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Oregon Chainsaws in General
by quissue
The Chinese built Oregon Parts Petrol Chainsaw
This chainsaw was bought from Huttimports for £89 brand new. It is of Chinese build but the parts came from a company called Oregon. So most of the parts are Oregon made.
The reason I am writing about this chainsaw is a simple one. I bought this chainsaw for my Husband ... as part of his Christmas present. We had trawled through various outlets looking for the right kind of chainsaw and the right length of bar and chain attachments and came up with this one. Ok it is cheap and you do get what you pay for but, who is to say you have to spend a fortune to get good value?
It is a very good chainsaw with a 20" bar and chain and a 52cc engine which makes it pretty powerful stuff. I think my husband is really chuffed with it as he has been out a number of times now with it and it has done the job required well. Mostly logging but the real test will come with tree felling when required.
The engine works really well and it has a self lubrication unit on it to keep the chain lubricated and working which also does really well. There is the usual safety brake guard on the machine which is now a legal requirement as no chainsaw can be sold without one these days.
The start cable is a pull system which is like the old style motor mower starter system. One or two pulls of the cord and the chainsaw is in action. Having said this it does not like the cold and can be a little tricky when the weather turns a bit chilly.
We have no problem with the operation of this chainsaw it works well and is a good chainsaw, the parts are easy to come by unlike some chainsaws we have had in the past and the chain and guard are readily available in most hardware stores that sell chainsaws.
The outlet we bought our one from was internet based, we do not have any problems with this system and Huttimports are more than willing to answer questions about their products if asked and have spares and other items of interest should we require them.
This chainsaw came with a filler jug with marked measurements to get the right mixture for the chainsaw oil and other useful items to do with the chainsaw like the file to sharpen the chain.
Both my husband and Huttimports would recommend that you take a course on handling the chainsaw first before attempting tree felling or cross cutting on your own because it is a legal requirement if you intend to do so, on other peoples land to hold a chainsaw licence.
My husband attended a cross cutting course at his local college and got a certificate of competency for his troubles he is waiting to do a further course for other chainsaw licences later.
Mostly this chainsaw is very good and although in some places the body seems a little flimsy it is holding true and works well. The chains and bar are good strong ones and so far we have had no reason to complain about it.
For £89 we think it is a good value chainsaw and would recommend this Chinese built Oregon parts chainsaw to anyone who would like to start their own logging.
Also recommended is a suitable set of protective clothing for instance protective goggles, ear protection, gloves and helmet, are just the basics. If you are really serious you also could do with chainsaw boots and trousers and jacket too. These are all made to protect you against getting cut.
Should you have an accident of course! Work safely, enjoy.
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Plasplugs DWW100 Tile Cutter Compact Plus
by DentonGeek
I bought this tile cutter because I had thought it would be faster than a manually operated one, but it didn't end up being faster at all. In fact I sometimes lost my temper with it.
First of all, its noisy... very VERY noisy. The sound of it fills the whole house and you will probably want to wear ear defenders when using ... it.
It has a water reservoir to cool the tile and prevent it from shattering with the heat and friction. In practice, the water that spills all over the tile is incredibly messy and washes away any lines you have drawn on there for guidance.
You'll also want to wear safety goggles as the blade guard doesn't stop water or tile bits from flying towards your face.
The guide fence isn't really that great and you end up relying more on your judgement for doing your cuts.
In my opinion, for straight cuts you should stick with a manual cutter.
If you need to cut a cornered shape out of the tile, this will make your life easier than tile nips, but be aware of the noise and mess you're going to get.
Cleaning the tool is very simple, but be advised: don't clean it in your kitchen sink. The water in the reservoir is full of tile clay and it might clog up your drains.
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McCulloch 338
by Aginoth
I bought my new chainsaw in May...and then it started to rain...until August, isn't the British Summer fun :o)
Anyway, I'd been considering buying a chainsaw for quite some time, several years in fact, we have wood burning open fires at home, and as a Medieval reenactor we go through loads of wood duringthe season. A chainsaw ... would allow me to process trees and branches into fuel.
I was after something portable, so not electric, something lightweight, and something not too expensive.
After deciding in May to finally buy one I went on a search of the local Garden Centres and came accross the McCulloch 338 Petrol Chainsaw, made by Electrolux.
~~Technical Specification~~
~ Engine
Capacity 38cc
Stroke 32mm
Idle Speed 3000rpm
Max speed 13000rpm
Power 1.6kW (2.15hp)
~ Ignition
Manufacturer Walboro
Type of ignition CD
Spark plug Champion
Electrode Gap 5mm
~Fuel
Unleaded Petrol mixed 40:1 with 2-stroke engine oil
Capacty 0.38 litres
~Noise
Max 111DbA (as loud as a very loud Nightclub get those earplugs in!!!)
~Weight
4.7Kg (trust me that is very light for a chainsaw)
~Chain Bar
Length 14" (36cm)
~~Safety~~
As with all chainsaws it is essential to wear full protective equpment, and be aware of others around you. You should wear
Safety Hard Hat with Face shield
Safety Googles
Ear plugs/Ear Defenders
Snug Tight Fitting Clothing
Safety Footware with steel toecaps and non-slip soles.
Heavy Duty Rigger Gloves
Leg Chaps
NOne of these are supplied withthe saw, and it would be very unusual for a saw to come with them...you may be lucky though if the retailer has an offer on.
You should ensure that no-one, or any animals is within 10 metres of you when you work.
And if you haven't used a chainsaw before, get trained in how to use one first. Luckily for me I am already trained.
It is essential to plan your work in advance, and to not be fatigued in anyway when using a chainsaw.
~~My Experience~~
Well I chose this particular Chainsaw in the end based against several other similar models on it's light weight, because I suffer from Arthritis, and so even when using the saw it will only be for a short period. I will be training my wife to use it.
Fuelling the Saw is simple, Mix the Petrol (kept in a plastic container fit for fuel storage) with the 2 stroke oil in a ratio of 40:1, in a seprate container, and pour into the fuel tank of the saw, just a simple screw cap for the fuel tank on the side of the saw.
Starting the Saw requires the carburetor to be primed, there is a simple to operate priming button, that has to be pressed 6 times for this purpose, then on full choke the starting handle is pulled 5 times, the choke is put back to halfway, and a single pul starts the saws engine.
Once the saw engine is running you start the chain , by depressing the twin Trigger system on the handle, and off you go...In my case it was used to take down a pear tree of about 8" diameter trunk, having removed all the smaller branched by hand, it went throught the wood of the trunk quickly and smoothly and the tree was down using a 3 cut method in about 20 seconds.
3 cut method is to cut a wedge on the side you want the tree to fall about 1/3 of the way throughthe trunk, follwed by a single straight cut parallel to the ground to the apex of the wedge, this ensures control of the direction the tree will fall.
I then used the sawe to make short work of cutting the trunk into managable logs it's light weight makes this very easy and the integral toohed grip at the base of the blade ensures a good true cut.
shutting down the saw is simply done by flicking the fuel cut-off switch to the off position.
When stored the saw comes with a Blade cover to prevent accidental injury or damage.
I paid £129.99 for the saw at Homebase but it is available widely from many stores.
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