Hi everyone.
I'm a homeowner looking to buy my first saw, with every intention to use it at least semi-professionally (garden and homestead development). After this cold winter (even down here in Mississippi), I'm putting in a wood stove. With access to hardwood all over my community if I'm willing to cut and haul, the expense of a decent saw is a drop in the bucket next to the cost of running the central heat pump this past winter.
I started searching the internet to learn about specific models and quickly found myself scouring through many pages on AS.
I had in mind to purchase a 50cc pro saw and I wanted a little more info before dropping $600 on MS 261. Lots of recommendations here for 550xp, but I couldn't find one locally. That pretty much sealed the deal until a very respected and knowledgeable friend convinced me to consider 60cc for my only saw.
I have a dealer nearby with 562xp on the shelf and he was willing to gas it up with husky premix and let me give it a run on a 24" catalpa log I brought along. This was the shop owner, not the mechanic, and he didn't know all the details, but was very helpful.
So he preps the saw and cranks it, and nothing... Same problem until we pull the decomp valve back out with a flathead screwdriver. Saw starts, runs great, cuts the hell out of the catalpa log (I'm running WOT to work AT). A few cookies, turn the now hot saw off... Decomp valve pressed, won't start. We spent 20 min cutting cookies and same result every time. Whenever decomp was used, saw would not start. As soon as we pulled it back out, it would run within two pulls.
I thought decomp was always supposed to be used on bigger saws so as not to break the pull cord. I could feel substantial more resistance when it was not pushed in. Needless to say, I did not buy the saw on the spot and the problem starting took away any chance of a high pressure sales pitch (thank god).
Handling 562xp was incredible. It is clearly powerful and felt like a joy to use. When I poked around some other parts of the internet, I found others with the same experience. Found the saw powerful, but complained it's too finicky on startup and of course lot of comments to the effect of "what good is an awesome powerful lightweight saw that won't start?"
At this point, I'm naturally leaning toward ms 362. I read a lot of comments on AS about how 361 was so much better and 261/441 are so much better recent updates, but as far as I can tell, that is mostly prior to the m-tronic 362.
I was wondering if y'all could comment on decomp valve on 562xp and decomp valves in general (useful/essential or not?). Also, any comments on m-tronic 362 would be appreciated.
(FYI, I did also find a nearby Home Depot with two used dcs6421 for $250, but I've been advised to just buy a new still or husky, that those deals are for someone who already knows the ins and outs of chainsaw management/repair)
Thanks everyone. Great forum!
I'm a homeowner looking to buy my first saw, with every intention to use it at least semi-professionally (garden and homestead development). After this cold winter (even down here in Mississippi), I'm putting in a wood stove. With access to hardwood all over my community if I'm willing to cut and haul, the expense of a decent saw is a drop in the bucket next to the cost of running the central heat pump this past winter.
I started searching the internet to learn about specific models and quickly found myself scouring through many pages on AS.
I had in mind to purchase a 50cc pro saw and I wanted a little more info before dropping $600 on MS 261. Lots of recommendations here for 550xp, but I couldn't find one locally. That pretty much sealed the deal until a very respected and knowledgeable friend convinced me to consider 60cc for my only saw.
I have a dealer nearby with 562xp on the shelf and he was willing to gas it up with husky premix and let me give it a run on a 24" catalpa log I brought along. This was the shop owner, not the mechanic, and he didn't know all the details, but was very helpful.
So he preps the saw and cranks it, and nothing... Same problem until we pull the decomp valve back out with a flathead screwdriver. Saw starts, runs great, cuts the hell out of the catalpa log (I'm running WOT to work AT). A few cookies, turn the now hot saw off... Decomp valve pressed, won't start. We spent 20 min cutting cookies and same result every time. Whenever decomp was used, saw would not start. As soon as we pulled it back out, it would run within two pulls.
I thought decomp was always supposed to be used on bigger saws so as not to break the pull cord. I could feel substantial more resistance when it was not pushed in. Needless to say, I did not buy the saw on the spot and the problem starting took away any chance of a high pressure sales pitch (thank god).
Handling 562xp was incredible. It is clearly powerful and felt like a joy to use. When I poked around some other parts of the internet, I found others with the same experience. Found the saw powerful, but complained it's too finicky on startup and of course lot of comments to the effect of "what good is an awesome powerful lightweight saw that won't start?"
At this point, I'm naturally leaning toward ms 362. I read a lot of comments on AS about how 361 was so much better and 261/441 are so much better recent updates, but as far as I can tell, that is mostly prior to the m-tronic 362.
I was wondering if y'all could comment on decomp valve on 562xp and decomp valves in general (useful/essential or not?). Also, any comments on m-tronic 362 would be appreciated.
(FYI, I did also find a nearby Home Depot with two used dcs6421 for $250, but I've been advised to just buy a new still or husky, that those deals are for someone who already knows the ins and outs of chainsaw management/repair)
Thanks everyone. Great forum!
