Help Me!! With my two saw plan

[JKendrick87]

Echo isn't a bad idea. It's easy spending someone else's money. I figure if you have $800 for a saw, you also have $1,100 for a saw. It isn't much additional money for a purchase that'll be around for years. OTOH, if $800 is a stretch, echo will give you a very nice saw for <$500. The web says the difference between the 590 and 620 is >$80, but I guess it depends on the local dealer. The 590 is a good saw that'll serve you for years, and a nice alternative to buying a used pro saw that may need some work.

I appreciate the advice everyone, whatever I decide on will be new for sure. I like the idea of echo also but it's the same deal as Husky. Home Depot is the only one close that sells them and the nearest actual servicing dealer is around 40 mins away.

[JKendrick87]

My big saw is my 362 and I love it.  I bought it used for a good price and it was very lightly used.  Looking at the price of new saws, the 400 is only like $150 more than the 362.  I guess if I were going to buy new, I would go with the 400.  I keep a 20" bar on it, but have a 25" I can use if needed.  I have not used it yet.  My small saw is a 261 with 18" bar.  With the 18" bar I don't notice it to be less powerful than the 362.

That's what I'm having a hard time with I've never really ran a pro saw, the biggest saw I've ran was a 391 with a 25" bar. Lots of time on the 310 with the 20" bar. Would I really be disappointed in the 362 if I've never experienced the 400?

[firefighter ontheside]

I highly doubt that you would be disappointed.  Before the 362, the best saws I had ran were my MS291 with 20" bar and a 280 at the fire department.  When I first used the 362 it screamed thru oak compared to the 291.  I was hooked.  I'm sure the 400 would be even more impressive, but I'm satisfied with the 362.

[Magicman]

I finally got to use my new MS261 today.  My small saw has been an MS170 so it's not hard to imagine how happy I am. 

[JKendrick87]

I finally got to use my new MS261 today.  My small saw has been an MS170 so it's not hard to imagine how happy I am.

That’s so awesome wish I could’ve seen that smile on your face! Boy what a huge difference between those two saws!

[Magicman]

Yes, a huge difference in cc's (power) but not much difference in size & weight.  ;D

[lxskllr]

My final thoughts on this... 60cc is kind of weird saw size. It's truly a midrange saw. It's not really a light saw, and it's also not really a powerful saw. When I want a light saw, I grab one of my saws that's ≤50cc. If I want a powerful saw, I grab my 661, but I'd rather grab a 70cc saw that I don't own. The 661 is too big for some things, but since I have a 362, and I'm not doing this stuff for money, it's hard to come off the money for another 10cc.

The point I'm getting around to, is if you're truly *only* gonna have two saws for the foreseeable future, 60cc isn't a bad size. However, if you intend on expanding the lineup, a 60cc saw throws a wrench in the works. You're close enough to 50cc and 70cc that you feel like you're throwing money away if you buy them, but it's far enough away to not really replace either if you get what I'm saying.

[JKendrick87]

My final thoughts on this... 60cc is kind of weird saw size. It's truly a midrange saw. It's not really a light saw, and it's also not really a powerful saw. When I want a light saw, I grab one of my saws that's ≤50cc. If I want a powerful saw, I grab my 661, but I'd rather grab a 70cc saw that I don't own. The 661 is too big for some things, but since I have a 362, and I'm not doing this stuff for money, it's hard to come off the money for another 10cc.

The point I'm getting around to, is if you're truly *only* gonna have two saws for the foreseeable future, 60cc isn't a bad size. However, if you intend on expanding the lineup, a 60cc saw throws a wrench in the works. You're close enough to 50cc and 70cc that you feel like you're throwing money away if you buy them, but it's far enough away to not really replace either if you get what I'm saying.

I totally get what you're saying, but with that excellent description I feel you've made my decision easier for me because yes I'll be at two saws for awhile and it makes more sense for the work being done to go bigger now rather than later. The 400c is close enough to that 70cc that it will handle the majority of any of the bigger stuff we deal with on our property. The rest can definitely be taken care of with the 201 and 290.

[barbender]

The reason I like the 562 so much is it will cut right with a 70cc saw, but with 60cc weight. The only time you would notice a difference is running bars longer than 24".

[thecfarm]

I ran a 50cc and a 70cc. Seems like the small one is in my hands most of the time.
The small one is much easier on my body. Even 15 years ago it was easier.
I should of had a small one 40 years ago. But that is another story.

[Magicman]

I very seldom ever put the 25" bar on my MS362.  When bucking large diameter logs, I saw one side with the 20" bar and then step around and saw the other side.  Wedges are my friend when bucking.

[JKendrick87]

I very seldom ever put the 25" bar on my MS362.  When bucking large diameter logs, I saw one side with the 20" bar and then step around and saw the other side.  Wedges are my friend when bucking.

How did the 362 do with oiling on the 25" bar? I've heard the 400's oiler struggles 25+

[Ianab]

I was up at the mill site today as John was free to stack up the table slabs and other assorted wood  into drying stacks. I'd cut random length 1x1s to use as stickers (Cypress and Redwood can get away with this) and he grabbed his little Makita battery saw to trim them to length. Probably comparable to 40cc gas saw, and an actual brand name tool, not some throwaway gimmick. If I was looking for a smaller saw to go with my current 60 and 80cc, it would be a battery saw. It's not like you are going to be using a saw like that for any heavy work. Limbing, trimming boards, gardening  etc. Pick it up, make a couple of cuts and put it down again. Anything that's more heavy duty it's worth starting one of the bigger saws for. 

[JKendrick87]

I was up at the mill site today as John was free to stack up the table slabs and other assorted wood  into drying stacks. I'd cut random length 1x1s to use as stickers (Cypress and Redwood can get away with this) and he grabbed his little Makita battery saw to trim them to length. Probably comparable to 40cc gas saw, and an actual brand name tool, not some throwaway gimmick. If I was looking for a smaller saw to go with my current 60 and 80cc, it would be a battery saw. It's not like you are going to be using a saw like that for any heavy work. Limbing, trimming boards, gardening  etc. Pick it up, make a couple of cuts and put it down again. Anything that's more heavy duty it's worth starting one of the bigger saws for.

My father-in-law has the little dewalt chainsaw and it does a fine job used for the right application. I've been hearing really good things about Milwaukee's new top handle. It's a big hit with the linemen, talked to owner of lumber and tool store yesterday he said he can't keep them on the shelf has already sold 11 or 12 in the last few weeks.

[Magicman]

How did the 362 do with oiling on the 25" bar?

No noticeable lack of oil.  The oiler is adjustable.

[lxskllr]

It's drier than I'd like, but I haven't noticed any bar issues, so it could be my expectations are wrong.

[JD Guy]

My 400 is OK oiling the 25" bar but I will be upgrading the oiler (inexpensive fix) as I like a little bit more bar oil especially in big white and red Oak. If I was running a 20" bar, stock oiler would be fine. Just my 2cents. I have found Stihl saws to be a bit stingy on oil anyway.

[JKendrick87]

Well I went to check out some saws at a shop that I don't often get to check out due to weird hours. They also sell Husky but didn't have any 562's or 572's to compare. They did have a 400c and I fell in love Lol. Love the weight of it and just how balanced it felt. I had to do a double take they actually had a brand new 461 sitting on the shelf as well.

[Gary Davis]

I like my stihl 036 and 500I Don't know why, but the 500I is the one I always grab. maybe because third pull start when cold, first when warm. Light enough to use for limbing and powerful enough to
cut 36 in plus logs without crawling over them 

[JKendrick87]

Well pulled the trigger on the MS 400c today! Thank you all for the advice! I can't wait to run this beast!

[Magicman]

Yeah !!!  I sorta figured that is what you would do.   8)

[barbender]

It will serve you well! I've never regretted spending the extra money on a good piece of equipment