No name saws???

[Little Al]

I don't agree with trying to pass off some thing it isn't ( Antique's knive's perfume whatever fakes in general) but if some one can produce a reasonable product that will do the job, last a reasonable amount of time if treated properly & cost less money then Joe Public can make up their minds if they want to purchase, in the chainsaw world the home owner cutting 2 or so cords a year doesn't require a top of the line pro saw but a guy trying to earn a living cutting wood requires better kit, same with all manner of products, some do more, some do it better, quicker,but all usually will perform the tasks they were/are designed for,some times the kit is not required to perform multiple tasks, a point in fact my neighbor who is the same age as me 79 His granddaughter gave him her mobile phone as she updated to a newer model the one he has is an all singing/dancing is 1 phase/mark out from the latest. His take on it is "It will perform any task you care to perform excecpt make a Bl***y phone call.Which makes the point on that piece of kit he did not require all the bells & whistles. KISS principle applies

 

[Chris J.]

What you say is true but now they are copying currently produced knives. Have you ever heard of a Chris Reeve Sebenza? It is a $400 knife, yes you read that correctly, and I have seen the fakes passed off as real. I wonder where these factories get the know how to make this stuff besides reverse enginering. I believe I saw on here that some of the big name saw companies had/have p&c made in china. Hmmm...

We're going to see more & more MIC parts showing up on name brand chainsaws, just like we see in most manufacturing industries. Hell, even Made in the USA doesn't mean that much if the company only meets the minimal requirements to claim MUSA. If a company does things right and has good QC is place at the Chinese factory they can offer a very good product. The fact that the company is undermining the US economy is a subject for another sub-forum.

I use two electric drills. The main one is basic cordless Black & Decker 9.6V (inherited from my MIL), the other one is a heavy duty Hitachi 1/2" drill (a birthday gift to myself when I needed to work with landscaping timbers). Two drills made for two very different uses. Both MIC. I don't have any issues with the build quality of either. I was very disappointed that the Hitachi was MIC, not MIJ.

 

[jr27236]

Seams like China is the knock off capital of the world. Imagine what is in these products and there paint? If they're discovering lead and other dangerous chemicals in childrens toys, imagine what lead content is in the paint of adult use items, such as these saws and knives and such.
Sorry, had to take this thread to the next level of debate.

But unfortunately "if" (knock on wood) my electric start gx390 on my splitter ever decided to explode one day, I would be buying that monster knock off 420cc electric start at harbor freight for around $300 after you drop their 20% coupon on top of it, compared to a new gx390 for $700-$1000. That thing looks almost exactly as the Honda. Amazing they can do it, but at the end of the day they are selling them because people need to save money and common sense says to buy low and save big.

 

[Chris J.]

Seams like China is the knock off capital of the world. Imagine what is in these products and there paint? If they're discovering lead and other dangerous chemicals in childrens toys, imagine what lead content is in the paint of adult use items, such as these saws and knives and such.
Sorry, had to take this thread to the next level of debate

I'm certain that the relatively few news reports we see are just the tip of the iceburg regarding MIC products--Low wages, little or no regulation, disregard for worker safety & health, child labor, inferior and/or hazardous materials, etc.

Here's something to consider: How do you think the other industrialized nations got to where they are (or were)? Low wages, little or no regulation, disregard for worker safety & health, child labor, knowingly (at least with some materials) using toxic materials, etc.


MIC has been discussed here in many, many threads. Perhaps a new thread in Off-Topic (or whatever it's called these days), such as:

The Ultimate Made In China Discussion

 

[jr27236]

Actually I started this thread as "no name saws" and it mutated into a MIC discussion, lol

 

[Kegerator5]

Hey, sorry for digging up an old post, but was researching "timberpro" to see the reviews and complaints, etc.

Wanted to give a heads up though. Currently on eBay, a guy is selling the 62cc version for $42.00 + free shipping. Plus 2 chains, bag, etc.

Again, sorry to dig up the old post, but was seeing the talks about price and saw people paying $100+ and thought if any of you are still interested, great chance at one...

EBay item # 322071658990

4 sold in last few hours. 5 left I believe.

 

[blkcloud]

I'd be Leary of it.. Seller has 0 feedback and the cheapest these are selling for on eBay is $114.49

 

[Kegerator5]

Well I bought one. I'll let you know. Lol. Seller does have another one up for bid...
We'll see lol.

 

[wde_1978]

It is not truly an old thread!

A month ago a local supermarket had their generic Chinese built 52cc chainsaw priced at about 80$ including 3 year warranty.
The market is getting saturated thus prices will drop in hopes to boost sales.

I was tempted to buy one of those, but reason prevailed and I didn't.

 

[BobL]

One of the members of a Community Mens shed (Shop) where I supervise one day a week brought in a $100 eBay special for me to look at. I used to look at a lot of these saws but in the last few years I have avoided them like the plague.

The elderly gent has never been able to start the saw. He thought his son would be able to and waited until his son next visited. Unfortunately the son was away for an extended period so that by the time his son had a go he could not get it started and it was out of warranty .

Anyway I reluctantly said I would look at it. I could see immediately it had no spark and one look at the connections on the back of the kill switch hinted that this was a problem and sure enough I pulled off the switch and checked it with a meter and it was short circuiting.

Disconnecting the kill switch and sure enough nice fat sparks but it still would not start.
I guessed the fuel in it was pretty old so I tipped that out and rinsed the tank with fresh and it started after 5 pulls emitting a great cloud of blue smoke suggesting there was a lot of residual lube in the carby. Then it settled down and ran reasonably well on the fresh mix.

When I opened up the kill switch I could see it was a POS (it's a very small rocker switch, the sort of thing you'd expect to see on acheap battery powered toy) but what had caused the short was the soldering job had melted the plastic around the contact so that when the switch was pushed back into the saw case this pushed the loose contact forward allowing the internal parts of the switch to collapse and short.

There was not a lot of free wiring to allow the switch to be handled outside the saw case but after a bit of farting around I managed to use pair of tweezers to re-assemble the switch but while doing that the very flimsy wiring snapped inside the saw case and the switch came away in my hand. The best thing to do is replace both wires because they are so flimsy that they will eventually break if the saw runs for more than a couple of hours. At this point I felt like throwing the whole thing in the bin.

Anyway the rewiring should make a good project for the elderly gent, as a former science teacher he should be capable of doing this sort of thing.

 

[Kegerator5]

Thanks for the info BobL.
And, wde_1978, I fully understand, even $42 would pay for a new bar/chain on another saw.

But, I'm relatively new to the world of muffler mods, porting, and tuning, etc.

This is a perfect saw to strip down, check all pieces for stupid issues, build back up, run for awhile, muffler mod, tun run.. Than try porting it. See how that goes.
If I end up ruining the saw, I'll be ok tossing a $42 saw that I can maybe salvage stuff from, and hopefully cut enough wood to say I broke even. But the big payoff will be, hopefully learning to muffler mod, tune, and port a saw.

 

[wde_1978]

Thanks for the info BobL.
And, wde_1978, I fully understand, even $42 would pay for a new bar/chain on another saw.

But, I'm relatively new to the world of muffler mods, porting, and tuning, etc.

This is a perfect saw to strip down, check all pieces for stupid issues, build back up, run for awhile, muffler mod, tun run.. Than try porting it. See how that goes.
If I end up ruining the saw, I'll be ok tossing a $42 saw that I can maybe salvage stuff from, and hopefully cut enough wood to say I broke even. But the big payoff will be, hopefully learning to muffler mod, tune, and port a saw.

Agreed, a sub 50$ saw might be good to learn on considering that idividual brand saw parts cost more than the entire generic Chinese saw!

Muffler mod, replace piston ring with a Caber one, proper carb tune, possibly advancing ignition, reducing squish, fiddling around the ports - do one mod at a time and see where it gets You.

 

[Kegerator5]

Hey wde_1978,
Real off topic... I buy up saws I think should be worth more than asking price, in the hopes of learning enough to fix these all up.. If not, I'll resell and hopefully they'll simply be worth more from age... But hoping to fix them up...

Anyways, I saw your sig is all dolmar... I picked one up last week. I can find next to nothing on it. Haven't dug real deep, but figured you might be able to clue me in.. Anyways, bought a Dolmar "PS510".... At least that's what I was told. I knew they are nice saws, figured I might fix and use that one.. Well after I get it, I didn't think it was quite right.. Found a plate saying Dolmar PS 540. The plate it's not hidden, but bar cover decal/sticker worn off past the PS 5, and you can just start to see another number. I'm assuming a quick Google search told this guy it's a 510, much more common?

But what do you know about the 540? If anything. Sorry for long explanation. Just giving as much info as possible on it.

Thanks.

 

[Chris J.]

Hey wde_1978,
Real off topic... I buy up saws I think should be worth more than asking price, in the hopes of learning enough to fix these all up.. If not, I'll resell and hopefully they'll simply be worth more from age... But hoping to fix them up...

Anyways, I saw your sig is all dolmar... I picked one up last week. I can find next to nothing on it. Haven't dug real deep, but figured you might be able to clue me in.. Anyways, bought a Dolmar "PS510".... At least that's what I was told. I knew they are nice saws, figured I might fix and use that one.. Well after I get it, I didn't think it was quite right.. Found a plate saying Dolmar PS 540. The plate it's not hidden, but bar cover decal/sticker worn off past the PS 5, and you can just start to see another number. I'm assuming a quick Google search told this guy it's a 510, much more common?

But what do you know about the 540? If anything. Sorry for long explanation. Just giving as much info as possible on it.

Thanks.

Dolmar / Makita 540 discussions on ArboristSite:

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...dolmar+540+chainsaw+site:www.arboristsite.com

 

[wde_1978]

Hey wde_1978,
Real off topic... I buy up saws I think should be worth more than asking price, in the hopes of learning enough to fix these all up.. If not, I'll resell and hopefully they'll simply be worth more from age... But hoping to fix them up...

Anyways, I saw your sig is all dolmar... I picked one up last week. I can find next to nothing on it. Haven't dug real deep, but figured you might be able to clue me in.. Anyways, bought a Dolmar "PS510".... At least that's what I was told. I knew they are nice saws, figured I might fix and use that one.. Well after I get it, I didn't think it was quite right.. Found a plate saying Dolmar PS 540. The plate it's not hidden, but bar cover decal/sticker worn off past the PS 5, and you can just start to see another number. I'm assuming a quick Google search told this guy it's a 510, much more common?

But what do you know about the 540? If anything. Sorry for long explanation. Just giving as much info as possible on it.

Thanks.

It is for Makita DCS540, but still the same as Dolmar PS-540


Sending PM...

 

[blkcloud]

Well I bought one. I'll let you know. Lol. Seller does have another one up for bid...
We'll see lol.

Any update on the new saw??

 

[Kegerator5]

Sorry for delay.

The saw is coming from China. Not in yet. Due to arrive between May 4 and May 20.

 

[Old2stroke]

What is your normal waiting time to get something from China? Up here in the frozen north, I waited 2 months to get a new carb.

 

[dougand3]

Up here in the frozen north, I waited 2 months to get a new carb.

That must be a slow carb like they talk about on diet infomercials.
In Alabama, it's 7-12 days normally unless you buy something for $1-$2 and free shipping - then it's takes 3-4 weeks on a slow boat - you can tell if you don't get a China Post tracking #.

 

[altair]

Three of my friends have bought these chinese saws here in NZ over the past 5 or so years. None of them are chainsaw savvy really, or mechanically minded. I've tuned them when they were new, and a couple I've touched up again later..and the bloody things just keep on going, and two in particular have cut a LOT of wood (Pine and Macrocarpa). 2 are 58cc, and one is a 72cc Stihl clone. I have to admit for the money they are damned good value, these guys are the type to just press harder on the saw when the chain dulls, and not clean air filters etc as you are supposed to. I've convinced them to use 25 to 1 with a normal mineral oil.
For the price they paid the saws are doing them really well...its only the guys who actually know saws and how to use them who have a problem with them, the average joe who cuts a cord a year thinks they are great. Mind you over here they are more expensive, a 58cc chink copy runs $250 NZ, and the 72cc copy of a stihl (038 I think) runs to about $500, but thats cheap here, where a 661 is around $2800.
They leak oil badly, and have a terrible finish, but these guys are happy with theirs..when you spend your days behind a computer with a tie and suit, they must feel like Rambo with their saws cutting kindling....lol