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Another Husqvarna 350 to salvage

Started by Old Greenhorn, May 28, 2021, 07:44:50 PM

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Old Greenhorn

A couple of years ago I had a thread here about a 350 I saved from the dump. Turned out to be a loose head. Anyway, that saw got reclaimed by my son and I haven't seen it since. I still wanted to have one of those as a backup because its a really nice saw and a second 50cc saw would be handy. Well anyway an old scouting friend put one up on marketplace and my son alerted me to it. I sent him a note 10 minutes after he listed it for 20 bucks and I said "I'll take it". If for no other reason than getting a chance to catch up with him for a bit. His ad clearly said "DOES NOT RUN, All parts in tact except for bar and chain". He even dropped it off and we visited for about an hour or so. We only talked about the saw for 3 minutes. He told me it just quit dead while he was using it and never started again. It turns over fine though, not seized. Seems to have no compression he took it to be looked at (Actually I think it might have been Spike60 that checked it out, not sure) and was told it was 'something in the bottom area and not worth fixing' so he bought a 450 to replace it.
I only gave it a 10 minute look over yesterday and yeah, the compression ain't none too good, fails the drop test. I couldn't get the muffler off and I didn't have much time anyway. But I am figuring maybe the crank seals are blown. I am not familiar with this issue but it seems like I might be hearing 'wheezing' for the bottom end area when I pull it over. I know these are good saws and this one is certainly worth saving. Otherwise in very good (yet dirty) condition, but no signs of abuse at all. I will tear it down when I have more time. The crank seals on this model should be fairly easy and I may just do a full rebuild of the lower end, new fuel filter and line and whatever else makes sense. The only thing that will mess me up is if there is a coil issue, i have no way of testing that.
Last time I got very good help from the brain trust here and found the issue on the other saw pretty quick. (It is still running just fine and is getting a new bar this week I am told.)

Any other ideas of what I should check before taking it apart?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Tacotodd

I know that you haven't done a real gauge style compression test yet, but if/when you do, also do a vacuum test. It'll save you a lot of potential problems.
Trying harder everyday.

Old Greenhorn

Yeah, I don't have the stuff to do those tests. I'm just gonna have to logic it out. :D :D
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

Im gonna pith off a lot of people here and say they really arent that good of a saw based on how many basket cases of them i have been given.  But i will be fair about it, theyre no worse than an MS250/270/290.

    Both sides of the fence make a midrange saw for the mid range customer.  When they run they are good runners because the port timing and stuff is cloned pretty close to pro saws.

  However anywhere a part can be made cheaper on these than the pro model, it tends to be.  Clamshells, plastic parts, wimpy intake boots with plastic clamps and open transfer jugs are standard cost saving measures you can find in any brand, thats just how it is.  They work good until they dont.


Dont be afraid to throw the cheapest chicom parts you can at it because it may run like a 346xp when it runs, but it aint one and wont ever be worthy of the investment to repair that the xp is worth imho.  Just  my 2Cents, and i do actually like them. 


Oh and jonsered 50cc saws are almost exactly the same as the 350 so im throwing them all under the bus.  Dont ever let the muffler bolts loosen.  Melts the oil tank.
Praise The Lord

Old Greenhorn

Gee Mike, tell us what you really think, don't be shy about it. :D ;D
 Certainly you are welcome to your opinion. But your opinion and mine are not the same. You aren't hurting my feelings at all. I find this to be a fine saw for it's size and worth the effort. Like you I take other folks junk and make it work for me. There were a few different design changes on this saw through it's life and some of those changes were not minor in my eyes. I like the earlier ones. This one, I think made on '01, has no primer bulb for instance.
 Yeah, it's a mid-range saw, but 50cc is a nice size for general work. I like that is has an adjustable oiler and the way it is built. I may hit a wall during the repair, but I like to learn and this is a cheap way to do that. I can't afford college at my age and I hear they don't teach this stuff there anyway.
 You can hang on to that opinion and I respect it, but I have mine and it's just a little different. Frankly, I do have to add that I am a little shocked that you would suggest that I send a saw with all it's parts in good shape off to the dump. Who would do that?! ;D :D It just needs some TLC is all. :)
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

 ???

Where did i say send it to the dump?   Ive put several of them back together and still have a crate of dead ones. Like i said theyre good when they run.  Longevity on them simply doesnt match a pro saw, thats all.  Nor would i expect it to. 
Praise The Lord

Old Greenhorn

Quote from: mike_belben on May 28, 2021, 10:07:58 PM
???

Where did i say send it to the dump?  

Well, true, you never said that, I just read it as an implication. My bad. I get it, we all form our opinions based on experience. Mine are just different from yours. I should have never implied you would send anything to the dump.  :D :D I rarely do either.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

donbj

I have went through about a hundred old saws in the last year, literally. From 1953 to early 2000's. If you just want the challenge that's one thing, but I learned one has to be realistic on the actual saw itself and is it worth the investment of dollars to get it in shape. I have a few that hold sentimental value and will throw some bucks at them. Quite a few are collectors and worth the time to wait out parts for proper price but the majority are just old worn saws. It's sometimes a tough one because I like the challenge of getting them going, is it worth it $ wise? Different discussion. 
I may be skinny but I'm a Husky guy

Woodmizer LT40HDG24. John Deere 5300 4WD with Loader/Forks. Husky 262xp. Jonsered 2065, Husky 65, Husky 44, Husky 181XP, Husky 2100CD, Husky 185CD

mike_belben

I wasnt tryin to ruffle your feathers OGH.  Just sayin limit your expenditures on it.  The intake boots and loosening muffler bolts make it real easy to melt a tank or smoke a jug in short order, wiping out any investment made. 
Praise The Lord

Spike60

I always respect what Mike says, and I don't want to sound patronizing, but Mike, your opinion of the 350 chassis is a little compromised by not having a clear picture of the 350's issues. When they happened, which models, and how to correct them. I've pointed some of this out before without mentioning you directly, but just let me fill in the blanks a little bit. You did ID the 350's two glaring issues: air leak at the intake clamp, and spitting muffler bolts.

The plastic intake clamp was a potential problem on EVERY saw in the family, both orange and red, including the metal case saws like the 346, as well as the big brother chassis of 357/359/2156/2159. Took out a lot of saws over the years, but there are plenty of those saws still runing. If the clamp is tight this far into the game, it may stay that way forecer. But I just freshened up an early 346 with that issue this week. Not sure without looking up the service bulletin, but somewhere artound 2006 maybe they came out with the metal clamp update. Problem solved from then on, and an easy fix for older saws. Easy to use your thumb to check for a loose clamp. Easy to change on all saws other than the smaller clamshell saws like the 340/345 and 2141/2145.

The muffler bolt deal was mostly confined to the second generation 45mm 35o/2150 that had the capped transfer ports. And it wasn't just the plastic saws either; it was also a problem on the 353/2152 that used the same 45mm cylinder. Of course with the metal case you didn't have to worry about it melting, but still had plenty of cylinders with wrecked muffler bolt holes. This was all caused by some weird harmonic with that cylinder, regardless of whether it had the flat or dished piston. You can repair these saws in the usual ways, but that problem really can't be corrected. IMO, that cylinder is garbage no matter what saw it's on. The early 350/2150/351/2149 that used the 44mm top end didn't share this problem. The bright side? Unless the case is toast, most dead 350's are an easy 346 project. OEM 346 P&C list for $120. Can't even guess how many I've done over the years.

There's a 3rd potential air leak on all of these saws, including the larger 357 chassis, It's that little impulse line that goes from the partition wall to the carb flange that's only about an inch long. Can get loose over the years. As old as these saws now are, changing that line has become a standard part of the service when they come into the shop, just like the spark plug and fuel filter. Kind of a rip off if you buy them by it's actual part number. But one fuel line will make a dozen of them.

Tom, if that saw was in my shop recently the bottom end leak may be where that bearing cup seals to the crankcase. Those bottom ends very rarely have the typical bearing/seal problems. They hardly ever go bad. Problem bringing it to us, or most shops, is that we're $80 an hour and that plus parts on an old 350 doesn't make sense to most customers. But great projects for the DIY guys.

Mike; hope things are cool. Honestly, I always appreciate your wisdom on things. Saws, life, whatever.

Another long winded post. You guys are lucky I finally got hungry for breakfast. LOL
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

Old Greenhorn

Mike, you didn't and in fact couldn't, ruffle my feathers on this in any way. I guess my replies were mis-leading, I was poking a little fun. Obviously your points are all valid and of course you base them on experience I respect. I was not discounting what you say, I was hearing that and then going on to say 'I'm gonna do it anyway, just because I want to'. I mean, lets face it, every saw has it's weak spots and issues, regardless of who made it and some are worse than others. This saw has no broken stuff (yet), no signs of abuse, and is in great shape. If it was ever worked on, it was done in Spike's shop. My only issue will be in the diagnosis because I lack the proper tools for those tests.  I am just going to try and fix this one as an educational exercise and also because if successful, I will have a good backup/2nd saw for the mushroom log work. Perfect size. Remember I am 'retired'. ;D
 Bob, I think this is an earlier saw if I read the serial number right ('01?). It has no tag but the white barcode label is still on the bottom, barely. On my first attempt I could not get the muffler bolts loose (as I said I just had a few minutes to play and I let it go). I did pull the plug and put my thumb over the plug hole while pulling the starter and it doesn't seem like it has a lot of compression up top, so maybe that's it. The jug and piston are pretty easy on that saw, but I'd like to prove the problem before I order parts. What's the difference between a 346 and the 350? I don't have access to the references you have.
 I am still confused by the fact that it was running and 'just quit'. This really does not sound like losing compression from wear over time, OTOH it really doesn't have much compression at all. With all this rain and cold, I may open it up today, not gonna get much else done.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Real1shepherd

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on May 28, 2021, 10:12:29 PM
Quote from: mike_belben on May 28, 2021, 10:07:58 PM
???

Where did i say send it to the dump?  

Well, true, you never said that, I just read it as an implication. My bad. I get it, we all form our opinions based on experience. Mine are just different from yours. I should have never implied you would send anything to the dump.  :D :D I rarely do either.
Don't pith Mike off...he's your used PARTS friend...lol. Did you read the part about having a crate full of dead ones?? Same with Bob.......

Kevin

Real1shepherd

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on May 29, 2021, 07:58:48 AM
Mike, you didn't and in fact couldn't, ruffle my feathers on this in any way. I guess my replies were mis-leading, I was poking a little fun. Obviously your points are all valid and of course you base them on experience I respect. I was not discounting what you say, I was hearing that and then going on to say 'I'm gonna do it anyway, just because I want to'. I mean, lets face it, every saw has it's weak spots and issues, regardless of who made it and some are worse than others. This saw has no broken stuff (yet), no signs of abuse, and is in great shape. If it was ever worked on, it was done in Spike's shop. My only issue will be in the diagnosis because I lack the proper tools for those tests.  I am just going to try and fix this one as an educational exercise and also because if successful, I will have a good backup/2nd saw for the mushroom log work. Perfect size. Remember I am 'retired'. ;D
Bob, I think this is an earlier saw if I read the serial number right ('01?). It has no tag but the white barcode label is still on the bottom, barely. On my first attempt I could not get the muffler bolts loose (as I said I just had a few minutes to play and I let it go). I did pull the plug and put my thumb over the plug hole while pulling the starter and it doesn't seem like it has a lot of compression up top, so maybe that's it. The jug and piston are pretty easy on that saw, but I'd like to prove the problem before I order parts. What's the difference between a 346 and the 350? I don't have access to the references you have.
I am still confused by the fact that it was running and 'just quit'. This really does not sound like losing compression from wear over time, OTOH it really doesn't have much compression at all. With all this rain and cold, I may open it up today, not gonna get much else done.
You've GOT to get that muffler off!! Saws that run and just quit, have little compression and or will start but not idle after they warm up are classic cases of piston/ring transfer issues. I'm betting once you get the muffler off, you'll see the damage. And then if so, take Bob's suggestion about buying a 346 P&C......great stuff. If there is indeed some harmonic issue in the P&C with those muffler bolts loosening....you'll never pet that dawg.

You rarely get a full story from PO's...even the original owner will forget stuff once the saw has been sitting. I start out with a fresh slate and assume nothing.

And a great point about shop charges made by Bob. He knows with a lot of customers that poking around @$80/hr is not going to make anyone happy on an old used, non-pro saw.....and then you add in the parts to fix. He's just being pragmatic. As witnessed here in other threads by small engine shop owners, most weekend warriors are quite happy to have chicom parts put in just to get the saw running again. And maybe they won't ever put on the hrs where it will make any difference.

But the collector/hobbyist has the advantage here because their labor is free and they can browse the Internet endlessly looking for decent OE parts...used and new.

Kevin

mike_belben

Guys im nobody special, i live in a camper in methville TN. I hold no political office and moderate no forums, im not a dignitary or representative or boss of any sort. Im just a bum who posts alot trying to help people.  you dont have to walk on eggshells to speak to me and when im wrong you dont have to hold back, let me have it.  Im sure its me.. Im a know it all and argumentative.  I cant remember who has the perfect sig for me.. Often wrong, never in doubt  :D  but the truth is  Id rather get schooled for real than think im right incorrectly.

Tell me im talkin out my ash, call me out on it, whatever.  I was a jarhead, i can take it and dish it.  If we bicker we bicker, thats not personal.  Ask me something the next day and i will still try to help if i can.  


No hard feelings about anyones perspective on the saw.  Its just a saw.  Ive run a PC400 demo shear and crushed up tons of stuff id wanted to save.. Fortunes worth of msrp, crunch crunch crunch, gone forever. At some point ya just gotta detach from it and say my loved ones are at home, this is just stuff.  Squish it up and let the chicoms send it back as new stuff again, who cares.  


Spike thank you for the kind words and high regard. i am in agreement on your details, i defer to you as the pro where im just goofing around.  and it doesnt really change my perspective.  I will never throw out or refuse a 350. The tote can keep catching more of them until i die, i will get another tote if i have to. My kid can scrap them.

But i will never tell anyone to spend more fixing a dead one than you can get another used runner for.  For $60 fix it.  For $200? Get another 350 runner.  Then when that one quits youve got a parts saw and a fixer.

If youve got money to burn and dont do your own repairs you shouldnt have a husky 350 because then it really IS a throw away. It costs near as much for the shop to fix as to replace.. Its a ford taurus or chevy cavalier, dodge neon.


If you dont have money and do fix saws, they make perfect sense to collect cheap and keep running cheap thanks to chicom parts. Would i buy a mahle jug for one?  Ehhhhh... With your credit card sure.  But i will feel guilty.  


I built a nasty 353 years ago.  Smoked jug.  Got a chicom big bore 346pc kit with removeable xfer covers which are beyond easy to port.  I welded a dome on the piston, full porting, epoxy and porting in the crankcase, metal clamp, muffler hoods etc.  Now that was a saw worth investing in and it cost the same as a dead 350.  Im doing the same with a 260 pro now.   My 346xp pile is waiting for a crankcase.  Did a crankcase on my 372.  Have a 257 and 359 under the bench, pile of 61s.. All free.  I gave $100 for the 372 and that was the most ive spent on a dead saw.  Most are free to $25.  You saw guys know that when you get known for fiddling with junk the junk comes to you.  If its just hobbying around theres surely a more worthy free saw on the way than a homelite XL2.   Maybe more worthy than a farmboss or jonsky 50cc.  Not likely more worthy than a 046 or 372.   You see what im saying?  Weigh em out and put a cap.  $20 into the homelite, $60 into the jonsky, $200 into the 046. That sorta thing.  

  Helping neighbors flushes out the good freebies.  And next time i gotta remember to keep my thoughts in and move on.

Praise The Lord

Real1shepherd

Great post and great insight into 'Mike'. I loved the part about watching fortunes being crushed....but at the end of the day, most of us go home to family....which is really the only thing that counts for a lot of us.

Kept at a hobby level, anything is possible. One of the main reasons I come in here is to remain humble and realize the world doesn't own pro saws like me, but homeowner saws for the most part. And these days, I even get a kick out of reading about the foibles of homeowner saws and their owners. I get a little tired of all the Squeal propaganda, but I've leaned to move past it.

Principles are the same and usually the same diagnostics work on all....with some exceptions. I have no experience with a 350....but I'm definitely of the camp to set a limit for that one, or get another one like Mike says that's running and use the other for parts. If they're relatively easy to find still, doesn't make a lot of sense to dump $$$ into a non-pro, lackluster common saw.

Thanks Mike for your honesty and you're anything but a 'bum' in my book. :P  

Kevin

Old Greenhorn

Well I don't see anybody taking offence or getting ticked off here. Except for all the apologizing, I think it's a good discussion. ;D It's just a chainsaw after all.
 Stuff likes this gets me thinking in the right direction, which is what I need. I mentioned Spike earlier because I am almost sure he had his hands on this saw and I know he sold the guy a new 450 very recently to replace it.
 I started tearing down and did manage to get the muffler off without breaking the bolts. The more I see, the more I like. No unusual wear or damage anywhere. Oil pump works well, clutch in good shape, everything is tight. Fuel line in really good shape. The air filter was pretty plugged though. Just a lot of oily sawdust to clean out. I did find the plate having forgotten that they sometimes put these under the covers.


 

Yeah, it's an '01 for sure.
 I think I found the main issue.





That ring won't even move on this side of the piston. The cylinder doesn't look too bad, but should go anyway of course. It also has the original plastic boot clip. It opened up easy, but I don't know if I can get it closed again for a good seal.
 Spike, where would I locate that retrofit for the boot clamp? Is there a part number for it?
 In general does anybody have recommendations for a moderately priced P&C kit? I really don't want Chinese stuff for this, but I'd like to keep the cost reasonable. The sellers on eBay rarely tell you where their stuff is made. I checked chainsawr first but they seem to be out of stock on all these variations. So suggestions on a source are welcome. I'd kind of like to get it on order and get back to other stuff. Hopefully I can get back to it before I forget how I took it apart. :D 
 I have a lot of cleaning to do in the meantime. I like a good cleaning once in a while.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Old Greenhorn

I guess once I get on something I can't let it go. I found a rebuild kit from HL Supply in the nikasil version. New clutch drum bearing, air filter, steel boot clamp, and some other needed odds and ends for other saws and machines. I'll just get this clean and let it sit until the parts come in a week or so. 100 bucks might be more than I wanted to spend, but hopefully it will run well and I didn't want to go cheap either, that would be a waste of my labor.
 Still can't figure out how to get that vibration spring mount off the jug and I don't think that's in the shop manual for this saw. Will look again. Any ideas Mike?
 Ah well, back to work.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

nearly all of it is gonna come from china anymore unless its OEM, like it or not.  but theres gonna be acceptable and total junk.  HL supply and huztl make reliable cheap stuff, ive ported a bunch.  and i always ball hone their bores before they go together. never an issue.  


the handle spring on the jug has a torx screw inside the spring if i remember right?  been a few years.
Praise The Lord

Real1shepherd

OG....can I say I told ya so?? Lol.....classic symptoms for P&C transfer issues.

Another option if you have time, and are not depending on the saw, is to buy a used OE P&C....or clean up the present cylinder if possible.....or look for a used 346 P&C like Bob said would work.

My usual old knee-jerk reaction would be just to buy a new P&C, but since prices of everything have gone up....a used OE P&C with new Cabers would be a great choice. With all the aftermarket people swinging now to chicom....used OE stuff should be a consideration.  

At least there's options, although like Mike said, you should put a limit on non-pro saws.

Kevin

Old Greenhorn

Quote from: mike_belben on May 29, 2021, 04:29:47 PM
nearly all of it is gonna come from china anymore unless its OEM, like it or not.  but theres gonna be acceptable and total junk.  HL supply and huztl make reliable cheap stuff, ive ported a bunch.  and i always ball hone their bores before they go together. never an issue.  


the handle spring on the jug has a torx screw inside the spring if i remember right?  been a few years.
Dang, I didn't know that. I know that I am really not impressed with what I have seen from Hutzl, especially their bars which are horrible. I thought the HS supply stuff might be made in Europe (Italy?). I guess I will learn when it gets here.
 Yes, your memory is still good, there is a screw I found after more cleaning, but it was allen, not torx. This saw was made before they switched to torx. I have taken newer 350's apart and they had torx, this does not have one on it anywhere. SO it's pretty much as clean as I am going to get it without a full breakdown to individual parts, and I ain't doing that. ;D If I was charging even $50 an hour I would have far exceeded any value this saw could hope to return. But its a nasty rainy day and what else am I going to do? Play golf? Watch  ball game? I'd rather pick cotton than do any of those things. :D SO I'll just wait for parts. Tomorrow we are expecting still more rain, so I guess I will fix the chimney and stove so I can fire that stove back up. I ran out of oil in the shop right after I turned the burner on and I ain't going out for more. I managed to run the shop all winter just using 5 gallons of oil for filler heat and wood for the main heat.
 On to other projects, more when I know it.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

Im not an authority on who makes what or whats good and whats junk.. All i can say is more and more of everything is from china even if once reputed american brand names are stamped on it.  A lot of that is probably blatant illegal cloning too. 

 I havent had a chicom jug fail yet or be unuseable but some certainly worse than others.  The plating on a hutzl is pretty ugly compared to mahle or husky or stihl genuine.  Youll know the difference when  you put a burr to it and the chicom plating comes right off but the mahle is tough as nails.  


Whatever you do have fun with it.  I miss having one of those 50cc jonskys running.  Fast light limbers. 
Praise The Lord

Real1shepherd

It's become a different landscape now, Mike. The Chinese can make anything that the Germans, the Swiss, the Canadians, the Japanese and the US can make.....no doubt about it. But not only do you have price point manufacturing involved, you have politics and human rights issues.

Take Lemforder....once the best aftermarket and factory auto suspension parts maker in the world...German. One day they decided to move their operations mostly to China. Well, the Chinese made parts didn't ruin them, but they're definitely several levels down from what they used to make in Germany.

Is there a moral there? Probably....in that if China can make average parts quality against their price point garbage, maybe the world looks the other way. And the hope is that maybe someday, the world forgets about the quality stuff and chicom is all you're gonna get.

Kevin

mike_belben

Ive had a few engineer friends that have been sent for the US company to china to oversee manufacturing issues. And ive heard that from them too.. China CAN make good parts if you stay ontop of them and are willing to pay.  
Ive also heard from them and others about a lot of spec for no chinese derived steels in a part batch.  I guess they are or were notorious for low electric furnace temps leading to non-homogenous alloying.  Deviation from batch to batch or hardness deviation from end to end, part to part etc.

Case by case basis i guess.  I hate that we are all going poor at home and having to send them our money for their substandard junk because its half price of the real deal that costs 5x more USD than it used to. Or the other side of the coin.. That the pittsburg ratchet is better than the craftsman, for less. 
Praise The Lord

Real1shepherd

Yes, that's the conundrum;keeping their feet to the fire on quality production and starting with the best steels.

If you're a manufacturer, you HAVE to send your best quality control people over there and oversee the whole process. And that requires your people to live over there.....which isn't the most attractive, freedom loving place in the world.

Harbor Freight ICON tools are beating and out spec-ing Snap On.....pretty sad when I have to consider HF for buying quality tools. Chicom parts are even finding their way into commercial aircraft....that's a scary thought when you think of their 'hit & miss' quality standard record.

Kevin

steele109

Hi I don't mean to step on anybody's toes by joining the conversation. There is a way to help the muffler bolt problem,buy a 346 muffler support bracket. Cut the outside leg off put on heat the saw up and retighten the muffler.Haven't had a screw back out since I started doing them this way.Now back to your regular scheduled program.

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