550 XP on the spot buy..

[Guest Gimlet]

Hope they're as good as people say they are on here. Just bought one spur of the moment for my hedgelaying work as my usual saw has just packed up five days before the deadline to finish some contract work. 

 

Been meaning to buy a lighter saw for ages because my 365 is waaay too much saw for hedging, but I've had it donkeys years and I like it. It's like a pair of old slippers (Hope it's fixable..) 

 

The 550 doesn't rip through stuff or have anything like the grunt of the old 365 but it's lovely and light. My arms should be back to their normal size by the end of the season..

[Mick Dempsey]

I would have thought that a battery saw would be ideal for hedge laying.

Small diameter material, guaranteed start, safer.

 

Just my thoughts.

[AHPP]

I'm always surprised at how big saws hedgelayers use but that's coming from someone who doesn't know much about hedgelaying. I assume you need the power for those long, steep, diagonal cuts?

[AHPP]

Plus what Mick said.

[gary112]

8 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

Hope they're as good as people say they are on here. Just bought one spur of the moment for my hedgelaying work as my usual saw has just packed up five days before the deadline to finish some contract work. 

 

Been meaning to buy a lighter saw for ages because my 365 is waaay too much saw for hedging, but I've had it donkeys years and I like it. It's like a pair of old slippers (Hope it's fixable..) 

 

The 550 doesn't rip through stuff or have anything like the grunt of the old 365 but it's lovely and light. My arms should be back to their normal size by the end of the season..

550xp is a great for saw for hedging,thats all i.ve used since 2013 until last year when i bought my Makita 4300,which is also brilliant

[Guest Gimlet]

I've often thought about a cordless but they're bloody expensive by the time you've bought a fast charger, two batteries and in inverter so I can charge them from the truck. 

 

And yes, it is surprising how much grunt you need sometimes. I couldn't get on with the tiny little 12" domestic saws that some hedge layers use. Long pleach cuts going with the grain can be hard work and there's often veteran trees which have to stay but need a bit of pruning or crown raising. And sometimes bigger stuff that needs felling. Today I came across a very old oak stump about three feet across right in the middle of the hedge. It had been cut down years ago but left about 2 feet proud of the ground. It was in the way and had to be cut off flush and it was chocolate brown inside and as hard as iron. The 365 tore through it but it made it work.

 

The drawback I have found with a big saw is a lot of the time the engine just isn't working hard enough hedging and my 365 tended to oil up and eat plugs. I'm hoping the 550 will be a good happy medium saw. 

[Stubby]

2 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

I've often thought about a cordless but they're bloody expensive by the time you've bought a fast charger, two batteries and in inverter so I can charge them from the truck. 

 

And yes, it is surprising how much grunt you need sometimes. I couldn't get on with the tiny little 12" domestic saws that some hedge layers use. Long pleach cuts going with the grain can be hard work and there's often veteran trees which have to stay but need a bit of pruning or crown raising. And sometimes bigger stuff that needs felling. Today I came across a very old oak stump about three feet across right in the middle of the hedge. It had been cut down years ago but left about 2 feet proud of the ground. It was in the way and had to be cut off flush and it was chocolate brown inside and as hard as iron. The 365 tore through it but it made it work.

 

The drawback I have found with a big saw is a lot of the time the engine just isn't working hard enough hedging and my 365 tended to oil up and eat plugs. I'm hoping the 550 will be a good happy medium saw. 

Is it a MK2 ? Hope so ...

[Guest Gimlet]

12 minutes ago, gary112 said:

550xp is a great for saw for hedging,thats all i.ve used since 2013 until last year when i bought my Makita 4300,which is also brilliant

Feels like it's made of balsa wood after the 365.. 

Running the standard 15" bar it came with. So far that feels just about perfect. Should be plenty big enough but if I do need an 18" I'll have the 365.

[Guest Gimlet]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

Is it a MK2 ? Hope so ...

Err, dunno. How do I tell?

[Stubby]

Just now, Gimlet said:

Err, dunno. How do I tell?

It wont break down 🙂