Chain saw and brush cutter recommendations.

[fizzy]

Each to his own but I just don't get why anyone would run cooking oil just to save £5-6 on 5L of oil. I would bet money that chain/bar/pump wear would outweigh that cost.

If you let the machine run dry you won't have any issues but the people who just bin them when they won't start can't be bothered with that hassle.

My stihl is now about 15 years old and has cut up an enormous amount of logs. Original bar and on its 3rd chain. I would say cooking oil works fine.
I sold my last 25L drum of chain lube on Ebay. Would never go back to it.
Only drawback with cooking oil is you do use a bit more of it. Also great for the environment.

 

[Agrismith]

My stihl is now about 15 years old and has cut up an enormous amount of logs. Original bar and on its 3rd chain. I would say cooking oil works fine.
I sold my last 25L drum of chain lube on Ebay. Would never go back to it.
Only drawback with cooking oil is you do use a bit more of it. Also great for the environment.

And you finish the day stinking like a fish shop

 

[fizzy]

And you finish the day stinking like a fish shop

Yummy.
But I use fresh not used. I am not that tight

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

.....for personal use its the way to go, for health reasons alone its worth it. Not so bad with a chainsaw as its held out front and the exhaust is pointing away from you, its different matter with hedge trimmers and strimmers where you are swinging them about all over the place as there is no escaping the fumes.

Does this mean a 2-stroke + hosepipe + Aspen is no use for bolting rats?

 

[8ob]

Does this mean a 2-stroke + hosepipe + Aspen is no use for bolting rats?

Get Roland to have a read of this https://aspenfuel.co.uk/

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Get Roland to have a read of this https://aspenfuel.co.uk/

Perhaps, even though it is cleaner than the old-fashioned stuff, they still won't like it up 'em.

 

[Robbie260]

Dose anyone have any advice on the size of chain saw a beginner should buy, when I was young and very dumb about 10 or 11 I did use my mates dads one no ppe when me and him had a after school fire wood buissness cutting up roddies for fire wood and selling them to various old folks around the place for donations, a big coal sack usually got us a fiver. No supervision either probably way bigger than anyone should be using at that age if at all, it wasn't a small one either from what i remember. Have used a few of varying sizes since then. Don't want something that ill grow out of straight away but don't want something that will definitely kill me either.

 

[fizzy]

Dose anyone have any advice on the size of chain saw a beginner should buy, when I was young and very dumb about 10 or 11 I did use my mates dads one no ppe when me and him had a after school fire wood buissness cutting up roddies for fire wood and selling them to various old folks around the place for donations, a big coal sack usually got us a fiver. No supervision either probably way bigger than anyone should be using at that age if at all, it wasn't a small one either from what i remember. Have used a few of varying sizes since then. Don't want something that ill grow out of straight away but don't want something that will definitely kill me either.

Any chainsaw will kill you. Size doesn't have a lot to do with it.
The main factor is what size logs you will be cutting. For firewood a 14 or 16" is ample.

 

[angellonewolf]

are you cutting up at home ? i got a electric one quite powerfull not as good as the petrol one but not bad keep the chain sharp

 

[dobbslc]

Get one of these
Tastes great with two stroke & beer!

 

[Mick Annick]

Any chainsaw will kill you. Size doesn't have a lot to do with it.
The main factor is what size logs you will be cutting. For firewood a 14 or 16" is ample.

I was in a Surrey chainsaw suppliers many years ago burying PPE for my son when he started out as a tree surgeon. We’re sat in the corner trying out boots etc when an elderly chap comes in and asks to buy a chainsaw, as he has a lot of trees in his garden (posh part of Surrey so probably an acre +) and needs to fell and log them. Salesman proceeds to set him up with a mid-range Sthil farmers saw, no mention of training or PPE. I couldn’t keep my nose out so asked him if he’d used one before ‘no, why?’ he says.

I pointed out that the spotty youth trying on boots was about to cost me more than the price of his saw in PPE, and was off to college for at least 2 years + on the job training to know how to use one, and advised him to look on the shop notice board and find a pro to do it rather than end up in A&E. To his credit he listened to my (longer than this) reasoning and left empty-handed - the salesman was not amused so I gave him my opinion of his lack of professionalism for trying to make a sale in the circumstances. @8ob it wasn’t Honey Bros...

 

[Robbie260]

So this is what I ended up with.

Little efco Mt3710. It seems a solid wee unit. Seemed good in comparison to the stilh units I think they are rebounding themselves as oleo mac now.

I was in a Surrey chainsaw suppliers many years ago burying PPE for my son when he started out as a tree surgeon. We’re sat in the corner trying out boots etc when an elderly chap comes in and asks to buy a chainsaw, as he has a lot of trees in his garden (posh part of Surrey so probably an acre +) and needs to fell and log them. Salesman proceeds to set him up with a mid-range Sthil farmers saw, no mention of training or PPE. I couldn’t keep my nose out so asked him if he’d used one before ‘no, why?’ he says.

I pointed out that the spotty youth trying on boots was about to cost me more than the price of his saw in PPE, and was off to college for at least 2 years + on the job training to know how to use one, and advised him to look on the shop notice board and find a pro to do it rather than end up in A&E. To his credit he listened to my (longer than this) reasoning and left empty-handed - the salesman was not amused so I gave him my opinion of his lack of professionalism for trying to make a sale in the circumstances. @8ob it wasn’t Honey Bros...

Thanks Mick I do really appreciate that but I have gone and bought all the safety gear, trousers, helmet with ear defenders and guard, gloves, and I already have heavy duty boots for work, I will be getting dedicated chainsaw boots soon though. My girlfriends brother is a landscape gardener and he has one and has been on various chainsaw courses and has agreed to teach me how to use it safely for now while I save up for a proper course.

I ended up with a stilh multi tool, with the mid range entry pro grade power unit. I did want an efco/oleo mac one but in the end while it could be ordered for me no one could say when it would turn up as the factory is shut down just now, so went with stilh instead. The brush cutter is great and had some use already, I must admit the sling that comes with it for such an expensive tool is rather cheap and silly. But that is my only complaint. Got the extra years warranty as I bought some moto mix with it which seemed well worth it for only £20. Getting the brush cutter which is what I wanted was most cost effective as it can be quickly converted to a Strummer as well apparently its far more expensive to switch the striming head over to brush cutting.

 

[Mick Annick]

So this is what I ended up with.

View attachment 255211

Little efco Mt3710. It seems a solid wee unit. Seemed good in comparison to the stilh units I think they are rebounding themselves as oleo mac now.



Thanks Mick I do really appreciate that but I have gone and bought all the safety gear, trousers, helmet with ear defenders and guard, gloves, and I already have heavy duty boots for work, I will be getting dedicated chainsaw boots soon though. My girlfriends brother is a landscape gardener and he has one and has been on various chainsaw courses and has agreed to teach me how to use it safely for now while I save up for a proper course.

View attachment 255212 View attachment 255213 View attachment 255214

I ended up with a stilh multi tool, with the mid range entry pro grade power unit. I did want an efco/oleo mac one but in the end while it could be ordered for me no one could say when it would turn up as the factory is shut down just now, so went with stilh instead. The brush cutter is great and had some use already, I must admit the sling that comes with it for such an expensive tool is rather cheap and silly. But that is my only complaint. Got the extra years warranty as I bought some moto mix with it which seemed well worth it for only £20. Getting the brush cutter which is what I wanted was most cost effective as it can be quickly converted to a Strummer as well apparently its far more expensive to switch the striming head over to brush cutting.

Robbie

It wasn’t a pop at you, just me reminiscing!

 

[Robbie260]

Robbie

It wasn’t a pop at you, just me reminiscing!

I didn't think it was but I do appreciate it when someone tells a story like that makes you realise that the worlds a bit of a silly place.

 

[addjunkie]

I didn't think it was but I do appreciate it when someone tells a story like that makes you realise that the worlds a bit of a silly place.

World may be a silly place, filled with many silly people. But chainsaws are one dangerous thing, even worse if not kept sharp.

 

[fizzy]

My cheap brush cutter never ceases to amaze me.
They are now only £75!
Serious power.
Cutting through brambles and goodness knows what in record time.

 

[Barking Mat]

Was it this thread we were discussing what oil as chainsaw lube ? Or another thread ?

 

[Robbie260]

Was it this thread we were discussing what oil as chainsaw lube ? Or another thread ?

Yes I believe so on page 2.

 

[Robbie260]

Right can anyone settle a thing that is puzzling me in regards to chainsaw ppe. Is it the loaded speed of the chainsaw or the free chain speed of the chain saw that the ppe class is referring too.
For example a stihl saw I looked at had a free chain speed of 19.6m/s and a free chain speed of 24.8 m/s now in my head that puts it in the class 2 ppe bracket or class 3 even as its just above the 24m/s class 2 is quoted at but if you go by the loaded chain speed its class one so as its sub 20m/s.

 

[Agrismith]

Right can anyone settle a thing that is puzzling me in regards to chainsaw ppe. Is it the loaded speed of the chainsaw or the free chain speed of the chain saw that the ppe class is referring too.
For example a stihl saw I looked at had a free chain speed of 19.6m/s and a free chain speed of 24.8 m/s now in my head that puts it in the class 2 ppe bracket or class 3 even as its just above the 24m/s class 2 is quoted at but if you go by the loaded chain speed its class one so as its sub 20m/s.

It will be the unloaded speed as chainsaws trousers arnt cut proof they are full of fibres that pull round and block the chain so class 2 are thicker to block the chain quicker
In reality chainsaw design has far outstripped PPE design and alot of modern professional grade saws on full chat wont blink at the trousers so the vast majority I know wear class 1 as most chainsaw accidents to the legs happen on run down anyway
In fact I dont
Whereas helmets are important as due to kickback upper body injury's are often on full throttle