john87

Hi All, So, i had my first go on the new saw today, so how did i get on?? Well, after i came from the shop, i stopped in a layby and got it going. Started after about 5 pulls, which from brand new i thought was good, considering no primer bulb.. This morning went to use it for the first time.. Could i get it to start from cold, could i hell, took me about 20 pulls if not more. Nearly gave up.. Once going it was fine and ran well. Started hot ok too. When i got home and was busy cleaning the thing, i discovered the reason for the starting difficulty, i had forgotten all about the decompressor!! 5 mins ago i tried it again. This time, second pull from cold and very easy start when warm. So, i have never had a saw with a decompressor before, and forgot all about it. live and learn!! Will not forget that!! So, how did it go?? Very well i think.. When you are just lugging the thing about it feels quite a lump [as a 73cc saw with a 28" solid bar would], but when in use you forget all about that and it works very well. As for cutting speed, seeing as it is three times as powerful as my smaller Echo, and has a full chisel chain, not as fast as i was expectling, but the wood i was cutting up, no idea what species, but had been drying for about a year apparently, so maybe quite hard. Was a close grained stuff, some sort of hardwood then?? I used getting on for half a tank of fuel and maybe a quarter of a tank of chain oil. Does this seem about right?? All my other saws use about the same amount, but i was wondering if a longer chain needs more oil?? When i have finished cutting the chain feels dry really, but with maybe the slightest trace of oil. When you pull it out of the groove and look at the drive links though, you can clearly see a film of oil on them, so i think that is about right, or should i turn it up a bit?? Did not notice any vibration, and i was not wearing gloves, so must be quite smooth. Very noisy thing though, a LOT louded than my 2511, and that makes a racket.. All in all, very well pleased, easier to handle than i thought it would be [i am gone 60] starts easy if you remember the decompressor and seems built to last.. Here is the wood i cut up.. john..

I know... Come April when there is money left in the pot you would think they would do a bit of maintenance, but no, they will deliberately spent it on a load of crap.. You know yourself what goes on.. It is all "short termism" Why spend ten pounds putting a slate on now, when you could leave it till you have dru rot and spend £200,000 instead.. I do my best though.. Cost me a fortune, but there we are.. I admit, i do love the place and i will do all i can to do the stuff that otherwise would never get done. Makes all the difference between someone coming along and saying... Nah, it is too far gone and demolishing it, or someone coming along and thinking, Hmmm, you know with with a bit of work we could do some thing here... I just want to save the place, and i have some VERY high ranking supporters too, so,, go me!! john..

No!!!! john..

No.. Is that falling down too?? john..

Certainly is.. A wonderful place left to go to ruin.. so much could be done, and for so little, if only people could be bothered. They spend MILLIONS on "experts" to try to tell them how to improve the patients "experience" if you like and money is wasted like water. I could tell them for nothing, all they have to do is to put everything back as it was 50 years ago.. I do what i can and have done well for one man. There is a lot more i want to try to get done this year. I have to get my building site dumper up and running so as to be able to transport stuff about the site more easily and i will get the excavator out there too and have a proper sort out of a BIG project i want to get sorted. It all takes time though and i have a lot i have to do in other areas of my life too. I WILL get there though. Just PROUD to be able to do what i can and make a real difference, VERY VERY proud, make no mistake. I want to get neglected and abandoned areas back into use for the patients, and i will, make no mistake about that one!! john..

I am involved with a large site of about 60 acres with many buildings. It has all been sadly neglected for the last 30 odd years owing largely to a lack of money.. These people have been good to me in the past [still are] so i try to do what i can, especially as i have been involved with the place for 47 years this year.. It all costs me a lot of money, but better than spending it in a pub or on old motorbikes!! In return, i have learnt a lot and get an awful lot of satisfaction from what i do.. I do a lot more than mess about with trees mind that is a fairly new thing, but i am learning and saving the poor building from TERRIBLE damage caused by damp. Only an idiot would plant trees 8 or 10 feet away from a building.. I have to remove a few trees in the next few months [i did the leaning birch] For some reason root rot seems very popular and i have no idea why this is, but there are trees in danger of collapsing if they are left.. After that, it is up with the scaffolding and clear out the gutters, oh and wash out some drains [wonderful things fire hydrants!] I get all the fun jobs.. [not!!] john..

Thank you!! john..

Just for clarity, i do not want people running away with the idea that i think any particular make of saw is not too clever, they all have good and bad points, for example, if i knew that today i were going to be forced to go and saw up 20" diameter tree trunks all day, there would only be one saw, obviously a Stihl MS50i as it is the lightest of them all and the most powerful too, so presumably fastest, and the thing has a lovely balance. It is just after having thought a lot, and having had good experiences in the past, an Echo seemed right for ME. Not saying it would be right for everyone.. in the way that you might have wanted a 2 litre Mk3 cortina, but i might have decided that an 1800 Marina TC was better [B series much better engine than the pinto you see!!] or that a norton was a better motor bike than a triumph.. Saying that, a triumph 2.5 PI or a rover 3.5. Proper cars them!! john..

Yes that is all fair enough what you say, all valid points.. Funnily enough, the first saw i ever used, must be 40 years ago now, was a stihl, and now, it is still going!! Ok, not very well, but that is the owners fault. It wants a new fuel cap, possibly a bar, a chain and the rest just cleaning up and it would be fine.. john..

Hi All, Ok, so what did i do... Well, first off, i listened to what all of you said. One thing learnt was the rule about whatever bar length you want, requires about 3 times the cc's to pull it, properly and it had been pointed out that it is best to go with the "middle size" bar of the options you get, so i had something to go on now.. It was explained by your good selves, that a 60cc saw with a 20" bar would be a good combination. With the make i chose [more on that later] the 60cc saw was less than a pound lighter than the 73cc version, so that gave me more to think about too.. So, what did i decide to do?? Well, i was torn between Stihl and Echo. I handled an MS50I and very nice it was too, but a bit expensive for a saw that i will not see use much anyway. Remember, i only do what i do, out of well, not a debt to society, [i have not been to jail or anything!!] but what i do does benefit others, greatly i suppose and society in general too, so call it charitable work. Anyway, I had a look at a Stihl MS462 as well, and these were just as nice and the price was not bad either for the quality of saw, so it came down to what did i think i would have the least trouble with.. Now, i have three Echo saws already, and these have all been faultless. Another thing i noticed that was if i googled "problems with Stihl MSXXX" there were loads of posts, and a LOAD of people saying that the Stihl warranty service was not good with them mostly not wanting to help. On the other hand, you google "problems with Echo CS-XXX" and there is next to nothing.. I would think that most of the Stihl fuelling or starting problems you here about are people putting mucky fuel in them, but there was still a general sense that Stihl are not too interested once they have sold you the thing. There are loads of posts on this forum concerning that sort of thing.. I had also read posts on this forum about people that had broke the bar stud on CS-2511's and the Echo dealers it seemed, did all they could to help.. So based on my own experiences and the reputation of Echo looking after you once you had bought one, Echo it was.. But which one?? I had taken on board the idea of say, a 20" bar needs 60cc, so i was going to get a CS-621SX, indeed, members of the forum had said that a 24" bar on a 60cc saw might be a bit much, so when i saw that the bigger 73cc model was less that a pound heavier, than the 60cc, i thought that for such a small weight difference, i might as well get the bigger saw, as that would pull a 24" bar [which is what i wanted] no problem at all.. Soooo... I checked, and "Forest and Arb" of Winchester told me that they had A CS-7310 in stock with a 24" bar, so off i went 120 miles to get it. They did say that they did next day free delivery and could do this no problem, but i thought i might as well have a day out!! I got there and i saw one on display, but it turned out to be a 28" one. They went to get the 24" one they had, but someone had taken the bar out of the box, and not told the chap i had arranged all this with [i think they were the manager] who was not best pleased at all.. So, as i had come a long way, they tried their best, they really did.. They gave me a very good discount on the 28" one, and they are going to order a 24" bar for me, and do it at not much more than cost, so you cannot say fairer than that. I might see if i can get the 20" bar instead though, might as well if i already have a 28" They were very very helpful and their shop is very well stocked too with PILES of climbing stuff, definitely well worth a look.. So, the saw itself?? Well, a big heavy thing as is to be expected, with a very solid and sturdy feel to it too. A 25" Stihl MS462 felt lighter overall, but there was not much in it [about 1.5 pounds according to the spec sheets] although the Echo felt slightly front heavy too compared to the Stihl, but then, it had a 28" solid bar on it, instead of a 25" lightweight one, so i suppose you would expect this. The Echo build quality seems very good though, a well solid feel to it as i say. You get the impression that you will not break it in a hurry.. So, what does it run like?? My saw had never been run before it seems, as no traces of petrol smell or oil in it at all, and, as i had fuel with me, and oil too, so i checked it over, adjusted the chain, and filled it with fuel and oil in a layby on the side of the road to "try it out" as it were. It fired up after about 5 pulls, which i thought was very good for something that had never even run before. I JUST managed to resist the temptation to cut down some trees on the side of the road for fun, but the saw sounded great, just revving it gently up and down to help run it in, with the chain oiler working fine too. After a few minutes i thought i would see what it is like to start hot. Once again, easy, one pull and it fires up.. Whether you hold it with the saw between your legs [you know what i mean!!] or drop start it, it starts very easily.. If you want a very solid feeling saw, with bags of power, no funny electronics to go wrong, AND a great reputation for reliability and dealer backup, you could do a LOT worse than buy an Echo.. So, in the next week it will have its first outing, sawing up a 2 foot diameter silver birch, so i will be sure to post back and tell you how the thing performed!! john..

Number one consideration is go and handle a few and find one you like the feel and balance of Worry about the make second as they are all much of a muchness really. Cannot see why you need the thing "tuned" as the carb settings should not change over time unless you have the modern unleaded in it.. Granted, one with "autotune" would be good if you never want to have to fiddle with carb settings, but i have not had to touch the carbs on mine. My brand new husqvarna hedge trimmer carb was MILES out though so i had to sort that.. john..

That is good to hear!! Like i said, i would imagine most problems are down to idiots with shitty fuel, but it is nice to hear the experiences that people have had before i rush out and buy anything!! john..

Here is a bit of a link from this very forum.. john..

Just stuff i read from saw repairers and users on youtube. I know some of them may be idiots, but unless you own one yourself, who is to know?? LOADS of them say that there is some solenoid that ends up getting replaced rather a lot, people that rightly or wrongly claim to be stihl trained repairers.. john..

Been reading some stuff about the stihl electronic carbs or the injection system is crap. Bit worried now... Having said that, i would think most problems are that idiots have put mucky fuel in them.. Anyone had any problems with the M-tronic saws?? Also, with the MS50i i have read a lot about pumping the primer thing to start it. Is that just from cold?? What if i ileave it half hour, do i have to mess with the primer again, or will it just start straight up. Read a lot of stuff about 5 pulls to start the thing when hot. Surely that cannot be right?? My little echo is half a pull as should anything decent be.. john..

Why would you want to start a brand new engine and rev the bollocks off it from cold?? Would you do that to your car or bike or anything else?? john..

Anyone had any experience with an Echo CS-7310SX?? Apart from i like echo saws, the lack of complicated electronics appeals to me. I would like something i could fix myself if something goes wrong you see, as the local dealers are very friendly but i would not let them take anything to bits.. They seem to have no mechanical empathy at all. You buy a saw and they cannot just give you the thing in the makers box, oh no.. They insist on putting the thing together, and then, after you have paid for it and it is YOUR property, they WILL NOT just give it to you, but insist on starting it up from cold, the poor thing never having been run before, and then revving the bollocks off it. Not only that, when you have a look. the chain is FAR too tight.. Having said that, they are very helpful, 100% honest, always give good advice and NEVER try to sell you more than they think you need.. john..

Hi All, Just this second got back in!! Yes, Doug is right, that is what i have got. 1, My Echo CS-352ES with the 14" bar. I have had this for about 3 or possibly 4 years now. Thing is like brand new. I look after all my stuff. Cannot understand it when i see people on youtube "unboxing" a brand new saw and they throw it around on a bench or the back of a van tailgate like it was a house brick.. This has been, and is, a BRILLIANT saw. Just completely faultless. Two pulls when cold, half a pull when warmed for 30 seconds and is simply amazing.. Would i buy another?? Without a seconds thought.. 2, My Echo PPT-2620HES pole saw with the 12" bar. This is the one with the straight handle, not the usual "loop" one. I got it because it occured to me that if the handle where you held the thing was at the apex of a loop, then the thing would attempt to pull itself [by gravity[ to a vertical position all the time, so how were you supposed to do cuts at an angle, and it appears that i was correct with this. Once again, lovely, jewel of a thing. Lovely build quality and just great, A bit gutless at first, but as it started to run in it got better and better. Still needs a good warm up to give of its best even now. I have cut off 8" diameter branches with this thing no problem. Best thing is to cut a long branch off in short sections at a time, as otherwise you run the risk of a long branch dropping on you and the saw, which will obviously damage the thing. Owing to the weight of the thing, quite a lot more than a Stihl MS50 etc etc, you certainly do not want to be using one all day, i will promise you that!! If you were holding it vertically, it would not be a problem, but usually you are holding the thing at about 45 degrees so as the bits you cut off do not drop on your head!! Imagine holding a 12 foot long fishing rod horizontally with a few house bricks on the end all day, you get the idea!! Would i buy another?? Again, YES! without a seconds thought.. 3, My Echo CS-2511TES top handle saw with 10" bar. I loved this as soon as i saw it. Once again, faultless. I have read about starting problems, but these are "pilot error" Where people go wrong, it that they go to start the thing, and naturally enough, hold it by the top handle. Problem is, by doing this they have no choice other than to touch the throttle, and this instantly disengages the choke.... Things go down hill from there as they pull and pull and then flood it.. When cold, choke on, hold the saw by the side handle, one pull and it will fire once. THEN, return the choke lever to the OFF position, and, still holding the saw by the side handle, one pull and it will start and fast idle. Touch the throttle and it will trip the mechanism and return to normal idle. When hot, try to start it by holding the side handle again, as otherwise, you will be starting it at full throttle and merely fighting the increased compression. If it does not start first pull, THEN open the throttle and pull a second time, it will start instantly.. It is a lovely saw to use. Lovely balance and plently of power for what it is intended for.. I have handled, but not tried, the next model up, 35cc i believe, and although no doubt great in that they will pull a longer bar, the wonderful balance is lost, to my mind at any rate.. Would i buy another?? Again, YES! without a seconds thought.. There is nothing else out there that compares, wonderful little thing.. As you can see, i like Echo saws and would gladly buy another, but cannot find anyone that has what i want in stock.. What fuel do i use? Husqvarna XP power2 as this is the best, After lots of research i found that this stuff contains JASO FD oil which is what Echo insist you must use. Other fuels contain the JASO FB spec oil, so, Husqvarna fuel it is.. I also have these.. Husqvarna 522HD60X Hedgetrimmer Husqvarna 522HD675X Hedgetrimmer Husqvarna 128C Strimmer Kawasaki powered BK45ED Brushcutter Husqvarna 525BX Leaf blower Timberwolf 13/75G Chipper john..

It definitely would be for me... john..

If you are rather more skilled than me i suppose you could!! I know how to do it in theory, but in practice it would be a bit different.. john..

That is the thing.. Hard to know what to do for the best.. The saw i have now is only a 14" one. It has been and still is, brilliant. Problem i have, is, i do not want to spend a lot of money to get a saw that only gives me another 4 or 6 inches of bar. It would be a very expensive 4 inches!! Some time in the future, i have to take down some fairly sizeable trees. Because of where they are, i will have to dismantle the things more or less to the bottom. I do not want to be messing about trying to cut off bits of three foot diameter trunk anymore than i have to, i just want to be able to saw off six inch slices and push them off.. Last biggish tree [by my standards] i had to saw up, Happily for me, had fallen over of its own accord, and i just had to cut it up. Most of it was dead easy, i just lifted it with a jack and whizzed along lopping off slices. The last ten foot or so was a different matter, i had to saw it lengthways into quarters to be able to cut it up. This was not much fun!! If i bought a large saw, this sort of thing would be very much easier, AND, if i had to take the saw up a tree for any reason, i could always fit a shorter bar.. [although it still would not be much fun admittedly] I know you say that; "I just suspect as a non pro you won't use a 70cc saw all that much, it's pretty physical thing to use for long" and i agree with what you say. But looking at it from the other direction, i might only have to wrestle with the thing for an hour, whereas a pro like you lot, might have to wrestle with the thing all day every day, another thing entirely!! Here are two photos of the sycamore.. One of it jacked up and me about to slice it up, and one of the last bit that i had to cut into quarters.. [not doing that again!!] john..

Yes!! I agree 1000% My car "might" be able to do 100mph, but what will its lifespan be if i chose to do so?? It is the same with everything mechanical. the harder you use it, the quicker it will wear out.. You "might" be able to go overboard and fit a big long bar, but what about the effect of the mechanics of the saw, the anti vib bits and the clutch etc. As you say, far far better to stick to middle of the range.. john..

Thank you for taking the time to write all that out.. I am only a beginner at all this stuff and information like that helps an awful lot!! I have to be fair, i am starting to lean towards a 462 or the 500.. As you say, it felt VERY usable for a saw that size, at least in the shop it did!! As soon as i picked the thing up i was impressed.. I have been looking at specs for various saws, i one thing i have noticed is that Stihl tend to be very conservative regarding the bar size they say a saw of any particular power will pull, whereas other makers tend to offer longer bars but in combination with a lot less power, so at least it seems they do not feel it necessary to try to "overstate" the capabilities of their saws.. I did see a video last night of someone with a 500 that had one with a 32" bar and that flew through the stuff they were cutting, so as you say, the thing would handle a 25" bar stupidly easily.. I am going to try to look at a 462 and a 500 side by side and try to find out what differences there are in fuel consumption and stuff. Bit worried that a 500 might be a bit of a lot to go wrong, what with the injection and all, but i had a fuel injected 125 motorbike once, the that was FAR better on fuel than the carburetted 125 i had years ago, but then, as you say, more power = more fuel.. No getting away from that!! john..

When i clean my air filter, bugger compressed air or brushes, i think that will just damage it. I just take it off and wash it gently in hot water with washing up liquid. Carb cleaner as you say is a great idea too!! Never thought of that!! john,,

Hi all, Been out looking at saws.. I want something that will pull a 24" bar.. Here is how far i have got.. Would like an Echo CS-620SX as i have other Echo saws and they are great. According to Echo the 620 will pull a 28" bar... Problem is, the things have been replaced by a new model, the 621. This is the "low emission" version, and so far as i can see the cylinder and piston are different, so have they got a ceramic coated piston and the thing runs hot as hell as they have leaned it out so much??? No idea.. When you look at the Echo catalogue they list a 24" bar as max, [instead of the 28" listed for the 620] and the max power is less so that tells a story.. If you look in the Echo bar chart though, they only list a 20" bar for them, but a 24" for the "old" 620.. All as clear as mud. Cannot find anywhere that actually has one in stock for me to have a look at, to see what i think and i am not about to buy something i have never even held.. An Echo CS-7310 looks good, but again, i have not been able to find one i can go and look at.. I DID have a look at a Husqvarna 572XP with a bar about 26" long on it [i measured it with a tape] Nice saw, but TERRIBLY front heavy.. Would not fancy using one of them all day, felt very cumbersome indeed.. Too much saw for me!!! I DID have a look at a Stihl MS500I with a 25" bar. This, although about the same weight as the Husky, felt MUCH better balanced and actually usable. VERY VERY nice it seemed, VERY expensive though.. What you all think?? john..