Thinking of getting a new smaller chainsaw

[2manyrocks]

If the nano chain is proprietary, looks like the regular chain would be less expensive to replace. Seem to recall ArlyA saying his personal opinion of another company's nano chain on a pole saw wasn't as durable as regular chain.

Don't know where you personally fall on the chain sharpening spectrum, but keeping the chain sharp is key to cutting performance and personal safety. I am seeing more consistent and better sharpening using an Oregon electric chain sharpener, but I also have a version made by Vevor which I also think works well.

Some guys sharpen well using a file. You may be one of them. Whatever works for you, but it's nice knowing I can just replace my chain with a regular Oregon chain when needed.

 

[kozal01]

I would not be afraid of a nano chain. I run a Stihl 1/4" Picco bar/chain on my Echo 2511 and it actually holds up better than I thought it would and its super easy to sharpen and is much faster and smoother cutting than the 3/8" pitch chain it came with stock. I use the Stihl 2 in 1 files to sharpen and they work great.

 

[ericm979]

Seems like a small saw like this is the perfect case for a nano chain, what's the downside?

Goes dull a little faster in normal use and more faster if the wood is dirty. I like the pico chain on my small Stihl and Echo. I ran narrower .043 chain on the echo for a while but it didn't cut all that much faster and cutting speed on the Echo isn't much of a concern since I use it mostly for brush.

I'm guessing the bigger chain version wasn't selling as well. The nano version is currently $160 more because the bigger chain one is on special... wondering if you can get a new bar & chain & sprocket to DIY a nano version for less.

I bet Baileys has the parts.

 

[ponytug]

Reading & watching reviews of the Echo I'm very tempted. Pro quality saw seems like it'll be more likely to last and that thing is hella light.
HomeDepot has a special right now but it's on the 0.050/⅜ chain version (DCS-2500T), not the 0.043/0.325 version (DCS-2500TN). Seems like a small saw like this is the perfect case for a nano chain, what's the downside?

I'm guessing the bigger chain version wasn't selling as well. The nano version is currently $160 more because the bigger chain one is on special... wondering if you can get a new bar & chain & sprocket to DIY a nano version for less.

Bigger chains require more HP to get the same cut done. The flip side is that bigger is usually more durable, but some of the 1/4" chains are made of different materials that may be more durable.

If it were me, and I went for the Echo, I would try the 3/8" as a starter, knowing I could downsize the chain, and port it if needed, and probably still come out ahead.

Some discussion here on the nano chain, but I haven't used it myself. I do use 1/4" on some of my electric saws, and don't notice any durability issues, but I'm not cutting cords nd cords of wood.

Nano

Oregon 80TXL SpeedCut Nano .325 Pitch .043 Gauge Anybody seen this chain yet? This is designed for cordless chainsaws. Faster, smoother, longer run time, and loads the saw less.

opeforum.com

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

Well, search for small chainsaw and this came up.

 

[airbiscuit]

Reading & watching reviews of the Echo I'm very tempted. Pro quality saw seems like it'll be more likely to last and that thing is hella light.
HomeDepot has a special right now but it's on the 0.050/⅜ chain version (DCS-2500T), not the 0.043/0.325 version (DCS-2500TN). Seems like a small saw like this is the perfect case for a nano chain, what's the downside?

I'm guessing the bigger chain version wasn't selling as well. The nano version is currently $160 more because the bigger chain one is on special... wondering if you can get a new bar & chain & sprocket to DIY a nano version for less.

If the 2511t is on sale for $160 less than the TN model that's a bargain. Usually the TN model is only $10 more. I have the TN Nano chain model, and it cuts faster and with less chatter than the stock chain.

You could buy the stock version and get teh Nano kit later if you wanted to.

 

[ning]

Bigger chains require more HP to get the same cut done. The flip side is that bigger is usually more durable, but some of the 1/4" chains are made of different materials that may be more durable.

If it were me, and I went for the Echo, I would try the 3/8" as a starter, knowing I could downsize the chain, and port it if needed, and probably still come out ahead.

Some discussion here on the nano chain, but I haven't used it myself. I do use 1/4" on some of my electric saws, and don't notice any durability issues, but I'm not cutting cords nd cords of wood.

Nano

Oregon 80TXL SpeedCut Nano .325 Pitch .043 Gauge Anybody seen this chain yet? This is designed for cordless chainsaws. Faster, smoother, longer run time, and loads the saw less.

opeforum.com

All the best,

Peter

Ordered an Echo DCS-2500T.
30-day return policy but I'm excited for the new useful t̶o̶y̶ piece of equipment!

Now wondering... our Echo SRM-2601 trimmer is getting long in the tooth. The battery equivalent today is the DSRM-2600. We run 0.155" line (mostly cutting rough stuff, heavy grasses/oak saplings/bunch grass/blackberries/hopefully-not-poison-oak, or a 2-prong blade, on the 2601; the DSRM-2600 literature describes a 0.095" trimmer line, but looking at the internet archive I see that the SRM-2601 also talked about a 0.095". I wonder how the DSRM-2600 would like 0.155"

 

[Skeletor]

What you DON'T want is a Stihl MS194T. Nice looking little prunning saw - if you can ever get it cranked. Best to have a spare set of elbows or a gorilla handy...

Mine fires right up and I’ve had it maybe 3 years now.

 

[airbiscuit]

The OP bought a battery powered Echo (I missed that). It looks like he got a pretty good price. Will look forward to getting a review.

 

[ponytug]

Congratulations! Hope that you like the Echo.

FWIW: I use a Stihl fs130 with a sharp trilobe blade. Our thistles just laugh at 0.155 X string, ditto the mustard. I only use string right against buildings or walls, and even then it's a toss up whether a scythe or a grass whip isn't faster.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

"Bought" isn't entirely correct until it's here (order placed today).
Website said tomorrow for delivery, but I'd guess Thursday/Friday.
I'll post first impressions and more usage this weekend, which will be mercifully under 90°F (please!).

 

[ning]

Congratulations! Hope that you like the Echo.

FWIW: I use a Stihl fs130 with a sharp trilobe blade. Our thistles just laugh at 0.155 X string, ditto the mustard. I only use string right against buildings or walls, and even then it's a toss up whether a scythe or a grass whip isn't faster.

All the best,

Peter

No metal blades till late fall here, or there either my guess.
I did a bit of hogging a couple weeks ago and did hit some small rocks and nervously watched the vicinity for a while. I had my 2.5g water fire extinguisher in the bucket and there was no wind (other than that made by the blades) but things could get ugly fast anyways.

 

[ponytug]

No metal blades till late fall here, or there either my guess.
I did a bit of hogging a couple weeks ago and did hit some small rocks and nervously watched the vicinity for a while. I had my 2.5g water fire extinguisher in the bucket and there was no wind (other than that made by the blades) but things could get ugly fast anyways.

Yes, here, too. My trimming and mowing stops mid-April or so, depending on when the rain stops. Generally, here it is green Thanksgiving to Tax day, but being California weather, highly variable year to year. For important fire items, I've hauled water hoses out once or twice to trim things like the solar fence charger, but that's it, and only happens when I have a couple of helpers.

I don't trust the gasoline trimmers once it is dry either because there is just so much dust flying around.

Much after Thanksgiving, I can't get out on the slopes; the clay is like 25 degree inclined ice. You will fall, and the only question is whether it is two steps up, or ten. Crampons would probably work, but nothing pressing has every happened.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Duds13]

I’m eyeing up a CS-2511, too
$500 at my dealer but they have a 15% off sale in Feb.
Not sure I want to wait that long…

My Echo dealer will often give me the 15% discount regardless of when the Echo Days sale is coming up. Doesn't hurt to ask!

 

[Duds13]

Yesterday I was cutting some wood - I have a lot of oak that's semi-dry to well-seasoned already down and was just cutting it up
and my "cut most things around here saw" - a 20-year-old Echo CS-305 - wasn't idling well.

I assume these are logs since you were cutting them up? If so, they probably aren't semi-dry to well-seasoned, especially oak.

 

[ning]

I assume these are logs since you were cutting them up? If so, they probably aren't semi-dry to well-seasoned, especially oak.

Not logs, really. 4-8" branches for the most part. Very dry, they've been sitting out for a couple years.

Also cutting some thicker stuff (10-14" dia) that hadn't been cut into stove-length rounds but wasn't a full "log" per se; that stuff isn't fully seasoned, but it's also not the target of the replacement saw.

 

[oosik]

I bought a smaller chain saw for a couple reasons. The 280 is just too big for what I do now. AND - my son liked the 192 and it fits him fine.

I get just about the same pleasure watching him thin my pine stands with the 192 - as doing it myself. My pleasure comes with chipping the pines.

 

[ponytug]

I bought a smaller chain saw for a couple reasons. The 280 is just too big for what I do now. AND - my son liked the 192 and it fits him fine.

I get just about the same pleasure watching him thin my pine stands with the 192 - as doing it myself. My pleasure comes with chipping the pines.

Not move off topic, but what kind/size chipper do you have?

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

I've cut about 1/4 cord of small crap with the new saw (Echo DCS-2500T -- 56V) -- not quite two batteries' worth.
The battery charge seems to go a long way.
Saw came with a very snug scabbard, no case.

I'm cutting 3-6" dry oak branches; when I trim trees or cut them down I cut the really small stuff off with loppers and that goes to a burn pile, and leave the main branches "to cut up later". Some of my piles of branches are 6 years old, so it's generally all really dry stuff. Some of it gets too dry and starts feeling light and then it's used for getting burn piles really hot so I can toss greener stuff on... but that's not what I'm cutting for firewood.
The little saw really tore through that; I'm quite impressed.

I've been cutting other logs & splitting rounds and here and there will cut up a bunch of the small stuff to put a layer of small in my totes as I fill them with splits. I make ~20 cuts in a row, then go grab a few more branches, cut them up, then go back to splitting.
When the battery got low (I've only charged it once yet, so it only got low once) I didn't notice any degradation of performance till it quit. Would've startled me if I hadn't been checking every once in a while what the battery level was at.

Note that it's a top handle saw and as such does requite a little bit of down pressure to cut. Not a lot, just some. It's got little bumper spikes; they're definitely little but it's a 12" bar and they seem to get the job done just fine.

I can see how a serious user could need two batteries, but honestly I made a ton of cuts with one charge.

Having the saw stop and go dead quiet as soon as you let go the trigger is wonderful. The sound of the chain tearing through dry oak is, well I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it's really raspy. I've never heard it before, usually there's all the engine noise. The sound of the chainsaw itself is really minor compared to the chain cutting wood sound, and that's not very loud either. Definitely no need for hearing protection with this saw!

My old wood splitter smells even worse now that I wasn't using a slightly-less-smelly gas chainsaw right before the splitter. Luckily I still use the relic 031AV when I find something that's not quite ready for the splitter to make up for it.

Saw was shipped with oiler turned all the way up; I realized it was using a lot of oil and checked the tank and found it was almost empty about 3/4 battery used. I've turned it down a little; bar oil is cheap compared to time messing with torched chains so I prefer to over oil rather than under oil.

Minor complaint: saw doesn't doesn't have much of a base to keep itself standing upright when you set it down. Often falls over.
Expected failure point: power button is right where your thumb is likely to go. It's a plastic membrane button; I doubt that's going to last in rough usage.

Given how long the 2.5Ah battery lasts in use, I'm not surprised they set it up so that no other battery would fit in it. You pick it up and it feels perfect in the hand; a bigger battery would make the bar swing up.