Want your opinion

[riverat]

Hey guys, looking for opinions on buying what I call a brush saw, I am running a stihl wood boss and really like it a lot. But when it comes to cutting for long hours bent over I have to tell ya this old back starts to howl , so I would like to buy a small saw for when I am cutting out tree tops that incorporates a 12 or 14 inch bar would be all I would need, looked at stihl low end and turned my nose up at how cheap they look especially the chain adjustment tension knob . So it comes down to echo or husky, I know I am going to get lots of opinions on this I hope and majority decides what's on my list to buy .

Thanks to all that respond to my post

Jeff

 

[bobdog2o02]

Echo CS-400. 5yr homeowner warranty. Not too heavy, built sturdy and affordable.

 

[Mag Craft]

Yep I agree the echo is not a bad way to go.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I've got an Echo 360T. Not sure what it weighs but it's light and runs like a bastard.

 

[cityboy172]

Husqvarna 390xp with a 28-32"bar. Just solved your problem of having to bend over.

Seriously, I wouldn't go any lower then a husqvarna 545 or 550xp (don't know echo's products). I've go from a ms250 to a ms290 to a ms460 and just added a husqvarna 562xp. I'm liking the husqvarna a lot. So much that I'm thinking about adding a large and small husqvarna to go with the 562 and ditching stihl.

I've be come a big believer in the pro saws in stihl and husqvarna. Everything about the homeowner / midgrade saws felt weak after starting to work with pro saws, From how good it pulled a chain to the way it felt in the hand.

 

[Creekside]

Husqvarna 390xp with a 28-32"bar. Just solved your problem of having to bend over.

I know this will sound counter-intuitive, but I learned this from working with a guy who is a USFS Class C Faller, and has more time running a saw than all of us combined. Its common out here on the west coast for anybody who does tree work/logging for a living to mainly use a 044 or 046 with a 28"-32" bar (or even a 066/36") for the majority of their cutting because it allows you to walk along and limb/buck without bending over.

Think about it, its the bending over that's causing the pain because our body doesn't like to be in that position while carrying heavy loads. I run a 044 with a 28" bar and it allows me to stay mostly upright while limbing and bucking. Now this probably doesn't appeal to you because that size saw is significantly heavier to carry around and we run full skip chains since we mostly have softwood and few true hardwoods. For me, I know I would have a lot more back pain if I used a light saw with a shorter bar because of all the bending over. I occasionally use my 192T on the ground but it never lasts long because of the bending over.

I thought I'd throw this out there since it works for me.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I learned this from working with a guy who is a USFS Class C Faller, and has more time running a saw than all of us combined. Its common out here on the west coast for anybody who does tree work/logging for a living to mainly use a 044 or 046 with a 28"-32" bar (or even a 066/36") for the majority of their cutting because it allows you to walk along and limb/buck without bending over.

Not sure what a class C faller is but as a Western WA wood cutter I generally agree with this. I use a 440 with a 25" bar and do very little bending when I'm limbing a big conifer. But I cut a lot of firewood that isn't big, straight conifers - Bigleaf Maple, Red Alder, Madrona - and a small limbing saw is quite nice for wading into those messes. Most people on this board cut up deciduous trees with tons of branches and very brushy tops where a big saw with a long bar will wear you out very quickly.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Not sure what a class C faller is but as a Western WA wood cutter I generally agree with this. I use a 440 with a 25" bar and do very little bending when I'm limbing a big conifer. But I cut a lot of firewood that isn't big, straight conifers - Bigleaf Maple, Red Alder, Madrona - and a small limbing saw is quite nice for wading into those messes. Most people on this board cut up deciduous trees with tons of branches and very brushy tops where a big saw with a long bar will wear you out very quickly.

Bigger is also more dangerous in a knarly downed tree, I like a 14" on my cs400 for this type of limbing. Very manueverable, I wouldn't think of limbing with my 670 with the 27" bar on it.....

 

[Oldman47]

Let me try something here. How about a medium/small saw fitted with a nice long reach bar? It would give you the reach without the weight.

 

[Jon1270]

Rear-handle MS200.

 

[Jags]

Let me try something here. How about a medium/small saw fitted with a nice long reach bar? It would give you the reach without the weight.

Most small saws lack the oiling capacity needed for longer bars.

 

[Mag Craft]

Besides when out cutting all day long your back is not the only thing that gets tired. Using a big heavy saw your arms will get tired also. Must of us here are not people who do this for a living with gorilla arms.

 

[Giles]

Hey guys, looking for opinions on buying what I call a brush saw, I am running a stihl wood boss and really like it a lot. But when it comes to cutting for long hours bent over I have to tell ya this old back starts to howl , so I would like to buy a small saw for when I am cutting out tree tops that incorporates a 12 or 14 inch bar would be all I would need, looked at stihl low end and turned my nose up at how cheap they look especially the chain adjustment tension knob . So it comes down to echo or husky, I know I am going to get lots of opinions on this I hope and majority decides what's on my list to buy .

Thanks to all that respond to my post

Jeff

I recently cut nine large sweet gum trees. The smallest saw I have is a top handle stihl 200t that I used for a few cuts. However I do not recommend a top handle saw for ground cutting. I have a lot of back problems and just thought--there has to be a better way.
I used my stihl pole saw and was delighted that I could cut limbs by reaching and not having to crawl over the downed limbs. After cutting what I could, I would drag the cut limbs and drag them to my burn pile, then go back to cutting again.

 

[j7art2]

I use a 32 year old Homelite with 12 or 14" bar. Top handled. No idea how it still runs, but it does. It's older than I am (I'm 31) and it works well. It's light enough that I can hold pallets with one hand and run the saw with the other to cut them and make kindling quickly.

 

[Dairyman]

MS-241

 

[riverat]

Thank you guys for your input on my post,I believe I will go with a echo ,like the warranty and besides I have a dealer just a few miles away from where I live.

Jeff

 

[bobdog2o02]

Buy it from home depot. I believe they stock the 300 400 and 590. I use Dave's lawn and garden in Manheim and he couldn't touch home depots pricing.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Fwiw, my father in law has a CS-300 running a 12" bar like a champ. I often borrow it for lighter work even though I have the CS-400.

 

[Giles]

Thank you guys for your input on my post,I believe I will go with a echo ,like the warranty and besides I have a dealer just a few miles away from where I live.

Jeff

I rebuild and sell a lot of chainsaws. I only deal with Stihl, Husqvarna, Makita/Dolmar and Echo. In my personal opinion all have there good/bad points. I have worked on a lot of Echo chainsaws that warranty wouldn't cover. If you read virtually any warranty, it is written to protect the manufacturer not you. Many ways they can deny warranty.
I have not bought a new saw in many years, but I would not let a warranty influence me very much. I respectably disagree about buying a saw from a big box store. If you buy from a dealer, any repair work will be done in a timely manner not put on the back shelf as they do with Big Box Store bought saws.
Box Stores don't work on saws, to my knowledge, so they take the saw to a repair shop. I have no idea if they have to take them to an Echo dealer or not.
If you have a problem/complaint, a servicing dealer will be much more helpful.
I really like Echo equipment, especially after they are set up to run like to old saws did, without the carb restrictors and cat mufflers.

 

[Creekside]

Rear-handle MS200.

Too bad they don't make these anymore thanks to the EPA. These have an awesome power to weight ratio.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Buy at depot, file the warranty, repair at at a dealer.......

 

[highanddryinco]

Many recommend staying away from the top handle saws for everyday use but I absolutely love my little old 011AVT for limbing. This is especially true when I've got blow downs that are sitting about three or four feet off the ground out by top. I get lots of those here. That little saw with the 3/8" micro chain is like running a gas powered Ghinsu knife. Working my dinosaur 029 on those things makes my old back bark too.

 

[drz1050]

I got my Echo at a dealer. He beat Home Depot's price, and the only 590 they had in stock had a 18" bar, I wanted 20. For no charge, they took it in the back, put a 20 Oregon bar on, replaced the stock semi chisel chain with a full, and removed the carb limiters/ gave it a quick tune.

Treat your dealer well, and they'll treat you well. Since then, I've bought a mower and string trimmer from the same guys. For anyone in upstate NY, Emerich Sales & Service- good peoples.

 

[Fifelaker]

I agree with buying at the dealer if you think you may need work. The only Echo I have any experience with is a CS-3400 top handle. It seems to be a fairly well made saw for what it is, it always starts and runs. I did a muffler mod on it and it woke it up quite a bit. In the Stihl line the MS241 gets my vote.

 

[Osagebndr]

Echo cs310 is also a very good saw as well as the husky 543xp. I used a friends ms 170 and it is also a sweet light weight saw .