A new American chainsaw

[Mpl127]

Could the US of A ever produce a new chainsaw to compete with the Germans, Swedes, Japanese? Has anyone tried (recently)?Not in anyway complaining about the saws from aforementioned countries - absolutely brilliant machines. Can we not do it? Ever again?

 

[Woodslasher]

Could the US of A ever produce a new chainsaw to compete with the Germans, Swedes, Japanese? Has anyone tried (recently)?Not in anyway complaining about the saws from aforementioned countries - absolutely brilliant machines. Can we not do it? Ever again?

I think we are too far behind, honestly. The sheer amount of money, research, and tooling required to design an auto-tune or fuel-injected capable or equipped saw from nothing, coupled with the problem of (presumably) introducing a new untried outdoor power equipment company into a market that isn't really lacking anything would discourage anyone from even attempting it. Plus, in order to recoup the initial material/design/tooling costs, either the saw(s) would have to be priced way above it's competitors or the company would have to hemorrhage money for awhile. Plus, you would have to create/establish a whole new network of dealers, distributors, parts warehouses, etc and you would have to find a way to connect to pre-existing repair shops so they can order parts from you to repair your machines. The only potentially viable option I see is for some US corporation to purchase the Makita/Dolmar line of saws that already sort of have that background and turn it into a fully American enterprise, as well as possibly renaming it.

 

[Mpl127]

All of what you say makes sense, but what happened? did they just build better machines from the beginning? Why did we abandon chainsaws? Here’s another question- we’re the auto-tune and fuel injection introduced because of the USA epa regulations or was that coming anyway without our market?

 

[Mpl127]

Granted that auto-tune and fuel injection have other benefits other than emissions. Answerd my own question?

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Its the same as building a new American car company, the regulatory committee would kill any hope of bringing a new product to market, without the clout and billions of dollars of leverage.
The big three saw companies can still sell world wide and make expensive changes to meet the European and American standards without too much loss.
Think" Tucker automobile company" we have basically legislatized our selves out of the market and there's no going back.
I know you can build a complete 1969 Camaro from brand new parts (every last bolt) but its illegal to sell one for street use?, prebuilt. How this even makes sense I have no idea? Despite all the ecological brainwashing we're exposed to if Chevrolet rereleased the 1957 belair 2 door at normal price for our time ,say 45,000 $ there's no way they could keep them on the show room floor.
Imagine Husqvarna releasing a new ProMac850 ,2100xp, or 5200 Poulan? my God! We would scramble to get them.

 

[Woodslasher]

All of what you say makes sense, but what happened? Did they just build better machines from the beginning? Why did we abandon chainsaws? Here’s another question- we’re the auto-tune and fuel injection introduced because of the USA epa regulations or was that coming anyway without our market?

Granted that auto-tune and fuel injection have other benefits other than emissions. Answered my own question? Pretty much

Near as I can figure they began falling behind, the 10-10 and Super XL, along with their brand-name recognition, pretty much kept McCulloch and Homelite alive towards the end. The PM8200 (Mcculloch's last big saw attempt) just couldn't compete with a 288 or 064. They were too broke to design new saws so they basically modified older ones. A PM8200 block and tank look an awful lot like a 1970's 10-series block and tank. The Homelite 330's (a later mag-built 50cc saw) are 12-13lbs, which is 2-3lbs heavier than a Stihl 026 and only 1lb less than a 372 sans bar. Who's going to pick a saw that's 3lbs heavier than their german competitor and has less dealer support? Not me! The further behind they fell, the harder it would be to recover. Eventually it all caught up with them and they just collapsed.

Also, Stihl and Husqvarna kept looking for bigger and better things while Mcculloch and Homelite didn't. Compare a Stihl 056 or Husqvarna 2100 to a Homelite 650 or PM8200. (All weights unless otherwise specified are powerhead only) A 650 is 23lbs, a PM8200 is in the neighborhood of 19lbs, a 2100 is ~20lbs, and a Stihl 056 Mag II is 20.7lbs. Now let's add in displacement. 650 = 100cc, 8200 = 82cc, 2100 = 99cc, 056 = 94cc. So, classified by displacement (biggest to smallest) to weight (lightest to heaviest) ratio (roughly estimated) you get 2100, 056, 8200, 650. Not all those saws are from the same era, but they're close and the displacements are not the same, but again, they're close.

 

[Mpl127]

Its the same as building a new American car company, the regulatory committee would kill any hope of bringing a new product to market, without the clout and billions of dollars of leverage.
The big three saw companies can still sell world wide and make expensive changes to meet the European and American standards without too much loss.
Think" Tucker automobile company" we have basically legislatized our selves out of the market and there's no going back.
I know you can build a complete 1969 Camaro from brand new parts (every last bolt) but its illegal to sell one for street use?, prebuilt. How this even makes sense I have no idea? Despite all the ecological brainwashing we're exposed to if Chevrolet rereleased the 1957 belair 2 door at normal price for our time ,say 45,000 $ there's no way they could keep them on the show room floor.
Imagine Husqvarna releasing a new ProMac850 ,2100xp, or 5200 Poulan? my God! We would scramble to get them.

We’ve succeeded with trucks- too big to fail?

 

[chipper1]

@pioneerguy600 , got another one lol.

 

[Mpl127]

We’ve succeeded with trucks- too big

Near as I can figure they began falling behind, the 10-10 and Super XL, along with their brand-name recognition, pretty much kept McCulloch and Homelite alive towards the end. The PM8200 (Mcculloch's last big saw attempt) just couldn't compete with a 288 or 064. They were too broke to design new saws so they basically modified older ones. A PM8200 block and tank look an awful lot like a 1970's 10-series block and tank. The Homelite 330's (a later mag-built 50cc saw) are 12-13lbs, which is 2-3lbs heavier than a Stihl 026 and only 1lb less than a 372 sans bar. Who's going to pick a saw that's 3lbs heavier than their german competitor and has less dealer support? Not me! The further behind they fell, the harder it would be to recover. Eventually it all caught up with them and they just collapsed.

Also, Stihl and Husqvarna kept looking for bigger and better things while Mcculloch and Homelite didn't. Compare a Stihl 056 or Husqvarna 2100 to a Homelite 650 or PM8200. (All weights unless otherwise specified are powerhead only) A 650 is 23lbs, a PM8200 is in the neighborhood of 19lbs, a 2100 is ~20lbs, and a Stihl 056 Mag II is 20.7lbs. Now let's add in displacement. 650 = 100cc, 8200 = 82cc, 2100 = 99cc, 056 = 94cc. So, classified by displacement (biggest to smallest) to weight (lightest to heaviest) ratio (roughly estimated) you get 2100, 056, 8200, 650. Not all those saws are from the same era, but they're close and the displacements are not the same, but

 

[Mpl127]

Power to weight ratio was the driving force of american saw demise? Solely? Not challenging you, I’d believe it.

 

[cscltd]

Power to weight along with size to reliability. Homelite 410 couldn’t compete to Husqvarna 162, (410 was Homelites answer to the Husky 162 ) although had a larger engine, it was fatter, heavier and not as reliable, it was designed all wrong too.
they should have done what shindawa did back years ago, they took the Husqvarna 266 and copied it and just made it different enough. I think it was the 550 model? (they even made use same bar and chain as Husky)
But then again Pioneer copied the xl12 and Lombard copied it also and I think the xl101. Maybe Homelite was too proud to copy?

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

The only American manufacturer that compared towards the end was poulan and even after they were bought out they were a good competitor with the 3000-3450 3500-3750. Way ahead of the other American companies by far and on par with stihl and husky. Would have really liked to see some 70-90cc saws like these built. Either way being bought out did them in. Kinda like our current government.