Echo? Good enough?

[azmtnman]

What do y'all think of Echo saws?
I am a Stihl guy but I just bought this:

 
I got it at Home Depot for $63.05! (regular price was $259)  8) 8) No risk at that price! It was missing the air filter. I found an Echo shop (somewhat) local. While there, he showed me the CS 800P. I am in need of a large saw (36") for felling. I have had my eye on a Stihl MS661 (further encouraged by FF fan of MS661) but they are $1350 + or -. The Echo is $850! Is this really a case of "you get what you pay for" or am I paying for Stihl's big advertising budget?

[HolmenTree]

$500 is a big difference,  unless you're making a living with the saw 8 hours a day the 500 will be well spent.
But if you're only a casual user the Echo with 5 warranty would be right for you.
Just my 2 cents.

[DDW_OR]

I have an Echo 310 and i love it. light weight and powerful.
GREAT deal on the 330.

how much felling are you doing?
you can almost get two Echos for the price of the big Stihl.
on the big saws i would compare Stihl cc to Echo cc.
also compare weight. if you have to lug the saw all day.....

[ladylake]

 Open up the muff and pull the limiter caps on that 330t and it will cut with the best of them, pull the caps and tune for sure as a lot come burn up lean and the limited coil can fool you into thinking they are rich.  A Echo CS8000 cuts good but it's only 80cc vs 90+ cc for a MS661.  Steve

[snowshoveler]

I work for a Husky / Echo dealer.
We had an 800 that the traveler dropped off because the original dealer couldn't get to run right.
First thing I always do in a situation like that is look at the fuel.
So with the traveler right beside me , I poured the fuel into an ice cream container.
WOW...half water.
The traveler told me to make it right and to then take it home for a while and use it to see what I thought.
Well a carb kit and fuel filter and a good cleaning as well as a proper file job on the  32 inch bar chain combo.
Took it home and ran it. Works pretty nice and a bit stronger than my minty 372 and even a bit more than my 440 mag.
Not anywhere near my 394 but its not supposed to be either.
Its a nice saw in that size class and fair play will last a long long time.
The warranty is also good.
We have had no trouble getting paid on anything that I felt was legitimate manufacturing defects.
Not many of those though. They sell and I seldom see them back on my bench to repair.
Regards Chris

[DDW_OR]

i have an old Jonsereds 81 with a 30 inch bar. works and cuts great, but heavy as hell. no compression release.

have been thinking of getting a bigger 42 inch bar. but that would be bigger than the Jonsereds 81 can handle.

snowshoveler - what would you recommend? I have at least 6 BIG cedar trees. bigger than my Timberking 2000 can handle. have an older Alaskan mill that has never been used since new. the Alaskan mill and the Jonsereds where purchased together.

[snowshoveler]

DDW_OR
About that Alaskan mill...
That is how I started milling...its a slippery slope you will be on.
I went to  Jonsereds chainsaw mill and sawed well in excess of 10 thousand feet of lumber with it.
From there to the belsaw and never looked back.
From time to time my buddy shows up with a huge baker bandmill and helps me with the big stuff.
If you take your time you can do a lot of work with the Alaskan.
Its all about the chain and how its sharpened.
Regards Chris

[HolmenTree]

With a little patience and sweat on your brow you can do a lot with an Alaskan. Like Chris said it's all in the chain.
The closest I came to milling red cedar with my Alaskan was milling up discarded cedar power poles some upwards of 36" in diameter .
Made some beautiful beams up to 32 feet long for a garden Arbor  and lots of 1"x6" to build a 1/4 mile of picket fence.

[azmtnman]

Open up the muff and pull the limiter caps on that 330t and it will cut with the best of them, pull the caps and tune for sure as a lot come burn up lean and the limited coil can fool you into thinking they are rich.  A Echo CS8000 cuts good but it's only 80cc vs 90+ cc for a MS661.  Steve

Would that affect the spark arresting capabilities of the muffler? I live in, what can be, dry country and that is a real issue not just a legal one.

  The dealer said that the Echos cc for cc have more torque than the Stihls. I know the 661 is a beast. If the 800p is 90% of the 661, I think it would do--especially for $500 less! I need something to cut big Doug fir (sometimes 30+" dbh). I can get special USFS permits to cut these hazard trees when I am otherwise limited to 16" dbh.

   I love the input I get on a question like this here! I love Forestry Forum and appreciate your input!

[starmac]

The dealer claims the echo has as much torque as a stihl, hmm does he also sell stihls?
It is not always about weight or power if you need to use them much, which fits you best, Which has better av, there are several things to consider if you are going to be hanging on to it a lot.

[ladylake]

 
You can open up the muff and leave the screen in, the 330t muff is hard to open up maybe leave it if it cuts good enough. Echo saws are known for their torque and have a wide power band, easy to run..   Steve

[DDW_OR]

azmtnman, a friend of mine reminded me that a 30 inch bar will cut a 60 inch tree.
so i guess i will stick with the HEAVY Jonsereds 81
my Timberking 2000 will cut a 36 inch by 21 foot log. i have done a 32 inch x 18 foot with a lot of trouble.
if i do anything over 28 inch it will be 8 or 10 feet long.

[Kingmt]

True it will & even a little bigger & is fine for a one time job & everyone should do it at least once but it really sucks. I was bucking a log that was 40" in the widest part that I was cutting with aa 20" bar. I went out & bought a MS660 with a 36" bar. I can tell you that not only did it save time but I saved gas. I used half a tank in the larger saw to cut what would have used half a gallon in the other saw. The plus I make prettier cuts.

[RCBS]

I can only speak for my CS3400, which is a predecessor to the 330, but it has been a heck of a saw for me.  I don't use it commercially, but have cut plenty of wood with it.  Best oiling saw I've owned.  The coil did go bad a few years back but was covered under the "lifetime ignition warranty" which I was unaware of but quite pleased about.  Other than that, I've only done regular maintenance and I did put all new lines in it last year.  My dad had a Stihl top handle that he used around the property for about 3 years, but recently traded it in for a CS352 after some problems with the Stihl (not sure) and seeing my saw treat me good for the last 15 years.  It is the small saw in my "3 saw plan" and while I don't always reach for it, certain tasks are much easier with it and it always works.  Loud little buggar though.

[petefrom bearswamp]

only complaint  with my cs600p is that the chain works loose more often than my old husky 61 but it cuts like mad.

[21incher]

I have had my cs590 & cs310 for a year now and love them. Easier to start then the ms290 they replaced.

[brettl]

I'm a Stihl guy but I have 2 top handle Echos, no complaints. If I bought a new 80cc saw, I'd try an Echo. I would make sure i had a good vibe from the dealer, without a good dealer, the warranty means nothing.

As mentioned, Echo mufflers are terribly restrictive, I couldn't believe the weight of my CS400 muffler.

[richhiway]

love my little 310 echo. it's like a refrigerator, runs and runs!

[Real1shepherd]

i have an old Jonsereds 81 with a 30 inch bar. works and cuts great, but heavy as hell. no compression release.

have been thinking of getting a bigger 42 inch bar. but that would be bigger than the Jonsereds 81 can handle.

snowshoveler - what would you recommend? I have at least 6 BIG cedar trees. bigger than my Timberking 2000 can handle. have an older Alaskan mill that has never been used since new. the Alaskan mill and the Jonsereds where purchased together.

I'd like to see a pic of your J'red 81. I've used an 80 for over 35+ yrs and more recently a 90. Acres has the 81 listed, but virtually no info on it....so I don't don't where it falls into production yrs. My 80 is maxed at 28" with a .404 058 bar and skip-tooth chisel. The 90 runs a 32" .404 063 bar and skip tooth chisel just fine, but it's maxed as well.   

Kevin

[pabst79]

I bought an 800p a while back and have been very impressed with its power, its not the lightest saw but well made and very reasonably priced.

 

[DDW_OR]

Real1shepherd, there are several videos of the Jonsereds 81 on YouTube.
the 81 has no chain brake.and no engine decompression