Tough decision to make on choosing a saw

Wesspur
Treestuff
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From everything I’ve read here, if the 346 was still available new, I’d probably have a very difficult time choosing between a 346 or a 261. As it stands, i think the 261 owns the 50cc market for new saws.
If I was going with a 60cc saw with an unlimited budget, it wouldn’t be a Echo 690 for sure, and most likely not the 362.
 
Buy what you want. 261 is a dandy saw, takes some time to break in and perk up. Now, here's a little trick: Buy the longest Bar they will put on it out the door. It will be way cheaper than the difference buying a long or short bar off the shelf. I hope you can follow what I mean. Buy the saw with 20" B/C, then pick up a 16" B/C off the shelf. Huge savings vs buying saw with 16, then picking up a 20.
 
SuperDuty04 said:
From everything I’ve read here, if the 346 was still available new, I’d probably have a very difficult time choosing between a 346 or a 261. As it stands, i think the 261 owns the 50cc market for new saws.
If I was going with a 60cc saw with an unlimited budget, it wouldn’t be a Echo 690 for sure, and most likely not the 362.
Click to expand...

Consider a 16" bar if you are mostly cutting stuff within its range. The extra weight and inertia of an 18" bar would always be there pullin' on your bad back whether you need the extra 2" or not. If you only occasionally cut larger than a 16" can handle you can always cut from both sides. I do a LOT of volunteer trail work and only carry a 260 w/16" bar out to the woods. I have never needed more even with much larger trees.
 
Duane(Pa) said:
Buy what you want. 261 is a dandy saw, takes some time to break in and perk up. Now, here's a little trick: Buy the longest Bar they will put on it out the door. It will be way cheaper than the difference buying a long or short bar off the shelf. I hope you can follow what I mean. Buy the saw with 20" B/C, then pick up a 16" B/C off the shelf. Huge savings vs buying saw with 16, then picking up a 20.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I already read that tip here and that was exactly my plan. I’ll be buying the saw with a 20 and getting a 16 with it before I leave.
 
There is no replacement for displacement.

IF I only had one saw for general firewood cutting it would not be a 50cc saw. I own half a dozen of them and use them about 50 percent of the time as we cut tops leftover from logging operations. I just had one of my properties logged and working on 70 tops. It was old growth so not much canopy and the tops are short but pretty large diameter at the base. I limb them with the 50cc saws then as I work my way down move up to one of my 60cc saws. I could work all the way down with one of the 50cc saws but it starts taking too long to make a cut, especially in the hard maple I'm working on.

Then you will get an occasional blow down at or over 20" where it becomes a lesson in humility with a 50cc saw. They'll get it done, but even good ones are best with 16-18" .325" set-ups and don't cut with great authority with longer bars or bigger chain set-ups.

For these reasons I'd get a 60cc saw. Tough to beat an Echo CS-590 for the price. I've got one here that I've logged about a zillion hours on and it has been flawless. I actually picked up a CS-600 and CS-620PW and retired several of my older Husqvarna Pro saws as it was becoming difficult to get parts for them and they are in excellent shape so now pretty much just conversation pieces.

A CS-590 (or a 600/620P) will have PLENTY of power for big work. You could go with a CS-590 and take the money saved and team it up with a smaller saw to cut it loose in a "pinch" or to have something a little more nimble for limbing. I would NEVER go to the woods with one saw for any reason. I cut close to 50-80 cords a year and never take less than 3 saws on any outing. You hit one tiny piece of sandstone, a nail, or incidentally slip into the dirt and it's over before you even get started. If you pinch the saw you may find it a lesson in humility to get it looses without another saw handy. I pinched 4 saws and decent size Oak tree once that was suspended off the ground couple of feet. I ended up fetching my CS-480 with it's 30" bar to finally make the cut that set them all free. (pics of that tree below).

Some here recommend the CS-490. It's got some Pro features but not Pro-power. Pretty weak for 50cc, but it is inexpensive and OK with a 16" .325" bar/chain set-up for what you are doing......Cliff

Oak Tree Photos 007.jpg Oak Tree Photos 013.jpg
 
I had been borrowing my dad’s cs490 and it managed everything I needed to cut. So I’m thinking the 261cm would cut even better. I really want the 261 but the cheaper price, 10extra cc, and reputation of the 590 is appealing as well.
But I’m also considering resale value of the 261 would be much better if i ever decided to sell and get a newer or bigger saw. As well as the weight savings.
Exactly why this has been a tough decision...
 
Love it. I've logged enough hours on it to completely wear out the original bar and probably a half dozen chains. The original bar on those is a cheaper laminated bar, not the higher end that comes on the 600/620P's. It also doesn't have a removable drive sprocket so a clutch replacement will be in order at some point. The handle is plastic but I plan on outfitting it with a full wrap at some point.

Otherwise it's basically a Pro model in Rancher disguise for the most part. Although it appears very similar to the 600 and 620P's when you go into the IPL's it takes many different parts, carb, P/C (at least compared to early 600's), muffler, coil, etc.

The coil is dubbed as "limited" but it's set plenty high enough it's not a player in cutting power or performance.

I just got in two new bars so I can outfit all of them with the same set-up for a run-off to see which one is king far as power is concerned. Of course I'm expecting the CS-620PW to be the winner with the 600P a close second, but the stopwatch will tell the real story. It's just starting to cool off here and I've got everything in place now for the testing, just have to find some time this weekend to fit it into the schedule. I'll post the results as soon as I get them........Cliff
 
Thanks Cliff. I’ve read for hours in the 590 and the 620. It seems most are happy with them. Although if you go to Home Depot and read the reviews, there are tons that say they wouldn’t start right out of the box or ran for a couple days and would never restart. Many said they had difficulty with the warranty repairs as well. That kinda made me shy away from them a little. Although, I would buy mine from the locally owned small equipment shop who would most likely take care of me.
 
That's hilarious but not surprising.

Here's what you need to do. Before running the saw remove the carb, limiter caps, modify them and open up the deflector on the muffler. Takes about 15-20 minutes.l

They are set pretty lean from the factory, especially the 590's. Give them the fuel they want/need and go enjoy the saw for the next 25 years or so!.......Cliff

IMG_1679.JPG IMG_1681.JPG IMG_1683.JPG IMG_1684.JPG IMG_1685.JPG
 
I think anything in 50/60cc will serve you well...261 Stihl, 550 Husky, 590 Echo etc...
I would consider new in the box Makita/Dolmar 5105 that is in the trading post. Great saw and you will get it with heated handles for considerably less than any others that have been mentioned.
 

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