GregHarrison
ArboristSite Lurker
Any opinion on the above. Owned some of this brand stuff, a chain saw included, seems to be top quality?
Greg Harrison
Greg Harrison
Shindaiwa Chainsaws
- Thread starter GregHarrison
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Chris J.
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hi, Greg. I keyed Shindaiwa into the search feature here at AS, and it showed 14 pages of threads that included the word Shindaiwa.
Hope that this helps!
Hope that this helps!
Good Stuff Greg. There is a demand for the parts.
Stu in Tokyo
ArboristSite Operative
I see them here in Japan all the time, they are maybe the best selling saws here.
Cheers!
Cheers!
PowersTree
ArboristSite Lurker
I have a 357 (top handle) and I like it. It is a lil on the heavy side but is balanced nicely, but then again Im a 260lbs climber so a few ounce doesnt matter. It doesnt quite get the revs that a MS200 does but seems to run better than any of the Huskies I have ran. I like it for the most part but getting parts can be a pain. I havent had any mechanical parts break but have broken the handle 2 times and the muffler cover once. I have learned through being down for a few days to order parts I forsee breaking so that I have them.
Quality and durability are top notch but their designs are a little dated compared to the latest offerings from the european manufacturers. They seem to cater to the arborist/landscaper market as they only offer one model over 50 cc's. Even their smallest saws are built to pro standards with metal crankcases etc. The smaller models perform very well for their size.
PTS
ArboristSite Guru
I am a dealer of Shindaiwa saws. I got turned on to them from my Grandparents who were the previous owners of one of my now businesses. They had a outdoor power equipment and small engine repair business with several dealerships. I recently bought the business. Anyway Shindaiwa has a full line of saws and outdoor power equipment. I love them. My Tree Company carries on our trucks the 300S for groundy de-limbing, 357 for bucket saw, 488 for the BEST middle size saw, and the 757 for the big logs. IMO the best thing about the Shindaiwa saws is the low end torque. You can put the chain down on the log apply large amounts of down pressure, put the trigger and it still takes off. Incredible power when putting the saw through heavy loads. I like to dig in and pry up on the handle and they just keep on cutting. I put a equivilant saw of Stihl up agianst Shindaiwa with a good friend of mine (big stihl fan) and I am pleased to announce that after several type cuts and several types of logs I generally came out on top.
Just my opinion but they are a great saw.
Just my opinion but they are a great saw.
alderman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Shindaiwa
I started using Shindaiwa equipment many years ago when I purchased one of their commercial brush cutters. I wasn't dissappointed and am glad I made the plunge even though it was pricey at the time. I found a used Shindaiwa 500 chainsaw a few years back for $100 and felt I couldn't go wrong. Put a new bar and chain on it and have used it to cut many cords of firewood. It is their older model and is well put together with metal everywhere. Recently picked up a 488 nearly new for $240 off of e-Bay.
This saw didn't have a scratch on it when I got it and didn't appear to ever have been put to wood as the bar was pristine. This newer model saw has lots of plastic on it, but the pay off is in its light weight. Power wise I don't think a casual wood cutter could ask for more in a stock saw with an 18" bar.
This saw starts very easily with just a couple inches of pull. I can't compare to other manufacturers as the only other saws I have are both Homelite. Another thing you might want to consider is whether you have a dealer nearby. I'm fortunate to be located within 75 miles of the Shindaiwa home base and have a couple of dealers nearby. I've heard that parts are hard to come by but on the few occasions where I've needed them they have been readily available.
I started using Shindaiwa equipment many years ago when I purchased one of their commercial brush cutters. I wasn't dissappointed and am glad I made the plunge even though it was pricey at the time. I found a used Shindaiwa 500 chainsaw a few years back for $100 and felt I couldn't go wrong. Put a new bar and chain on it and have used it to cut many cords of firewood. It is their older model and is well put together with metal everywhere. Recently picked up a 488 nearly new for $240 off of e-Bay.
This saw didn't have a scratch on it when I got it and didn't appear to ever have been put to wood as the bar was pristine. This newer model saw has lots of plastic on it, but the pay off is in its light weight. Power wise I don't think a casual wood cutter could ask for more in a stock saw with an 18" bar.
This saw starts very easily with just a couple inches of pull. I can't compare to other manufacturers as the only other saws I have are both Homelite. Another thing you might want to consider is whether you have a dealer nearby. I'm fortunate to be located within 75 miles of the Shindaiwa home base and have a couple of dealers nearby. I've heard that parts are hard to come by but on the few occasions where I've needed them they have been readily available.
GregHarrison
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks for the replies. Mine has been a good saw, wish I had bought the 488. Now have a 026 but really have a hankern' for a Dolmar 5100S!
Greg Harrison
Greg Harrison
