Dumb question....chainsaw size?

[gman98]

I've been looking at quite a few chainsaws lately and there is a question that keeps coming up in my head.  There seems to be a couple different saws made by each manufacturer that has the same engine size cc wise, but there is a .5 or so horse power difference.  This is usually between the homeowner and pro saws.  What is it that makes the difference horse power wise?

Thanks

[DelawhereJoe]

Well you kinda said it right there, home owner and pro, for safety you don't really want someone to go to a big box store and walking out with a big hp saw so they can more easily kill/hurt themselves. Tractor Supply will sell you a Jonsered 2166 70cc 4.8 hp " semi-pro or pro-sumer" off the shelf, grind out the inlet port baffel adjust this and that and now its a 2172 at 5.5 hp "pro saw"....and the lower end saws have a plastic crank case I'd imagine if you try to put to much power to them they will crack/explode.

[Ianab]

To get more power they change the port timing and carb setup so the engine can rev a bit higher, and so make a bit more power.

But to do this (for very long) you need a stronger built saw. Metal crankcase, stronger con rod, better bearings etc.This costs more money.

Now a professional user will pay the extra for the slightly better saw that cuts faster and lasts longer.  The "semi-pro" saws aren't junk as such, they are just built to a price, and a plenty good enough for their intended use.

Then you get into the junk "thow-away " saws which are simply built too cheap to last.  :

[Ada Shaker]

To get more power they change the port timing and carb setup so the engine can rev a bit higher, and so make a bit more power.

But to do this (for very long) you need a stronger built saw. Metal crankcase, stronger con rod, better bearings etc.This costs more money.

Now a professional user will pay the extra for the slightly better saw that cuts faster and lasts longer.  The "semi-pro" saws aren't junk as such, they are just built to a price, and a plenty good enough for their intended use.

Then you get into the junk "thow-away " saws which are simply built too cheap to last.  :

Gosh, I thought mine was turbo charged. 8)
Or would that be a canary stuck inside.  :D

[CTYank]

I'm still on the lookout for a "plastic crankcase" saw. Haven't found one yet. My guess is that people get confused by die-cast metal engine case bolted into plastic chassis. Not necessarily a problem, since modern engineered plastics have advantages over metal. Resistance to cracking, for one.

Important stuff is well-hidden, like certain 250-series saws having stamped mild-steel rods, and engine case & bar-mount separately bolted to plastic chassis. Bar actually retained by studs threaded into plastic of chassis. Wanna bet how long that'd hold up under daily abuse of a pro?

[weimedog]

I'm still on the lookout for a "plastic crankcase" saw. Haven't found one yet. My guess is that people get confused by die-cast metal engine case bolted into plastic chassis. Not necessarily a problem, since modern engineered plastics have advantages over metal. Resistance to cracking, for one.

The "Clam Shell" Husqvarna's like the old 350's and now the 455's and the like have a plastic bottom half with a metal bearing cap to house the crank & main bearing assembly. So they are 1/2 plastic! The Stihl's bolt a metal bottom end into a plastic housing....I have to say that I never to this point in time seen one of those saws fail because of the abundance of plastic in their design! For that matter I see way more dead pro saws...

[DelawhereJoe]

But how many home owners saws are "really" worth fixing, (by fixing I'm talking replacing major parts) cheaper to just buy a new saw.

[SawTroll]

I'm still on the lookout for a "plastic crankcase" saw. Haven't found one yet. My guess is that people get confused by die-cast metal engine case bolted into plastic chassis. Not necessarily a problem, since modern engineered plastics have advantages over metal. Resistance to cracking, for one.

The "Clam Shell" Husqvarna's like the old 350's and now the 455's and the like have a plastic bottom half with a metal bearing cap to house the crank & main bearing assembly. So they are 1/2 plastic! The Stihl's bolt a metal bottom end into a plastic housing....I have to say that I never to this point in time seen one of those saws fail because of the abundance of plastic in their design! For that matter I see way more dead pro saws...

As far as I know, that is history by now, and has been for a while - I guess Stihl finally admitted that the small metal parts ("inserts") had no positive effect, and just made things more complicated for no gain?

[dougand3]

But how many home owners saws are "really" worth fixing, (by fixing I'm talking replacing major parts) cheaper to just buy a new saw.

The new strato Poulans surely aren't worth a $70 P, R & C top end. I'm not sure they're worth a $20 P & R kit - but I've never seen one where only P & R would fix it. The C get deep gouges.  I've got 5 apart in boxes cuz they were run lean and whole top end is scored badly.
Now, carb and fuel delivery = worth fixing.

[Ada Shaker]

But how many home owners saws are "really" worth fixing, (by fixing I'm talking replacing major parts) cheaper to just buy a new saw.

The new strato Poulans surely aren't worth a $70 P, R & C top end. I'm not sure they're worth a $20 P & R kit - but I've never seen one where only P & R would fix it. The C get deep gouges.  I've got 5 apart in boxes cuz they were run lean and whole top end is scored badly.
Now, carb and fuel delivery = worth fixing.

Thats because you guys pay so little for your saws stateside that it just aint worth fixing. If you had to pay double the price for a saw would it then be worth fixing?.

[dougand3]

Yeah, depends on what a new saw costs. In the states, a refurb Poulan is ~$85 shipped. A new one in a box store is $109-$139. Why do they cost so much more in Oz?

[sawguy21]

Shipping and brokerage, Australian import duty is brutal. I sent a $60 part the cheapest way possible to a friend in Sydney, it cost him over $100 by the time it landed.

[Ada Shaker]

Yeah, depends on what a new saw costs. In the states, a refurb Poulan is ~$85 shipped. A new one in a box store is $109-$139. Why do they cost so much more in Oz?

Beats me. One would think a shipping container would cost about the same, Europe to States, Europe to Oz. There wouldn't be much in it, per unit price. I would think the dealers would make a very healthy profit, as less units would be sold here per capita than in the states. As Stihl sets the price Nationally, there is no margine for competition. Much of our heating in the city is done using natural gas that runs through pipelines pretty much like water, hence chainsaws are generally delegated to rural areas. Our population per sq kilometers in rural areas tends to be quite small.

[Al_Smith]

A little tip on shipping parts .Parts to Canada or Australia I've always stated they were gifts ,which they were  .No duty .

Funny thing is to Aus. via air mail from Ohio it's about 4 days .To Ont which is 200 miles from me might take 2 weeks .The pony express might have been faster . :D

[Ada Shaker]

A little tip on shipping parts .Parts to Canada or Australia I've always stated they were gifts ,which they were  .No duty .

Funny thing is to Aus. via air mail from Ohio it's about 4 days .To Ont which is 200 miles from me might take 2 weeks .The pony express might have been faster . :D

Kind of reminds of one time I bought a phone battery from the states (was cheaper incl. Air mail). Came in via Austria, still trying to work that one out. :D

[Carson-saws]

In this arena of work...there are no "dumb questions"  in my opinion anyway.

[Al_Smith]

The only "plastic" cased chainsaw I've seen was a Poulan model sold by Sears and Roebuck ,around 2 cubic inch displacement .If I'm not mistaken some of the Lawn boy mowers also had a plastic case .

In some applications high impact plastic works better than die cast aluminum .Look at a modern auto engine some time .

I'm pretty much old school .However the reality is you can't take a flat head Ford V8 and get 200,000 miles out of it with proper care and you can out of a modern auto engine plastic or not .

[ppine]

Not a dumb question at all. Most people that are inexperienced buy bigger saws than they need.  They just get tired faster.  Pro saws are worth the extra money.