chainsaw review

[Zenith]

No, the engine is burnt out unfortunately. Still, the money I didn't spend on a repair can go towards my new one.

[Wendelspanswick]

just to add, was it a problem with the engine or chain/brake etc?
reason for asking, is if the engine still runs, get it on e bay advertised as a good engine to make a rat smoker with, you could get £20-£30 quid to put towards your new one

Smoked rat is a new one on me, is that a delicacy or a Nicotine replacement?

[Rod Taylor]

My McCulloch engine still runs well but the brake band disintegrated. Twice during its 'life' I had to renew the anti-vibration mounts, which are rather fragile. At the dealers the list of different models seemed endless, with a different code number (and parts) seemingly dependant on which retailer it was sold through. Never sure if this was because they are made on short production runs by Tom Dick and Harry or to get round the 'Never undersold policy' (sorry Sir our 438 is a different model to their 438). Either way it made sourcing spare parts a nightmare, although the vibration mounts were a reasonable price the brake band came close to 1/3 the price of a new saw, so may investigate selling it for whatever smoking rats is all about.
On the other hand until yesterday my 2 Stihls have cost me nothing apart from the expected cost of chains fuel and oil. Not that 17pence is much to complain about to renew the 'o' ring on the petrol filler cap (so I splashed out 68p on four). The man at Aspen fuels at a recent show explained that the 'older' models were fitted with a rubber compound that is unable to cope with the amount of ethanol now added to some brands of petrol, and the rubber swells. Later models apparently use rubber that can cope with much higher ethanol levels.

[oldclaypaws]

Later models apparently use rubber that can cope with much higher ethanol levels.

I think I read that in Wayne Rooney's biography?

[Bearwood]

I have two saws; a Stihl 021 and a Husqvarna 236. The former is an old model (now superseded by the MS210) and is considered by most (including myself) to be a small workhorse of a saw, with parts and service consumables still readily available. Depending upon your approach to service and maintenance, a second hand saw may not be the way you wish to progress. If that's the case, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Husqvarna 236.

The 236 is supposed to be an entry level home-user saw for cutting and pruning, and I guess that this is based upon the power and bar/chain combination fitted to the saw. Admittedly, after a couple of uses with the factory setup, I agreed that this was all it would be good for.

In a moment of madness/genius, I purchased an Oregon powersharp chain and 16" bar (note the longer bar as opposed to the 14" it came fitted with). The 'personality' of the saw, if you can call it that, has changed dramatically for the better. It's speed and cutting ability now surpass the Stihl 021 by a mile, and being a powershsrp chain, I'm not afraid to use it for dirty jobs where grit and other abrasive matter may wear the chain faster.

Although my experience has probably turned into a bit of a review for the Oregon Powersharp, I hope that is shows that you don't necessarily need to be 'stuck' with the factory standard chain and bar in order to get the best from a little saw.

[Dexter's Shed]

Smoked rat is a new one on me, is that a delicacy or a Nicotine replacement?

eating rats is a delicacy in foreign countries, but not for me, I think us brits are a little too reserved for that, its a pest control item, removing rats without the need for chucking large amounts of poison around, a 2 stroke engine with more oil added (so it smokes) has a tube added to the exhaust port, which in turn is placed in the rat burrow, seconds later the rats emerge rather fast, I wont say what happens after that, but its all perfectly legal, and is a bona fide way of rat removal

[Dexter's Shed]

.

Although my experience has probably turned into a bit of a review for the Oregon Powersharp, I hope that is shows that you don't necessarily need to be 'stuck' with the factory standard chain and bar in order to get the best from a little saw.

I checked this out on you tube yesterday, looks a very good idea, but did wonder how many times one of those chains could be sharpened, before needing a new one, as also checked out the price, and although you maybe able to shop around, I couldnt find anything cheaper that around £100, for sharpener and the new chain/blade

going back to my original review of the import, replacement chains cost me £20 for two, I too tend to use the import on messy jobs, where I know the chain will be eating dirt, as its really easy to sharpen with a round file (included with purchase) without any fancy gadgets, considering my import with two spare chains comes in at £100, and I've still yet to use the new chains, Id say the import is better, not only in value for money, but also chain lifespan, would be interesting to find out the powersharp lifespan

[oldclaypaws]

Many occasional users may not realise either how much more effective a sharp chain is, or how easy sharpening is to do in a couple of minutes with a round file. (Check out the Woodlands TV video on woodlands.co.uk) You should do it before every use of the saw. I wonder how many people cutting wood at home do so with an increasingly blunt chain, then chuck it away every 6 months and buy another? I'll confess that's exactly what I used to do with my electric chainsaw until I was shown how easy it is.

I suspect the Oregon powersharp is a 'home user' solution for those who haven't realised how easy it is to use a round file. Can't believe after all these years there's a better design for a chain. I suspect a marketing man has been at a 'user solution session' for people who want a gizmo rather than using a moments elbow grease. Interesting idea but looks like a gimmick, and an overpricey one. I notice it was used on a small home user saw, not a big beast.

With my Stihl, I'm still wearing the original chain ( now re-sharpened maybe 50 times or more) after 18 months, and its as sharp as ever. You need to infrequently also check the height of the rakers and take off any extra height with a gauge and file. Stihl also recommend an occasional service idea is to take off the bar and turn it upsidedown, then refit- it effectively halves the wear to the bar.

[Bearwood]

I checked this out on you tube yesterday, looks a very good idea, but did wonder how many times one of those chains could be sharpened, before needing a new one, as also checked out the price, and although you maybe able to shop around, I couldnt find anything cheaper that around £100, for sharpener and the new chain/blade

Generally speaking, I think the powersharp can be re sharpened about 5-15 times according to their website, although I've had 21 out of mine in softwood. In the past month I've sharpened it once after felling/snedding 22 Scots pine at around 12" diameter at chest height, coppicing a dozen hazel stools and felling a handful of field maple. The whole system can be bought for £50 from amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0049DBHAQ

Or I've seen them for £38 on ebay (new). Also bear in mind that the price is for the bar as well as the chain and sharpener. Chains are in the £20-£25 bracket so are admittedly costly; but they are excellent quality. Having seen the injury that a snapped poor-quality chain can do to a forearm, I have only ever bought manufacturer approved chains; conventional or otherwise.

Many occasional users may not realise either how much more effective a sharp chain is, or how easy sharpening is to do in a couple of minutes with a round file. (Check out the Woodlands TV video on woodlands.co.uk) You should do it before every use of the saw. I wonder how many people cutting wood at home do so with an increasingly blunt chain, then chuck it away every 6 months and buy another? I'll confess that's exactly what I used to do with my electric chainsaw until I was shown how easy it is.

I suspect the Oregon powersharp is a 'home user' solution for those who haven't realised how easy it is to use a round file. Can't believe after all these years there's a better design for a chain. I suspect a marketing man has been at a 'user solution session' for people who want a gizmo rather than using a moments elbow grease. Interesting idea but looks like a gimmick, and an overpricey one. I notice it was used on a small home user saw, not a big beast.

I know it sounds as though the powersharp is for home-users only OCP, but I think you've missed the point I was trying to make about the ability for new users to change the capability of a new low-end saw to something more suited to hobby forestry.

I may be young, but I'm certainly experienced enough in terms of the good old-fashioned way of sharpening a saw in the manner in which I was taught. To be honest up until I tried it I believed it was a cop-out too, being a firm believer in the use of a file and often shunning auto sharpeners in favour of the conventional. Having read the various threads on Arbtalk, many have approached the concept negatively in the same way as you have slammed them, but failure to try new products or methods essentially dismisses progress. What I'm essentially saying is;
'Dont knock it 'till you've tried it!'

[Dexter's Shed]

many have approached the concept negatively in the same way as you have slammed them, but failure to try new products or methods essentially dismisses progress. What I'm essentially saying is;
'Dont knock it 'till you've tried it!'

here here that man, you'll have to forgive old claw paws, he's a bit long in the tooth