Anybody running the Chinese Stihl knockoffs?

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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.
 
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.
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.
 
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.
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.
 
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.
 
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...
 
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 great alternative parts availability, but it's kinda obsolete compared to the H372 or S440/S460.
Having owned the G660 and several oem 066 660 too. They are ahead of the G288 IMO. Lot of guys using the G660 for milling out there.

Yes front tensioner on G288.

The G395 should be out in a few months though. But then again didnt those have front too. 394 3120 in pic.



g288xxx.jpg
h3120394mmm.jpg
 
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.

g372mm.jpgg37220.jpgg372loc.jpgg372pin.jpg
 
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.
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.
 
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
 
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