Anybody running the Chinese Stihl knockoffs?
- Thread starter Canyon Angler
- Start date
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They never stopped making them in some countries.
This
They kept making for 3rd world countries, until recently
Jeekinz
ArboristSite Member
Some of these posts are funny thinking these clone saws are crap and made of glass. All you find are clones/weird brand name Chinese saws in my country and people run the snot out of them. A 20" saw new costs about $90US.
Todd727
ArboristSite Lurker
I think part of the issue is there is typically an A, B or C quality that importers can order on varying products. There are millions of great Chinese produced products that people use everyday. Apple is of course the largest example. However, once you get into some of the eBay importers, things can get murky. Of course, the final issue is parts availability.
Jeekinz
ArboristSite Member
Yeah, I had to buy a clone saw here because there are no parts for my Echo. It took over a month just to get a carb kit that got lost in the mail in the US. Murphys Law it was in November when I needed it the most.
A big part of the reason to buy an accurately made clone is that all parts are interchangeable with those made by the original manufacturer, helping ensure parts availability, as well as the option to you better quality OEM parts.
Farmertech Holzfforma clones have been tested much more extensively than most, often get good reviews and claim to sell saws that have 100% of parts interchangeable with the saws they copy.
Ditto that, but really really enjoy the realiabity (not a common theme) of Famertech's zenoah/Joncutter clones ... that lil top handle still chugging along!, starts on 1st or 2nd pull, and idles great.
Put a 28" full comp on this G372pro yesterday to bury. Made me appreciate the G288 now with same set up.
First tank, stock no muffler mod yet. Set fat still. 16F frozen pin oak.
First tank, stock no muffler mod yet. Set fat still. 16F frozen pin oak.
link
Gone fishing
All that nice firewood cut to pancakes 
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Gone fishing
I think what I'm sceptical about the H288 though its drooling tempting, is that if I'm not mistaking it has a frontside chain tensioner and it will be inaccessible if I am to use it for milling. Also the parts availability (OEM or not) is not that great as for something like the H372 or the S660.
Same goes for the S460, there is just not that many alternative parts to choose from.
The S380 have OK alternative parts availability, but it's kinda obsolete compared to the H372 or S440/S460.
The S460 is no doubt the most interesting saw for me though, because it's the most powerful retro chainsaw ever made in it's class.
At the same weight as any 65 to 72cc, with a bigbore cylinder a wopping 82,5cc and rated 4,5kw as original with a 52mm bore at 76,5cc.
No doubt the H288 has a greater torque, but it's also a step up in weight class.
This year it will be a H365/372 build, perhaps I need another project next year...
Same goes for the S460, there is just not that many alternative parts to choose from.
The S380 have OK alternative parts availability, but it's kinda obsolete compared to the H372 or S440/S460.
The S460 is no doubt the most interesting saw for me though, because it's the most powerful retro chainsaw ever made in it's class.
At the same weight as any 65 to 72cc, with a bigbore cylinder a wopping 82,5cc and rated 4,5kw as original with a 52mm bore at 76,5cc.
No doubt the H288 has a greater torque, but it's also a step up in weight class.
This year it will be a H365/372 build, perhaps I need another project next year...
The Shooters Apprentice
Addicted to ArboristSite
I sell the farmertec saws. Out of the ones I've sold, I've only had 1 issue with a recoil spring in a 372XP that was not springy.
Ran it on 1st tank with 28" full comp in frozen pin oak buried. Muffler still stock. 16F
I couldnt stand the little jungle outlet so had the exit like my woods ported 375 used to have but smaller for stock saw.
Also dropped to 20" , even though the big spikes took up a couple inches of that. Much more to my liking now. Reminds me of a stock OEM OE saw now. Pin oak and Locust.
I couldnt stand the little jungle outlet so had the exit like my woods ported 375 used to have but smaller for stock saw.
Also dropped to 20" , even though the big spikes took up a couple inches of that. Much more to my liking now. Reminds me of a stock OEM OE saw now. Pin oak and Locust.
I like the Zenoah engines in the Redmax GZ4000 and all it's clones. As long as the strato parts were working correctly those were ripsnorting lil saws at a 9 lb powerhead weight. A blast to run in small stuff with a 16 inch bar and lo pro chain.
splitpost
Nothing but 32:1
Put one together for my brother 660 clone ,went ok for a few weeks but lost compression ,pulled the cylinder and it was trashed as was the piston ,I replaced them with a oem cyl and piston I had sitting around ,I also had to put a oem carb on it as the knock off one became impossible to tune ,still running good now as it been a few years since rebuilding ,but I do believe that's due to it running 30:1
