Look at Echo. Seriously. Bang for the buck, you're not going to get any better. Get one NIB from eBay - it will be cheaper than what you find at the local home owners' depot. Pull the carb limiter caps, do a muffler mod, and run the hell out of it. Maintain it well and it will last you for years.
My CS-490 (50cc) will pull a 20", 0.325 bar all day long. It's light and good on gas. @James Miller converted his from 0.325 to 3/8LP running an 18" bar and loves it. He also has a CS-590 (60cc) pulling a 24", 3/8 bar. I'll let him expound on that one.
This!!!! ∆∆∆∆∆Look at Echo. Seriously. Bang for the buck, you're not going to get any better. Get one NIB from eBay - it will be cheaper than what you find at the local home owners' depot. Pull the carb limiter caps, do a muffler mod, and run the hell out of it. Maintain it well and it will last you for years.
My CS-490 (50cc) will pull a 20", 0.325 bar all day long. It's light and good on gas. @James Miller converted his from 0.325 to 3/8LP running an 18" bar and loves it. He also has a CS-590 (60cc) pulling a 24", 3/8 bar. I'll let him expound on that one.
Agree. I mean, a three series beamer costs about the same as a Jeep Wrangler...About the only thing the same is the price, should have a vid of a MS271 running against a CS400 or CS450. Steve
I don't understand. Why would you compare the 590 and 271? They're construction is different, cc class is different, they shouldn't even be running the same bar. That's one odd couple right there. Plunge cutting!?!???
That's all that it could be, because there is no other comparison right?Perhaps it's a comparison based upon the cost of the equipment.
$XX gets you this in a Stihl.
The same $XX gets you this in an Echo.
Look at the performance gained for the same $XX if you buy the Echo instead of the Stihl.
Maybe??
I think you made a great choice with the brand new Stihl 261!I went with the Stihl 261 for $600 out the door. I'll let you know how it goes. I took a look at the echo last night at Home Depot and I like the fact that the Stihl is lighter and the reviews on here where excellent and saving a hundred and seventy-five bucks wasn't as critical to me in the long run. I can see where the echo is an excellent saw at that price point. The particular dealer I went to only carries one Husqvarna at this point, the 455 Rancher. I can't bash Husqvarna at all. The little 136 has worked flawlessly for the past 18 years and I will still be using it. Thank you to everyone for pointing me in the right direction on this purchase.
If you're talking to me, I like the 490 just fine. It does everything I need it to.To me the CS352 is a lightweight , give your 490 a long time to break in , They are doggy at first. Steve
Thank you for the suggestions. I would like to stick with Stihl or Husqvarna. It sounds like a 261c is a solid choice. What would the husqvarna competitor be? I am looking for the commercial grade of easy maintenance, readily available parts, and reliability. Although Echo is not terrible, I just don't recall it as on par with the other two brands. I plan on keeping the saw a while. I still have a 1987 scag mower. Granted I repowered it with a modern kawasaki motor about 8 years ago, but the design is solid and it always works. That is what I'm looking for. So, 5 cords or so may not be a lot of wood to those in the business, but I am looking for a saw that when I pick it up, it simply works. What is the husky competitor and how does it stack up to the stihl. Also, what size bar is ideal and versatile? Thanks
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