Holzfforma chainsaws any good?

[dboyd351]

. Echo and Husky seem a better choice there for ease of getting parts - the parts headache of Stihl with no online sales is a deal breaker for many.

Amen
This is why I own no Stihls.

 

[fields_mj]

Here the question you ask yourself.

If you are the type that just wants to grab the saw when needed use it and put it up after done without any futzing about then do not buy a Chinease saw. Get an echo.

I run my G660 this way with no issues, but to your point, it took a little work to get it there which I expected.

 

[Ed Penney]

I started sourcing Stihl OEM parts from over the eastern pond. Stihl "USA" has a monopoly on OEM parts in the States, quite often double the price

 

[bwalker]

People NEVER include ECHO when they refer to good saws. I'll take my ECHO's over a Husky or Stihl any day and overall they cost less as well. More than a chink saw but less than the other 2.

I don't think anyone woukd dispute the fact that aecho.makes a quality saw. In general they are just old designs that have poor performance when compared to modern Husky and Stihl saws.

 

[Ed Penney]

I don't think anyone woukd dispute the fact that aecho.makes a quality saw. In general they are just old designs that have poor performance when compared to modern Husky and Stihl saws.

I got a 92 model 650 EVL That looks like a saw from the 70's the old thing still runs and I use it sometimes to buck. The old 235 Husky I got runs circles around it. It's a cool old saw though, it sounds like an old 70's Yamaha Mini Enduro.

 

[Agrarian]

I got a 92 model 650 EVL That looks like a saw from the 70's the old thing still runs and I use it sometimes to buck. The old 235 Husky I got runs circles around it. It's a cool old saw though, it sounds like an old 70's Yamaha Mini Enduro.

I'm familiar with the modern 235/235e but I haven't seen or heard of an old 235.

 

[Ed Penney]

I'm familiar with the modern 235/235e but I haven't seen or heard of an old 235.

It is old from use "not antique" my bad I think it was made in 09 235xtorq just like the ones they make for Poulon. I use it to buck up smaller branches.

 

[Agrarian]

It is old from use "not antique" my bad I think it was made in 09 235xtorq just like the ones they make for Poulon. I use it to buck up smaller branches.

Ahhh, that explains it. I thought I had a hole in my Husqvarna history and was all excited about a new (to me) old model.

 

[jcallahan2]

Holzfforma, Just cheap copies that will work good for some but never compare to the originals.

 

[Ed Penney]

Holzfforma, Just cheap copies that will work good for some but never compare to the originals.

Your Honda is a perfect example. if you want quality you have to spend. There is no arguable point.

 

[Ed Penney]

All new quality saws have to much power locked up in them (EPA) that can be unleashed. Before you modify buy a cheap knockoff and practice on them first. I got a few I thrashed trying to
get comfortable before modifying my real saws. After modifying the knockoffs I seriously realized how cheaply made they really were, comparatively, the metallurgy, plastic, fuel system parts royally suck. Had a magnet drop out of a F.T. 460 clone magneto. Just relieved it wasn't running at 10,000 plus rpm. Don't think my helmet screen would of stopped that.

 

[Ed Penney]

These are views of a 461 clone cylinder from China. I am showing these so anyone thinking about purchasing can see how much work there is to clean up the engine destroying ports. Holz and Farm Tech are both comparable. The amount of excess slag needs to be removed and the ports need to be matched up. I have built three clones. If you value your labor time to make them right, add it to the bottom line. I build to sell. You can get the performance comparable, but it will NEVER have the same dependability. I also will warn you that if you delete the base gasket you will have problems holding vacuum. Just lessons learned. The machining sucks and buy some high dollar case sealer. Don't complain, you get what you pay for.

 

[Ed Penney]

 

[Ed Penney]

Buy a decent magnifier and double check everything down to the threads and mating surfaces. I forgot to mention, they need to be rehoned 4 sures

 

[Ed Penney]

Another thing, is it is well worth the money to get an old Walbro and rebuild it ($12 bucks for the OEM kit) and an OEM Stihl filter and fuel line. THE HLHIOC carb is good for practicing long shots in your trashcan. I call them hellno carbs.

 

[bwalker]

Another thing, is it is well worth the money to get an old Walbro and rebuild it ($12 bucks for the OEM kit) and an OEM Stihl filter and fuel line. THE HLHIOC carb is good for practicing long shots in your trashcan. I call them hellno carbs.

The value some of you place on your time must be damn near zero. Not to mention the frustration.
I'd prefer to piss on an electric fence than deal with one of these junker chicom saws.

 

[Ed Penney]

The value some of you place on your time must be damn near zero. Not to mention the frustration.
I'd prefer to piss on an electric fence than deal with one of these junker chicom saw

The value some of you place on your time must be damn near zero. Not to mention the frustration.
I'd prefer to piss on an electric fence than deal with one of these junker chicom saws.

Ben your a funny person. I cut wood all summer long and build cheap clones during my off time. It takes me half a day to clean up a chicom saw and assemble it. I own and use only real Stihl saws to make money. I have worked on my own saws my whole life. I know Stihl saws like the back of my hand. Chinese clones go together the same down to the same screw lengths. The quality isn't even close to the same. Counting my labor to clean them up and pull old Stihl parts out of my salvage and rebuild a carb takes 20 minutes and 12 bucks. I buy the clone 460 3 at a time for 230 each and assemble, turn them for 625. It's a money making hobby. It's like a paid vacation for me. I also do service and repairs on Stihls. I can always use a clone part on a working mans saw to keep it running till I get OEM or a quality part for them.
69 and still moving and never bored.

 

[Brewmaster]

The value some of you place on your time must be damn near zero. Not to mention the frustration.
I'd prefer to piss on an electric fence than deal with one of these junker chicom saws.

You should watch this Ben! It will really help you!

 

[holeycow]

Buy supmix. Put in mixed gas and oil. Pull 5 times. Running. Turn down idle. Go cut wood.

Next time...pull 3 times. Running. Go cut wood. Tune. Done. Cut more wood.

So far over and over and over again.

Handles nicely. Runs nicely. Over and over. So far. And tunes predictably! Like a pre epa saw. Nice. The only issue is the damn thing sucks fines. I tried lots of things and finally just sealed the mating surface with motoseal. Now I can just blow the filter off in place.

Ditto on the little top handles. Other than the sucking fines thing. They don't.

This is my second season of cutting most of my firewood with china saws. And it's not like I don't have some nice little saws..

I get out my "good" saws from time to time and just shake my head in wonderment. My china saws compare favourably. Crazy, I know, but 🤷‍♂️

Every now and then I consider the Datsun 510. The 240z. Functionally awesome if just a little rough around the edges.

🤷‍♂️