Used Stihl 192 vs. New Echo 355

One question I have about that new Echo is whether or not it will accept a 12" bar and chain if you wanted to put one on there? My CS-330T will take a 12", 14" and a 16" bar and chain. So I'm wondering, as a relatively low experience chainsaw user and owner, what it is that determines that.

They don't seem to say in the tech specs that the Echo 355 accepts anything other than 14" and 16" bars and chains. So why would that be? What is the limiting factor?

The phrase that they use is "two available bar lengths". That might only mean that that is how they are willing to sell it, new in the box, but it might not preclude the use of a 12" bar and chain. I just wish that they would say it straight up, if that is the case. It would kind of be a bummer to have to pay more money for a saw with less flexibility than something that Echo chose to discontinue.

Tim

Tim_B. said:

One question I have about that new Echo is whether or not it will accept a 12" bar and chain if you wanted to put one on there.

Click to expand...

Yuppers, Tim.

12A0ED374512" Pro 91 Bar
12" Bar Length

Scroll down to the 5th bar on this page...
http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Accessories/Chain-Saw-Accessories

gonna oder a 355t today
should be here by the weekend, ill report back

how did you make out jeff?
I forgot what saw you ended up with.
happy sawing

Tim asked:

"One question I have about that new Echo is whether or not it will accept a 12" bar and chain if you wanted to put one on there?"

Spellfeller said:

Yuppers, Tim.

12A0ED374512" Pro 91 Bar
12" Bar Length

Scroll down to the 5th bar on this page...
http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Accessories/Chain-Saw-Accessories

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for this, Jeff. I likely would have never found it. Much appreciated. I think Echo is shooting themselves in the foot mildly by not mentioning on their main page for the saw that this option is available.

I think they claim that this is the most powerful top-handled saw that they've ever made. At about $370.00, it seems like a really fair deal.

Tim

sawman said:

gonna oder a 355t today
should be here by the weekend, ill report back

how did you make out jeff?
I forgot what saw you ended up with.
happy sawing

Click to expand...

I'd be happy to hear your report, brother. It seems like an excellent saw, a real example of Echo stepping up their game.

I wound up finding a used Stihl 200T in great shape on the local Craigslist.

Happy sawing to you too!

Jeff,

I think you might already have a chainsaw by now but in case you haven't check out Home Depot. If you are willing to take a step down from the CS-355 they are discontinuing the CS-330T. I have used one for a couple of years for my old boss and it has been very reliable and it was powerful enough for what we wanted to do. I just bought one the other day for myself when I saw it was discounted and I walked out the door with the saw for just over $200.00. I have been saving up to get the CS-355 but I couldn't pass up that deal.

Thanks for the heads up, Kabir. This is good info on a great deal!

I wound up stumbling across a lightly used Stihl 200T for pretty short money--at least by eBay standards!