Look at the Echo cs590. The stihl saw suggestions are good but the 261 may be to small and the 660 is overkill. The Echo is a magnesium cased 60cc saw that will handle a 24 inch bar. They sell for around $399.00
I’d probably buy from my local dealer, who could take my 064 in trade. That gives me less leverage on price, but helps me avoid the hassle of selling the old saw to someone who could break it or hurt themselves with it.
The 084 is a beast, but not as fun to run. Slower chain speed for just chewing and chewing, without ever slowing up a bit, but the 064 is miles faster with a 30” or less bar. I had an 084 very briefly, try before you buy situation.
Look at the Echo cs590. The stihl saw suggestions are good but the 261 may be to small and the 660 is overkill. The Echo is a magnesium cased 60cc saw that will handle a 24 inch bar. They sell for around $399.00
Thats definitely not an upgrade for a 064 and running a 24" bar in oak???? I don't think so.
He already has a small saw. He needs something for up to 24" oak. Sorry but a 261 aint in that league.
All true, minus your usual unnecessary insults. But if you’re not carrying the saw long distances, there’s no reason for all that extra work. I put my saws in the bucket of my front-end loader, drive into the woods, make a few cuts, and then drag the logs out in 15 foot lengths (or 7.5 feet, if they’re over 36” diameter). The extra two or four pounds of a larger saw really aren’t enough to deter me from the frustration of working with an under-powered saw, or the extra time and thought required to take a 36” tree with a 16” bar.This MS 261 is a Major league pro saw for 99% of most non career work. The right mix of speed, weight, power for what most of us do. Easy 8 cords of hardwood firewood harvested from the woodlot each year, intensive trails maintenance for regional environmental groups, and of course the constant softwood blowdowns to clear and buck for shoulder firewood. The MS261 with 16" and 20" bars has done it all.
The 16" bar with the skills of knowing how to plunge/bore cut, target falls, and wedge use WILL and HAS safely dropped trees to 36" trunk ( DBH for you). And, just as fast and accurately as a 440 with a 28" bar.
Sure it's mach to want the big boy saws such as the MS660 with a 36" bar for the part time suburban cuts. Fine. Most of the tree surgeons, loggers, and contractors prefer the smaller tools ( such as the 261) for worker safety, efficiency, and fatigue here. My older saws when I was that strapping Ranger ( sic ) were the Stihl 440, 028, etc with those silly long bars in the +28" range. Silly. I want a tool that I can use all day safely without that "movement" partner holding my hand.
The smaller pro saws of Hisky and Stihl can also be carried for trail work in a backpack with wedges, hammer, aid kit, 2in1 with stump vise.
That's the experience in these Northeastern mountain valleys with diverse trees. Bore cuts are fun if you know how.
Jazz is right for WESTERN timber professionals with trunks well over 3' DBH.
However for us Northeastern part timers only doing clearing, trail work, and mostly firewood from our woodlots, a 50cc pro saw is adequate for 90% of the cutting. Less fatigue, faster sharpening with shorter bars under 20", the right training to do bigger trees with shorter bars along with using wedges,
makes for enjoyable time in the woods. Besides, as you get older, the body does not crave heavy tools. We need more time to enjoy buddies, drinking, and our partners.
BTW Jazz, where'd you get the tat ?
I have a 261, 362, and 461, and a Dolmar PS510 that is ported along with some cheap and lightweight box store saws. A CS310 echo and a 171 stihl for liming and cleanup and a Husky top handle.
Of all those I will grab the 362, hands down, every time I go to the woods. I carry it in the log truck also for when I have to cut when loading. If I need to fell more than one larger tree like I will do this Saturday I will take the 461 and 362. I run a 25” bar on the 461 and 20” on the 362. I do have a 32” bar with skip tooth chain for a pinch and In all honesty if you want to run a bar larger than a 24” a 660 is what you need for the power to run a 32” bar efficiently. I plan on a 660 this year before winter. Nice thing is the 362, 461, and 660 are all the same bar mount so they are interchangeable. A 390xp from husqvarna will run a 36” ok and it’s cheaper than a 461 but a lot more powerful. There are some that will say their 271 farm boss will run a 20 and 25 bar a fine all day long. It will, with more fuel and more sweat. There is a reason manufacturers recommend bar sizes. 60cc in a pro saw or 70cc in a farm and ranch saw are close to equal on power. The max is 24/25 inches for bars.
When I bought the 362 I demo’d It and a Husky 562xp. The 562 probably out performed the stihl but, I felt the engine was more durable with double piston rings on the stihl vs the husky. I bought that as my everyday pro saw that I will have till I quit burning wood. The differences on power to weight of the 261 and 362 along with the price difference being only a 100bucks makes the 261 a non issue to me. That and a .325 vs 3/8 chain makes it something To cut brush with. I buy chain bulk and make my chains so I stay with 3/8 for everything I use everyday. The 261 was way under powered for a 3/8 chain when I tried it.
What I suggest is talking to shops and regional reps and demo something. Nothing will tell you how much you like it like running it for a day. If you buy new plan on close to a thousand bucks for a 362 or 562 Husky with extra chains.
How I sum up the 361/362 too. I've had 2-362's. One was a CM. It's the saw I end up using most of the time. Right balance and power.
Used as THE one saw for limbing, bucking, felling by many pros.
Very big qualitative diff between those cutting part time even if it is up to 10 real cords/year, trail work for environmental groups and on our woodlots, and the PITA blowdowns to clear. There is no macho gestalt with saws or ordinance or firearms. That's how we see chainsaws.
There are full time pro users like Mr. Medic then those of us who cut and harvest for ourselves and some volunteer felling for vet groups and trails.
We are older, have had our share of sports and other injuries, and NEED tools ( NEED) that reflect our physical and skill abilities. We ain't pros even IF we have had similar training to pros. And few of the weekend cutters (sic) need anything like professional saws like Stihl 880, 660, 0r 440. The 362's are still too much for most of us (me at least) for cutting in a short day of recreation. Not work.
I use plunge/bore cuts with my 50cc tool cause my saws have short bars, I take care with felling, and have other recreations to waste my body year-round.
No comparison.
A lot of great posts. I can’t believe no one asked how much land and how many trees. Is it 5 acres or 500 and is it 100 trees or a 1000? Will this be a 3 week cleanup and your done other than yearly cleanup. Buy the biggest saw you need and what you can afford based on all you have read here. Unlike you I am brand specific with Stihl. I have a 026 and it does what I need it to do.
We use essential cookies to make this site work, and optional cookies to enhance your experience.