Cheap chainsaw

[EASYBOSS]

I brought a cheapy, what a POS, my mums 10 year old Husky runs rings around it.

Will a battery powered skill saw do what you need, chainsaws are dangerous, more so on the small stuff I recon.

[Ross 1]

I can't fault my Stihl, 7 years old used every week. Keep it serviced and they don't stop. If you get a cheapie, get it from Bunnings etc so you can swap it when it dies. Photocopy the receipt as they fade.

[MercurySilver]

Originally Posted by mcnews

Gee mate be careful doing that won't you, can do yourself an injury quite easily. Especially with the cheaper ones, and more especially if you start to get tired.

Thanks.
Ive been warned already.
Reckon I'll have a friend there and we'll hold one side of it each and I'l lstill be able to reach the switch on the bar.
Least if I get injuries I've got a workplace income protection policy
Not that I'd want to get injuries.

[MercurySilver]

On chains...there's a chain out there that's lasts 4 times as long as a normal one.
For the he life of me I can't remember much about it apart from there was dif types for did cuts.
Eg soft wood hard wood concrete CFS type stuff.
Someone might know.
If I say colbolt it seems to ring a bell about something I saw when surfing the net looking for new chains.
I just sharpen mine with the old hand file one that came with the saw.
Takes 15 or so mins but it works.
I've got a small makita.
Does OK for what I need it for on a couple of acres.

[ebxr8240]

Bow saw lasts a long time .

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Bow saw lasts a long time .

As i said in my original post, i've been using a saw for a long time and i'm well over it.

Going to pick up a Rox 12" from home hardware tomorrow, costs $88. Worst thing that happens is it breaks and i get my money back. Will report back with how it goes.

[nstg8a]

Lol $88 you can't really go wrong.

[herbicide]

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

On chains...there's a chain out there that's lasts 4 times as long as a normal one.
For the he life of me I can't remember much about it apart from there was dif types for did cuts.
Eg soft wood hard wood concrete CFS type stuff.
Someone might know.
If I say colbolt it seems to ring a bell about something I saw when surfing the net looking for new chains.
I just sharpen mine with the old hand file one that came with the saw.
Takes 15 or so mins but it works.
I've got a small makita.
Does OK for what I need it for on a couple of acres.

You're thinking of chain with carbide cutters, stupidly expensive but holds an edge longer. BUT- don't hit a rock or even really hard timber can and does cause the carbide tips to come off leaving you with an expensive chain that is screwed. Honestly get normal chain and learn how to sharpen it. The best way to do it is buy a quality saw, chaps to protect your legs and do a chainsaw safety course, you'll pick up so much from a good course.

[56L]

My father and myself have many chainsaws and have been using them for decades.

I still use some of my 1960,s chainsaws that are 141cc and play around with chainsaws are fair bit

All but 2 of my chainsaws are either Sthil or Solo both german made.

I used a small Poulan ( Electrolux)for years chopping small timber and was faultless.

I recently replaced it with a small mcculloch from bunnings for $220,i had doubts at first but this saw chopped a lot dead timber last winter and worked great,has an automatic chain adjuster that takes a bit of time to get used to.

The chinese saws have a nasty habit of the starter mechanism breaking .

My brother used to hold his busted chinese saw while i started it with a rattle gun with a socket on the crankshaft nut LOL

[56L]

A few recommendations regarding chain types

For green timber a square edge chain is best FULL -CHISEL

For dead and hardwood timber a rounded edge chain called SEMI -CHISEL is best ,cuts a bit slower but lasts alot longer and is easier to sharpen than the square edge

KEEP away from all hardware store chainsaw files they are absolute rubbish,if you can buy stihl files from your local dealer

[ebxr8240]

At work we only have Sthil chain saws .. We use them on power poles . Some times up the top of the poles ! to fallen trees Pays big time to look after your chain saw!!

[Shonky.]

I have a baby Stihl too

Wouldn't get anything different - give the department store ones a big miss

Only time I've ever used them was for cutting polyethylene pipe because we couldn't use bar oil as we'd contaminate our plastic welds so the saw would be ****** in no time regardless. Talon at $55 each was the cheapest and therefore the disposable chainsaw of choice

[GUTLES]

I run a Mower Shop, drop me a message if anyones looking for anything.

[GK]

I've just bought a small Husky 235 or 236 for $269.

Been fabulous so far.

I was looking at the Stihl Mini Boss, but it was almost $100 more. The local dealer (about a km down the road) sell Huskys and they're a great local family owned business so it was a no brainer really.

If your local dealer was a Stihl dealer and the price was sub $300, that'd be a great buy also.

All the best with your deliberations.

GK

[Spurious]

I use 2 saws. An MTD climbing/arborist saw & a cheap Talon.

The MTD with a 10" bar came from a mower shop here in Ulverstone, which unfortunately has closed down. Something to be wary of if you have warranty issues. It cost me $430
3 years on & hasn't failed.

The Talon (my 2'nd one) came from a Big W store, $170. The only fault with it (the first one I had) is that the fuel & oil tanks have plastic fittings for the screw cap. The oil cap in particular is prone to leaking as it sits real low on the body & if bumped can ruin the threads. Otherwise it's a reliable saw. About a 12" bar.

Regular maintenance is a good idea.

An air compressor with a blow gun is your friend here.
Clean the air filter after each days use, the fuel filter can be carefully extracted from the tank & blown out too, perhaps 2 or 4 times per year depending on use.
Remove the bar after each days use, blow out all the debris, pay special attention to the chain lock mechanism. Also blow out the chain track on the bar, & every couple months flip the bar upside down being mindful that the oil holes need to be in the same place.
Also run the bar across a flat sander to ensure the edge on the chain guide isn't feathered.
Check & clean the spark plug weekly or monthly depending on use.

As a safety rule, I always ensure my left arm/ elbow (top bar arm) stays locked. So if the saw bounces up your elbow stops it from coming up, backwards & into your face!
Also when I'm cutting logs on ground level, I always kneel behind the saw, never stand or lean over it.
If I put the saw down on the ground while it's running, to do something else (grab a wedge etc) ALWAYS activate the bar lock. (especially if children are present)
I also do this if I'm walking any distance with the idling saw, around a tree etc.
This ensures if I trip over that I'm not going to jam a finger on the throttle & cut myself in half.

I have an uncle with 2.5 fingers missing as a result of a saw incident & I myself have had a chain in motion actually remove a glove from my hand!!!

Using my climbing saw (one handed) I reached in to grab a bit of wood I'd cut & got a little too close to the chain as the revs went back to idle.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by FlivverFord

I use 2 saws. An MTD climbing/arborist saw & a cheap Talon.

The MTD with a 10" bar came from a mower shop here in Ulverstone, which unfortunately has closed down. Something to be wary of if you have warranty issues. It cost me $430
3 years on & hasn't failed.

The Talon (my 2'nd one) came from a Big W store, $170. The only fault with it (the first one I had) is that the fuel & oil tanks have plastic fittings for the screw cap. The oil cap in particular is prone to leaking as it sits real low on the body & if bumped can ruin the threads. Otherwise it's a reliable saw. About a 12" bar.

Regular maintenance is a good idea.

An air compressor with a blow gun is your friend here.
Clean the air filter after each days use, the fuel filter can be carefully extracted from the tank & blown out too, perhaps 2 or 4 times per year depending on use.
Remove the bar after each days use, blow out all the debris, pay special attention to the chain lock mechanism. Also blow out the chain track on the bar, & every couple months flip the bar upside down being mindful that the oil holes need to be in the same place.
Also run the bar across a flat sander to ensure the edge on the chain guide isn't feathered.
Check & clean the spark plug weekly or monthly depending on use.

As a safety rule, I always ensure my left arm/ elbow (top bar arm) stays locked. So if the saw bounces up your elbow stops it from coming up, backwards & into your face!
Also when I'm cutting logs on ground level, I always kneel behind the saw, never stand or lean over it.
If I put the saw down on the ground while it's running, to do something else (grab a wedge etc) ALWAYS activate the bar lock. (especially if children are present)
I also do this if I'm walking any distance with the idling saw, around a tree etc.
This ensures if I trip over that I'm not going to jam a finger on the throttle & cut myself in half.

I have an uncle with 2.5 fingers missing as a result of a saw incident & I myself have had a chain in motion actually remove a glove from my hand!!!

Using my climbing saw (one handed) I reached in to grab a bit of wood I'd cut & got a little too close to the chain as the revs went back to idle.

All of this is why I wont upgrade my cheapie to a better one, if I spend money on a good unit, then id be tempted to use it more. Chainsaws are my least favourite garden power tool.

[Franco Cozzo]

Chainsaws, Grinders and the Stanly Knife are the three most lethal tools getting about lol.

Stanly Knife has taken many a victim when you slip, too blunt to cut what you're cutting but sharp enough to open you up when you slip doing the wrong thing lol.

[Shonky.]

9" grinder = evil

[56L]

Originally Posted by Shonky.

9" grinder = evil

Had to ask a formwork tradesman to leave a job site one day,he had a 9 inch grinder with a circular saw blade on it

[Shonky.]

Jesus

[Psi-Pop]

I got a cheap chinese Baus 52cc with a 20" bar and its a ripper, starts every go, had it about a year it and it gets used probably every 3rd weekend camping or every few days clearing trees around property. So far its been better than a mates Stihl-notstarting.

You can also run them on E85, you just need to shake the tank up as the oil separates quickly =)

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by 56L

Had to ask a formwork tradesman to leave a job site one day,he had a 9 inch grinder with a circular saw blade on it

I thought 9" a/grinders were banned from building sites these days as well as most work places now days ( I know they are from my work place )