Questions about a cs 600

[yohyatt]

So I just bought a house in the foothills with 2.3 acres - mostly pine, some oak and cedar. some big trees too. theres a bunch of fallen timber already down that I'll need to cut once I get the keys next week.

So Im looking for a saw. I used own a landscaping company back east and all i would ever buy is echo. But I know chainsaws are different that weedwackers and blowers.

Main question - what makes the cs 600 different than the older models. Its a new model, isn't it? what were the problems with the older ones, and are the resolved.

for $400 bucks new - I kinda like it. 400 used gets me a nice 361 or for 500 i could get a nice 440. Probably overkill - but still sounds like a fun saw. A local shop has a 038 for 400.

I was thinking about getting a 20 inch for most work - and when the time comes get a 27inch and use it for the bigger stuff. Do people do this, and would that make sense?

its mostly pine - so wouldn't a 27 inch cs 600 cut through that wood - its soft right?

a friend that lives up there said - just make sure its new and can take a 20 inch - husky or stihl - he recommended. I know stihl are the best - but I'd only be using it for cleaning up and knocking down a few tree to make some moto trails and.

Thanks guys - I just signed up to this site today to get some responses on these questions, hopefully. I think i found a new addiction PS - I'd be down to get the saw modded - even if it didn't need it - lol.

 

[yohyatt]

and what about 390

My local cresco rental guy has a 2007 390 with a 28 inch bar - I'd consider one from them because they take pretty good care of their stuff - is this a good saw for similar price of a new cs 600 - and is 28 inch too much for that bar - would a saw get worn out quick or loose compression quicker with a max length bar on it?

 

[homelitejim]

I don't know anything about the Echo but it should be ok. The 440 or 441 are great saws especially for 28" bars, a 20" bar on a 441 turns it into a hot knife in pine. I think the 390 would also be a good saw but not with a 28" bar, I would go 25" max. There will be others stopping by that know Echo chainsaws. Welcome to AS happy posting.

 

[autis]

Hi and welcome to AS!

my uncle owns a 600p although me and my dad have run it as much if not more than he has great saw! honestly i think that a 27 inch bar would be pushing it on any 60cc saw but i work in hardwoods so maybe softwood youd be ok. for just the occasional tree anyhow. great saw the 600p is and for 400 bucks i consider it an awesome value! if someone forced me to choose between a stock 600p and a stock ms361 id prolly take the 361. seems a touch snappier and lighter than the 600p but you need to consider the 200 dollar price difference and the echos 5 year warranty. id love to MM the 600 but there goes there warranty after that!

probly the main thing in your search for a saw should be dealer support. if you have a good echo servicing dealer close by then id snatch up that 600 but if not then id get whatever the best dealer in your area is selling.

Good luck!

 

[yohyatt]

thanks for the reply homelitejim and autis. I will see if there is a an echo dealer local.

is the MM worth it for the loss of warranty?

 

[yohyatt]

real question

Well I guess the real questions is this. Which saw should I get?

A 361 that cut 3 trees for 400, or a new 600 for 400?

do stihls actually work that much better - should either last any longer than the other if i maintain properly?

If I wanted to put a 27 or 28 inch for a big job - would one work better?

 

[autis]

thanks for the reply homelitejim and autis. I will see if there is a an echo dealer local.

is the MM worth it for the loss of warranty?

i dont know about the MM bein worth the loss of warranty. havnt run one with an MM. really i dont have a problem with the saw stock, pretty snappy and plenty of power wearin a 20 inch bar. one thing with echos - they are set quite lean from the factory to meet the EPA crap. we got our echos from a local dealer and they run and tune the saws before they sell them. they also had us bring the saws back in after running a few tanks through them for a check on the tuning. your not going to get that kind of service at the big box store or over the internet. also i must say that if i could change something on the 600p it would be the front handle. its much too slick for my liking. using it with thick leather gloves can really tire your left hand out fast because your gripping it quite hard to keep your hand positioned. if i owned one myself then id tape it or something to get some grip on it. thats the only thing i can think of right now that id change

 

[jimbojango]

Well I guess the real questions is this. Which saw should I get?

A 361 that cut 3 trees for 400, or a new 600 for 400?

do stihls actually work that much better - should either last any longer than the other if i maintain properly?

If I wanted to put a 27 or 28 inch for a big job - would one work better?

If you put a 28" bar on it three times a year and dont' try and push it through the wood I'd buy the 361. I've had an 036 and she ran a 20" in hardwood just fine. In softwood like the austrian pines i had it melted them. I think it would run a 25" w/o being forced easily enough so the 28 isn't a stretch.

Echo's are NOT my favorite saws.. never ran one, never going to. I'm going to run a Stihl and thats it. I ran 1 husky awhile back and if i never run another one it won't matter much to me.

400 for a Stihl is a good deal, especially if its only cut a few tree's.

 

[autis]

Well I guess the real questions is this. Which saw should I get?

A 361 that cut 3 trees for 400, or a new 600 for 400?

do stihls actually work that much better - should either last any longer than the other if i maintain properly?

If I wanted to put a 27 or 28 inch for a big job - would one work better?

if you have a local echo dealer that will tune that 600 for you then that would be a hard question to answer. if you dont have a dealer then id say 361 IF you trust that it has nothing wrong with it. is that 361 gonna last longer than a 600 on even ground? in my opinion, no. is it lighter? ya. does it have slightly more power in my experience? ya. is the projected resale gonna be higher on the 361? ya.

i doubt either is gonna work better than the other with a 27/28 inch bar. honestly id say thats a great excuse to get a 70cc saw.

handle both saws if you can. your the one gonna be usin it so that counts for a lot.

 

[yohyatt]

is a 038 or 036 a good 70cc saw?

a shop near me has one with a 28in and he said it's pumpin 140 psi and is from the fire department.

 

[WVshooter]

How big of trees will you be cutting? You can effectively cut 36-38" stuff with a 20" bar. If that's all you'll be cutting, then that's a different story, though.

The muff mod should probably be avoided until the warranty is over.

An 036 is a 60cc saw, but a very good one.

 

[yohyatt]

well if a 20 inch can cut a 36 inch tree - i might be ok with a saw that can handle a 24. should i just order the saw with 24?

 

[WVshooter]

What's the purpose for cutting it? Firewood?

I'd feel a saw with that much bar before I bought it. The balance may or may not be comfortable to you. If you get something unwieldy, it just won't be fun to use and you'll dread cutting.

The 361 for 400 sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[yohyatt]

24 inch bar might feel weird?

 

[WVshooter]

It depends on the saw. I have a Stihl 024 that feels good to me with a 16" bar, but my MS362 feels quite nice with a 20" bar on it. The more bar, the more weight on the front, but if it balances well in the hands, it's not as big of a deal.

Also, too long of a bar and you'll forever be digging the nose into places it shouldn't be, or getting tired trying to hold it out of the ground when you're bucking.

 

[PLMCRZY]

Im waiting for 08 to pop in and let you know he had both the stihl 361 and the 600p, i believe the stihl out cut it by a second. So your not gaining much, although the stihl weighs a pound less, i dont think that pound is gonna bother you. Especially the $200 price difference i think the Echo def. wins bang for your buck.

 

[bcorradi]

Im waiting for 08 to pop in and let you know he had both the stihl 361 and the 600p, i believe the stihl out cut it by a second. So your not gaining much, although the stihl weighs a pound less, i dont think that pound is gonna bother you. Especially the $200 price difference i think the Echo def. wins bang for your buck.

I guess personally for $400 new for a 600 echo and $400 used for a very slightly used 361 I would definitely take the 361. If you take care of the 361 and it is it is good shape, you won't hardly lose a penny when selling it.

 

[PLMCRZY]

I guess personally for $400 new for a 600 echo and $400 used for a very slightly used 361 I would definitely take the 361. If you take care of the 361 and it is it is good shape, you won't hardly lose a penny when selling it.

Thats true Stihls are like harleys their value holds for a while.

 

[oscar4883]

Thats true Stihls are like harleys their value holds for a while.

You don't own a Harley do you! LOL

 

[Cliff R]

If you want a new saw with a full warrantee, buy the Echo. The 600P gets decent reviews, and is among later efforts by Echo to build "Professional" saw to compete with similiar offerings from Stihl and Husqvarna.

Even with that said, if you can get an MS-361 that's only cut 3 trees, it would be a very good way to go, IMHO.

Forget the Stihl 038, unless it's the Mag or Super. The standard 038 is a "tank", and darned near bulletproof, but they are big, heavy, and not overly impressive for power anyplace. I owned one for over 20 years and finally dumped it on Ebay because it just didn't get used much around here. It was also very thirsty, probably due to trying to run a 25" bar on it, it would have been much better suited to an 18 or 20" bar......Cliff