2lumbarleft
ArboristSite Operative
There are some people who heat with firewood, and might be a little strapped for cash. I thought I would start a thread addressing utility and value. It would be interesting to hear other people's ideas on the subject. Realizing that not everyone will be able to purchase a used pro saw in fantastic condition, they might be more inclined to purchase more common homeowner or farm/ranch saws on Ebay. What got me started on this line of thought, was I purchased an Echo CS-310 chainsaw in mint condition, with an Echo hard shell protective case and two extra chains for $140 delivered. I thought that was a pretty good deal. Turns out, the saw was an older Kiortz model. Initially, it ran poorly, and that is probably why the seller priced the saw the way he did. I could see that he had made attempts to remove the limiter caps, but appeared to have been unsuccessful. I remedied that problem, and re-tuned with Premium non-ethanol gas, mixed 40 to 1 with Amsoil Pro Saber 100. I threw in .5 ounces of Sea Foam as well. I have used Amsoil for 40 years and see no reason to stop now. I finished tuning the saw in wood, and I have to say, I was impressed. I was able to make 1/2" width slices through a 17" hardwood round, all from one side and straight to through to the bottom. Sure, the saw sounded a little labored with the bar buried, but it never stalled in the cut. Obviously, this little 30.5 cc chainsaw was never intended for this kind of torture, but the saw seemed to run forever on one tank of fuel. The bar oil reservoir still had about one ounce of oil in it when the gas tank was finally emptied. The saw had a internal clutch and rim sprocket assembly which makes changing chains a breeze. I would like to stress that the saw was as yet, not muffler modified in anyway. The saw was light weight, nimble, and started with one pull. This saw started and cut much better than a Stihl 017 that I just sold, but truth be told, the compression was dropping to 135 psi, and it was flooding all the time (so it needed some attention).
I then began to think, if quality saws like this could be found for a good price on Ebay, what else might it be matched with it to make a two saw combo that would help out young firewood cutters. I have personally purchased new Echo CS-590 chainsaws on Ebay for about $325 delivered. Those saws start and run great, offering great value and power. In my opinion, they will clearly out cut Stihl MS-290 and Husqvarna 460 chainsaws. While the saw is a cheapened version of the CS-600P, the powerhead is essentially the same, providing smooth mid-range power. Another possibility might be a Husqvarna 450 Rancher which can be had in refurbished condition for about $255 from VMinnovations. When coupled with other discounts, you can sometimes get these saws for as little as $225.00. But here is a warning on that. These saws are supposed to be "factory refurbished" to as new running condition. Forgiving minor cosmetics, I have had two instances where I received a saw that was not in proper running condition. One had a stuck carburetor throttle body, and another had no spark. Unless you have a certified Husqvarna repair facility that provides warranty work near by, you might wish to forgo this route. Still, once repaired, those saws ran very well and provided long service. All the other refurbished saws that I purchased, arrived in proper running condition, but all had to be adjusted at the carburetor to achieve proper running performance. There is a tool that is still available for this purpose on Ebay or Amazon.com, so get them while you can.
Hope this starts a column of useful advice for woodcutters on a budget. I would love to hear about other prices and potential non-pro combos that are working for you.
I then began to think, if quality saws like this could be found for a good price on Ebay, what else might it be matched with it to make a two saw combo that would help out young firewood cutters. I have personally purchased new Echo CS-590 chainsaws on Ebay for about $325 delivered. Those saws start and run great, offering great value and power. In my opinion, they will clearly out cut Stihl MS-290 and Husqvarna 460 chainsaws. While the saw is a cheapened version of the CS-600P, the powerhead is essentially the same, providing smooth mid-range power. Another possibility might be a Husqvarna 450 Rancher which can be had in refurbished condition for about $255 from VMinnovations. When coupled with other discounts, you can sometimes get these saws for as little as $225.00. But here is a warning on that. These saws are supposed to be "factory refurbished" to as new running condition. Forgiving minor cosmetics, I have had two instances where I received a saw that was not in proper running condition. One had a stuck carburetor throttle body, and another had no spark. Unless you have a certified Husqvarna repair facility that provides warranty work near by, you might wish to forgo this route. Still, once repaired, those saws ran very well and provided long service. All the other refurbished saws that I purchased, arrived in proper running condition, but all had to be adjusted at the carburetor to achieve proper running performance. There is a tool that is still available for this purpose on Ebay or Amazon.com, so get them while you can.
Hope this starts a column of useful advice for woodcutters on a budget. I would love to hear about other prices and potential non-pro combos that are working for you.
. It doesn't get more economical and reliable than this. Seriously, not even kidding:
