iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Official MS261CM vs 550XP test

Started by HolmenTree, June 06, 2017, 10:46:34 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

HolmenTree

That's with PST and GST taxes included .
Husqvarna Canada now has a sale on the 550XP at the moment $759 retail.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I should now call this the "Stihl MS261C vs Husqvarna T536 LiXP" thread . :D

This is one of some interesting jobs I did today. I had to climb this leaning poplar with the little Husqvarna battery saw to get it cut down below the eavestrough.
The MS261C then finished it off.  Too bad Stihl doesn't make a Li ion battery top handle saw.



  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

trapper

The blue max.  A power wheelbarrow? 
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

HolmenTree

Quote from: trapper on August 02, 2017, 10:21:07 PM
The blue max.  A power wheelbarrow?
trapper, yes it's called a Muck Truck Max 4x4 power barrow rated to carry 800lbs up a 40% incline. Will even climb stairs loaded up.
Bought it about 10 years ago and no trouble with it yet. Little Honda OHV with 4 speed Peerless transaxle just keeps going.
Best hired man I ever had haha.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ButchC

That's a nice dumper you have, never seen that brand before.  Most I see are designed around concrete work and the hopper is sized for such thus is realy 2 X too small for wood and general usage. I am waiting for a bargain to come my way but they sure seem to hold value right until the are used up :(
Peterson JP swing mill
Morbark chipper
Shop built firewood processor
Case W11B
Many chainsaws, axes, hatchets,mauls,
Antique tractors and engines, machine shop,wife, dog,,,,,that's about it.

HolmenTree

Butch, I build the orange rack on top of the hopper.
Protects the controls from brush etc plus extra carrying capacity.
If you Google the Muck Truck site you'll see there's lots of optional accessories for it.
I'd like to get the dual wheel setup for it and maybe the forklift attachment.
But so far it does everything I need it for. Little machine weighs 285 lbs without the rack.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Working this morning on another tree removal job I tealized something else about my new MS261C.
It doesn't leak bar oil :)

I can leave the 261 and my Huskies sit over night on the work bench, the next day I'd be wiping up after the Huskies.
261 nice and dry.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

DelawhereJoe

Somehow I'm not sure if you are going to want the 550xp back after you have used that 261 c-m so much, 1 man can only use 1 50cc saw at a time.
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

HolmenTree

I totally agree Joe,  but in this business it's nice to have a spare saw on hand in each displacement when one hits dirt, metal etc.

But I know which ones will be the backup :)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

John Mc

I've got a Husky 357XP that does not leak any bar oil to speak of (and I bought it used and beat up). The Jonsered 2152 I bought new has leaked since the day I bought it. It's really annoying. I took it back to the dealer and his response was "some of them just do that". Since then, I've seen a video or two about how to repair a common leak point in this family of saws (Husky 353) where a small rubber hose hooks into the oil pump. I just haven't gotten around to tearing it apart to see if that's the source.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

ehp

I still paid more than a $100 less for this 261 that that, so far so good with it but to be honest I still would sure like it to be with a carb

HolmenTree

Stihl Canada puts a spring and fall sale flyer out where prices drop considerably. But I bought it between sales.
Ed you must buy quite a few new saws for yourself and customers who hire your custom saw modifications.  So I'd imagine you'd get a good deal.

I myself am a poor buyer not being aggressive enough.  But when I give my customers a quote for their tree removal I'm now in charge and alot of people say my prices are expensive......
I guess I can't have everything :D
It's  a good thing that I can get years out of a saw. :)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Was in at the dealer today and no word of anything happening with the 550XP.
Their excuse was " being August alot of people are on holidays and it's hard to get things done."

So with that reasoning I did the math.  When my 550XP came off the assembly line in Sweden according to its serial # it was the 900th unit built in the 32 week of 2016.
So my math says the 32 week would be about the 3rd week of August.
Now my thinking goes like this, alot of Swedes like us Canadians go through a long cool winter and by the time the kids are out of school in July /August there will be alot of workers on the assembly line and quality control taking holidays .
Many replacement workers take over and maybe things don't go as smooth as normal, especially when pumping out 900 and probably alot more units in that one week.

Just my 2 cents.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

gspren

  That may be an excuse but not a good excuse. If he has another one there he should hand it over.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

DelawhereJoe

So does that mean that because you are using it for commercial use your warranty of 90 days is slightly over and that this issue will be "by your expense" ? If they keep waiting past the 1 year mark then it will really be your cost not warranty work.
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

HolmenTree

Quote from: DelawhereJoe on August 04, 2017, 09:00:07 PM
So does that mean that because you are using it for commercial use your warranty of 90 days is slightly over and that this issue will be "by your expense" ? If they keep waiting past the 1 year mark then it will really be your cost not warranty work.
I just checked out about my warranty and they say my warranty runs out in 2019 so either they messed up or don't know any better. I got the 2 year consumer warranty.
Quote from: gspren on August 04, 2017, 08:58:40 PM
  That may be an excuse but not a good excuse. If he has another one there he should hand it over.
They got 5 other 550's in inventory, all with serial #'s in the same week as mine.
Plus they got a brand new 2014 on discount. Maybe that saw I should have bought as my 3 550's my sponsor donates for the winter festival competition are about that year and they run flawless.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

 

 
Here they are when I ran them in about 4 years ago.
Now that my dealer sponsor dropped Husqvarna I don't know what we'll use for saws next festival.
These saws will be sold off quick.....
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

PNWRusty

Maybe you should buy one of those? It sounds like they haven't had too much use/abuse.

HolmenTree

Quote from: PNWRusty on August 05, 2017, 02:10:14 AM
Maybe you should buy one of those? It sounds like they haven't had too much use/abuse.
Found out this morning they're sold. Two of them have about 10-12 hours on them. The 3rd(spare) has about 10 minutes. They were at my old dealer 4 hour drive from here.

Yep going back to the local dealer and see the saleslady and have a serious discussion about grabbing another new 550.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

PNWRusty

As much as I would like to see this comparison continue with a replacement Husqvarna, wouldn't it make more sense to just have two 261 C's? That way you can share bars, plugs, air filters, etc. A lot less stocking of spare parts.

On the other hand, where's the fun in that?

HolmenTree

Quote from: PNWRusty on August 05, 2017, 11:34:56 AM
As much as I would like to see this comparison continue with a replacement Husqvarna, wouldn't it make more sense to just have two 261 C's? That way you can share bars, plugs, air filters, etc. A lot less stocking of spare parts.

On the other hand, where's the fun in that?
I work solo so I don't need 2 of a certain model. It's nice to have a different backup saw for a change.

I was just on Husqvarna Canada's web site and saw they offer a 7 day guarantee return policy on 300 and 500 series professional chainsaws.  If customer is not happy with it return for a new one.

Unfortunately it's the long weekend here and they are closed today(Saturday) until Tuesday.
I got a big bone to pick with this dealer .
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

DelawhereJoe

If you did convert over just to Stihl your 261 all the way up to a 661 would use the same bar mount...I know you know this already...but anyway, it may be more of a selling point to convert to Stihl then run multiple different companies saws. Also with all the hot start issues that have been posted about the new Husqvarna saws, maybe just maybe the tide has shifted and its time for you to go back to Stihl.
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

nitehawk55

The nice thing with Stihl , and you would know that having worked for them too is you can always call their head office  and get hold of the Tech dept. to explain the situation .

Was sorry to hear of Fred's passing in July , also lost the former Tech manager Dave Ellis who took over when Larry Howard left .
Ian Addlington that worked in purchasing with Stihl was at Echo and the company restructured positions and he retired .
I AM NOT BRAND LOYAL !

btulloh

This problem with your 550xp reminds me of Oldjarheads issues with his new saw.   I think you were in on that thread, which went on for a while.  (We haven't seen a post from Oldjarhead in a while - I hope he's ok.  Maybe just too busy.)  I suppose if it was  a common problem, we'd see more people posting about it here, so hopefully it's just a few saws here and there and not a trend. 

From what I hear from a guy who does saw repair, the new Husky's and new Stihl's are not as robust as they used to be, especially the down-market models like the farm and ranch saws and the homeowner saws.  He says even the pro saws have gone downhill a little.  I don't know.  It's really just gossip more than information.

I use Stihl, mainly because I have good dealers available for Stihl and it's an old habit.  I have a 026 that's twenty years old with a lot of miles and it runs great.  Nothing but some routine maintenance and a carb rebuild.  The only new saw I have is the MS362 which performs well.  It will take another 19 years to see if lasts 20  years though.

This has been an interesting thread and I'll keep following it.

BT
HM126

HolmenTree

I found these 2 Husqvarna 550XP videos just recently published July 7.
Part 1 and Part 2. Some good information on the unit.
But you will notice how it miss fires at the end of each video while in the wood.
Really bad miss firing at the end of 2nd video.

https://youtu.be/ZApk6txp0A8
https://youtu.be/h-fGlMcWoP4

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Thank You Sponsors!