Echo 590 or the X Series?

[xyz123]

Local friend put 2 bows on some saws I sold him for same reason. Not bending over.

Husky was stock and 026 was ported.


I tell you what running the 371 372 saws even stock with a bow is scary as heck. To me bows belong on slower older saws.

 

[WinterDeere]

I totally get the reasoning behind the design of the bow you show mounted on the Husqvarna, I've seen them used before, and they have their place.

But what's the purpose of the bow shape you show on that 026 PRO? Looks like it's combining the worst features of both types of bar design.

 

[4570Man]

I totally get the reasoning behind the design of the bow you show mounted on the Husqvarna, I've seen them used before, and they have their place.

But what's the purpose of the bow shape you show on that 026 PRO? Looks like it's combining the worst features of both types of bar design.

I thought a bow saw was for brush clearing? I’ve never actually had one. Why would you want one on a 327xp?

 

[5030]

The 590 Timber Bear is a full crankcase alloy block just like the bigger Echo's are. Had mine out today working on a dead (dying) apple tree and it started second pull (been sitting for a month) with Echo Red Armor in it and Menards bar oil. Ran it for a while just to exercise it a bit and switched to my ancient Stihl 028 which is (I looked at the build date, it's 45 years old) and still screams and pulls a 20" bar (greaseable nose of course with full chipper chain (no skip tooth for me) but I keep my loops sharp always and set the rakers ai 0.020. I guess if I needed a bigger saw, I have to 075 and the 090 on the shelf, drained of gas and oil that I could use. Problem is, at 73 years old, I'd have to have someone start them. Even with the compression releases I cannot pull them over anymore. Besides, the bars are huge. The 75 has a 4 foot bar on it and the 90 has a 5 footer 2 man. Bought them both new when I bought the 028. I often think about selling them both and then I forget about it. When I pass, my wife can give them away. Last time I had the muffler off the 028 to clean the spark arrestor screen I took a hard look at the piston and no marks anywhere. Took a wood stick and cleaned out the exhaust port too.

I actually have trouble starting the 590. It has really good compression, thank the Lord it has a compression release. of course I did fiddle with it a bit, I cannot keep my mitts of any saw, but nothing radical, just the muffler baffle and pulled the limiter caps. Echo likes to market their saws running a bit on the rich side and it has a Red Beard velocity stack and foam air filter on it as well. Not my first Echo either. Had a top handle Stihl professional arborist saw (700 bucks) that I ran over with the truck and squished it and I wasn't about to drop another 700 so I bought a Echo Top handle CS and typical me, I fiddled with it as well, Did the muffler. All the CS saws have a cat in the muffler but you can buy from an Echo dealer or Saw It Again, a non cat muffler so I did that and pulled the limiter caps and modded the top muffler baffle plate too. It runs pretty good, don't have quite the grunt the Stihl had but a sharp loop makes all the difference and it really light too. Lighter than the Stihl was. Nice saw for under 400 bucks. it is a clamshell however and not a Strato either.

I again will say the 028 runs better on the Red Armor 50-1 pre mix fuel than on the weasel pee ethanol with Stihl bottled oil in it. Idles better, and gets right up on the throttle instantly and no more draining fuel and drying out the carb and intake when I don't use it for months

Been a good saw all this time. It's only on it's second sparkplug too and the original greaseable roller nose Stihl bar as well. Of course all my saws lead a pampered life in the air conditioned and heated shop.

Would I ever buy another Stihl again. Nope. Far as I'm concerned Echo builds a high quality saw at a much better price point.

 

[5030]

I thought a bow saw was for brush clearing? I’ve never actually had one. Why would you want one on a 327xp?

Back when I owned and operated a tree removal company, I had one on a Poulan and I kept it maybe 2 months are sold it. I didn't like it at all and candidly didn't like the powerhead either. That Poulan was prone to vapor lock and I didn't have the time to be dealing with it so I got rid of it. Fine for bucking logs but that is about it and they can be dangerous too.

 

[4570Man]

I run a 20” bar on a 261C 50cc saw and it saves me from having to bend over further than a 16” bar to buck anything laying on the ground.
50+ year old people still working outside 8+ hours a day appreciate any/all tactical advantages they can get to keep working.

I get that the recommended bar length is 16-18”, but 50% of what I cut around here is pine anyway, so it works for my situation. I had little problem cutting poplar, too.

I like short bars on a saw. The first thing I did to my 261 was put a 16” bar on it. I run 20s on my 372 and 500i. I have a 28” and a 30” for those saws but I never use them unless absolutely necessary.

 

[5030]

Longer the bar, the heavier the saw. My 75 and 90 are tanks. I'm that way with hunting rifles too. I want a medium to long range bolt rifle that isn't over 7.7 pounds loaded and I have one but it was not a cheap date either. Total bill was almost 7 grand.

 

[4570Man]

Longer the bar, the heavier the saw. My 75 and 90 are tanks. I'm that way with hunting rifles too. I want a medium to long range bolt rifle that isn't over 7.7 pounds loaded and I have one but it was not a cheap date either. Total bill was almost 7 grand.

Not only is it heavy a long bar that sticks through the material you’re cutting by 12” or more makes an accidental ground strike way more likely.

 

[WinterDeere]

I thought a bow saw was for brush clearing?

I've always seen them used for bucking logs on the ground from a standing position. Specifically the ones with the spur type dog on the lower edge, used as a fulcrum, like this:



Versus having to squat to safely use a standard bar:



Or even worse... bending:



I've never seen them used for clearing brush.

I’ve never actually had one. Why would you want one on a 327xp?

I wouldn't.

 

[4570Man]

I've always seen them used for bucking logs on the ground from a standing position. Specifically the ones with the spur type dog on the lower edge, used as a fulcrum, like this:

View attachment 828762

Versus having to squat to safely use a standard bar:

View attachment 828763

Or even worse... bending:

View attachment 828764

I've never seen them used for clearing brush.



I wouldn't.

I took a few minutes to watch them on YouTube. I can see the appeal for cutting smaller diameter firewood on the ground but the vast majority of the users were sticking them in the dirt to finish the cut. My mini excavator fixed the bending over problem and the sticking the saw in the dirt problem. It seems like a bow bar on saw with the power of a 372 would want to run off the log into your legs and be a death machine. Even with a small saw I imagine the injury rate would be considerably higher on a number used basis.