this site but... the stihl is like a lot of tree guys i know. they sound loud and aggressive but that isn't what cuts wood. the stihl is a good saw but way over rated and the echos will outlast them by a factor of ten.

 

[bikemike]

It is hard to beat a jap engine. They are so well built. The guys I work with all run 201t saws. One is muffler mod dedicated and the new 201t is stock . I'm the only echo owner and they are always asking for a bigger saw when they reach the 12 inch mark. Me I will run my saw and bury the bar and it keeps on cuttin.

 

[CoreyB]

That doesn't sound quite right. I am always cutting 12 in plus stuff with my 192. Just because I am to lazy to pick up a bigger saw but I would think a 201 would rip every thing 15 in and under.
However this has no bearing on the echo's

 

[KenJax Tree]

I can bury my 200's and 201 with a 16" bar and barely lose RPM. But whatever i don't need to defend saws that 99% of tree services run. [emoji3]

My 192T is good up to 12" with the timing advance and muffler mod.

 

[DLEngele]

Took the place of my poor 540xp over a year ago. I say it is close. DEFINITELY NOT as much power, but a fine running saw. If mine is warm it starts first pull. Cuts great, starts, not bad ergonomics. The price...."Bang for the buck" is outstanding imo. Just my throw on it.