[Tools] Care to talk chainsaws? I just bought an Echo CS-590
I'm a moderate saw user. More than the average landowner, but I'm no landscaper or professional logger. I help my dad harvest firewood, he heats with it. So with that in mind, the middle of the road commercial "farm and ranch" class saws are aimed at guys like me.
For the last 6 or 7 years I've been using a 40cc, 18" Craftsman, which like all Craftsman saws is just a Poulan in different colors. It's been decent, got the job done for the most part. But you certainly know it is a sub-$200 saw when you use it. Low power, cheap overall feel, and the OEM bar and chain were garbage. Most recently the oil pump stopped oiling mid use. Of course I didn't notice this until it had ruined my bar and chain. A new pump is $12, another bar and chain is $30-50. I'll probably fix it. But it'll be my back up now.
Yesterday I bought an Echo CS-590 from my local independent dealer. This is basically the lauded professional grade CS-600 with a few cost saving changes. It uses a plastic top handle, a spur instead of rim sprocket, laminated bar, and a plastic chain cover instead of magnesium. But the engine and overall machine has stayed the same. Reading internet reviews and forestry forums, this saw is arguably the best commercial saw for the money right now, beating out the Stihl Farm Boss and Husky Rancher with power and features for the money. Time will tell, but I'm confident I'll be happy.
You can buy this saw with 20" bar for $399 from Home Cheapo, or the same exact cash at an authorized Echo dealer. That seems like a no brainer to me. My dealer assembled, fine tuned, tach'd, and tested the saw for me. Home Depot will hand you the saw in a box and tell you to have a nice day. And if I have any issue I am at the front of the line with my dealer.
Anyway, I made a few test cuts in some frozen pine. I currently don't have anything else that needs to be cut, so a full test will have to wait.
Getting a "real" saw is always nice. I used a crapsman saw for a number of years too. Then I jumped to a Stihl 029 (290 is the newer version) for 15+ years and last year I upgraded to a Stihl MS391. The 391 kicks major butt with a 20" bar and it maxes out at a 25".
IMO - Buying from a servicing dealer is always the way to go.
It really is. One of those "you don't know what you're missing...." deals. The big reasons like power and cutting efficiency really stand out. But I like some of the little things, too. Like the adjustable and clutch actuated oil pump on this new saw. The Craftsman was fixed and shaft driven, so it was pumping oil any time the engine was running. Wasting oil and making a mess if you set the saw down for a minute to move some wood around.
Not to be argumentative, but the cutting efficiency of any chain saw has more to do with the sharpness of the saw, than with the power of the motor driving the chain. Nothing will hinder the cutting efficiency of any chain saw more than a dull blade/chain. And it only takes a second's worth of contact with dirt or other inorganic material to dull a chain saw... right now!
I have Echo equipment...works great. Never an issue, at all.
Tool maintenance is always important, no matter what the gear you're using. In the trades apprentices are always taught to do tool maintenance at the end of the day, so the tool is put away 'ready to go' when the next person uses it. It's a good habit to get into...
Not to be argumentative, but the cutting efficiency of any chain saw has more to do with the sharpness of the saw, than with the power of the motor driving the chain. Nothing will hinder the cutting efficiency of any chain saw more than a dull blade/chain. And it only takes a second's worth of contact with dirt or other inorganic material to dull a chain saw... right now!
Agreed....
I use a Poulan with an 18" bar for clearing up the woodlot and deadfall, camp wood, etc.
Hardly a heavy user by any stretch; but a few minutes with a file makes it into a new saw all over again.
At the Fire Dept we use Stihl saws with 'bullet' carbide blades; mostly for cutting roofs and that sort of abusive work. Chains are something like $200 per, but wow - they last...
the cutting efficiency of any chain saw has more to do with the sharpness of the saw, than with the power of the motor driving the chain.
Yes. But size matters with chainsaws
Seriously, I used a 40-45cc crapsman, a 54Ccc Stihl 029 and the 64cc Stihl 391. I wouldn't give up the 391 for anything. It will cut circles around the 029. You just have to be willing to pay the price for the bigger saws. The 391 w/ a 18" bar was around $575-580 in spring.
Just curious- what are you running for oil in that new saw? Amsoil Saber Pro at 80:1?
Stihl HP Ultra at 50:1. When I bought my Stihl trimmer/brush cutter, if I bought 12 bottles of it, Stihl gave me an extended warranty on the machine. I'm currently running the HP Ultra in both saws, Stihl trimmer, and Husky blower. I run Amsoil HP in the snowmobile, 2 stroke ATV, and outboard.
Not to be argumentative, but the cutting efficiency of any chain saw has more to do with the sharpness of the saw, than with the power of the motor driving the chain. Nothing will hinder the cutting efficiency of any chain saw more than a dull blade/chain. And it only takes a second's worth of contact with dirt or other inorganic material to dull a chain saw... right now!
True, true. And I always kept my chains sharp. But there are different types of chain, too. The Craftsman's smaller engine would not allow it to efficiently run a chain that is as aggressive as the one on this Echo.
Please elaborate, my friend. My 33cc engine is still quite strong. Or, do you mean like the way the chain stalled your engine at the :37 mark in your video? I attribute that to a lack of experience cutting through a tough knot.
Oh, you know what I meant, heheh. For your information, frozen means very little, by the way. Especially that dried out pine you were cutting with that aggressive chain! Much drier than behind your ears, in this regard.
This tree was cut this year, my splitting maul with a good edge, and a splitting wedge doesn't do much with it yet. I'd blame it on the knots (this is the section of the tree where all the branches were), but it just doesn't get into the wood at all. I don't have a splitter, other than the maul. I don't personally go through enough wood to justify one.
As for upkeep making the difference, I mostly agree with you. But there is something to be said for the initial quality of the item you are taking care of, too. You compared your friends Stihl to your Homelite. You take care of your equipment, and if you owned the Stihl it would likely last longer and do a better job compared to the Homelite, if you took care of them equally. There is a reason the professionals are not choosing Homelite, Poulan, Craftsman, etc, over Jonsered, Stihl, Dolmar, Husqvarna, etc.
This tree was cut this year, my splitting maul with a good edge, and a splitting wedge doesn't do much with it yet. I'd blame it on the knots (this is the section of the tree where all the branches were), but it just doesn't get into the wood at all. I don't have a splitter, other than the maul. I don't personally go through enough wood to justify one.
As for upkeep making the difference, I mostly agree with you. But there is something to be said for the initial quality of the item you are taking care of, too. You compared your friends Stihl to your Homelite. You take care of your equipment, and if you owned the Stihl it would likely last longer and do a better job compared to the Homelite, if you took care of them equally. There is a reason the professionals are not choosing Homelite, Poulan, Craftsman, etc, over Jonsered, Stihl, Dolmar, Husqvarna, etc.
most tree's i drop are split the same day. im not a strong man. i bought a HF splitter this summer. best purchase ever
that said there is a difference between tools for rec use and tools that get you your pay check.
if it was my paycheck, i would have a backup saw right next to it. just like i do with my homelite
My father bought a Shindaiwa saw which I believe is a rebadged Echo. It's a heck of a saw. It's a big one, I think has a 24" bar.
A few years back, he had someone give him 10 cords of oak logs and needed something to cut it all down to stove-length. This saw chewed it all up no problem.
There is something to be said for having a "real" saw. I always had Crapsman (love that).
My father bought a Shindaiwa saw which I believe is a rebadged Echo. It's a heck of a saw. It's a big one, I think has a 24" bar.
A few years back, he had someone give him 10 cords of oak logs and needed something to cut it all down to stove-length. This saw chewed it all up no problem.
There is something to be said for having a "real" saw. I always had Crapsman (love that).
what exactly is a "real" saw? pretty sure mine cuts wood too
Dead tree in our yard, a wee thing. Maybe 10" diameter. After ransacking the place this afternoon while looking for the elusive spark plug socket and then assigning the wife to find it (winterizing our mower) my eyes fell on our new "Christmas gift", a Silky Zubat pruning saw.
So I quietly picked it up and snuck back outside. Zip zipzipzipzip thunk. Hmm, cuts branches easy enough, as promised.
I wonder....a while later, the wife was out there with the boys and they watched daddy manhandle that tree and topple it right over. *grunt*
edit: we have a little 10" electric chainsaw it's a pole saw but it detaches so you can attack large shrubbery if you feel brave
I have a Swiss made bow saw. Forget the brand name. I find it amazing what that thing can cut though, and how fast it does it. It's probably 30 years old, my family bought it when I was a kid to use on camping trips.
My father bought a Shindaiwa saw which I believe is a rebadged Echo.
The two Japanese companies merged into one in 2008. Since then, like most merged companies, they have shared designs with each other. Shindaiwa had a better chainsaw design than Echo at the time, but Echo was the better known brand. So the new Echos have taken on that design and Shindaiwa has since stopped making chainsaws under their name.
That's cool. I got a similar extended warranty deal on my Husqvarna string trimmer, so that's what will get used first. Otherwise, I've used my Amsoil Saber Pro 80:1 mix, and it's been fine. Nothing has blown up, and no problems as of yet. I've had it in a handheld blower, old string trimmer, and a chainsaw- good results all around.
It really is. One of those "you don't know what you're missing...." deals.
growing up -- i used to haul wood for side money in high school. all i'd ever used were stihl -- bigger saws -- i believe they were 046 (76cc) and an 056 magnum (90-something cc). we did a lot of doug fir and juniper. we had smaller husqvarnas for limbing and small rounding.
i've used some of the cheaper poulan shit. can't do it. i don't have a need for a saw much now -- but if i did -- i'd be walking into a dealer and finding a nice husqvarna or stihl (the husky really is a great saw - you just pay for the stihl name).
No experience with Echo saws, but can tell you my Dad had an Echo weed whacker that was nearly immortal, which was even harder to believe for he often used it a brush whacker, pushing it far beyond it's intended job description.
Forgive the obvious but - it wasn't too long ago that I discovered the virtue of having multiple sharp chains at the ready. Why I used to struggle with dull chains... Anyway - Some compressed air to blow out softwood remains after usage isn't a bad thing either. The softwoods tend to turn to powder in the area where the chain drives and the oil throws. A little after air WD 40 to clean there as well, and a post clean out test run to see the chain oil splatter against a clean surface or wood chunk and to keep the chain oily during storage. To do the cleaning soon after cutting before the softwood goop sets up... Again - forgive the obvious if that's the case.
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Gotta nice Summer project for you if firewood is a long term friend
Mount something like this »www.newhavenpower.com/Bu ··· lade.jpg On the back of a junk yard vehicle frame. Pull the frame ends together in front and make trailer-able. The arbor and the saw blade may be the only purchases required. Angle can be had from many junkyards. Craigslist may also yield the saw and arbor. Dunno.
Mount one of these on an I beam so it can flip down to the ground, Kinda like this, but I would go perpendicular to the frame myself, to make room for the power. »media.popularmechanics.c ··· 0908.jpg As you know, I beams are also a junkyard possibility. Northern tool - you know the rest.
Then it's a matter of a pump, some pulleys, a lovejoy fitting, and some belts and guards etc. I had access to a pretty sweet welder, but a rented buzz box could make it happen too. Pretty welds not necessary here. #2 oil is often $4 around here, which makes the initial 8 or 900 in expenses to build this mess go away in a season or two. Anything to make fire wood working faster...
I know - easy for me to say, but mine is already done.
I gotta say, a buzz saw beats a chain saw all to Hell and back to the xth power when it comes to sawing log lengths.
One important tip - DON'T let the neighbors see it. Every time I loaned mine out it came back broken, and i do mean EVERY time.
