terraformer
Silver Member
No problems. I should have set my gopro up. haha
Pecosbill7
Member
I never thought I’d do it, but after owning several Husqvarna gas chainsaws I made the move to the Husqvarna Poweraxe 350i electric. Bought it at Lowes. I have a ranch in the Texas Hill Country and there’s always lots of chainsaw work needed. I also got an extra battery to go with it (battery $299.99 on Amazon). I cannot say enough good things about this saw. I can use it until the battery gives out (about three hours), slap another battery in and put the first one on the charger while I’m using the second, and I’m back at work. Six hours of running a chainsaw is about all I care for, but I have stopped to eat lunch after the first battery gives out and then went to work with the second and when it gave out the first battery was nearly charged and ready.
The saw comes with an 18” bar and the best thing about it is you don’t need to wear any hearing protection. Eyes, yes, but your ears will be just fine. It’s just a great saw.
The saw comes with an 18” bar and the best thing about it is you don’t need to wear any hearing protection. Eyes, yes, but your ears will be just fine. It’s just a great saw.
Fields_mj
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2021
- Messages
- 121
- Location
- Central Indiana
- Tractor
- Ford 1710, Kubota F2880, White FB16
The saying used to be "there's no replacement for displacement." That's just not true with chainsaws, and it never has been. The pro grade saws have always put out as much or more hp than a "homeowner" or "commercial" saw of the same displacement. Today, a pro saw will put out as much hp as a non-pro saw that has 5cc to 10cc more displacement. CC (displacement) isn't a very good way to evaluate chainsaws. You're better off looking at HP, weight, and (of course) cost.
I'm not reading 20 pages to see if this has already been said, but your Echo CS590 powerhead weighs roughly 13.2lbs and puts out 4 hp. A Stihl MS261 weighs 10.8 lbs and also puts out 4hp. If you like the way your 590 cuts but would like something a little lighter, the MS261 is the obvious choice. Considering your past experience, I would absolutely NOT purchase anything else until I'd had a chance to run a few tanks of fuel through a 261 (or Husqvarna equivalent). In order to get a saw that's appreciably lighter than a 261, you have to drop down in the 35cc saws which will have a LOT less power.
Your original post indicated you wanted less weight. Now it sounds like you want more power. If you want more power, I'd lean towards an MS400. Its a little bit lighter than you 590, but puts out almost 5-1/2 hp. I've personally always been a big fan of Stihl's 036 family (and it's decedents), but my nickname for an MS400 is "360 killer" because at 12.8 lbs, there's absolutely NO reason for anyone to ever buy a new MS362 again. The next step up from the MS400 is the MS462 which weighs the same as your 590 but puts out 6.0 hp. Of course both the MS400 and MS462 both cost over 2x what a 590 does...
I'm not reading 20 pages to see if this has already been said, but your Echo CS590 powerhead weighs roughly 13.2lbs and puts out 4 hp. A Stihl MS261 weighs 10.8 lbs and also puts out 4hp. If you like the way your 590 cuts but would like something a little lighter, the MS261 is the obvious choice. Considering your past experience, I would absolutely NOT purchase anything else until I'd had a chance to run a few tanks of fuel through a 261 (or Husqvarna equivalent). In order to get a saw that's appreciably lighter than a 261, you have to drop down in the 35cc saws which will have a LOT less power.
Your original post indicated you wanted less weight. Now it sounds like you want more power. If you want more power, I'd lean towards an MS400. Its a little bit lighter than you 590, but puts out almost 5-1/2 hp. I've personally always been a big fan of Stihl's 036 family (and it's decedents), but my nickname for an MS400 is "360 killer" because at 12.8 lbs, there's absolutely NO reason for anyone to ever buy a new MS362 again. The next step up from the MS400 is the MS462 which weighs the same as your 590 but puts out 6.0 hp. Of course both the MS400 and MS462 both cost over 2x what a 590 does...
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Thunder chicken
Gold Member
20 ish years ago i bought a Husky 353 as my first saw.
Ive burnt wood every year, helped build a remote cabin, cleared a few acrws to build my house, sold some firewood, and have cleared trails for snowmobile/nordic ski cubs more than i care to remember.
This saw has never let me down, has had one sparkplug and carb rebuild put in it. A few chain drive sprokets, many bars. The 18" i currently run is good, if not a tad long for my own personal preference/balamce. Few trees get too big for it to handle up here.
Untill i dropped a tree on it a few years ago i hoped i would have it for my life. After ive fixed it up, something seems off, i just havent had time to fully tear it apart again. I recently bought a battery Sthil MSA140c for limbs and such around the firewood processor, which has been good for its purpose.
That Husky 353 has cut so much and been such a great saw,i wiah i could get another if/when i need to.
All personal preference, but ive never liked the balance of Sthils, the clubs have many of them.
Ive burnt wood every year, helped build a remote cabin, cleared a few acrws to build my house, sold some firewood, and have cleared trails for snowmobile/nordic ski cubs more than i care to remember.
This saw has never let me down, has had one sparkplug and carb rebuild put in it. A few chain drive sprokets, many bars. The 18" i currently run is good, if not a tad long for my own personal preference/balamce. Few trees get too big for it to handle up here.
Untill i dropped a tree on it a few years ago i hoped i would have it for my life. After ive fixed it up, something seems off, i just havent had time to fully tear it apart again. I recently bought a battery Sthil MSA140c for limbs and such around the firewood processor, which has been good for its purpose.
That Husky 353 has cut so much and been such a great saw,i wiah i could get another if/when i need to.
All personal preference, but ive never liked the balance of Sthils, the clubs have many of them.
Duds13
Gold Member
The Stihl MS261 is quite a bit more expensive than the Echo though, isn't it? I thought about getting the MS261 but couldn't justify the price for doing a couple cord of firewood a year.
Shenandoah MF1760
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2021
- Messages
- 282
- Location
- Livingston, East Texas Piney Woods
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 2020 MF1760M
Comparing old to new of most brands is pure folly.
When I was a kid working for my brother-in-law's tree service his Homelite and McCullough saws were workhorses. Now those brands aren't to be trusted. At least in my experience.
I have a Husqvarna 450 Rancher II I bought on sale at a big box store, they immediately quit selling them along with the chains. Fortunately, chains are easy to come by elsewhere. It always starts and runs like a scalded dog.
I also have a pair of Stihl's; MS 271-20 Farm Boss with a 20" bar and a little MS 151 TC limb saw. Both run great if I can get them started. Don't know why but they are cranky uncooperative beasts when it comes to starting them.
My only complaint about the Husky is that it leaks bar oil.
When I was a kid working for my brother-in-law's tree service his Homelite and McCullough saws were workhorses. Now those brands aren't to be trusted. At least in my experience.
I have a Husqvarna 450 Rancher II I bought on sale at a big box store, they immediately quit selling them along with the chains. Fortunately, chains are easy to come by elsewhere. It always starts and runs like a scalded dog.
I also have a pair of Stihl's; MS 271-20 Farm Boss with a 20" bar and a little MS 151 TC limb saw. Both run great if I can get them started. Don't know why but they are cranky uncooperative beasts when it comes to starting them.
My only complaint about the Husky is that it leaks bar oil.
I worked for a large fire department that had at least 100 Stihl saws. Every time I was at our shops there would be 10 to 15 of them lying on the shop floor waiting to go back to the field. The shop mechanics said they were mostly there because the troops said they would not start, but when tried at the shop they started properly. No matter how many times they were told not to, they troops just kept the choke on after they gave an initial "start" and they flooded.
I wonder if the new fuel injected models have solved that problem.
I wonder if the new fuel injected models have solved that problem.
Duds13
Gold Member
I have the MS271 Farm Boss and it now sits on a shelf because I never knew if it would start on 15 pulls or 30 pulls. My new Echo 590 starts much much easier
BlueBerryFarmer
Member
I have Husqvarna (435/41cc- originally 16", now 18" and 455 Ranch/55cc) and Stihl (two 066s, two 044s, 038, MS660 and MS440).
I'm in the process of rebuilding the older Stihl 066s and 044s -- new seals on crankshaft (both sides), carb rebuilds, new shock mounts and the only downside is special tools: seal installers (two sizes required), crankcase splitter/joiner, depth gauges for flywheel, and "pressure tester" -- mounts to intake and you use Vac or Pressure to diagnose leaks. The Stihls are lifetime chainsaws - provided you use their parts.
Husqvarna chainsaws are equally as good -- had some problems with the chain oilers, but other than that they're good for decades of use as well. Generally, they seem to start reliability most of the time - hot or cold. I use the 435 for "trimming" -- e.g. Crape Myrtle "Murder" or when I "shock-prune" older 10-15 feet tall Rabbiteye blueberry plants
If I had to clear out the barns I'd keep the MS440 Magnum (71cc) or its older version, the 044-- outstanding power to weight and a terrific chainsaw. It was "discontinued" in 2012, but original factory parts are readily available.
I'm in the process of rebuilding the older Stihl 066s and 044s -- new seals on crankshaft (both sides), carb rebuilds, new shock mounts and the only downside is special tools: seal installers (two sizes required), crankcase splitter/joiner, depth gauges for flywheel, and "pressure tester" -- mounts to intake and you use Vac or Pressure to diagnose leaks. The Stihls are lifetime chainsaws - provided you use their parts.
Husqvarna chainsaws are equally as good -- had some problems with the chain oilers, but other than that they're good for decades of use as well. Generally, they seem to start reliability most of the time - hot or cold. I use the 435 for "trimming" -- e.g. Crape Myrtle "Murder" or when I "shock-prune" older 10-15 feet tall Rabbiteye blueberry plants
If I had to clear out the barns I'd keep the MS440 Magnum (71cc) or its older version, the 044-- outstanding power to weight and a terrific chainsaw. It was "discontinued" in 2012, but original factory parts are readily available.
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17 Oaks
Silver Member
For 15 years: I had bought an old cattle ranch of which, when the old man died the cattle business, kids wanted to have nothing to with it. So it sat unused since the early 50s and was forgotten by most of the family as they had moved to other parts of Texas to pursue their own dreams. Then one one of them was in need of money and called the family and lets sell it it. By then it was worth very little in fact only land value and the 1945 house and HQ laid fallow For 15 years: .
To say this ranch was grown over would be the understatement of the year! Of course, the soil was rich from cattle droppings.
I bought it, and I cleared it, it took 15 years, and I had cut over 1 million lbs of Timber, mostly Cedar, and Oak.
Husqvarna, 455 Rancher 20 in bar and it never let me down.
If you have a LOT of cutting. I discovered I could buy bulk chains and skip the sharpening. Take me about a year to go thru 40 chain and I was paying about $12 bucks a chain...
To say this ranch was grown over would be the understatement of the year! Of course, the soil was rich from cattle droppings.
I bought it, and I cleared it, it took 15 years, and I had cut over 1 million lbs of Timber, mostly Cedar, and Oak.
Husqvarna, 455 Rancher 20 in bar and it never let me down.
If you have a LOT of cutting. I discovered I could buy bulk chains and skip the sharpening. Take me about a year to go thru 40 chain and I was paying about $12 bucks a chain...