New saw advice

[departed]

I’ve got an echo 501sxh. Fantastic saw, light and powerful, I run it with a 13” 0.50 bar and chain and it’s a beast.
The downside is the anti vibe. It’s on rubbers and I suffer because of it. You may not have an issue, many don’t, but I think you should be aware before you consider buying one. The husky and Stihl are much better as they’re on springs.

[Conor Wright]

I have both the 261 and 501 and have a good few hours done with another man's 550 mk2. For most tasks I pick the 501 but it is slower to build up and a little less grunty but I prefer how it feels in the hand. The 261 is probably the better saw of the two,  but not by much. The husky is hard to start and runs out of fuel way too quickly for my liking. I like to work up a sweat using the saw, not starting it.

[AHPP]

3 hours ago, chrisjpainter said:

Nope! you'll have to do better than that!😆

A sonnet in full iambic pentameter is the bare minimum I'm expecting...

For work aloft, weight is most important.
Stihl of Germany, my brand selected,
An MS two fifty, or thereabouts;
The frame and crankcase, is slightly slighter
Than the two sixty, the full thoroughbred.
In the forest, you must strike the balance
Twixt weight and vigour; the greater import,
To most cutters, always the lattermost.
So two, three, four sixty; choice does abound,
Bar lengths dictate, the model exactly.
My assumption, that you do not ascend,
Would bias decision to the power.
But for leisure, who cares for production.
Go lightly, lest your back ache unduly.

 

 

That was harder than a limerick.

Edited October 28, 2021 by AHPP

[chrisjpainter]

8 minutes ago, AHPP said:

For work aloft, weight is most important.
Stihl of Germany, my brand selected,
An MS two fifty, or thereabouts;
The frame and crankcase, is slightly slighter
Than the two sixty, the full thoroughbred.
In the forest, you must strike the balance
Twixt weight and power, the greater import,
To most cutters, always the lattermost.
So two, three, four sixty; choice does abound,
Bar lengths dictate, the model exactly.
My assumption, that you do not ascend,
Would bias decision to the power.
But for leisure, who cares for production.
Go lightly, lest your back ache unduly.

 

 

That was harder than a limerick.

Okay that was a master (two)stroke. To dodge both a limmerick and even an easy haiku is commitment to the cause! Well played there;well played indeed!

[chrisjpainter]

15 minutes ago, Conor Wright said:

I have both the 261 and 501 and have a good few hours done with another man's 550 mk2. For most tasks I pick the 501 but it is slower to build up and a little less grunty but I prefer how it feels in the hand. The 261 is probably the better saw of the two,  but not by much. The husky is hard to start and runs out of fuel way too quickly for my liking. I like to work up a sweat using the saw, not starting it.

That was often the case with the Mk1, but I thought they'd fixed a lot of the issues with the new one? Slightly concerning that this is still a dividing characteristic between it and its rivals. Any of you XP550mk2 users find the same?

[coppice cutter]

2 hours ago, chrisjpainter said:

I'm guessing you've not been felling hardwoods with the 390? Or has it been handling that too??

Not felling as such but I was ringing up seasoned oak last week and decided to give the 266 (and my back) a break and try the 390 in it just for the hell of it.

 

It was so good that I stuck with it.

 

But I'm just so impressed with every aspect of it, quality, ergonomics, starting hot or cold, can't fault it.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by coppice cutter

[Essex]

Husky’s aren’t hard to start. They just need to be put on half throttle/choke when hot

 

 

[Stubby]

17 minutes ago, Essex said:

Husky’s aren’t hard to start. They just need to be put on half throttle/choke when hot

 

 

I have found its just  a couple of pumps on the primer bulb on my 560 when hot .

[tim361]

Ms361

[Silverhooker]

Another vote for the 550 Mk 2.

(Didn't have a Mk 1 tho.)