Been stewing all weekend.... UPDATED......

[Yoder409]

.............and reading old posts here, and watching YouTube and searching online reviews and looking at my checkbook and...............

Said in another post that I've been dyed-in-the-wool Husky for 25 years or more.  I want a 562XP in the WORST kinda way.  But I'm having a hard time justifying one. 

I received some very cordial and helpful info here.  And I thank everyone for it. 

But I think I am going to stop on my way to work in the morning and have the Echo man set me up a CS-590 with a 20" bar and see how that goes for me.  It's $340 less than the Husky.  The dealer is a good man who I trust and his shop is 1 mile from work and he opens before I start work.  So service will be convenient.

Way I look at it is that if the Echo doesn't do what I need it to do, I will toss cash for a 562XP next spring.  Should be in a whisker better financial position then.  So at worst.............if the Echo doesn't pan out......... I only gotta live with it for a year.

From what I read online, other than being a bit heavy for a 60 cube, it is a respected saw.

[mad murdock]

I have a feeling you will be pleasantly surprised. Happy new saw day!!

[DelawhereJoe]

The one thing that put me off on echo saws is that they dont list hp on any of there saws, I even e-mailed customer service on it and they basically told me they don't  rate there saws and that every saw makers hp ratings are tested differently so there is no consistency in testing.

[gspren]

   I look at things different than some, 20 years ago when I bought a new 044 Stihl the neighbor thought and told me I was nuts to buy a pro saw for personal firewood cutting but if I would have bought something less to save money I'd have 20 years regretting it. Now for those 20 years I've been pleased every time I use that 044 and the per year cost of ownership is negligible plus I could sell it for a good chunk. If you really want an Echo get it, but if you really want that Husky than get it. JMHO

[Yoder409]

Yeah.............that's a bit weird.  It's probably because it would become pretty evident that they are not competitors in the power/weight ratio battle with the red saws, orange & white saws and the REAL orange saws.

Somewhere online I believe I found the 590 listed as 3.9 HP. 

Not eye-popping.  But for the time being, I think I need to hold my nose, swallow my pride and pocket my $350.

[weimedog]

A lot of wood has been cut with echo saws... hope you enjoy the new saw experience

[Al_Smith]

What you will find is there is a lot of hoopla and hype about brands .It's a Ford/Chevy-John-Deere/Farmall -Harley/Honda thing .

When you cut to the chase about all saws within a certain displacement criteria in stock form cut about the same. In spite of that hype there has been a lot firewood cut with Echos, Poulans and the like and they didn't fall apart after twenty hours of running like some allude to . Ha Ha Ha this could be as much fun as the oil wars  8)

[thecfarm]

I've been running Husky for 20 years now. I had a Sthil before that. I went to husky for dealer support. $340 is alot of money to save. And you like the dealer.

[rburg]

I have run one 590 and it was a good running saw. Almost all the comments I have read about the 590 from  owners has been positive. I believe you will be able to cut plenty of wood with this saw and enjoy your money saved.

[DelawhereJoe]

I know what you are talking about with the price,  if and when I need a bigger saw I will be getting the big echo saw 80cc only cause I cant afford stihl or husqvarna's saws in the same bar size class.

[woodsdog2015]

I've have owned an Echo CS-300 Tree Saw for several years now.. I bought it before I got into wood heating for deer stand preparation and around the home tasks.  I got it from a dealer who used to sell saws and trimmers before the big boxes started to carry them and put him out of business.  He stocked quality items. Anyway.. you can tell I miss the dealer..... anyway, I've beat the heck out of that saw and it always starts and runs like a champ.  I highly recommend Echo. 

[XP_Slinger]

After reading all the posts in this thread I think you're getting some very level headed advice. No Chevy vs Ford rhetoric as cited above.  You're a husky guy and it's difficult to depart from your norm, understandable.   While I can't speak from experience with regard to echo saws and how they run, one thing is certain; they have an excellent reputation on this forum and others.  I highly doubt you will be dissapointed in it especially considering you have dealer close that you WANT to give business to.  Don't forget about the other less expensive yet high quality saws that Dolmar puts out if the price point is the only factor.  Have fun with your new saw, whatever it may be.

[jargo432]

Just wondering what kind of wood and how big do you cut?  I cut oak for the fireplace and that's all I've ever cut.  (with one exception, I had to fell an elm to get to the oaks I wanted)  I've always wondered how my 590 would go through a softer wood like pine.

[Yoder409]

Just wondering what kind of wood and how big do you cut?  I cut oak for the fireplace and that's all I've ever cut.  (with one exception, I had to fell an elm to get to the oaks I wanted)  I've always wondered how my 590 would go through a softer wood like pine.

For the most part, I cut stuff on the smaller side.  I do have to finish the ash salvage on my property this spring.  But nothing much over 20".

However............. I have two downed trees I need to attend to.  One is a white oak with about 1200 BF in the butt log and a train car of firewood.  The other is a soft maple with about 750 BF in the butt log and a tri-axle load of firewood.  Those two are not only going to tax the Echo saw, but a 70 HP Kubota 4x4 tractor getting them out and every bit of wood cutting smarts this dummy has.

[Yoder409]

!!

May be a whisker of exaggeration on the amount of firewood in each tree.  But the oak log was scaled and the maple is pretty close just by eyeball they are freakin' huge !!!

[ladylake]

Exaggerated published numbers sell saws, Stihl sold a ton of MS290 saws that claimed 3.8hp when in fact they would be lucky to have 3.2 hp.  Tuned right and muff modded Echo saws cut right with any saw cc to cc also muff modded.  Steve

[Yoder409]

Only problem.with the muffler mod is that it would likely void the warranty.     Been kicking around buying a second muffler to mod and run and keep the other one on the shelf.

[JSNH]

I have a Sthil 361 and my son has a Echo 590. When we are out cutting the Echo starts easier and runs great. I think it is a bit lighter but it pulls as much or more than my 361. A real world comparison between two similar sized saws.  Both good saws you should be happy with the 590.

[hacknchop]

I really like my echo saw starts good and cuts firewood and my buddy must like it too as he got it from me to use till he got his saw back from shop that was last yr, his saw was fixed about a week after getting mine but he says the echo is easier for him to use. I should add that he will soon be 80 and ya he's a tough old nut. 8)

[Yoder409]

Well....................... Picked up my new 590 this morning.

Don't know if I'll get to dirty it this weekend or not.  Anxious to see how it makes.................

[CTYank]

Well....................... Picked up my new 590 this morning.

Don't know if I'll get to dirty it this weekend or not.  Anxious to see how it makes.................

From my few minutes' experience of running 59cc Echo, I'd say you'll be very happy. In stock form, it's just noticeably down on power from a Dolmar 6100, which is a pretty badazz saw.

Figure running 5-10 tankfuls through it until it really hits its stride. Then check the mirror for yer grin.

I've a few Echo power tools from the '70s. Still run great. Wore out a throttle cable on brushcutter. Wouldn't want to guess how many thousands of hours' runtime on that 22cc creature.

[21incher]

Well....................... Picked up my new 590 this morning.

Don't know if I'll get to dirty it this weekend or not.  Anxious to see how it makes.................

Good luck with it. I love mine. I pulled out my 310 & 590 after sitting since last Nov this morning and the 310 started on the 2nd pull while it took 3 pulls for the 590.  My dealer told me to take it easy with the 590 for the first couple of tanks of fuel to break it in.

[ladylake]

Only problem.with the muffler mod is that it would likely void the warranty.     Been kicking around buying a second muffler to mod and run and keep the other one on the shelf.

On a CS590 the most clogged up thing on the muff is just the deflector which has a tiny opening, if you open up the deflector a new deflector  cost about $8.  Steve

[Al_Smith]

You have to remember most if not all saws as per EPA regulations and warranty issues are some what "detuned"from the factory .Just about all of them can be enhanced .There again there  goes that warranty thing .Nothing ventured nothing gained .

A person who buys a new it can be of concern .A guy like me who considers a 20 year old saw as "new"  doesn't have those concerns .

[Yoder409]

Well......... After parts of 3 days running my new Echo, I'll say it is basically a lot of bang for the buck in a saw that size.

It is not flashy.    Doesn't accelerate like my old Husky.    It is not lightweight.  But it starts VERY quickly and easily.......even without decompressing.  It has ample power.  Not outstanding.   But no slouch either.   It sounds good at an idle.......just a nice throaty tone.   All the controls are well placed.

I would have liked to test drive a 562XP for reference.    Just to see if it really is $350 more saw.    But for now, this Timber Wolf seems to be a saw I will be able to live with.   I'm not in love with it yet.    We'll see.......