Thread: show us your chainsaws

Awesome thanks guys

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All ready to run - warmed up for a difficult job on Tuesday . . .



I always try and buy the best tool for the job . . . Being lectured by a "brand snob" usually tells me the guy doesn't know as much as he thinks he does - be it rifles, saws, tractors you name it! Besides "best for the job" considerations service support etc is also important.

So:

Stihl MS200 Battery saw 12" bar - used nearly everyday for fencing, I run 3 batteries, the petrol saws haven't been riding on the truck for at least 5 years now. Magnificent tool, about equivalent to a good 40cc petrol saw.

Echo 45cc - I got this secondhand and did 10 years of firewood (about 30-40 cubes per year) with it. The chain brake mechanism failed so it couldn't follow me into the fencing business but it still utterly reliable and gets a run when a cattlebeast needs cut down.

Makita DCS 4300 - man I've cut a lot of box stay mortises with this saw, a lot of smaller tree work, and firewood for 7 or 8 years.

Husky 365 Special - new addition to the pack, I needed a grunty 20" to do a particular job cutting a lot of tree roots (the last and most difficult of which I tackle on Tuesday) and I didn't want to be constantly sharpening a 30" bar. Got a dammed near new professional grade saw for $550 via FB.

Husky 181 SE. 30" bar. Got this 10 years ago cause we occasionally have bigger trees to deal with. A old rebuilt bush saw, but man is this one snotty, working with a mobile mill guy he kept asking me to do this and do that with it. I thought he was taking the pics until we both got going at the same time . . . . and the 181 was finishing its bucking cuts well ahead of his modern Stihl 066 or something like that. "Start it like ya stole it" though or it'll tear your arm off and you'll think someone hit your hand with a hammer!

Those little Dolmar/Makita jobs are quite underrated. Actually that's a fair point about brand loyalty, some big name saws are contract built in 3rd party factories and are effectively the same saw as cheaper no name versions. Poulan/Jonsered/Husqvarna, and another is the Homelite/Ryobi types. I hear the homelite version gets a good reputation but avoid the ryobi - same saw different colour! Same with the Poulan, its crap and cheap but the husky and jonnie are go too saws???

Originally Posted by No.3

Those little Dolmar/Makita jobs are quite underrated. Actually that's a fair point about brand loyalty, some big name saws are contract built in 3rd party factories and are effectively the same saw as cheaper no name versions. Poulan/Jonsered/Husqvarna, and another is the Homelite/Ryobi types. I hear the homelite version gets a good reputation but avoid the ryobi - same saw different colour! Same with the Poulan, its crap and cheap but the husky and jonnie are go too saws???

Stihl parts are made in China and for certain markets e.g. Germany and USA are assembled in the country of sale . . . and are therefore labeled "Made in the USA" but it's just marketing bullshit! Is there a difference - I don't know but I hate being "taken for a ride" by marketing people.

SO spend $350,keep old one for spare parts,you have bar n chain that will flick straight over to start with..and brand new saw will have???12mth warrantee etc
but yes thats not a very good run at all.

My big (not that big) saw is a Shindaiwa.
I noticed the hire companies were using them - and not much gets abused like a hire chainsaw.

I mean, what do the Japanese know about small engines or cutting tools?

Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

My big (not that big) saw is a Shindaiwa.
I noticed the hire companies were using them - and not much gets abused like a hire chainsaw.

I mean, what do the Japanese know about small engines or cutting tools?

Have heard 5hat from other sources. Will have to see if local town has dealer/outlet.

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Yeah, nothing flash about the Shindaiwa's but they just go about their work. Have a few usual things that go bad I hear, but from my family in the hire trade they get them cheaper than the equivalent big brand gear so for a business proposition where you aren't likely to spend to fix if it's a few parts and a bit of labour in lieu of straight replacement what's not to like?

I inherited my old mans XL homelite , if anyone wants too see pics of the beast ?

Need to pump a little plastic pump every now and then to oil the chain , no bar lock and heavy as !!
loves to chew through wood though.

Ha, they aren't that hard to work on. I'd give you a bit of a lead in but I'm not to be honest totally sure which bits they are quoting as needing replacement. What are they calling the 'main spring'? Not entirely sure what they are referring to with that. The other one is main seals - for me that's crank seals but they don't really go 'hard' they either seal or they don't. Carb kit is easy, although probably even easier is just replace the entire carb. Fairly easy to do, just bloody fiddly on husqy's especially the little ones.

Originally Posted by No.3

Ha, they aren't that hard to work on. I'd give you a bit of a lead in but I'm not to be honest totally sure which bits they are quoting as needing replacement. What are they calling the 'main spring'? Not entirely sure what they are referring to with that. The other one is main seals - for me that's crank seals but they don't really go 'hard' they either seal or they don't. Carb kit is easy, although probably even easier is just replace the entire carb. Fairly easy to do, just bloody fiddly on husqy's especially the little ones.

.....yes..fiddly....

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At todays charge out rates it'd be cheaper to throw a brand new aftermarket carby on a saw, if its playing up. Then watch half a dozen YT;s on tuning a saw. Its relatively easy to do...though you do need to use a small screw driver instead of a brick

Big tree, cold day, hot saw.

Has something already been through the roof?

Originally Posted by Shearer

Has something already been through the roof?

No its a derelict house, Norway is depopulating so abandoned houses are common in the countryside around here.