Chainsaw Purchase Advice

[EvoOneMkVIII]

Great place to hangout. I learn from post that don't even relate to my issues.
But now to the point.
Eight months ago I moved to a kind of mountainous area in Santa Fe NM. Should have walked the 24 acres before commiting, but done is done. I brought my trusty Husky (barely ever used) 445 with me, and I'm using it every day. Strangely after ten years, this saw just keep working, a little maintenance, chains, bars, etc. I'd like to get another saw - note where I live it is STEEP and I cut and drag down to the arroyo where in time water and weather renders these bark beetle killed tress to dust.
So locally there are lots of places that sell Stihl and Echo, and some Husky. I've had my eye on the CS400 and the 501p, but I keep thinking I should go light. The trees are at most 15 inches, with the majority under 10.
The only servicing dealer is a Stihl dealer, who just received a shipment of 261s - I think they have both the CM and the non e-carb setup models. But that is $640, and I could get a 501p for much less, or a 4910 for even cheaper.
The only thing I needed a dealer for with my Husky was the chain oil pump didn't work - it still isn't stellar but good enough. (Not adjustable).
I have an Echo weed whacker that I love and has given me no problems.
How important is it to have a servicing dealer within 60 miles? The Stihl place seems very competent, but I also am on the fence about the ecarb vs a plain analogue carb that the shop can set up and forget (I'm at 7600 ft elevation, and don't plan on changing altitude alot. (This 24 acres of hell will easily keep me busy for the next year or more).
I read negatives about all saws, and while I'm not a tuner, I've managed to keep my Husky working for 10 years. I also wonder the wisdom of going big (as in 50cc or so), when I'm on a very steep slope, and it's taxing to have any more carry weight than you absolutely need.
PS: Stihl is the only dealer/serviced brand covered in town, with Albuerquerqe 70 miles away, having coverage for some of the other brands. This means warranty work or other attention beyond my skills is send off to a regional service center.
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

How important is having a dealer close by? I'm different than some but I'm not even sure where a chainsaw dealer is around here. I do my own work and order my parts online.

 

[ammoaddict]

For the price, I would get the 4910. It's the lightest 50 cc saw made right now. I'm a Husqvarna guy, but you can't beat Echo for price and durability.

 

[ChillyB]

Do you like to tinker, or is a saw just a tool for you? I thought I wanted a new saw so I could put my Huqvarna 350 into spare/backup status. Then I rebuilt the 350 anyhow. Then found a nice deal on a 55 that runs really well. Maybe I have $75 in rebuilding my old 350 (50cc) and $125 for the 55 (55cc). Wish I had $600 back in my pocket instead of that Stihl 291. But I also have time invested. If yours is scarce then maybe working on old saws doesnt appeal to you. For me its therapy after work at the plant.

 

[sawfarmer]

The echo 4910 is a great saw! Or spend the cash for the stihl.I would not have a problem with the echo they make great products order one off line and run it!

 

[Sawdust Man]

It's hard to beat the value of Echo saws imo.
The best thing to do is go buy a descent saw and cut wood.... and then stay off the chainsaw sites, before you end up with more saws than brains, like the rest of us.

 

[ericm979]

The Mtronic also adjusts for temperature changes. I only cut on my land so there's not enough elevation change to affect tuning. Yet I retune my carb saws at least a couple times a year. I'm not that far from the ocean so my temperature changes are less extreme than in the interior. You can set and forget a carb saw but it will be lean when it's cold and rich when it's hot. They get far enough off optimum that I notice.

If you're using it a lot, a few hundred more for a pro saw is cheap.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

A few years back I wasn't crazy about Echo saws because they were hard to work on. A friend gave me an Echo 590 to work on a few weeks ago and it was actually as easy to work on as Stihl! If I were going to buy a new saw an Echo would definitely be considered.

 

[EvoOneMkVIII]

Thanks for the great ideas
I'm williing to tinker
But use is my main goal
24 access of dunno how many dead trees
I need to carry Gatorade or something similar cuz humidity is like15%... and in 2hrs I'm toast

Any suggestions about ccs or models?

 

[Sawdust Man]

50 cc's is probably what I would use in small pine, 261 if you want to spend more $, or 4910 if you like to save $, either way you're gonna have a good reliable tool.
If it were me, (and I was being practical), I'd go with the 4910.

 

[EvoOneMkVIII]

Great place to hangout. I learn from post that don't even relate to my issues.
But now to the point.
Eight months ago I moved to a kind of mountainous area in Santa Fe NM. Should have walked the 24 acres before commiting, but done is done. I brought my trusty Husky (barely ever used) 445 with me, and I'm using it every day. Strangely after ten years, this saw just keep working, a little maintenance, chains, bars, etc. I'd like to get another saw - note where I live it is STEEP and I cut and drag down to the arroyo where in time water and weather renders these bark beetle killed tress to dust.
So locally there are lots of places that sell Stihl and Echo, and some Husky. I've had my eye on the CS400 and the 501p, but I keep thinking I should go light. The trees are at most 15 inches, with the majority under 10.
The only servicing dealer is a Stihl dealer, who just received a shipment of 261s - I think they have both the CM and the non e-carb setup models. But that is $640, and I could get a 501p for much less, or a 4910 for even cheaper.
The only thing I needed a dealer for with my Husky was the chain oil pump didn't work - it still isn't stellar but good enough. (Not adjustable).
I have an Echo weed whacker that I love and has given me no problems.
How important is it to have a servicing dealer within 60 miles? The Stihl place seems very competent, but I also am on the fence about the ecarb vs a plain analogue carb that the shop can set up and forget (I'm at 7600 ft elevation, and don't plan on changing altitude alot. (This 24 acres of hell will easily keep me busy for the next year or more).
I read negatives about all saws, and while I'm not a tuner, I've managed to keep my Husky working for 10 years. I also wonder the wisdom of going big (as in 50cc or so), when I'm on a very steep slope, and it's taxing to have any more carry weight than you absolutely need.
PS: Stihl is the only dealer/serviced brand covered in town, with Albuerquerqe 70 miles away, having coverage for some of the other brands. This means warranty work or other attention beyond my skills is send off to a regional service center.
Thanks for your thoughts.

I forgot to mention this is all Pinon wood, if that Matters.

So I'm getting the point that echo 50cc or stihl 261 cm Are the way to go.
My local local ace hardware has on the shelf....echo 4910, 501p, and a 6somerthing pro echo...cs 2511.. and more

I can't find 501p anywhere online


And my local stihl has 3 ms 261cm


Choices... spend more or spend less

And I'm a total newb

But this 24 acres has my attention and I'll be cutting daily for At least a year

I could use a burro to carry cut wood up the hill, but that is another topic


R w

 

[sundance]

I'm a big Echo fan although I haven't run many of the newer ones. A CS-400 should handle all of what you've described. CS-4910 obviously would as well. I haven't looked at weight / cost between the two.
If you're going to be cutting on that terrain, think about spare parts (chains, scrench, etc.) as well as fuel and bar oil you will need to carry along.
Good luck, beautiful country up there (grew up in Albuquerque but left there 50 years ago).

 

[Donb011]

I have a Echo CS-501p and a Stihl MS261cm. Both are excellent saws but I do like the Stihl better.
Echo, in stock form it's not very impressive. Once you do a muffler mod and remove the restrictor caps to tune is better.
Power wise the Stihl has more. I did some test cuts and in 15" fir the Stihl was 3 seconds faster. I used the same chain too.
Both saws free rev to 13800 rpm but the Stihl power is higher up in the RPM range.
The Stihl revs up faster too. Vibration feels about the same and both saws oil a 18" bar just fine. The Echo actually starts with less pulls cold.
The oil and gas caps on the Echo needs a screw driver to get off once and a while.
Both saws have capvive bar nuts. I've lost one on the Echo. There just a wire clip that can pop off easily.
The Echo is just a tad lighter by about 1/4 pound and is physically smaller. I like the feel of the Stihl better. Hands are a farther apart on the Stihl giving me better control.
For the price the 501 is a good saw. I've had mine for 3 years. The 261 I bought 3 months ago. I've been cutting a lot of smaller wood and limbing and end up grabbing the Stihl over the Echo.
That's my take.

 

[Grateful11]

Well I'm a Echo fan but if the only servicing dealer nearby I'd lean a little closer to the Stihl 261. We run the Echo 310 and 590 a fair bit here and neither have needed service other than the 590 needing a plug. I don't think you'll go wrong with either. Our biggest saw shop sells Echo and Husqvarna and says all the Echo's come from the factory are a bit lean so they fuel up, start and tune each one before it leaves their shop.

 

[Old Mac Guy]

Why are you messing around with saws that cost $600 and $80-100 every time you take one to a dealer? Get you a good old iron-clad ProMac 610 or two and a good Echo 452VL both for around $100-150 and get to know Sam Alire in Las Vegas, retired Husky saw technician who still works on saws of all makes and models for local area wood-cutters and doesn't charge much to work over and tune a saw and sometimes takes payment in a case of beer. If it's not a Steal or Husky or Echo saw, it helps to get your own parts when you take a saw to Sam. He has a good little shop behind his house there in West Las Vegas about 4 blocks uphill from the San Miguel County Courthouse and is aces with tuning carbs for around 5500-7500 feet elevation. A lot of local loggers and woodcutters take their Mac 10-10's to him and I visit Sam about any make and model of the old chainsaws I have to get good technical advice and help.

With this drouth we've been having, there are going to be a lot more bug-killed pinon trees around Santa Fe since the pinons and juniper/cedars have invaded and taken over all the little foothills around there ever since the old woodcutters and their burros from 100-200 years ago quit keeping the trees cut back and hauled into town for $1-$2 a burro-load.

Good luck, do good work, and keep in touch.
Ken Garrison -- the Old Mac Guy

 

[EvoOneMkVIII]

I have a Echo CS-501p and a Stihl MS261cm. Both are excellent saws but I do like the Stihl better.
Echo, in stock form it's not very impressive. Once you do a muffler mod and remove the restrictor caps to tune is better.
Power wise the Stihl has more. I did some test cuts and in 15" fir the Stihl was 3 seconds faster. I used the same chain too.
Both saws free rev to 13800 rpm but the Stihl power is higher up in the RPM range.
The Stihl revs up faster too. Vibration feels about the same and both saws oil a 18" bar just fine. The Echo actually starts with less pulls cold.
The oil and gas caps on the Echo needs a screw driver to get off once and a while.
Both saws have capvive bar nuts. I've lost one on the Echo. There just a wire clip that can pop off easily.
The Echo is just a tad lighter by about 1/4 pound and is physically smaller. I like the feel of the Stihl better. Hands are a farther apart on the Stihl giving me better control.
For the price the 501 is a good saw. I've had mine for 3 years. The 261 I bought 3 months ago. I've been cutting a lot of smaller wood and limbing and end up grabbing the Stihl over the Echo.
That's my take.

Thanks for that POV. Two of the saws I've been considering. And your opinion lines up the many I've heard. I was initially thinking a smaller saw, which works fine till it doesn't. So a 50 seems like a reasonable all around saw.
Thanks

 

[EvoOneMkVIII]

Why are you messing around with saws that cost $600 and $80-100 every time you take one to a dealer? Get you a good old iron-clad ProMac 610 or two and a good Echo 452VL both for around $100-150 and get to know Sam Alire in Las Vegas, retired Husky saw technician who still works on saws of all makes and models for local area wood-cutters and doesn't charge much to work over and tune a saw and sometimes takes payment in a case of beer. If it's not a Steal or Husky or Echo saw, it helps to get your own parts when you take a saw to Sam. He has a good little shop behind his house there in West Las Vegas about 4 blocks uphill from the San Miguel County Courthouse and is aces with tuning carbs for around 5500-7500 feet elevation. A lot of local loggers and woodcutters take their Mac 10-10's to him and I visit Sam about any make and model of the old chainsaws I have to get good technical advice and help.

With this drouth we've been having, there are going to be a lot more bug-killed pinon trees around Santa Fe since the pinons and juniper/cedars have invaded and taken over all the little foothills around there ever since the old woodcutters and their burros from 100-200 years ago quit keeping the trees cut back and hauled into town for $1-$2 a burro-load.

Good luck, do good work, and keep in touch.
Ken Garrison -- the Old Mac Guy

Thanks Old Mac Guy! I think I'd better wait till Las Vegas cools down and the fire is under control. I've been looking for small business guys doing saw work and didn't see anyone nearby - but LV is close enough for me. Whatever I do, I'll make sure to turn to this guy for his help when I need it. Specially on setup.
Sure sounds like you know the terrain - my backyard is Moon Mountain, and I have a ton of dead Pinons that I've cut down and broken down the branches. There is no way I'm hauling this stuff up the canyon myself. But you are so correct that the bark beetle and mistakes in management have cause a ton of tree death, with more seeming coming every day.
R

 

[EvoOneMkVIII]

Thanks Old Mac Guy! I think I'd better wait till Las Vegas cools down and the fire is under control. I've been looking for small business guys doing saw work and didn't see anyone nearby - but LV is close enough for me. Whatever I do, I'll make sure to turn to this guy for his help when I need it. Specially on setup.
Sure sounds like you know the terrain - my backyard is Moon Mountain, and I have a ton of dead Pinons that I've cut down and broken down the branches. There is no way I'm hauling this stuff up the canyon myself. But you are so correct that the bark beetle and mistakes in management have cause a ton of tree death, with more seeming coming every day.
R

Do you have Sam's contact info?

 

[ihookem]

I have an older Stihl 026 , a new Echo 501P I bought about a month ago. There is no difference in cutting speed once ya get to know the saws temprement. My 026 has an air leak but is still running . I got the Echo 501 for $ 430 with tax at the Husky/ Echo small engine shop. It had a few tanks through it . A guy came in and got the ECHO 501 and traded his Husky 550XP... He was not impressed with the ECHO 501 and for good reason. It is an "ok" saw. It is not what the ECHO fan boys say it is. It is broke in now and I see it has more torque than the 1st tank, both have .325 chains too. The 026 has more torque, the 501 needs the speed, ( that is what I noticed) .. If you get the Stihl 261 you will be happier than with the ECHO 501. The 261 has 14% more horsepower than my 026 and 501, and the 501 has 17% more horse than the 4910. I wouldnt waste my money on a 4910. The 261 is a superior saw. Many say ECHO is " a good saw for the price". It is, and the 501 is $160 cheaper , but $160 is nothing today . That extra 1/2 horse for $160 is cheap when you are so sick and tired of cutting every day for a year, you will be way ahead in time . Just the better air filter alone will save you time and grief. I bought an ECHO 620P and it is a good saw, I think better and more solidly made than the 501P. The 501 is a "pro" saw , but on the bottom line of the pro saw too. I wish I would have spent the $250 more for the Stihl 261 over the 501P.

 

[farmer steve]

@EvoOneMkVIII. I read all the suggestions and and it's what you want to spend and what dealer you feel will give you the best service if needed. Lots of guys like the Echos for price and being a decent saw. I've only ran a ported 590 and was impressed being a stihl guy. That being said I really like my 261 mtronic. It has been really reliable with close to 100 tanks of fuel through it and not to heavy when doing a couple of hours of cutting. The 261 with an 18" bar should cover most of the size wood you say you are cutting. Whatever you get, buy an extra air filter,spark plug and a chain or 2. Good luck. FS.
EDIT. Most new saws take 5-7 tanks of fuel to break in and wake up.