Economical Two Saw Combos

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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.
 
TL;DR
30" bow saw and 60" crosscut saw. $40.00 on CL and no fuel issues to worry about.

Of course I have less than $90 in an 026 and 200T. Deals are out there if you look.
 
Never bought a thing on ebay so can't comment there, other than apparently there are great deals and horrid deals.

the thing with new or refurb saws today is that they are as described, goobered up from unrealistic tunes and limiter caps and choked up mufflers. Anyone who can deal with that can just craigslist shop used and get the best bargains.

Or, buy used and *fixed* from someone who knows what they are doing.

Most likely for the money, new, poulan pp5020av. That's a one saw plan, but $200 or under to your door is not bad.
 
The most economical 2 saw plan is a reliable 1 saw plan :D. It doesn't get more economical and reliable than this. Seriously, not even kidding:
DSC07536_zpscbfb7988.jpg
 
How about this... One runner and one for parts. I got these for free!
View attachment 357317
Wow! I can't believe they were free! Ha - just kidding, if it works, it works. But you obviously have experience. The average young sawster will have little experience with engine repair, and lacks the savvy to buy smart in the pro-saw used market. But thanks. This is what I was looking for. I think this thread will have legs.
 
A 350 husky is a good firewood saw for the homeowner. They can still be found in good shape even though they are no longer made. An 034 super or 036 Stihl can be found often in good shape and make a good firewood saw.
 
A 350 husky is a good firewood saw for the homeowner. They can still be found in good shape even though they are no longer made. An 034 super or 036 Stihl can be found often in good shape and make a good firewood saw.
I agree that the Husky 350 was a good homeowner saw. I have one. The advantage is the adjustable oiler. When you are done with it, you can slip the jug from a 346 NE into it.
 
The 488 is a good saw for the average firewood cutter but usually brings a little more cash on the used saw circuit. If I were strapped for cash I would look for a good used Shindaiwa 500. I've picked these up for less than $100, ( a few under $50). For many years I ran one of these as my firewood saw and had no trouble keeping the wood shed stocked.
The question on the second saw would be if you wanted to go bigger or smaller. If I were going to go bigger I would grab a Shindaiwa 577 but with one of these there wouldn't really be any need for the 500.
 
A 350 husky is a good firewood saw for the homeowner. They can still be found in good shape even though they are no longer made. An 034 super or 036 Stihl can be found often in good shape and make a good firewood saw.
I agree that the Husky 350 was a good homeowner saw. I have one. The advantage is the adjustable oiler. When you are done with it, you can slip the jug from a 346 NE into it.

I have the smaller brother of the 350, A 340.

It sat for quite a while, Did not want to stay running so I did not deal with it for a year or so.

About a week ago I cleaned it out, Put TruFuel 40:1 in it, Tuned it and off it went just fine.

While not the most powerful, With a 16" bar it is a joy to use, Great Ergonomics. I understand you can put the Adjustable Oiler from a 350 in it if you feel you need that.

Eventually I would like to try the Hyway Husqvarna 350, 351, 353 kit from Weedeaterman on it http://www.weedeaterman.com/product_p/h30353.htm
 
I can't see the utility in an adjustable oiler on a saw that will not wear more than a 16" bar. It certainly wouldn't be a selling point for me on a sub 50cc saw.
I have a couple little saws with adjustable oilers - it's really pointless.

To the original question - I know I'd just get a PP5020 and an extra 18" B&C combo.
 
I have a couple little saws with adjustable oilers - it's really pointless.

To the original question - I know I'd just get a PP5020 and an extra 18" B&C combo.

There is always that.

I like mine, Problem free so far. A bit heavy I guess, But that does not bother me.
 
My 55 Husqvarna was very reasonable and cuts a lot of wood. Add a cs4116 Earthquake (or a Poulan PP4218) for limbing or when the husky gets stuck and I'm pretty happy. Makes for a cheap combo. But now that my Stihl 026 that was found on the side of the road is running, I'll probably run that and the Husky and bring one of my little saws for light work. My 031 is nice for an older saw, but gets heavy once you're done felling the tree. Doesn't bother me much though since I'm young and stout but I imagine the same would be true for most young firewood cutters. Still, why not run the lightest you got that can get the job done. Then you have plenty of energy left for the Fiskars x27 when you're done. The only saw I don't run much more in my lineup is my dad's old Homelite Super XL Auto. But it's been there when I need it. Well, it sounds like I'm pretty proud of all my saws... Haha!
 
I think ideally a two saw plan would be a 50cc and a 70cc, and no smaller than a 60cc if you can only afford one saw.

The only "economical" way to implement a two saw plan is to buy used saws.

Hell, I just picked up another 372xp for way less than a new echo 590 costs at Home Depot, and an 026 for $150 plus a little cleaning and a new chain...
image.jpg

Dolmar 7900, or Makita 6401 with an 84cc big bore kit is also a great saw for the money, if you can find one. They're not real popular in my area.
 
I think any saw you buy cheap and runs well is a good deal, BUT some saws just aint worth crap. I run a saw for a living, 50cc and up to 80cc. My pop passed on a few years back and left me a new Stihl 211c. I didnt need it on the job so I strapped it on the 4 wheeler to cut brush now and then with. That "free" saw didnt have enough power to pull your hat off your head. Id hate to think I had to rely on that thing to keep me warm w firewood. I sold it to a guy in town that had a 170, asked him how he liked it, told me he loved how powerful it was. Haha, go figure. It's all relative to your current situation.
 
I think ideally a two saw plan would be a 50cc and a 70cc, and no smaller than a 60cc if you can only afford one saw.

The only "economical" way to implement a two saw plan is to buy used saws.

Hell, I just picked up another 372xp for way less than a new echo 590 costs at Home Depot, and an 026 for $150 plus a little cleaning and a new chain...
View attachment 357350

Dolmar 7900, or Makita 6401 with an 84cc big bore kit is also a great saw for the money, if you can find one. They're not real popular in my area.
Exactly...I have a 488 Shindaiwa and a Univent with 20 and 32 inch bars.
 
This is just my opinion, and I admit that I am wrong just as much as the next guy, but I seriously feel that any saw under 45cc is a specialty saw you only own for a specific reason. Like a bucket saw or a TSI saw you're going to pack all day. 45cc should be the minimum for a firewood saw and 50cc is better. Then something bigger for the big stuff.
 

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