2025 Echo Service School

[mainer_in_ak]

I'm concerned Echo is missing out big time on the share of the big saw market. Tell them to get the 1201 available in the USA.

A 1201 by design, would never be compliant with safety, noise or emissions standards.

They'd have to design a big saw from scratch.

In 1980, they were ahead of the times with the CS 900EVL, but never kept up.
It was around before Stihl 066 and was the first modern 91.6 cc saw.

The ignition was more modern than the problematic ignition on the husq 2100 and the stihl 056 mag.

Vertical, slanted cylinder.

It had an inboard clutch.

A compact 2 piece muffler with the 4 bolts holding it together. Even the exuahst port baffle is similiar to my 660 mag.

Unlimited coil, no governor on the carb

After the CS 900EVL,
They never brought anything to the market.

Echo is solid in the top handle, 50 cc, 60 cc and 70 cc territory. But I don't see them catching up in the 90cc or 100 cc territory.

 

[FergusonTO35]

The over 90cc market is so small, I doubt Echo would make any money on a big saw that complied with western safety and smog.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Echo are also way behind on the u-handle stuff. Though they do have a vibration isolated handle in other markets, it aint here: SRM 520ES.

6-8 hours on my SRM 410U cutting alder brush, my hands and wrists are in pain.

 

[Arcticmiller]

That and trying to work on saws with annoying phillips head screws. I almost hucked a neighbor's echo outta the shop after the 6th ugga-dugga tight screw's head started stripping

Not sure if this will be helpful or not, but a JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) Phillips screwdriver set helps a lot with this….a hard-learned lesson from the motorcycle world for me…. JIS is almost the same and the screwdrivers appear to fit, but the angles are slightly different….theres also a German standard, and now a hybrid between German and US….to make matters worse. I’m sure there’s others out there that I can’t remember.

I bought a 4 piece set “Hozan” brand off Amazon, it’s been an excellent investment in not stripping things out.

 

[Loony661]

Try to look at it from the dealer prospective, time is money and most dealers are at $100.00+/Hour. If a chain just needs to be touched up probably 3 - 5 minutes by hand but more often than not by the time we see one it has been rocked BAD. Do you really want to pay $50.00 (1/2 hour labor) to sharpen a chain?

I don’t mean to rock the boat here, but you’re charging full dealership rate to sharpen chains?! That’s robbery IMO. Sharpening chains should be viewed as a service, to keep customers coming in the door.

I’ve been on both sides of the counter, so I understand what it’s like to keep a small engine shop running. In an effort to keep both my mechanics wrenching on the machines, instead of tying one of them up on the chain grinder, we invested in a Franzen auto grinder. Now the parts guys could set the chain up, and walk away, continuing to do their job while chains were being sharpened. I realize that the Franzen is an expensive unit, but there are other less expensive auto grinders out there that would accomplish the same goal. Oregon makes one for around 1/3rd the cost of the Franzen. It’s about $7,000 IIRC. Even at $10/chain you can make money with an auto grinder, while your parts personnel and mechanics continue to work shop rate on the other stuff. Just my 2 cents..

 

[Duane(Pa)]

Derail alert. Nobody is going to be sharpening 1/4" on a Franzen
Carry on, lol

 

[Onan18]

I don’t mean to rock the boat here, but you’re charging full dealership rate to sharpen chains?! That’s robbery IMO. Sharpening chains should be viewed as a service, to keep customers coming in the door.

I’ve been on both sides of the counter, so I understand what it’s like to keep a small engine shop running. In an effort to keep both my mechanics wrenching on the machines, instead of tying one of them up on the chain grinder, we invested in a Franzen auto grinder. Now the parts guys could set the chain up, and walk away, continuing to do their job while chains were being sharpened. I realize that the Franzen is an expensive unit, but there are other less expensive auto grinders out there that would accomplish the same goal. Oregon makes one for around 1/3rd the cost of the Franzen. It’s about $7,000 IIRC. Even at $10/chain you can make money with an auto grinder, while your parts personnel and mechanics continue to work shop rate on the other stuff. Just my 2 cents..

$10.00/Loop off the saw $12.00/Loop on the saw up to a 24" bar IF the chain fits on the grinder. If I have to hand file one (i.e. 1/4" Pitch) it is shop time. Also I am the parts guy and more often than not either I or the owner sharpen the chains, we leave the techs to do other things.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

$10.00/Loop off the saw $12.00/Loop on the saw up to a 24" bar IF the chain fits on the grinder. If I have to hand file one (i.e. 1/4" Pitch) it is shop time.

As long as the customer is told when dropping off a chain that it'll have to be filed by hand and the exact price so they can opt in or out- all of the above is more than fair.

 

[Loony661]

$10.00/Loop off the saw $12.00/Loop on the saw up to a 24" bar IF the chain fits on the grinder. If I have to hand file one (i.e. 1/4" Pitch) it is shop time. Also I am the parts guy and more often than not either I or the owner sharpen the chains, we leave the techs to do other things.

That makes more sense. Didn’t mean to derail the thread. Carry on.

 

[Mastermind]

sense

We don't need any. Thansk