Best chainsaw for camping

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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 7766 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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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 02 May 2016, 10:11 am

MalleeFarmer wrote: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.


They used to be good, my small engine mechanic who was a Stihl man for 30-40yrs but is no more, he's been seeing a lot of them with bearing issues (new ones) and Stihl just wipe their hands of the problem apparently (they blame the owners for not using the right oil/fuel etc but there are way too many of them having the same bearing fail for that to be the reason (he suspects they have changed bearing suppliers) or specs re hardness or something along those lines.

I'm very weary of these chinese made Stihls too, I certainly wouldn't buy one myself, I'd rather buy an Oleomac over one of them anyday!

The other thing I hear about some of the Stihls is they aren't tuneable which seems real dodge to me, not sure I like that idea either to be honest.

I like the old Stihl stuff however, it seems to be well made and has a good life expectancy (mine gets a good workout each winter as does the little Oleomac and the Johnny will be getting a run once I buy a sharpener for it.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Lorgar » 02 May 2016, 2:48 pm

chacka wrote:Sounds like a good package for the price, Lorgar.

Put it through some proper work yet?


Did a tank of fuels worth of cutting on the weekend, amounted to about the same amount of wood as in in Scott's 6th picture (the one with the Tumbleweed Compost Maker on the side).

About the same thickness logs as pictured as well, with a dozen thicker cuts around 12" or so.

Effortless cutting really. Only issue worth mentioning is after half a session cutting I rested the saw to move the wood, about 40 minutes later saw was flooded and would not start.

Easy enough fix though; the back cover comes off by hand, spark plug comes out with the multitool provided, gave the cord 4-5 pulls with the switch in the 'off' position to clear it and after screwing it back together fired right up. 30 second job.

Had that happen twice, but once fired up goes great guns for a little saw.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 02 May 2016, 3:59 pm

Lorgar,

That's a strange one mate, never had that issue with any of my saws :unknown: Only issue I ever have is with the Jonsereds, its a cast body and once they get hot they can be hard to start again (you can hear the fuel boiling sometimes LOL so generally you keep en going until you empty the tank, then either pick up another saw and keep going or give em a rest for a bit, top em up and get back into it.

I'd take it back and get them to have a look at it mate, no doubt it's a simple fix (when I first got mine it didn't seem to want to rev out like I thought it should so I took it back and they did a bit of a tune on it and man does it rev now! :lol: whatever they did certainly made a massive difference, I've cut up massive gumtrees with that little saw (50-60cm across) the main trunk and it did it without too much fuss at all, you just gotta keep the revs up and chains sharp and it will do the job fine - for a little saw they go very well and aren't that much slower than the bigger ones really.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Lorgar » 03 May 2016, 7:17 pm

Hmm,

Yet to be tested but might be a case of chalking this one up to the user.

Spoke to the shop, no cutting required today so still waiting to try out the advice.

As you obviously know... Cold saw = choke start > full start. Warm saw = straight to full start.

Last saw I had was an old dog that needed to be choked every time to fire up, regardless of being cold, hot or anything in between. I was following the same routine with the 937 but possibly the time I was resting between cutting sessions I should have been skipping the choke and going straight to the full start.

We'll see next camping trip :thumbsup:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by WayneO » 03 May 2016, 7:50 pm

happyhunter wrote:Dude, you be missing out on a lot of manly fun with that attitude.


I hear you. Think i will have to pull on a pair of big girl panties and get busy learning how to use one :D
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 03 May 2016, 9:48 pm

Lorgar wrote:Hmm,

Yet to be tested but might be a case of chalking this one up to the user.

Spoke to the shop, no cutting required today so still waiting to try out the advice.

As you obviously know... Cold saw = choke start > full start. Warm saw = straight to full start.

Last saw I had was an old dog that needed to be choked every time to fire up, regardless of being cold, hot or anything in between. I was following the same routine with the 937 but possibly the time I was resting between cutting sessions I should have been skipping the choke and going straight to the full start.

We'll see next camping trip :thumbsup:


Ah that makes more sense now, more than likely the issue I would say. ;)

Been out using the big scary beasty saw today, that bloody thing is a rippa to use, heaps of torque and just keeps on going and going, seriously got a soft spot for this ol girl. She was smashing through this stuff just like cutting through butter! :D

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Apollo » 03 May 2016, 10:41 pm

Hey BFS,

You need to come around some time and play with some proper hardwood and a decent saw...084 :D

That wood is more than half rotten already. :sarcasm:
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 03 May 2016, 11:00 pm

Yeah some of it was indeed average, the 084 sounds the go mate, might be a tad big for the stuff I get to play with these days :D I hate cutting in that dirty s**t, bloody stuffs ya edge in no time but if that's all I can find well then that will have to do, so long as I can keep warm I'm happy. I did have some nice red box to burn but most of that's gone now. :(
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by MalleeFarmer » 06 May 2016, 5:28 am

Something else to consider is a tungsten chain mine is I think 2 years old and still cuts like new no sharpening yet.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 06 May 2016, 5:58 am

MalleeFarmer wrote:Something else to consider is a tungsten chain mine is I think 2 years old and still cuts like new no sharpening yet.


Expensive bastards aren't they. They say they are no good if you hit a rock or are cutting in dirty wood etc and need some sort of diamond files or wheels to sharpen, I've heard good and bad about them and to be honest not sure I'd bother, it doesn't take much to sharpen a chain anyway (couple of mins) I use one of the Stihl 2in1 sharpeners which does the cutters and rackers in one hit so makes it very quick to give em a touch up, I also have a stump vice so if need be I can sort it in the field without fuss.

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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by Apollo » 06 May 2016, 9:46 am

bigfellascott wrote:Yeah some of it was indeed average, the 084 sounds the go mate, might be a tad big for the stuff I get to play with these days :D I hate cutting in that dirty s**t, bloody stuffs ya edge in no time but if that's all I can find well then that will have to do, so long as I can keep warm I'm happy. I did have some nice red box to burn but most of that's gone now. :(


The 084 doesn't get that much use these days compared to what I used to do cutting White, Yellow and Red Box from 600mm and above felling trees then blocking them up. I used to cut around 3 tonne a day, 7 days a week for months on end until the supply ran out when the owner decided I was going too slow and brought a dozer in to push the rest, stack it and burnt the lot. Probably the best use the 084 got was ripping box fence posts.

The most used saw here over the past 30 odd years was a 75cc Partner with an 18" Bar. It's very sad compression wise these days so I resort to something smaller. I have a Stihl 023 and a Stihl 023c which are probably the handiest thing with plrenty of guts, 40cc with 12" and 14" bars respectively. Also used to run an Atom Borer when fencing. The short bars with micro chains make each saw feel like it's twice the capacity and light so save on the old back pain.

For a general camping saw I'd go with these. A mate bought a couple of new Stihls, one is about 80cc but his favourite is the 40cc MS230 (same as those two above) and it goes with him everywhere. His came with a 16" bar but it wasn't long before he put the 14" on it and it's stayed.

Talk about dirty wood. Try cutting old railway sleepers with a chainsaw. About 3-4 cuts and it's blunt, very blunt. That's where I've heard tungsten chains being used but not often as they do loose their edge cutting all that metal dust and dirt impregnated into the wood over the years. Hit something solid like a hidden nail, piece of wire I believe it will strip teeth of the tungsten chain and then that's big money for a repair. Thought of one many years ago but the minus points outweighed the positives.

Best carry extra chains if you are in really dirty wood and sharpen them all later.

The stump vice is great and quick when you just want to touch up a chain when refueling. Just a round file and a couple of swipes if you know how to sharpen a chain properly. The first thing they teach you if you do a chainsaw certificate course.
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Re: Best chainsaw for camping

Post by bigfellascott » 06 May 2016, 10:00 am

Ya running some ol classics there Lindsay :D I reckon they are better in some ways than the new stuff (should outlast em) as they made em to last in those days, sadly the same can't be said about stuff today.

I too like the littler saws for basic firewood cutting duties, they seem up to the job no worries at all and for camping are perfect. My chainsaw mechanic loves his ol saws too and I've seen some of his 2 man saw collections and they are awesome to say the least, the chains on some of them! FMD big arsed bastards for sure but I guess they had to be to cut the big trees that were around back then.

I think the biggest problem people have when it comes to sharpening chains is the rackers, they forget to adjust them down and wonder why the saw won't cut properly, the other problem with some of em is they put the chains on arse about :lol: my mechanics ol man got given a new saw once that had that exact problem!! :lol: he dropped it off to his son to see what the problem was and he immediately spotted what the problem was, turned the chain around and away it went smashing through wood like nobodies business! :D

I don't cut huge amounts of wood in one go (the body isn't up to that sort of thing anymore) I do carry spare chains with me but never really have to worry about using them as I sharpen before heading out each time and if I really need to do it I have the 2in1 and vice in my chainsaw kit anyway so I'm good to go either way.

Only thing I really need to get for the kit is some wedges (occasionally get a bar stuck) but always have a back up saw with me anyway so no big deal there I guess.
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