Best chainsaw for camping

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 05 Apr 2016, 7:27 am

Gwion wrote:Must have been 16-17. Plenty of kids that age learn to use a saw. Still wouldn't use a saw with no brake!


Yeah it would be a bit like driving a car without air bags, that's real scawwy too. :D

Too me it comes down to what's between the ears more than relying on some mechanism to "protect you" plenty of em have been under the misbelief that a mechanism would protect them and sadly found out the opposite (some cases they will and plenty they won't prevent you from being injured, best protection you've got is between your ears :thumbsup:

Same principle applies to firearms use for me, I don't bother with safeties, never have, I rely on me to be safe (ie I don't walk around with a chambered round, I chamber a round when I'm ready to shoot something) can't get much safer than that for me :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 7:38 am

Scott, there is no comparison between air bags and a chain brake.

chain brakes are designed to engage under excessive inertia, like during unexpected kick back; so you just get hit in the head with a bunch of sharp teeth rather than those teeth running at a million miles an hour.

Complacency, with these sorts of tools, is deadly! While I agree that being alert and applying safety principles are also a must, using equipment without the basic safety features is just waiting for trouble.

Nothing soft about being safe, mate.
Last edited by Gwion on 05 Apr 2016, 7:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 05 Apr 2016, 7:43 am

Gwion wrote:Scott, there is no comparison between air bags and a chain brake.

chain brakes are designed to engage under excessive inertia, like during unexpected kick back; so you just get hit in the head with a bunch of sharp teeth rather than those teeth running at a million miles an hour.

Complacency, with these sorts of tools, is deadly!


So true, my comparison re the airbags is some wouldn't drive a car without them - same as you with a chainsaw with no brake, all comes down to what you are used to I guess :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 7:45 am

Sorry.. See edit. Must have been typing it as you posted.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 7:47 am

Using a chainsaw and driving a car are completely different kettles of fish.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 05 Apr 2016, 8:05 am

Gwion wrote:Using a chainsaw and driving a car are completely different kettles of fish.


Not really both have the ability to hurt or kill you if you don't use them correctly. :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 8:13 am

That may be a fair comparison if cutting logs for fire wood in nice open, flat and clear terrain (like a road, where the majority of cars are driven), add in steep, wet, obstructed ground (say, heavy 4wd country) a serious slip and a roll, air bags will do nothing for you, where as a chain brake that works properly can be the difference between a very nasty wound and instant death.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Chronos » 05 Apr 2016, 8:15 am

Gwion wrote:Using a chainsaw and driving a car are completely different kettles of fish.


Yeah, you need to receive training and pass various stages of testing to drive a car, any goon can buy and operate a chainsaw with nearly no instruction. :allegedly:

:lol:

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 8:17 am

Never mind, if you want to use a saw with no brake, go right ahead; I just don't think you should be suggesting it to people asking advice about saws, who obviously have no idea about saws.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 05 Apr 2016, 8:19 am

Chronos wrote:
Gwion wrote:Using a chainsaw and driving a car are completely different kettles of fish.


Yeah, you need to receive training and pass various stages of testing to drive a car, any goon can buy and operate a chainsaw with nearly no instruction. :allegedly:

:lol:

Chronos


Touché!

Bear in mind that use a saw without training and certification, in some places like Tas, and your insurance may not cover any damages incurred through said use.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 05 Apr 2016, 8:31 am

Gwion wrote:Never mind, if you want to use a saw with no brake, go right ahead; I just don't think you should be suggesting it to people asking advice about saws, who obviously have no idea about saws.


I wasn't suggesting anything mate, just showing what I picked up at a garage sale for $25 :D as for whether it's more dangerous to use compared to a braked version (which I have 2 of) well that really depends on the operator and how skilled he is at using a chainsaw, that's the important part of chainsaw use, how well you know what you are doing (ie where to stand in relation to the saw, how to hold the saw correctly and how to cut correctly to help prevent kickback etc, once you get those down pat it's relatively safe thing to use but you always always have to be on your guard and be thinking, it's not a tool for stupid people, it sorts them out pretty quick :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Herdsman » 05 Apr 2016, 1:08 pm

bigfellascott wrote:Another saw I own (I've got 3) is an Oleomac (Italian made) its a little rippa, it's cut down massive gum trees and turned em into firewood in no time too, very impressive little saw that only cost me around $360 from memory (about 12-13yrs ago now.


Oleo are what my local chainsaw place is pushing. I didn't know the brand before but they feel like top saws.

(Fair warning though, have only played in store, not used)
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Herdsman » 05 Apr 2016, 1:09 pm

Gwion wrote:No chain brake??? :wtf: :shock:


f*** that.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 10 Apr 2016, 2:35 pm

Herdsman wrote:
bigfellascott wrote:Another saw I own (I've got 3) is an Oleomac (Italian made) its a little rippa, it's cut down massive gum trees and turned em into firewood in no time too, very impressive little saw that only cost me around $360 from memory (about 12-13yrs ago now.


Oleo are what my local chainsaw place is pushing. I didn't know the brand before but they feel like top saws.

(Fair warning though, have only played in store, not used)


Yeah they go alright mate, quick to do maintenance on too, start easy and just keep on keeping on, they can be a bit harder to get parts for (depending if you have an agent near you or not) but other than that I love the little bugger (mind you I haven't had to buy any parts for mine yet (a good 12yrs old or more now I guess) I just wash the mesh air filter and put it back in. :unknown: I think I've put a spark plug in it once too, I might do a fuel filter one day when I can be bothered or it need it.

I've just been out and cut up around 3 ton of wood for this winter and will be back out there again next week too no doubt giving em a bit more of a run.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Bark » 12 Apr 2016, 3:37 pm

Stihl I always regarded as good, was in one of their stores the other day and man have their prices gone up!

Entry level model is about $390.

Was $250 a few years ago when I last bought from them.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by WayneO » 12 Apr 2016, 6:33 pm

I have to admit to never, ever having used a chainsaw in my life. Looking at some of these posts I am not to sure I ever want to either.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Chronos » 12 Apr 2016, 7:39 pm

Bark wrote:Stihl I always regarded as good, was in one of their stores the other day and man have their prices gone up!

Entry level model is about $390.

Was $250 a few years ago when I last bought from them.


Pre winter pricing mate, you'll see them drop to $279 or so come spring

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by tom604 » 12 Apr 2016, 7:53 pm

ozito,from bunnings,,cheap $130 bucks or thereabouts and will do everything you want it to do,,camping :thumbsup: i wouldn't use it to cut a winters supply but for camping its the bomb :thumbsup: oh and it starts easy not like my stihl :unknown:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Gwion » 13 Apr 2016, 8:38 am

tom604 wrote::thumbsup: oh and it starts easy not like my stihl :unknown:


Just to repeat myself. The cheap stihls are mostly plastic and made in Thailand or some such. Not that place of manufacture means a great deal if QC is up to scratch but the Stihl flagships are still made in Germany, which suggests they just make the other models cheap for home/occasional use. My old man bought a budget stihl and i borrowed it for a few jobs before i bought my first saw (a husky). In short, i hated the thing. Difficult to start to the point of being unusable. Probably needed a tune, but..... It was pretty new so i don't know if the chain was stretching or the bar wouldn't lock down tight but the chain kept coming loose... etc. If you're spending less and want something to last, go the Husky range, i say; all made in Sweden, i believe(?). As a landscaper, most tree loppers/arbourists, etc i have known use huskies for the smaller saws and stihls for the big saws; so, that's what i have done as well. Not that i am any sort of expert on chain saws, just what i've seen in the trade.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 13 Apr 2016, 8:53 am

I think some of the smaller huskies are assembled in the US, the smaller stihls are chinese made apparently, my chainsaw mechanic doesn't recommend Stihl anymore (he used to be a Stihl man most of his life but not now, they have bearing issues apparently) he's had way too many in with the same issues of late even ones still under warranty have been rejected because Stihl are blaming the owners for the bearing issues instead of owning the fact something is wrong with their manufacturing process at the moment.

Also I don't think the smaller Stihls can be tuned (no adjustment screws in the carbs) which has to be a dumb idea if ever I heard one) cheap and nasty is the best way to describe that setup.

My advice is buy a real chainsaw, not some pile of crap that will let you down when you need it most.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 13 Apr 2016, 9:00 am

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Lorgar » 14 Apr 2016, 2:27 pm

I'm in similar position Chacka.

I've been shopping around for a saw to cut a nights worth of firewood on 9-10 camping trips a year. No use outside of that.

I went to my local Stihl shop on the weekend.... I'll be buying an Oleo Mac :lol:

Mostly a service complaint here but in any case, it cost them my business so here it is, I made my requirements clear and the guy suggested 'at a minimum' I needed their MS 231 which is a $1,000 saw, and if I wanted something 'good' I should look at the 241, a $1,500 saw... Give it a rest :roll:

Despite my best efforts I couldn't communicate to the guy a $1,500 saw was overkill and he all but ignored my requests for a little information on anything else.

After sending him on his way I had a look for myself at the cheaper ones (these are the Chinese made ones, not German like the 2 above). As others have said, general feel and sense of quality was not inspiring, and you're still talking about a $400ish saw, they're not $150 jobbies from Bunnings. Not peanuts as far as price goes.

As for the Oleo Mac, their entry level one is the GS35 which is about $370. Just seemed ok to me.

The 937 is the first of their 'intensive use' chainsaws and this is the winner for me. Goes for about $440 but for the $70 increase feels like a much better saw than the slightly cheaper entry level Oleo, and against the comparable Stihl felt way better.

I'll be picking mine up this weekend.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 14 Apr 2016, 2:45 pm

Yep definitely go the Olemac over the chinese crap mate, I think mine is a 936 model (about 12yrs old or more now) and it's been a little rippa of a saw, starts easy, never misses a beat and it's never been serviced either, I think I've put a spark plug in it :lol: and I just clean the air filter every now and again and away she goes, I've cut some bloody big arse gum trees with it too and it just smashed through them with out a fuss.

When I first got it it didn't seem to want to rev our the way I thought it should, so took it back and got them to sort and bloody hell don't she rev now! :wtf: I guess they removed some sort of restrictor or limiter or something but she's a rippa to use now no doubt about it.

Good luck with it mate, I hope she's as good as my little beasty. :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Lorgar » 18 Apr 2016, 10:46 am

Got my saw on the weekend and broke her in.

Went with the 937 like I said. This is her.

oleo-mac-937.jpg
Oleo Mac 937
oleo-mac-937.jpg (32.3 KiB) Viewed 7762 times


1.6kw, 16" bar and 4kg. Nice and easy to carry around and use. Price has dropped too, was $470 and now $430 retail.

Ended up getting the saw, fuel can, a bottle of 2 stroke oil and bottle of blade oil for $420 all up so came in under budget :thumbsup:

Starts easy; one pull on the cord with the choke on to splutter it, one pull to start after that and can both be done while standing.

Have only done 20 minutes sawing with it so far but happily cruised through some 10" hardwood logs.

Tick of approval.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 18 Apr 2016, 1:54 pm

Good choice mate should do you for many years
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by chacka » 28 Apr 2016, 5:49 pm

Thanks again to everyone.

Sounds like a good package for the price, Lorgar.

Good to hear some about a brand outside the usual ones too as you do find some gems that way.

Put it through some proper work yet?
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by happyhunter » 28 Apr 2016, 6:55 pm

WayneO wrote:I have to admit to never, ever having used a chainsaw in my life. Looking at some of these posts I am not to sure I ever want to either.


Dude, you be missing out on a lot of manly fun with that attitude.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by MalleeFarmer » 28 Apr 2016, 8:31 pm

This topic might be flogged out by now. But I bought a Stihl MS181 miniboss I bought for camping with a 14" bar with tungsten chain and it has been flogged clearing fencelines on the farm and cutting all my firewood every year for 3 years and my fire runs all winter. And never missed a beat. Leaks a bit of bar oil but lay it on its side in storage and it's sweet. Always starts and runs great. And it's light and small enough for camping/hunting Dad also has an old Stihl farmboss that is over 30 years old that runs and starts as good as a new one.

IMO Stihl are as good as you'll get.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 28 Apr 2016, 9:51 pm

Been busy over the last couple of weekends cutting firewood to feed my wood oven to keep me warm in the man cave over Winter

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by chacka » 02 May 2016, 10:02 am

MalleeFarmer wrote:This topic might be flogged out by now.


Nah keep it coming. Can't have too much info on something.
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