China/Stihl knockoff?

[lesorubcheek]

It would be incredible if Harbor Freight or some other mass seller of Chinese imported tools would buy a few loads of these and sell 'em for $300-$400! Just throw a load in the boat with the rest of the stuff destined for California shores. The only chainsaws I've seen so far from HF are cheapy rebuilt late-model Homelites and Poulans.

Dan

 

[andrethegiant70]

Interesting that the Chinese are following suit with chainsaws.. they did the same thing with air rifles, with close copies of some the of the very nice german-made guns.... there are fairly decent and well-engineered design but showed some shortcoming in the "fit and finish" department. There are gradually getting better (I own one and its not half bad) and a few of the models are now competing with some of the best rifles out there. If the air rifle paradigm holds, you can expect some real competition from these people.

On another note, if you guys thought we had energy troubles now, you just wait.. when the Chinese really get ramped up over the next 5 to 10 years, the world is really going to change. we had better dope out all the fuel cells problems soon!

 

[CNYCountry]

On another note, if you guys thought we had energy troubles now, you just wait.. when the Chinese really get ramped up over the next 5 to 10 years, the world is really going to change. we had better dope out all the fuel cells problems soon!

OT, but I have read some opinions that the rising energy costs because of the increased demand is really hurting China and that they are simply not going to be able to sustain the kind of growth they have been seeing in the last few years, victims of a situation they created.

It will be interesting to see what actually happens. Just like in anything, runaway growth can't be sustained forever.

Sorry for the OT post.

 

[spacemule]

We have much unutilized energy technology right now. I don't foresee an energy crisis like so many do, rather I see change.

 

[Bill G]

As of this morning they were quoting $180 on a minum order of 50.

Bill

 

[Marco]

Request a sample

 

[max2cam]

China saw

This is an emotional subject with U.S. job loss and all. Here's my 2 cents and no offence to anyone.

If not for cheap Chinese goods, the U.S. standard of living would be lower. Our people can be "poor" and still afford to buy Chinese Walmart stuff. If the stuff were built here inflationary prices would skyrocket, but not profits. That's why they are going to China. But with every factory going to China the American people loose jobs, which makes them depend more on cheap Chinese Walmart stuff. It has a vicious circle and I don't see anyway out of it because it is govt. policy to encourage this.

I'm waiting for the first Chinese car to hit the U.S. market. What: $5,000-6,000 new? Even I could afford one! (Now I drive a $500 Ford).

My bro-in-law bought his kid a Chinese dirtbike. Says "Powered by Honda" on the side. 125cc dirtbike for $1,000 NEW. Engine looks like a copy of a 1980s Honda motor which it probably is. Runs fine. But the metal in places seems soft, strips threads easy. Quality isn't too bad, but NOTHING like the high quality of my old 1979 Yamaha XT500 which is a GREAT dirtbike.

This 105cc Chinese chainsaw would be fun to try in a milling operation. Probably could buy 3 for the price of one Stihl.

But would it only last 1/3rd as long?

 

[whatsnext]

We have much unutilized energy technology right now. I don't foresee an energy crisis like so many do, rather I see change.

I'm with Spacemule here. We have more energy in coal reserves the the whole world has in oil. Coal liquifies into a real nice fuel for your SUV and we're approaching the point where the price is pretty close to gas. The world might be a little pissed that we jave all the energy but who cares.
John

 

[Al Smith]

If I'm not mistaken,China has as much coal as the USA.Here is a laugh,Japan imports coal from the US and China is closer,right from the coal docks in Norfolk Va.No love loss between those two Asian countries.

 

[spacemule]

If I'm not mistaken,China has as much coal as the USA.Here is a laugh,Japan imports coal from the US and China is closer,right from the coal docks in Norfolk Va.No love loss between those two Asian countries.

Ha ha. That reminds me of reading in Jackie Chan's biography that he gets annoyed when people call him Japanese. I suppose it'd be like calling a Canadian a Mexican.

 

[lostone]

Sorry to hijack the thread, Lostone. I did go off on a bit of a tangent.

Not a problem, I just found the link and thought it was interesting. They do look interesting to me and I wouldnt mind trying one out.

 

[Bill G]

..........................No love loss between those two Asian countries.

I may be in left field but I do not see this as a good thing. If the Japenese skill and the China workforce was combined what would there be.

Bill

I had to edit the original post to add "do not" as I do not see the combination of those two countries ecomics and workforce as a good thing.

Bill

 

[Vman]

Interesting that the Chinese are following suit with chainsaws.. they did the same thing with air rifles, with close copies of some the of the very nice german-made guns.... there are fairly decent and well-engineered design but showed some shortcoming in the "fit and finish" department. There are gradually getting better (I own one and its not half bad) and a few of the models are now competing with some of the best rifles out there. If the air rifle paradigm holds, you can expect some real competition from these people.

i would like some info on these air rifles if u are talking competition level, not "plinking". all the ones i have seen try to look like Anschutz's, FWB's, RWS's, and Walther's, but performance is comparable to a sling-shot. i shoot smallbore prone competition and some air rifle and would like to see a decent chinese air rifle.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Hi, Vman, I would have to say most are plinkers, but they are certainly improving by leaps and bounds. Here's a great review of a Chinese XS-B50, a PC (pre-charged pneumatic) that (I think) is patterned after a Theoben (NICE Brit gun) and is half the price.

http://www.adventuresinairguns.com/XSB50hunt.html

 

[andrethegiant70]

Sorry, Vman, the XS-B50 is a clone of a Daystate MKII (ALSO a fabulous gun).

 

[max2cam]

Matter of time....

It would be incredible if Harbor Freight or some other mass seller of Chinese imported tools would buy a few loads of these and sell 'em for $300-$400! Just throw a load in the boat with the rest of the stuff destined for California shores. The only chainsaws I've seen so far from HF are cheapy rebuilt late-model Homelites and Poulans.

Dan

I've been waiting for this to happen too. Probably just a matter of time before the next H.F. catalog has Chinese chainsaws. If they were cheap enough I might bite.

I also have a Chinese air rifle. It's a plinker, but a good plinker and it was only about $30. I paid that much or more for a Benjamin air rifle 35 years ago.

 

[Lobo]

Historically the Japanese products of the 60's were generally taken as inferier in quality.Over a period of years the quality came up to an acceptable level.QUOTE]

A lot of it nowadays is a lot better quality than our North American products. Period!

It is the easiest thing in the world to blame the Asian countries, but deep down we did it to ourselves in many many ways. They learned from their mistakes regularly, corrected them quickly and out did us on all points.

Many north American companies sat on their fat behinds and attempted to dictate to us what quality was, what quality should be and how much they would overcharge us for it (as they were raking in incredible profits at that time). Thruth is however that a lot of these made in America products were however falling apart and eventually became of sub-standard quality. Our North American automotive industry is the classic example. The brass, CEO's and top management in many of our industries laid a sleep at the switch but continued to collect hefty personal bonuses while their companies were slowly loosing penetration, market share and profitability to ensure investment in R&D and new products to take to the market place.

We simply got outdone at it and for years refused to recognize that others could do just as good and many times better at producing, controlling and managing their manufacturing and businesses better than we.

 

[Fish]

I have only read a few of the posts here, but I truly believe as our country adapts
to this free trade world, the standard of living for the rest of the world will not raise
to our level, but ours will equalize to that of the rest of the world {drop}.
If corporations can flit across borders easily, then labor laws, enviromental laws,
etc will only apply to us.
If a labor force can be obtained that will work for a fraction of what we will,
why would the jobs, etc., stay here?

 

[Lobo]

Fish, it took 30+ years after the second world war for us to start getting to the best standard of living in the world. It will take many 3rd world countries less time to get to our same standard of living but their economic growth as ours will depend on the level of productivity and quality.

 

[ozflea]

I can just see one of our fellow countrymen buying them and importing them just so you can have them for 300 or 400 bucks, i'm certain that by the time they left the docks in China and arrived at our sunny shores the import duties, loading and unloading, plus all those taxes then transport, you profit margin and thats only the short list.
I know that 090's out here in Australia are worth around 3 1/2 thousand dollars retail.
Don't forget the toothfairy will be looking after all warranty claims as i'm sure that the purchasers will need some reasurrance the the product is well backed before spending that 300 to 400 dollars.

I believe that the chinese do an excellent job for the money they recieve, but life won't be easy, rest assured and anyone taking this line of saws on better think long and hard about making easy money.

Others have been and gone.

Mc Bob.