Wanting decent small cheap saw.

[AnthemBassMan]

Not sure if you’re on Facebook or not, but check out your local Marketplace if you are. There are Echo CS370 and CS400 saws local to me running between $75-$150.

L8R,
Matt

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Small and will be getting really cheap as they are discontinued...under $200 already...
Stihl 170.
Do a minor muffler mod and keep a sharp chain and it is good for 20" wood.
Not fast but super light.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Small and will be getting really cheap as they are discontinued...under $200 already...
Stihl 170.

Yeah, Northern Tool has them at some of their stores for $199. Guess the OP didn't have any place with 170's in his area. NT store 80 miles up the road from me has four of them. Seem to be AM parts available for them too unlike the 171. Hard to beat.

 

[Old Grunt]

With some searching I'm sure I could of found a 170,I wanted to stay local plus I just wanted something different, I started on 5th tank of fuel in the little Echo tonight, I'm really liking that little saw it feels and looks cheap built, but danged if it isnt a comfortable and fun little saw to run, it doesn't start as quick as I'm used to, when cold it takes at least 4 yanks to get a pop,then usually 2 or 3 to start,when hot or warm 2-3 pulls normally, occasionally it fires on first pull hot.
I don't like that goofy choke/ fast idle button it feels like something easily broken off and its just awkward to use for me, but if it don't break off,its just a minor annoyance. I'm not a fan of primer bulbs either, I guess that's just another minor annoyance.

Overall I'm really liking the little Echo with a out the door price of $201. and some change, it be tuff to beat for a little light saw I dont expect it to last forever,I'm looking at it as a light, disposable saw to keep from breaking my more expensive saws and chains.

The Echo 3410,and Stihl 170 would be very close in runtime now, tomorrow I'm going to sharpen both chains and compare them.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Yeah, Northern Tool has them at some of their stores for $199. Guess the OP didn't have any place with 170's in his area. NT store 80 miles up the road from me has four of them. Seem to be AM parts available for them too unlike the 171. Hard to beat.

Used and in great shape, the 170s go for $100-125 here.

 

[Sidecarflip]

As a rule, the one thing I DON'T buy is a used saw. Used = someone else's grief.

 

[Old Grunt]

I went over both little saws,cleaned air filters,bar,sharpened chains,even went fresh gas,and cut down couple dozen trees from 3" - 10" diameter,I chunked them up into firewood lengths,I'd run one awhile then the other.
My conclusion was,the Stihl is faster under 4-5 inches diameter,once get to 6" diameter or so the 4 more cc's of Echo make it little faster,
The Stihl is a better built saw. The plastic is much better,it starts easier.
The Echo either has much smaller fuel tank or it used much more fuel,I have to fuel it almost twice as often as the Stihl.
But I don't have a preference for a light cheap saw either is fine.

I know these are both cheap homeowner saws,and I'm probably making to big of a deal over comparison,but I'm far from a professional however I also cut way more then average homeowner or farmer, I also figure someone spending $700.00 plus on saw has pretty good idea what they want.
I thought a honest comparison of the two,be one way I could give a little back to forum.
Unless little Echo goes to crap soon I'm very pleased with it.
I imagine in the few days I've had Echo I've cut more with it then most homeowners will for the life of the saw.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Again, I only run canned gas, never pre mix and interestingly, m y ancient 028 Stihl runs better on canned gas than it ever did on pre mix. Don't hand file any loops either, I grind all of them with CBN wheels too.

Don't consider any Stihl to be a cheap saw, on the contrary.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I know these are both cheap homeowner saws,and I'm probably making to big of a deal over comparison,but I'm far from a professional however I also cut way more then average homeowner or farmer, I also figure someone spending $700.00 plus on saw has pretty good idea what they want.

The MS170 may not technically be a "professional" saw but it's used by plenty of tree services. Licensed professional arborists just doing pruning may be more likely to spend pro money on a pro saw because they only use a couple of saws, but your average lower budget full service tree trimming/removal company (we've got hundreds of them around here) is going to use whatever does the job they can get their hands on that's light and can be run all day. Granted, many aren't exactly what you'd call professionals, or have a single pro climber/arborist among a largely unskilled crew who can't be trusted not to ruin pro saws. One of the main differences I've found between pro and consumer saws isn't much higher quality piston/cylinder/cranks or anything major, it's in fuel delivery design and sturdiness of the plastics. Cheaper consumer saws always seem to use primer bulbs and the crappiest carburetor and fuel tank tubing that routinely rots out. Having seen Chinese success - albeit with terrible hit or miss quality control - at cloning pro saws, it's not always so much where or who it's made by as the design. My guess would be 9/10 of what makes modern Poulan/Homelite/Craftsman consumer saws such crap is merely the carburetors and fuel tubing. I think they were designed to fail easily so people without repair skills would just go out and buy another.

 

[Defdice]

Just stopped in to visit with Echo dealer,,I asked about difference between 3410 and 3510,,his answer was we don't know,he said he'd asked Echo rep couple times and rep didn't know either .
He also said he's heard a couple times from guys that have both,the 3410 actually runs better then 3510.

The 3410 replaces the 310 while the 3510 replaces the 352.

Echo's press release for the 3410 says it has 1.7 horsepower.

Echo's Non-US websites list the 3510 as having 2.02 horsepower (converting from Kw).

Weird that they are both 34.4 cc - maybe its like 590 and 620 power difference but both being the same cc's

 

[Khntr85]

Get a blade for your trimmer, then you don’t have to bend over I use one for decorative grass, roses, a lot of things actually….on eBay you can get 2-3 for cheap!!

 

[maowwg]

A thought / observation to the original discussion on an ideal light inexpensive saw for a long nail and wire infested trail overgrown with small trees. Some Echo products take the cheap and plentiful Poulan chains and bars. Echo 400 comes to mind for sure. That’s a nice option when dealing with metal and where cutting speed isn’t important. If you tear off a half dozen teeth on cheap easy to replace Walmart chain riding on a $20 14 inch bar it stings less than higher end bars and chains. I think disposable saws / bars and chains have a limited but real place for mud, metal, stumps, gravel, sand etc etc.

 

[Old Grunt]

maowwg,I had same thought,sadly both Wal Marts I checked was sold out of .050 gauge for 14" bar,plenty for 16" and 18" bar.

I ended up just getting couple Oregon chains, I also put OEM metal felling dog on saw,not for cutting,to give little protection for front of saw.

I'm really liking that little saw I've ran the little saw quite a bit since I bought it,I mixed up 5 gallon of fuel the day I bought it 2.5 weeks ago,I have less then a quart of fuel left. I topped off my Stihl MS391,and MS660,both was almost full and 1 possibly 2 tanks in the 170,rest been burned in Echo 3410. I realize that's not a lot of fuel for a saws lifetime, however that's probably more fuel then most those little homeowner Echos will ever use.

Compared to the MS170 the CS3410 just looks and feels cheap,and has few things I dont care for,but I do like running the little Echo much more then the 170.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

I was pretty impressed with with the people at Echo dealership,and for being in a small town in just the 10-15 minutes I was in store,there was probably half a dozen customers came and went.
I had did some research and knew at that particular location they have a 30% off sale in 2 weeks, I decided to spend extra 30 bucks since I need/want small saw now,plus kind of cheap way to check on dealers honesty.
I was kind of disappointed when he didn't mention sale,I gave guy credit card and he rang me up,when he handed me back card he said,total is $201.76,Echo is having 30% off sale in 2 weeks so I gave you that price.
I'm still a Stihl fan and will continue to go to the Stihl dealership nearby,for farm repairs and Stihl equipment,but the Echo guy got him a new customer for small stuff.
I have been running wife's Stihl 170 couple hours a day every day for about a week, I'll post again after I do a little cutting with the Echo 3410,I did notice the Echo felt smidge heavier to me,possibly just balance and not really enough difference to even mention.

I’ve never seen echo do 30% off. They used to do 20 off and even that stopped for a few years and eventually they went to 15 off. That’s a heck of a deal! My dealer is participating, just over a month away but at 15.

 

[david newbie]

Small and will be getting really cheap as they are discontinued...under $200 already...
Stihl 170.
Do a minor muffler mod and keep a sharp chain and it is good for 20" wood.
Not fast but super light.

really? 20" wood! ( you know why women are not great at spatial relationship? All their life they have been told"this" is 6 inches)

 

[diver64]

Just stopped in to visit with Echo dealer,,I asked about difference between 3410 and 3510,,his answer was we don't know,he said he'd asked Echo rep couple times and rep didn't know either .
He also said he's heard a couple times from guys that have both,the 3410 actually runs better then 3510.

If neither the dealer or factory rep didn't know any details about the product they are selling I'd steer clear of the product.

 

[diver64]

Small and will be getting really cheap as they are discontinued...under $200 already...
Stihl 170.
Do a minor muffler mod and keep a sharp chain and it is good for 20" wood.
Not fast but super light.

If your cutting 20in wood I'm not sure the 170 is the correct tool for the job.