Echo 590 or the X Series?

[two_bit_score]

You probably won't have any issues with it anyway so just go and purchase it and be happy.

I'm actually starting to take that approach on more and more things. Buy once cry once and be done with it.

 

[two_bit_score]

Ever see the bow type bars that guys used to run down south? They'd be useless for a lot of what I do, but I believe the marketing behind them was almost entirely aimed at your situation, cutting logs on the ground from a standing position.

View attachment 828618

Talk about a large kickback zone! Of course, any kickback force would be far less violet, due to reduced angular velocity around a larger radius. More of a "pushback" feel than the usual snap-action behavior you get off the upper quadrant of a small bar tip.

Back in the mid 1960's we had a McCulloch with a bow on it. Everyone says they are dangerous but we lived without injury and everyone I knew used one. Some had bar saws too but bows were very popular.

 

[gsganzer]

The Husqvarna XP saws are in a whole different league than most saws. I've had my 550XP (50cc saw) for about 5 years now and it's been a perfect saw for my firewood needs. I modified the muffler, so it has a little more power than normal. I run a 20" bar with a .325, .050 chain and it pulls really well when buried in a log. I wouldn't normally run a .325 chain, but it seems to be well matched to the 50cc saw. It's a very well thought out saw, with flip up caps, fuel level window, felling sight indicator, retained nuts, easy open top cover, good bucking dogs etc.

A step up to a 562XP would probably suit anyone's needs. When I used to do forestry work in the 80's, all our saws were Husky 266XP's and they were beasts, running 20" bars. 60cc saws are a real sweet spot for power to weight.

The only issue with the Husky brand, is you don't have a prevalence of servicing dealers like Stihl does. It seems like Stihls are sold everywhere, at every tractor dealership, ag supply store etc. But I haven't had good luck with any of the newer Stihl products. They seem to be extremely finicky to start and stay in tune. I do have a 25 yo old Stihl 011 that starts on 3 pulls, even when it sits for years. It has some incredible compression for a little saw. Great for cutting mesquite.

Husky kind of sold out to the big box stores. You see the Husky homeowner/Rancher saws being sold at Tractor supply, Lowes etc, but those saws are not at the same level as the XP line. If you follow any arborist or logger forums, Husky XP's are one of the industry favorites. The good news is I've never needed to have my XP saw serviced.

 

[gsganzer]

I saw this photo on another site. Cool use of cull trees for a firewood shed.

Eddie, I found your next project. Do you have any of these trees at your Tyler place?

 

[JeepHead]

The Husqvarna XP saws are in a whole different league than most saws. I've had my 550XP (50cc saw) for about 5 years now and it's been a perfect saw for my firewood needs. I modified the muffler, so it has a little more power than normal. I run a 20" bar with a .325, .050 chain and it pulls really well when buried in a log. I wouldn't normally run a .325 chain, but it seems to be well matched to the 50cc saw. It's a very well thought out saw, with flip up caps, fuel level window, felling sight indicator, retained nuts, easy open top cover, good bucking dogs etc.

A step up to a 562XP would probably suit anyone's needs. When I used to do forestry work in the 80's, all our saws were Husky 266XP's and they were beasts, running 20" bars. 60cc saws are a real sweet spot for power to weight.

The only issue with the Husky brand, is you don't have a prevalence of servicing dealers like Stihl does. It seems like Stihls are sold everywhere, at every tractor dealership, ag supply store etc. But I haven't had good luck with any of the newer Stihl products. They seem to be extremely finicky to start and stay in tune. I do have a 25 yo old Stihl 011 that starts on 3 pulls, even when it sits for years. It has some incredible compression for a little saw. Great for cutting mesquite.

Husky kind of sold out to the big box stores. You see the Husky homeowner/Rancher saws being sold at Tractor supply, Lowes etc, but those saws are not at the same level as the XP line. If you follow any arborist or logger forums, Husky XP's are one of the industry favorites. The good news is I've never needed to have my XP saw serviced.

I love the XP line as well and have both the 562XP and the 550XP. But Huskys don't start near as easily as the Stihl pro series of saws do. My Stihl 261CM starts way easier than either of my Huskys do and the huskys are newer than the Stihl. All of these saws got the muffler modded the day I brought them home and all are screamers. In a 50CC saw, the Stihl 261 is by far my favorite of them all but that 550 aint no slouch!

 

[Hay Dude]

Pretty cool, but I wouldn’t trust that in a strong wind storm.

 

[gsganzer]

I love the XP line as well and have both the 562XP and the 550XP. But Huskys don't start near as easily as the Stihl pro series of saws do. My Stihl 261CM starts way easier than either of my Huskys do and the huskys are newer than the Stihl. All of these saws got the muffler modded the day I brought them home and all are screamers. In a 50CC saw, the Stihl 261 is by far my favorite of them all but that 550 aint no slouch!

I have a brand new Stihl MS311 out in my shop that I've only used 1x. My brother-in-law was visiting, and he found it laying in the middle of the road. It must have fallen off a service truck, no wear on the bar, no wood chips under the cover etc. Brand new, with just a scuff where it hit the pavement. I used it once when I had a spark plug issue with my 550XP.

I tried cutting one felled tree and couldn't keep the MS311 running, the fuel was boiling in the tank that it kept stalling out the saw. I mean seriously boiling, you could hear it and see it when you opened the tank. It was TX in the summer, but I've never had a saw do that before. Any idea what would cause that or how I fix it?

After I replaced my 550XP sparkplug, I've been back using that saw because the weight better suits me.

 

[JeepHead]

I have a brand new Stihl MS311 out in my shop that I've only used 1x. My brother-in-law was visiting, and he found it laying in the middle of the road. It must have fallen off a service truck, no wear on the bar, no wood chips under the cover etc. Brand new, with just a scuff where it hit the pavement. I used it once when I had a spark plug issue with my 550XP.

I tried cutting one felled tree and couldn't keep the MS311 running, the fuel was boiling in the tank that it kept stalling out the saw. I mean seriously boiling, you could hear it and see it when you opened the tank. It was TX in the summer, but I've never had a saw do that before. Any idea what would cause that or how I fix it?

After I replaced my 550XP sparkplug, I've been back using that saw because the weight better suits me.

Wow what a find! That's a homeowner line of saw from Stihl but I'd certainly take a free one! That's an odd issue, maybe vent related?

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a brand new Stihl MS311 out in my shop that I've only used 1x. My brother-in-law was visiting, and he found it laying in the middle of the road. It must have fallen off a service truck, no wear on the bar, no wood chips under the cover etc. Brand new, with just a scuff where it hit the pavement. I used it once when I had a spark plug issue with my 550XP.

I tried cutting one felled tree and couldn't keep the MS311 running, the fuel was boiling in the tank that it kept stalling out the saw. I mean seriously boiling, you could hear it and see it when you opened the tank. It was TX in the summer, but I've never had a saw do that before. Any idea what would cause that or how I fix it?

After I replaced my 550XP sparkplug, I've been back using that saw because the weight better suits me.

Maybe it didn’t “fall“ off the truck, but was “thrown” off the truck.

I remember feeling like I won the lottery about 20 years ago when I found an expensive Echo forrestry weed whacker along a country road. Brought it home and it would not start. Tinkered with it and realized it had very low compression. Emptied the fuel tank and saw someone ran regular fuel (not mix) in it and ruined the piston/cylinder.
They just threw it off the truck because it was junk

 

[tradosaurus]

Where did I get that from? Many years of running both hand saws as well as mechanical cutting systems from 3/4” to 404” and doing testing for chain/bar manufactures. When speaking to their engineers they say exactly that only grease when first installing by greasing well in service you are more likely to grit up the bearing. Most or the mechanical systems have gotten rid of the grease holes in the tips for that exact reason.

Interesting. Never would have thought that to be true but are the bars with no grease holes sealed so that no dirt can get in?