Tanaka, Echo, Stihl?

[cbutler703]

Right then lads What do you guys think in the 50cc range, I heard Echo is quite good and have always used stihl, but my local dealer swears by tanaka! he says for every Tanaka he has in the shop he has 10 stihl/husky saws?

[gspren]

   I don't know about your area but around here for every Tanaka in use there are 75+ Stihl & Husky. In the 50CC range I like my Stihl MS261.

[Jiles]

   I don't know about your area but around here for every Tanaka in use there are 75+ Stihl & Husky. In the 50CC range I like my Stihl MS261.

Older model Tanaka (MADE IN JAPAN) were great quality saws. New Chinese made plastic saws are about same as new Poulan-craftsman- homelite.
Echo is a good saw, as is Stihl, but I would prefer Echo because of price and Product backing.

[SawTroll]

I don't think Tanaka makes saws as large as 50cc by now, if they ever did? Also, I believe China is a major factor in current Tanaka production.

If you want the best 50cc saw currently made, there is no doubt it is the Husky 550xp, specially if you want a really well handling saw for use in the woods.

Stihl has come up with a new and lighter version of the MS261, but it still is a large and unwieldy saw for just 50cc. The inboard clutch design isn't really suitable for a 50cc saw, and has a lot to do with the bad handling.

Echo isn't really an option, despite they have come up with some better saws after the merger with Shindaiwa. The 501SX has a decent (but not top class) power rating, and is the only one to consider in the 50cc class. The 500 and 490 are waaay down on power. The quality feel of the Echo saws are far from stellar, specially the plastic feels cheap and brittle. The ones I mentioned are light, but suffers from having an inboard clutch (like the Stihl).

[Jiles]

I don't think Tanaka makes saws as large as 50cc by now, if they ever did? Also, I believe China is a major factor in current Tanaka production.

If you want the best 50cc saw currently made, there is no doubt it is the Husky 550xp, specially if you want a really well handling saw for use in the woods.

Stihl has come up with a new and lighter version of the MS261, but it still is a large and unwieldy saw for just 50cc.

Echo isn't really an option, despite they have come up with some better saws after the merger with Shindaiwa. The 501SX has a decent (but not top class) power rating, and is the only one to consider in the 50cc class. The 500 and 490 are waaay down on power. The quality feel of the Echo saws are far from stellar, specially the plastic feels cheap and brittle. The ones I mentioned are light, but suffers from having an inboard clutch (like the Stihl).

I have two Tanaka ECV 5601--50cc Made in Japan. I think the largest they made at the time.

 

[Texas-Jim]

Jiles if your having trouble with Stihl being backed then find another dealer. Probably one of best companies iv ever dealt with.

[Jiles]

Jiles if your having trouble with Stihl being backed then find another dealer. Probably one of best companies iv ever dealt with.

I have not personally had problems but have worked on many 201t  for customers who stated they got no backing from Stihl that had factory defects.

[gspren]

If you want the best 50cc saw currently made, there is no doubt it is the Husky 550xp, specially if you want a really well handling saw for use in the woods.

Stihl has come up with a new and lighter version of the MS261, but it still is a large and unwieldy saw for just 50cc. The inboard clutch design isn't really suitable for a 50cc saw, and has a lot to do with the bad handling.

  I handled both before buying and in my hands the 261 was the better choice. I think since your a Husky fan you look for reasons to down Stihl but the people I know that have put lots of hours on them like the 261. JMHO

[Paul_H]

gspren,

your observations are correct on all points. 

[starmac]

I also have to go with the huskies, I haven't used my 346 for a while, but pulled it down and cut a load of firewood last saturday, I had forgotten how nice it cut for a 50cc class saw.
To each there own, but several years ago when I bought my first 346, my buddy was a die hard stihl man, and had a 026 in that size range, he had also bought a hotrod dollmar in the 50cc range. Seems like it was a 5101 or something like that. As soon as he tried out my 346, both of those somehow turned into huskies and eventually his bigger saws did too. lol
We are lucky here as we have pretty good dealers for both, and both are top of the line saws that are hard to find fault with.
I have never used a 261 or even the newer huskies, but I can't imagine they are all that much more than the old 026 and 346, and until my 2 346's start giving me some grief, I don't see the need to upgrade.

[SawTroll]

If you want the best 50cc saw currently made, there is no doubt it is the Husky 550xp, specially if you want a really well handling saw for use in the woods.

Stihl has come up with a new and lighter version of the MS261, but it still is a large and unwieldy saw for just 50cc. The inboard clutch design isn't really suitable for a 50cc saw, and has a lot to do with the bad handling.

  I handled both before buying and in my hands the 261 was the better choice. I think since your a Husky fan you look for reasons to down Stihl but the people I know that have put lots of hours on them like the 261. JMHO

You are wrong about your assumption, and I was a big fan of the MS361. The large and unwieldy 261 just was a disappointment when it came out, as was the 362. Somewhere along the way they lost the focus and/or ability to make well handling saws.

[SawTroll]

I have two Tanaka ECV 5601--50cc Made in Japan. I think the largest they made at the time.

 

Thanks for the correction, didn't know about that one.

Is this the replacement model?

[JBlain]

I enjoy fixing things and have purchased several husqvarna 350's with fried pistons but salvageable closed port cylinders for cheap.  After cleaning the cylinder, flat top 353 piston, mild port and polish on intake and exhaust, lower transfer opening, fixing the intake boot and deleting the base gasket, I would put that light saw up against any 50 cc saw.  Still haven't heard anyone with issues around the plastic case with clam shell bottom.   I don't think I have over $100 in each saw. Most of my forestry work is thinning from below and TSI work and the weight and balance are great.  I have  over 20 tanks of gas through them and they just seem to get stronger as the ring wears into to cylinder.

[Paul_H]

You are wrong about your assumption, and I was a big fan of the MS361. The large and unwieldy 261 just was a disappointment when it came out, as was the 362. Somewhere along the way they lost the focus and/or ability to make well handling saws.

If you find any 50 cc saw large and unwieldy ,a larger breakfast may be in order.

[mad murdock]

If you find any 50 cc saw large and unwieldy ,a larger breakfast may be in order.

Or at least a smaller saw ;)

[JBlain]

No doubt there on 50 cc saws.  After a 10 hour day of nothing but TSI work even a 50 cc saw feels heavy to me...

[ladylake]

And every pound makes a big difference.   Steve

[Paul_H]

It's relative I guess.
I logged full time from 16 to 46 years old on coastal sidehills,starting with 075 Stihls and 2100 huskies right up to the MS660's. My Uncles started in the early 1950's with a 7-55 mcculloch (7 hp 55lbs) and they finished their career at 64 years old running 066's with 32" bars.
I never really heard complaints about saw weights. You work hard,you feel tired at the end of any day whether packing a saw or not.

[starmac]

My take is that some saws feel nimble and some feel like you are holding a box with a bar sticking out, some cut quick, while others are sluggish in comparison. To me, the old stihl 056 and such just plain felt like a box after the 066 mags came out. It is all in ones perpestive.