BBT Chainsaws - handy to have on the tracks!

[KevinE]

Seems weird that the shindaiwa was cruddy
They're basically the premium end of the echo range, same company built in same factories in japan
Our local mower guys have been to the factory in japan and said every part is made under one roof, right down to the shiny stickers on the housing
One lady they met had even made up a jig at home and brought in so she could get the stickers stuck on perfectly straight on every unit!
They also reckoned the food in the engine factory tuckshop was better than any seafood they'd ever eaten
+1 for Japan

Sorry, I have to disagree!

Echo was the dominant brand at the merger, but Shindi made some excellent saws too. The engineering in the guts of the 360TES is pure Shindi, but in Echo orange, with Echo badges. They also sell it in Red as a Shindi. My older saw, a 350TES is pure Echo. Totally Echo engineering. They did sell a Shindi version of it, a 320T, but they are chalk & cheese. The Shindi is a slug.

The 260TES is Echo & the Shindaiwa 280T "look" like the same saw, but the engineering inside is different. The KW figures tell the tale. The Shindi wins, hands down. Both are the same RRP through All Power dealers here in Aust & I have no interest in buying either, but if I did, it would be the Shindi.

Ah, I love talking chainsaws lol!

 

[Old.Tony]

There are a LOT of Stihl chainsaw models Tony. Which one did you buy? .043 sort of suggests an MS170, 171, 180, 181 _ the only saws I have that run .043 are my polesaws (Stihl).

PS: I think that you upgraded from 043 to .050, rather than to .055?

Mine's a MS180. I have thought about a 390 Magnum but I just don't cut enough wood to justify it, plus since I no longer have an income it's a bit tough to dip into the savings to replace something that's Stihl working.

You might be right on the size. I bought two chains with the new bar (always have a spare chain with me) so I've got the box (with the saw). It's not daylight yet, we've a busy day ahead and I didn't sleep much last night, my beautiful little doggy passed away just before midnight. I'll check the size soon. It's still better than the .043!

 

[KevinE]

Very, very sorry to hear of your loss Tony! Take care mate.

 

[Czechmate]

Yea that sucks
Ill drink a beer for him/her this evening

 

[happy john]

Ok was going to start a new topic and thread but sometimes that can be meaningless and jam a forum more. Most that know me and the some I've done work for understand I know chainsaws. I'm looking at a cheap Lithium powered thing to pack as trees on tracks are galore and I'm not carrying a 1k machine to clear a few tracks and get some firewood.

How do they cut, I'm sure its very slow and that's ok I can sharpen a chain quickly but are they usable for my needs?, or do I pack one of the oldies.
Cheers
John

 

[Boogieboots]

HJ, in response to this and your other post here are some photos of the pile of firewood i cut with my Makita cordless chainsaw. 36V using 2 18v batts which run my drill, angle grinder, lantern, fan etc. So quiet, no stinky fuel or need for an extra Jerry. I have a video too, will see if i can post it

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[308bever]

nice one boogieboots, do they come with a slightly longer bar as well?

 

[happy john]

Thanks for the pic Boogie, Beaver I've only seen small bars 10-12 inch which is all I want but as with any saw you can fit another bar and chain to get more length provided you use the same pitch chain for the drive sprocket to spin. I dont think it would have the grunt to drive a 18 inch bar and cut a big log but I look at a chainsaw when your in the scrub as another valuable recovery device. Having no fuel is what I'm looking for, I still remember Fraser Island in 1990 cutting up driftwood on the beach and having a beer with the Rangers as they watched. Do that now and you'll be arrested lol.

 

[Boogieboots]

nice one boogieboots, do they come with a slightly longer bar as well?

Yeah they make a longer 350 mm bar now I think. It is on the brushless model. A bit more expensive, but again 36v using 2 18v batts. The brushless one is kick arse apparently, as told by the makita rep tho...

 

[happy john]

Sharp chains are the key to any saw, I might give it a few strokes after 5 minutes of pounding. (The chain that is), I still climb a tree like when I was 20, I'm now thinking a little toy lithium powered will be good for work too.

 

[jonney]

battery powered tools have come along way as many do put out great power as like petrol and 240 volt gear. nothing worse than a noisy petrol powered chain saw in the bush.

 

[KevinE]

Mate, if you bought a cheap Bunnings Ozito top handle & modded it a tiny bit, it would out perform any battery operated saw & save you a lot of cash.

No offence meant to anyone who owns a battery operated saw.

 

[KevinE]

battery powered tools have come along way as many do put out great power as like petrol and 240 volt gear. nothing worse than a noisy petrol powered chain saw in the bush.

The little Husky top handled battery saw is $600 without the battery (a further $200) or charger (yet another$200) = $1,000.

The Stihl is currently $429 plus charger & battery.

Neither even has the capacity of my little old Makita 231T, which, while a very nice little pruning saw, could never be used on anything thicker than my wrist with any degree of success.

Can't comment on noisy chainsaws in the bush, as I've never needed one while traveling.

 

[Old.Tony]

Oh I'll comment on noisy saws in the bush. Camped out in Telegherry Forest Park, day's as peaceful as you can imagine, little wrens playing in the grass just metres away from you ...

And then the little 2-strokes start.

[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCUGzGg8d4Q[/YT]

 

[happy john]

Or there was the time camped in the Bunya Mountains a fellow in the same camp ground would start chopping wood with his "axe" at 3.30am in the morning. After 3 nights of it my mate waited until this bloke went for a shower and threw his axe into the fire and burnt it. I'd never have such disrespect for others property but he assumed it had been stolen and the rest of the trip was peaceful.

 

[Czechmate]

My mates dad has one of those 36v makita chainsaws

brilliant little beast, goes hard as and is so quiet you can chop up firewood at night whilst others in the campsite are sleeping!

 

[Old.Tony]

So would you say an equivalent - like the Ryobi 36V (with new brushless motor) - would be worth having?

 

[Boogieboots]

Yep. I read a review online a week or so ago online on 36v chainsaws. The stihl was best rated had a narrow chain( kerf is it?) So removed less wood per cut. The old ryobi with no chain brake was rated poorly but as HJ I think mentioned the new one is heaps better, but in general most were very good. The real value comes in the variety of tools available. The only reason I bought a Makita saw was that my dad bought me an 18v drill around 7 or 8 years ago and I have since picked up an impact driver, angle grinder, blower, torch and fan. I already had the charger and batteries. Buy whatever you already have cordless wise, if not pick a brand based on what skins you may use down the track. Ryobi have a great range and I like their lanterns but I really like that Makita allow 2 18v batts to make a 36, meaning no need for separate battery and charger.
If garden gear is your most likely use then there is probably no need to go less than 36v anyway

 

[Boogieboots]

Whoops, no that was you that mentioned the upgraded Ryobi in the inverter thread Tony, sorry mate!

 

[Old.Tony]

Haha no worries. I don't know how good it is, but I have the Ryobi 36V lawn mower, whipper snipper and hedge trimmer already, with a single 4Ah battery + charger. If I get another full kit (incl battery and charger) I'll have much more power for the other things I'll be doing too. Since I'm growing a hedge out the front, and find the Ryobi mower brilliant (especially after sharpening the blade like a razor) it'll be worth adding the saw too.

I do have a large range of the 18V One+ tools - two drills (normal + percussion), impact driver, impact wrench, circular saw, multi tool, angle grinder and jigsaw - but I didn't think an 18V chainsaw would be worth having.