New member here and seeking some advise

H Ray G · January 09, 2019, 10:54:20 PM

I have an Echo 352 with the 16 in bar and like the way it handles. I mix the oil with premium fuel and it starts and runs good remember that in cold weather you have a cap/rubber dcisc to move under the air cleaner cover.

COLRJBrinkman · January 09, 2019, 11:28:14 PM

Quote from: samandothers on January 09, 2019, 05:41:51 PM
Good evening and welcome!

I have two Echo's at CS341 and a CS620. I Like the Echos they start easy and run well. I have a MS250 (home owner saw) Sthil I had before the other two. I was my only saw for many years and handled all I needed. The small saw is handy and I enjoy using it around the mill and for limbs. I have not ran the CS620 much but it sure helped me put several trees down quickly. The CS620 is pretty heavy with the 24 inch bar. I look forward to gaining more experience with it.

My brother has a CS400 and likes it. I seems to be a good size and not too heavy. If I was starting over I might get the CS590 or maybe CS620 with a 20" bar and the CS400 with a 16". Maybe you can find an Echo dealer near you having a 'Dealer Day' and get a large percentage off your saws. I got 20% off the CS620 back early November and that helped a bunch!

Good luck with your selection! Thank you for your service!

The next Echo dealer event where I will be buying my saw(s) is April. I can get a 10% mil discount at my local dealer here, but they won't be the dealer Ill be dealing with at the wooded property. Yes I handled a 620 with a 24" and it is a hefty one. I'm almost 64 and 5'5" but pretty healthy and YES I don't want to lug round a heavy saw all day. I can get the 590 for 359 then add 65 for the rim sprocket and 55 for a Powermatch bar is still cheaper than getting a 620 for 514 with my discount. I think the 310/400 might be the small saw as I think my wife can field the 310 all day once she feels better.

doc henderson · January 09, 2019, 11:30:38 PM

Hello Colonel. Sorry to hear your wife is sick. Nice that you guys work together. You prob. have all the advice you need and more. If you wanted to buy 1 saw, and I am a Stihl guy, a farm boss is an option. Many firewood guys cutting for them selves only own that one saw. used to be a 290 now a 271 I think. Or the equiv. in another good brand, so you can get parts and service. My Amish guys are so good they can often Dx. over the phone, and once I was in the middle of getting several trees and had an oiler and a fuel line crack failure. My guy worked through his lunch to fix it. Having a good dealer is important. Are you near Ks.?

Inaotherlife · January 10, 2019, 12:33:33 AM

I like the idea of having a longer bar that would cut all the way through.

That's a pretty big saw and having to reach over, climb over, or walk around to the other side to make every cut would make cutting that up seem too much like work.
Just lay it up there and let the saw do the work.

It may cut a bit slower but it'll get there. And with the time and energy you'd waste reaching over with that heavy saw or going to the other side to finish it off, you should come out ahead with the longer bar.

But I also would like the extra power of the 620P for pulling that longer chain.
And the aluminum handlebar to give it a more solid feel.

I'd probably buy the 590 though. And just run it as is. $359 would leave more room in your budget for a nicer small saw that you'd probably end up using a lot more than you think you would. I figure on letting bars and sprockets getting a little wear on them before I'd spring for new ones.

Funny, because that's how it worked for me. Out of three brand new saws that I bought, all three Echo's, I spent by far the least on the big one. A CS-490, with a too long 20" bar, that I got at a super sale price. Then my small rear handle saw, the 361P, that I also got at 20% off, but still a chunk more than the 490. Then I spent the most on a little top handle, the 2511T, that I only got 5% off on.

The CS-361P, for me, by far sees the most use. It's a great little saw that's both lighter and more powerful than a 310 or 352. But a bit pricier too.

If I'd have had a budget, I went well over it. But mainly I wanted the versatilty of the three different saws and not spend too much on any single one.

PS, I actually like that too long 20" bar and chain on the 50cc 490. I'm not trying to win any races with it. I just wanted something that would get through some bigger stuff in one wack.

hedgerow · January 10, 2019, 09:16:08 AM

Quote from: COLRJBrinkman on January 09, 2019, 10:46:46 PM

She's on chemo so she'll only be helping loading. However, she will want to use a smaller one in the future, hence my interest in a MS170/180 series or CS-310. I am rebuilding my Poulan Wild Thing which is a 40cc, never was a fan of it hopefully after the rebuild it will be better as a third backup saw.

Sorry to hear about your wife. For years I cut a ton of firewood with one saw a 038 Stihl. Sounds like you have a echo dealer you like and that's half the battle. I would look at a CS-620 it has the compression release us old guys like and a 60 cc saw is a good all round size saw. A 20 inch bar will cut most trees you could throw a 24 on if needed once an a while. Saw like you already have a smaller saw once you get it going again.

COLRJBrinkman · January 16, 2019, 08:13:02 PM

I was at my local Deere dealer today ordering a part for my Deere 522 snowblower, which they had to order, but I also bought two Echos. A Cs-352 with 16" bar and the CS-590 with 20" PowerMatch bar upgrade as well as the rim sprocket upgrade. Will pick them up in a week all tuned and ready to work.

doc henderson · January 17, 2019, 08:09:25 AM

Sounds like you got some great equipment and are ready to work! Congrats.

hedgerow · January 17, 2019, 11:11:28 AM

I think you will enjoy the Echo's. I hope this next storm run's out of gas before it hits everyone. We got around 8 inch's last weekend and about a inch last night. Sounds like the temp is going to be dropping for several days. I better throw some more hedge in the Garn.

Allar · January 17, 2019, 12:53:00 PM

It's alot easier and cheaper to buy a 50cc all-around chainsaw than buying a chainsaw for every different task. 8)
Since you into Echo, why not buy Echo- cs501P.

samandothers · January 17, 2019, 06:19:40 PM

Congrats on the purchase and sounds like a great combo!

Inaotherlife · January 17, 2019, 10:19:09 PM

Quote from: COLRJBrinkman on January 16, 2019, 08:13:02 PM
I was at my local Deere dealer today ordering a part for my Deere 522 snowblower, which they had to order, but I also bought two Echos. A Cs-352 with 16" bar and the CS-590 with 20" PowerMatch bar upgrade as well as the rim sprocket upgrade. Will pick them up in a week all tuned and ready to work.

That's terrific. I hope you enjoy using them.

Inaotherlife · January 17, 2019, 10:22:19 PM

Quote from: Allar on January 17, 2019, 12:53:00 PM
It's alot easier and cheaper to buy a 50cc all-around chainsaw than buying a chainsaw for every different task. 8)
Since you into Echo, why not buy Echo- cs501P.

That's crazy!