Thread: Cheap chainsaw advise please

I would go with the McCulloch. They are not that good these days but at least it is a known brand with back up in a few places around Australia. That won't be the case for the Aldi jobbie. It will be a replacement for the first 12 months and after that you will be on your own.

do you have to go new? You could buy a used lower end stihl/husky/jonsered if you look around for that money that would be more reliable, powerful and easier on your body...
Not saying these but something similar - Husqvarna 141 Chainsaw, as good as Stihl, just serviced, great condition | eBay
Stihl MS 210 C Chainsaw | eBay
Stihl 029 Chainsaw | eBay
Husqvarna Rancher 40 Chainsaw 40cc - with Video - Will Post Australia wide | eBay

I'm not trying to rubbish cheap chainsaws, but if there's one tool I wouldn't like to compromise on in regards to safety and reliability, it would be a chainsaw. Of the two you've mentioned I'd go for the McCullogh, or do as Harry suggested and try to find a second hand Stihl. Then again, if you're only going to use it once a month or so, then you could just get a sharp axe

I started a similar thread last year asking the same question. I don't know how to put in a link but if you search "budget chainsaws" it'll come up.

Anyway, lot's of good advice and vitriol about cheap saws when you read up. I eventually plumped for one off E-bay from a firm called "bigger Boys toys" (BBT); it is a 42cc 16" machine with good specs and genuine Oregon chain and bar. From memory (it's all in the post anyway) it cost me $160 delivered and I can't fault it. I use it to prune large low branches and have removed many, many large palms from my 1.5 acre property. I hate palms...! It was the first chainsaw I've ever used and at no point have I thought that it's build quality or safety aspects are lacking for what I use it for. I'm VERY safety conscious in anything I do that has the ability to hurt me (my neighbours laugh at me for using my ride-on wearing ear plugs and safety specs!) and this machine hasn't scared me yet, nor do I believe it ever will.

It has paid for itself several times over now and I was impressed enough with BBT to order a big mulcher from them. The mulcher (chinese made with a genuine "Chonda" engine) had an electrical defect with the ignition system (it wouldn't stop!), a quick e-mail to the company and they sent me a brand new switch assembly the next day.

So... I would recommend this saw as it does everything I want it to. The company that sells it stand by their products and aren't some fly by night merchants.

Saying that though, the McCulloch seems to be a good deal especially with the extras thrown in and had that specific option been available to me at that time I think I would have succumbed to temptation.

Trade tools are advertising a 20' for $198 this week.

Originally Posted by malcomm

Hi

I'm in the market for a cheap chainsaw that'll only be used from my 4x4 for cutting down fallen trees along the tracks.
At most it'll be used one trip a month for firewood and track clearing.

Can't afford a Stihl etc so please don't start the rubbishing of cheap saws.

I'm tossing up between an Aldi/Gardenline $200 50cc 16" bar thing with 12 months warranty - ALDI - special buys from sat 04 aug - hurry, limited stocks in store*
and a 7 week old McCulloch M4218 42cc 18" bar for the same price ($286 new) with almost 2 years warranty remaining and some extras like files, wedges, oil etc.

Which would you you go for?

RELIABILITY

the last thing I'd want is to be is facing a fallen tree 50km down a track and find that the saw won't start or the bar was bent


If I were only cutting fire wood the answer would be different

Hi Malcomm
I have bought all the cheap crap that you can think of and it's all at the tip.
When i buy a garden machine now i say to myself it is $600 if i get 10yrs out of it's cost me $60 a year to own a quality machine, so far it has worked as the $900 Kawasaki whip/snip [10yrs no problems] Shindiawa chainsaw $500 [over 5yrs no problems] Husky Zero turn mower $4800 [ not sure about this one maybe i should have spent another 2k].
Have a look around for a quality s/h saw,I have just won a Echo hedge trimmer [Japanese] on Ebay for $225 worth $500 that has been used once, But i did have to wait 4 mths to get one like this and it's a good one.
If you can't stretch the budget make sure there is back-up in Oz for the machine.
Regards

yeah other good brands to watch for used are echo, shindaiwa, solo and dolmar. You'll also find it much easier (or possible even) to get spare parts and guide bars when you need them. Which you will

Thanks to all who didn't succumb to yet another budget chainsaw bashing session.
I appreciate the genuine answers to the questions posed.

Originally Posted by malcomm

Thanks to all who didn't succumb to yet another budget chainsaw bashing session.
I appreciate the genuine answers to the questions posed.

I didn't outright bash, but can't understand why you'd get an inferior tool when for the same money you can get a good one. Just without the brand new factor

Originally Posted by harrygrey382

I didn't outright bash, but can't understand why you'd get an inferior tool when for the same money you can get a good one. Just without the brand new factor

So what exactly would you buy for your $200?
Both the saws I originally mentioned also come with a case so I won't get oil etc all through the truck.

Hi all,
just thought i'd put in my experience with an ebay "stihl knock-off" 62cc with 20" bar. I bought this after pricing a new bar for my Husky, with the sole intention of mounting it in my hobby chainsaw mill the whole saw delivered for $40 less than the new husky bar. The chains supplied with the saw lose their edge quickly. so i use stihl chains. The first saw did about 4m3 of old dry blackwood all 1/4 sawn upto 400mm wide.
It wore out 3 chains with cutting then become that clogged with dust it stopped, so i bought another one which i am still using, most of the time I leave it out in the weather (just because i'm lazy) the first saw still has compression but destined for parts for the next saw.
so for the purpose of what i am using the cheapies for I think that they are fantastic. the big bonus is that the bar was still ok, and identical to the Husky so now I have a brand new bar on the Husky now!
I must say that the chain tension mechanism on the cheap saw I bought has its faults. But with over 8m3 of timber in the shed I'm not complaining.

FWIW I bought a chinese cheapie some years back and as I've said in previous threads I'm 100% happy with it. Starts easy cuts well no worries. The fake german ones are said to be better, Buamer AG ? Something like that.

As a friend said I paid for the saw what he pays for a service on his stihl.

Originally Posted by malcomm

So what exactly would you buy for your $200?
Both the saws I originally mentioned also come with a case so I won't get oil etc all through the truck.

one of these:
Partner Petrol Chainsaw 15" Bar Chain Saw Lube Tree Lop Cut Blade 2 Stroke Stihl | eBay
ECHO Chainsaw 550 ESP 24" / 600mm Bar Clean & Tidy Runs Well | eBay
Stihl 032 Chainsaw not HUSQVARNA no Ride on MOWER no JOHN DEERE no TORO | eBay
STIHL Chainsaw 010av | eBay
Stihl 009 Chainsaw | eBay - buy it now $125.
Stihl 029 Chainsaw "can post" | eBay

Some may go over $200, but some probably won't, especially the one with the BIN of $125. That would leave you money for a plastic tray to sit it in too.

I'm not being argumentative for the sake of it I just think well made tools are so much more worthwhile than supporting the chinese economy.

Originally Posted by damian

As a friend said I paid for the saw what he pays for a service on his stihl.

He doesn't have to have an expensive service, it doesn't change the purchase price. But having a good quality saw means it's worthwhile getting it serviced.