cuinrearview
Red saw lover
If you are patient, occasionally the Makita 5001 drops below $400 on Amazon. That saw checks all the boxes for me. Value, power, heated handles, and it loves 3/8 chain.
Best 50 cc saw available?
- Thread starter Okie294life
- Start date
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I sold all my pricey 50cc 346 550 545 and run these now.
Cheap to buy and do the same work. Little badazz saws in the cuts too.
If new look at the H 550 mark II, S 261 type 2, E 501 or cheaper version 490.
Cheap to buy and do the same work. Little badazz saws in the cuts too.
If new look at the H 550 mark II, S 261 type 2, E 501 or cheaper version 490.
Derrick Sawyer
ArboristSite Guru
Dang those are impressive, haven't seen that many in one spot in like ever. They are like darth vaders saws with 1980s styling. This inspires me to dig up in the back shed my first chainsaw, clean her up and see if i can get her started. it needed a new pull rope mechanism and the spark plug hole was loose and needed helicoiling. Got it running and cut pretty well, but i didn't know how to run saws yet or sharpen the bar and chain. Mine looks just like those, its a Sears Best 3.3 cu. in. Since it looks like you know them well, what bar and chain combo do you prefer (gauge, pitch, brand, etc). Last time i got parts thru Sears Parts Direct, just need model number and they had great parts diagrams.
Derrick Sawyer
ArboristSite Guru
I have run both Husky 346, 550xp, and Stihl 261 v 1 and 2 and they are all pretty nice if you have the cash. I really like the 261 v 2. Can pull a 20" bar pretty decent and feels built quite solid. The 550xp seems to handle a little better for limbing for me at least, but it seems for "plasticy" than the Stihl . I also would prefer not having to press a primer bulb. But i think the Husky sounds better there idling, and i like that. I can think of ten other things i like and prefer about either one, but you can't go wrong with either and they will hold their value well. My dealer says the 550xp mark II is a little heavier but can notice a tad more power as well, so for firewood and lots of bucking i would check it out too...actually now i want to.
I've been doing a little work along my lane taking some Burr Oak and Ash trees down. The biggest today was 18" and mostly they were 12-14" trees.
I went up there today with 3 saws - Stihl MS241c & MS361, and Echo CS-490. Only the MS241c has more than one tank of fuel through it, it's on tank #3.
My early takeaway is that I was impressed with ALL of them. The MS241c just rips at a level that seems much greater than a 40cc class! Cannot wait for it to break in! I used it some last Wednesday up there, and then today 5 days later it started on the first pull!
I must say, I shook my head at the very idea of a decomp valve on a 42cc machine, but by the end of the day last Wednesday my elbow was hurting (kinda like tennis elbow) and a couple times when I went to pull the cord without using the decomp, it yanked out of my fingers. I pushed in the decomp and it was much easier on my sore elbow! Just think I'm gonna love this saw! (It did falter once while limbing and sputtered like it was out of gas, so I quick shut it off and went to fill it, and it was just ALMOST out. While on it's side there was enough fuel to completely cover the fuel filter. But it must have been low enough. Anyway, I filled it and it started right up on the 2nd pull and away I went. Just seemed a little odd, but no big deal.
The MS361 SEEMED to have a lot of low end grunt. I could lean on it and it didn't seem to bog or mind it at all. I didn't use it too much (the 241 & 490 are just lighter and were plenty of saw for what I needed to do) but I want to get the MS361 out along side the MS362 and take notes in a few days. One thing I did notice was that if it sat for 15-20 min it took several pulls to get fired up... several. In fact on a mid-60's day I actually had to choke it (which I didn't want to do) but it was fine and I think it's probably mainly a learning curve for me on how this saw needs to be handled. Again, I didn't use it a lot but it sure feels strong.
The Echo CS-490 was a surprise to me and I couldn't be more impressed for the money! I gave $279 (then later got one for my boy for $259) off eBay. Came with 20" bar's which I swapped out for 16" WoodlandPRO Timbermax-Lite from Bailey's.
This is the absolute easiest saw to start. Just unreal how little effort it takes. I would imagine this would meet the OP's criteria for a light saw (10.6#) Mag case, 50.2cc, Chrome Plated cylinder, rim sprocket, and comes factory with a 20" bar. (It for sure feels like it'd run a 20" with ease, but I like a 16" on it so I'll probably never know....)
Anyway, it did great for a new saw and I'm also looking forward to seeing what it'll do when broken in some. I did remove the tube from the muffler but beyond that nothing. At half the money of a MS261 it could be something to consider OP...
I went up there today with 3 saws - Stihl MS241c & MS361, and Echo CS-490. Only the MS241c has more than one tank of fuel through it, it's on tank #3.
My early takeaway is that I was impressed with ALL of them. The MS241c just rips at a level that seems much greater than a 40cc class! Cannot wait for it to break in! I used it some last Wednesday up there, and then today 5 days later it started on the first pull!
I must say, I shook my head at the very idea of a decomp valve on a 42cc machine, but by the end of the day last Wednesday my elbow was hurting (kinda like tennis elbow) and a couple times when I went to pull the cord without using the decomp, it yanked out of my fingers. I pushed in the decomp and it was much easier on my sore elbow! Just think I'm gonna love this saw! (It did falter once while limbing and sputtered like it was out of gas, so I quick shut it off and went to fill it, and it was just ALMOST out. While on it's side there was enough fuel to completely cover the fuel filter. But it must have been low enough. Anyway, I filled it and it started right up on the 2nd pull and away I went. Just seemed a little odd, but no big deal.
The MS361 SEEMED to have a lot of low end grunt. I could lean on it and it didn't seem to bog or mind it at all. I didn't use it too much (the 241 & 490 are just lighter and were plenty of saw for what I needed to do) but I want to get the MS361 out along side the MS362 and take notes in a few days. One thing I did notice was that if it sat for 15-20 min it took several pulls to get fired up... several. In fact on a mid-60's day I actually had to choke it (which I didn't want to do) but it was fine and I think it's probably mainly a learning curve for me on how this saw needs to be handled. Again, I didn't use it a lot but it sure feels strong.
The Echo CS-490 was a surprise to me and I couldn't be more impressed for the money! I gave $279 (then later got one for my boy for $259) off eBay. Came with 20" bar's which I swapped out for 16" WoodlandPRO Timbermax-Lite from Bailey's.
This is the absolute easiest saw to start. Just unreal how little effort it takes. I would imagine this would meet the OP's criteria for a light saw (10.6#) Mag case, 50.2cc, Chrome Plated cylinder, rim sprocket, and comes factory with a 20" bar. (It for sure feels like it'd run a 20" with ease, but I like a 16" on it so I'll probably never know....)
Anyway, it did great for a new saw and I'm also looking forward to seeing what it'll do when broken in some. I did remove the tube from the muffler but beyond that nothing. At half the money of a MS261 it could be something to consider OP...
shadco
ArboristSite Operative
I’m going to go with an 18” with a hot chain on this one, either pico, or .325 low pro, I think it will pull it just fine.
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Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
The 490 will pull a 20" as long as you don't get in a hurry. But it makes the saw feel bigger than it should.
That's kinda the sense I got just handling it when it first arrived. I knew from the gate I was not going to run a 20" on it. But it is a nice option for the occasional need, if a guy didn't have another saw with longer bars.
Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
That's what I thought when I bought mine. I used it with the 20" b&c to cut some big stumps and it worked fine.
All the pro features: mag case, real good adjustable oiler, super light weight and easy starting, inbound clutch and rim sprocket.
Only thing missing is the super high rpm and captive bar nuts.
And if you get a deal like you did, or better yet like I did, the bang for the buck really can't be beat as far as new saws go.
Yeah I think it is just an awesome value with the features they've put on it.
I've had a CS-400 since '09 that I gave $191 for and I really like it a lot, but for about $80 more nine years later..., I think the CS-490 checks all the boxes. I'm gonna make a concerted effort NOT to neglect the CS-400 (it's been such a nice saw) but I think it will be hard to not reach for the CS-490
I've had a CS-400 since '09 that I gave $191 for and I really like it a lot, but for about $80 more nine years later..., I think the CS-490 checks all the boxes. I'm gonna make a concerted effort NOT to neglect the CS-400 (it's been such a nice saw) but I think it will be hard to not reach for the CS-490
Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
I had a 400 that I bought used for a month or two. Really slender, good feeling saw. And probably not a bad choice for a first saw...or an only saw if you don't need to go fast on big wood or flush cut big stumps. It'll really do a lot though.Yeah I think it is just an awesome value with the features they've put on it.
I've had a CS-400 since '09 that I gave $191 for and I really like it a lot, but for about $80 more nine years later..., I think the CS-490 checks all the boxes. I'm gonna make a concerted effort NOT to neglect the CS-400 (it's been such a nice saw) but I think it will be hard to not reach for the CS-490
But I already had a super light and pretty hot 36cc saw and the 490. So my bases were were well covered in that area
