We used them as truck saw at the township. I gotta agree they work in a pinch even if they are gutless.
Which saw would you recommend
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I agree with your suggestion of a battery saw also. No, the 180 doesn’t have much power but it’s a good little saw if you aren’t in a hurry, or enjoy cutting from time to time around the house and want to make the fun last a little bit longer. I’m not really a Stihl guy, but I do like the 180 for it’s boxy old school Stihl profile too. And I still like to see 2 bar nuts on a small saw.
You can buy a cs590 new for US $400.00 or less.
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
Shooting lead at the the split woodpile….compromise can be key to inner happiness….
as for the husky saws, who wants to wait an hour or two for the lowes kid to find the key to the saws…lol
Dollar for dollar you cannot beat an echo
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
They have to run to beat them….lol
I never saw any discussion of WHAT the OP is going to be cutting with the saw. Seems pointless to make recommendations without knowing that. I probably use my little Echo 2511 more than any other saw - trimming trails, thinning small trees, girdling larger ones, etc., but firewood time means the 60cc comes out. Different uses - different tools. If I could only have one saw I'd probably go 50 cc. Echo 4910 would be my budget choice.
If he wanted a nice light saw that would do what he needs a cs400 would work just fine.
An echo seems to be the vote here so far and I can’t disagree.
ValleyForge
Liberty Farms
It is the safest saw discussed to far…since the chain has to move to really hurt you….lol
I got big saws and little saws, but the saw that does 90% of my work is the cs400 and will do any thing that an 18" bar can tackle. At well under 300 bucks it's a good choice. I bought one 4 years ago for $199.00 bucks, brother bought one at the same time. I drilled out the cat, pulled the caps off and re-tuned the carb and she runs like a "scalded dog".
ladnar
ArboristSite Member
I agree, Stihl 261 is a great saw, but for the money I recommend an Echo 4910, 50cc, works great with an 18" bar, will pull a 20. I have that a 590 and a 620.
For the money Echo can't be beat. $359. delivered and I agree with "ammoaddict" Echo red armor 2-stroke is GREAT.
It’s hard to beat the Echo 590 for what you get. It blows any of the homeowner Husky’s away. Super reliable and great low end. It’s like the Toyota of saws. I have 4 pro saws and a 590 and can’t bring myself to ever get rid of it, I love that thing!
I've got a 024 which is a favorite of mine.
Based on your opening statement, I would recommend Echo. Excellent saws for the money. Now I LOVE my Husqvarna saws, but if I were a homeowner, my first choice would be the CS 501P, and second choice would be the CS 590. The Japanese make damn fine 2-cycle engines. Either should outlast most consumer-grade “Barbie tools”.
JQ
JQ
Phecda
ArboristSite Member
No, get the 261 for 620. It will hold its value best if you decide to sell it, or it will outlive you and your children will inherit it. And 619 is a smoking good price.
Perfect sense. If I didn't enjoy saws like I do and I was just using it as a tool to get a job done, them absolutely I would spend the least amount possible and buy more ammo. I have a very old 50 and a newer 545. The old 50 still runs great and will cut anything I need it to. The 545 is just nicer to run, lighter, faster and better AV. A man just had to decide how he wants to spend his money. He has gotten some very good advice on here.
Backstage
ArboristSite Operative
I’ll put in another for the Husky or anything with an autotune. Most occasional users aren’t going to be able to tune the saw like it needs.
A crappy saw, well maintained, will do you better than a pro saw that sits neglected and unused.
What are you going to be cutting? How often?
If I were starting out and didn’t have any specific needs that demanded a big or expensive saw, an Echo CS400 would be at the top of my list. It seems like a versatile little machine and once you open it up so it can breathe better, they seem to cut well. If it were my saw, I would drop a bar size or two (13-14”) in the interest of the sort of balance and handling I prefer.
From there, I might add a CS620 with a 16” bar for most tasks and a 24” one for the occasional task that requires more bar.
You can get away with using a bigger saw than necessary for small saw tasks much easier if you’ve hung a small bar off it. Something to consider. I was out cutting invasives a couple weeks back, mostly buckthorn and honeysuckle in the 2-4” range, and I was running an Echo brush cutter with 8”/22t blade. It was enough for what was being cut. Another guy was cutting the same stuff with me using an Echo 590/20”, and that saw was kicking his butt for doing that kind of work, largely because of the long bar being used in tight, brushy quarters. I think a light 16” bar would have made his life easier, assuming he was intent on running that powerhead for this work.
There is not much that the Echo 400/620 combo, with a sharp chain and some sitting skill/experience under your belt, could not do. Felling, limbing, trimming, and firewood cutting. There might be machines that would do the job faster, but for most of us, so what?
Having run it some, I would disagree that the Stihl 261 is some magical log saber. It is a nice 50cc saw, nothing more. I would not stretch my budget for that machine; you’d be better off with a used Husqvarna 346xp in any case, and as a bonus you’d be able to get that saw and stay within your budget.
A used 026 and/or 036 would be a very solid place to start. No objections there. Those saws are proven, bulletproof platforms.
What are you going to be cutting? How often?
If I were starting out and didn’t have any specific needs that demanded a big or expensive saw, an Echo CS400 would be at the top of my list. It seems like a versatile little machine and once you open it up so it can breathe better, they seem to cut well. If it were my saw, I would drop a bar size or two (13-14”) in the interest of the sort of balance and handling I prefer.
From there, I might add a CS620 with a 16” bar for most tasks and a 24” one for the occasional task that requires more bar.
You can get away with using a bigger saw than necessary for small saw tasks much easier if you’ve hung a small bar off it. Something to consider. I was out cutting invasives a couple weeks back, mostly buckthorn and honeysuckle in the 2-4” range, and I was running an Echo brush cutter with 8”/22t blade. It was enough for what was being cut. Another guy was cutting the same stuff with me using an Echo 590/20”, and that saw was kicking his butt for doing that kind of work, largely because of the long bar being used in tight, brushy quarters. I think a light 16” bar would have made his life easier, assuming he was intent on running that powerhead for this work.
There is not much that the Echo 400/620 combo, with a sharp chain and some sitting skill/experience under your belt, could not do. Felling, limbing, trimming, and firewood cutting. There might be machines that would do the job faster, but for most of us, so what?
Having run it some, I would disagree that the Stihl 261 is some magical log saber. It is a nice 50cc saw, nothing more. I would not stretch my budget for that machine; you’d be better off with a used Husqvarna 346xp in any case, and as a bonus you’d be able to get that saw and stay within your budget.
A used 026 and/or 036 would be a very solid place to start. No objections there. Those saws are proven, bulletproof platforms.
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