550XP Mk2

[Cuttup]

Well, it wouldn't be Arbtalk if people didn't chip in their ha'penny's worth - even of its totally irrelevant to the OP - and you're not guilty of that atm 😉. 

 

Maybe Gimmlet had a Mk 1? Here's hoping...

[lurch_917]

my turn ... well i own the 560xp and have found it easy to start when hot or cold - cold just give the prima 2-3 pumps choke it then pull  normally 3 pull it coughs push the choke to run next pull shes off but pull past that first cough in choke its flooded . when hot just squeeze the trigger once then pull and shes off . squeezing the trigger that once opens the carb to fast idol for starting .

 

[Dan Maynard]

No, it was a new mk 2. I think the thing is compared to a 365 it feels like a gazillion rpm and no torque.

 

If you were used to the 550 then maybe the 365 would feel like moving from nipping round on a motorbike to driving a bus.

 

I keep looking at new saws but don't really need more.

[MattyF]

Mk2 is a good saw imo so much so I've replaced my 560's with them for soft wood dressing small felling and brought ms400's for hard woods and more torquey bucket work when needed...

Any one wants a ms400 I'll let my back up go for £500 has a dent in the handle and a broken fin but no way effects it's performance is a very strong saw , it's just after 6 weeks unpayed maternity it's time to sell any fishing , shooting and unused saws to claw some money back in the account.

 

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, MattyF said:

after 6 weeks unpayed maternity

Rough was it Matty? Strangely I had you down as a bloke with that beard.

 

Good wishes for the family

[MattyF]

Haha thanks !! I've had that time off trying to support misses and get used to sleepless nights ... well wasn't really time off as I've been in the yard doing firewood and the odd job.

[Guest Gimlet]

4 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

No, it was a new mk 2. I think the thing is compared to a 365 it feels like a gazillion rpm and no torque.

 

If you were used to the 550 then maybe the 365 would feel like moving from nipping round on a motorbike to driving a bus.

 

I keep looking at new saws but don't really need more.

It is a mk 2. The issue for me is, it's not really a saw for picking up and putting down with restarts in between. The self-tune system doesn't like that if it gets cold and because the start/stop switch is recessed you can't operate it without taking your gloves off. And because they're disposable it really needs to be your primary wage earner not an accessory tool. 

I do like the light weight after the 365 but yes, it definitely lacks grunt. If you're snedding and cording up felled trees it doesn't matter because it's cut after cut in quick succession keeping the revs up. But not so good for making quick nips and cuts here and there.  

On the other hand, I suspect the self tuning capability will probably make it less inclined to oil up plugs and burn them out if it spends too much time idling. 

What I needed was a smaller, lighter 365, but that isn't really what the 550 is. 

[carlos]

we use them at work with a 15"bar, they do everything felling ,snedding, hedging , in the tree ,by the chipper left running , stopped , started , all with no problems, good allround small saw imo.

[spudulike]

7 hours ago, MattyF said:

Haha thanks !! I've had that time off trying to support misses and get used to sleepless nights ... well wasn't really time off as I've been in the yard doing firewood and the odd job.

Blimey, things have changed. Congratulations and all that. Hope all is good with you, perhaps we should catch up!

[Cuttup]

All sounds good.

 

Might even extend myself to XPG....

So XP or LS 2 stroke for this brand new saw?

These are the same grade are they not, but XP is bio? Husqvarna talk about professional and 'prosumer'  (I see what they did there...) etc etc. is this all just marketing?

 

I've been using Oregon almost exclusively for 20 years with no issues. I Did use LS for a while but went back to Oregon because the red is so obvious and the green is much harder to see.