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  1. #1
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    Default Budget chainsaws

    At the risk of re-opening several cans of worms, I'm after a bit of advice on buying a cheap chainsaw. I've ploughed through several threads on the subject and read some really passionate views on the virtues (or lack thereof) of various brands.

    I've recently purchased a property with many trees that need a bit of trimming and many palms that require butchering and burning like the overgrown weeds they are. I have an axe, but as palms don't feel pain it will involve a lot of energy expenditure for no real pleasure. After the initial couple of days of work I expect to only pull the saw out once or twice a year when another tree needs a limb lopping or when I can persuade the Minister for War and Finance that another palm needs to meet its end in a violent and unnecessarily brutal manner.

    Having just mortgaged myself to the hilt and still needing to splash out on solar heating and power my funds are a bit limited so I am restricting my purchase to something sub-$300. So far the candidates are:

    Baumr from E-bay. Hmmm, not sure I want something that needs to be retuned every time I use it, eats chains and bars, comes with spares for items that are GOING to break and likes to sit in a puddle of its own making like an incontinent puppy.

    Ryobi. Haven't actually come across any references to this brand, but having purchased several power tools and a whipper-snipper I tend to find that they don't quite deliver what they claim.

    Homelite. Looks practically identical to the Ryobi, but with even less power.

    Ozito. Um. Really small. Crap reputation across the brand range with only a few diamonds.

    McCulloch. Seems to be a reasonable brand at a budget price BUT the vile and scorn heaped upon it in other threads would suggest otherwise.

    I would love to be able to purchase a Stihl or Husky but unfortunately that lotto win isn't on the horizon and all of my elderly relatives appear to be disappointingly good health. Like my palm trees.

    Are there any other brands that I haven't come across?

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  3. #2
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    Jul 2011
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    kyogle nsw
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    Check out your local stihl daeler becaus down here at the moment they have the mine boss for $300.If not stil worth a look as they often got trade ins whitch is where i got my 066 for half price only one year old.She stihl goes hard.Woul recomend not bying any cheep ####.

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    At the risk of re-opening several cans of worms, I'm after a bit of advice on McCulloch. Seems to be a reasonable brand at a budget price BUT the vile and scorn heaped upon it in other threads would suggest otherwise.
    They used to be a reasonable brand but are now owned by Electrolux and they are no different to the other cheapies you list.

    Averaged across thousands of users you will generally get what you pay for when buying a cheap chainsaw. You might get lucky but then again chances are you won't.

    Now - lets talk about palms. Palm juice loves to eat Magally metal such as is used on Chainsaws. There only needs to be a few nicks in the paint and the juice will slowly eat away teh metal. Hence if you do have a lot of palms to cut then I would definitely recommend buying a cheap chainsaw and even consider one with a plastic body. After using any CS on palms it should be cleaned (I used engine degreaser) dried by running it for 5 minutes, and then relubing any exterior moving parts. If you decide to use a metal bodied saw then smothering the painted areas in the vicinity of the drive sprocket with grease provides a bit of protection.

  5. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Now - lets talk about palms. Palm juice loves to eat Magally metal such as is used on Chainsaws. There only needs to be a few nicks in the paint and the juice will slowly eat away the metal.
    Bloody hell, I thought I'd exhausted every reason to hate palm trees and you've just given me a whole new avenue to dislike them! If you hadn't mentioned this I probably would have done nothing other than blow out any sawdust, spray with silicone spray and wipe over with an oily rag.

    Eli, I didn't realise the Mini Boss was that cheap. I've just had a look at it online and it appears to be around the same spec as the Ozito, but at only just over twice the price! I'm going into town on Friday so I think a visit to the Stihl dealer is now on the cards so I can have a feel, and maybe see what he's got in the 2nd hand department too.

    Thanks for the info so far guys and if anyone else has a couple of cents to contribute I'm all ears.

  6. #5
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    Oct 2007
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    vic clayton
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    the shindaiwas have a fairly good rep almost bought one then had an offer too good to refuse on a stihl but other than that the redshed down this way has been having very good deals on jonsered and small huskys in the price range of 300 to 400 Ride On Mowers Melbourne, Lawnmowers, Chainsaws, Brushcutters, Lawn Mowers, Melbourne, Australia maybe there is some one up your way doing similar deals
    Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything, but they
    bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs .

  7. #6
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    I would buy a quality 2nd hand saw, Stihl or Husky. I got an old 056 stihl for $200 a while back, its got plenty of life left in it.

    Check your local classified ads, we have a couple of different pocket trader type magasines here, they always have something in them, maybe you have something similar down your way. Sometimes you see absolute bargains in them, but you have to be quick.

  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    Bloody hell, I thought I'd exhausted every reason to hate palm trees and you've just given me a whole new avenue to dislike them! If you hadn't mentioned this I probably would have done nothing other than blow out any sawdust, spray with silicone spray and wipe over with an oily rag.
    Well that is better than nothing. Here is an example of what cutting down one palm and then not cleaning the saw can do.



    I bought the saw like this and didn't discover this was a problem until a few weeks later. The metal was eaten away and B&C oil from the tank was leaking through. I bogged the holes up with JB weld and it has been fine for the last 5 years like that. If you are ever buying a used saw it really pays to look in this area for this problem.

  9. #8
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    Bob, that is horrible! Take it away!

    On the subject of cheap saws, they can be like anything el cheapo. You might get one that lasts and lasts but it will be sure to have its limitations, and sometime these can be a pain.

    I bought n Aldi Chainsaw ( $149 IRC ).To begin with it was hard to start buut a can of Start Ya Bastard fixed that, Runs very well once going and has already paid for itself.
    I would have spent more to either hire one or get a tree lopper in to do what I have done so far

    Main concern is a flimsy handle set up. I would not do any really tough work with it for fear of busting the handle.

    I think if I stick to using it for its originally purchased in tention it shoul last for years.

  10. #9
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    Well, predictably there's nothing in the dealers apart from brand new stuff. So, my choices now are:

    Stihl 170 mini boss $300 (on special, normally $400)

    McCullock M3816 $250

    I had a good play with both machines and although the Stihl felt more solid and businesslike, the bar is really tiny with an extremely skinny chain. Also on closer inspection what I thought were cast alloy casings turned out to be thermosetting plastic.

    The McCulloch didn't feel quite so robust but does have a larger bar and a more powerful motor. The dealer is Bundy's biggest supplier of all petrol powered gardening things and he claims to have never had one come back (large pinch of salt on standby!)

    At the moment, I'm erring towards the Mc; any further thoughts?

  11. #10
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    Chief I am in near bundy I d buy the cheap Makita I ve listerned to all these blokes in the past and I ll leave it as that the past. I ve got Stihls and Makita's . But when it comes to price ya cant beat them. Go and see Charle at Carlies power tools near coral coast ford for the best price or see Bruce at untied tools
    above and beyond all llistern to Bobl about those bloody palm trees

  12. #11
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    I didn't really look at Makita, I only saw one today when I happened to pop into Bunnies.

    Also, I didn't know Charlies and United sold chainsaws; unless they are a special order item. I'll give them a call tomorrow and maybe pay them a visit if they happen to have one lying around.

  13. #12
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    Hatachi makes one as well they used to be a brand called Tanaka good little bits of gear they are just small (below 50cc)

  14. #13
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    Hello Thommo
    Ha Ha, you are stuck in Qld and I am in WA with a big Stihl 660 waiting in the garage to eat Palms, Jarrah and burl

    I agree 100%with Bob L sentiments regarding the palms eating metal. Have seen a tree loppers 088 eaten alive. I have cut heaps of palms, but immediately clean, spray, dry, spray, wipe over and spray heavily- No probs.

    If you cannot afford a Stihl, I owned a little homelite for 5 years, runs superb, must of cut 50 ton of firewood from the back of Cerberus with it, but no good for ripping, hence, my bigger stihls.

    Took a fellow chainsawing the other day, had a set of petrol driven nail clippers, wouldn't even
    scratch Wandoo. Next time he bought a Baumer AG (spelling??). Came with a 73 cc engine, cut well. For $150 off ebay, i reckon it is a bargain, especially as he was paying $200 for firewood, he only has to get 750kg of firewood himself and the saw pays for itself.
    I recommend getting the best quality saw you can afford. Not sure about those Stihl Mini boss, as they are very small.
    Good Luck
    Willy
    Jarrahland

  15. #14
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    I used a ryobi when I first started out, it did quite well when considering the size of saw it was, for what you mentioned above I'd say based on the result form the one I used 6-7 years back it would be fine
    I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
    Allan.

  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Willy Nelson View Post
    Ha Ha, you are stuck in Qld and I am in WA
    How can I be "stuck" in QLD, when even staunch athiests refer to this state as "God's Own"? Of course, if I wanted to live on sand, get blown around by the wind and be surrounded by Poms I would have stayed in WA !!! Good to hear from you again Willie, and pass on my regards to your 3 delightful ladies.

    Back to business; I had a play with a Makita in Bunnies; 33cc with a 40cm bar and it's all solid thermoplastic. Apparently they are made by Dolmar? Anyway, I quite liked it so on Monday I'm going to phone around a couple of suppliers and see what price they can do one for; and on Tuesday a man called Jim is going to remove the three biggest most awkward palms so I can pick his brain on chainsaw use and maintenance.

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