shadow:
The "purpose" of this thread is two-fold:
1.) To encourage discussions amongst members with similar interests..(this *IS* the CHAINSAW-specific portion of this website, amongst many other specific topics.
2.) To possibly enlighten members like you who may just want the cheapest possible saw to get the job done (as you state), only to find out you were penny wise and pound foolish because the cheap saw you bought (just to get the job done), did'nt even make it through the hour.
That $99.00-$200 saw you just bought (just to get the job done) will actually end up costing you around $500-$600.! How you ask?. It's simple; I call it the 'Harbour Freight Factor"!
You see, when you buy a $14.00 4 inch grinder from Harbour Freight, you will notice that within the first 2 seconds of use, the grinding wheel will actually STOP as soon as you put the tiniest bit of pressure on the wheel. Why?, because it has the cheapest of motors on the planet! (I challenge anyone to find a grinder with a LESS powerful motor!).
Anyway, now that you used this grinder, you cannot return it so you will ultimately end up spending $79.00 for a good Dewalt grinder, or $99.00 for a great Milwaukee grinder. But you see, you now have to add on the original $14.00 + tax for the Harbour freight grinder that is too weak to do any *real* work!.
Now, back to chainsaws...(remember, it IS a chainsaw specific forum!). Say you bought a Craftsman chainsaw for $199.00. It only made it through 1-2 cords of wood before it grenaded. Now you have to go out and buy a *real* saw for at least $300-$350.00.
Don't forget to add the original $200 + tax for the cheap saw onto that figure and....well I know you get the point!!.
The fact is, the information posted in this thread may be very useful to many people who can learn from others mistakes and possibly avoid them. However, some people may just want to find faults in anything and do it the hard way. Thats okay however because someone must make the mistakes for others to learn from!!.