I saw this chain advertised on ebay. Its listed as a Stihl chain but the small print says otherwise.

Is there a huge difference in quality between an unbranded chain and say the Stihl or Oregon chains I’ve used in the past?

What is the worst that could happen? Perhaps dont post pics in that request.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STIHL-CHAINSAW-SAW-CHAIN-STIHL-MS-290-310-18_W0QQitemZ110669652829QQcategoryZ139887QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D4%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8305793685212061252

Try these guys

http://www.newsawchains.co.uk newchains

I have had really good service from them, explain what you need

I use a local Agricultural dealer, they’re not made from chain supplied by the manufacturer but seem a great quality all the same. Cost about £12 too so more less the same as your paying there.

Shimano break all the time – mostly miles from home. Go KMC.

Anyway MC who you gonna hit?

Anyway MC who you gonna hit?

After my last visit to A&E – hopefully not myself again!

Probably the worst would be that it doesn’t cut as well as branded stuff and might not last as long. Might also wear the bar and drive sprocket a bit quicker. Badly designed rakers might make it more inclined to kick back.

I’ve seen chains snap occasionally, but its not very likely to happen, even with a cheap one unless its badly worn and abused. Common cause is sharpening too low, which cuts into metal close to the rivets, rather than the quality of the chain. That’s usually not as terrifying as you might think, they sometimes go off the end of the bar, but more often they just fall off as the chain loses drive as it does slack. They don’t normally whip round underneath unless you’re cutting with the top of the bar.

anyone know if it’s possible to service a chain lube oil port on a Stihl MS250?

I cant work out how to remove it for servicing and there’s nothing in the manual. Already wrecked one chain because the port’s not working properly….

slight thread hijack, but would a cheapish chainsaw (£60) be any good for hedge cutting / trimming. Our hedge is a bit too much for the hedge trimmer (the small branches just seem to jam it up all the time). Assume a chainsaw will just be like a knife through butter, or would it just push the light branches out the way rather than cutting?

Surely you’re better off hiring one for a w/e? You’ll only need to cut it back once with the chainsaw and then can maintain it with a trimmer?

you probably wont be able to hire one with out a certifcate will you?

maybe, but I borrowed a trimmer and it wasn’t much good, so I’d need to get a trimmer anyways, so for a little extra (probably the hire cost) I could get a chainsaw. Is a chainsaw OK for the light stuff?

Good point – I recall there was a thread about hiring a chainsaw a while back….. can’t remember the outcome. I’m sure you could hire SOMETHING for the w/e that would do the job for £60 though!

I’d still be looking to buy the trimmer and borrow/hire a chainsaw to do the first cut back to the size you want: a £60 chainsaw is going to be pretty ropey quality made from parts you won’t be able to get if they break, the bar length is going to be very short compared to a trimmer (will depend on the size of the hedge if this is too much of an issue) and you WILL need saftey kit for using the c/s like a trimmer (much more likely you will be working with it at face level to start with) and there is much less chance of chopping off a limb with a hedge trimmer.

But I could potentially buy something like this for £45 which could do the job and be used as a hedge cutter – if a chainsaw is any good at that sort of thing.

Edit – just seen your last post – thats the sort of info I was after, thanks

Stoner (Hyjack..) “because the port’s not working properly…. “

My experience with dry chainsaw is mostly from my electric one (husky/flymo). It wasn’t the port or the pump, but just the oil filter. I took the saw apart before I worked that out, and the pump is a teeny little oscillating piston pushed by a nylon cam on the shaft. Can’t really fail. Plastic pipe, and the port is just a hole in a bit of metal.

I’d been using special Oregon oil which is ultra-green because it mixes 4:1 with water. Nice idea, but it can then make a mayonaise in the filter. Worth checking first becauase it’s easy anyway.

I’m not a fan of working with a chainsaw and hedges, too many springy things to catch the chain. A good pair of loppers are the way forward.

cheers carrot. will have a fernagle.

@jon1973. Buy a decent petrol hedgetrimmer and it’ll errr, cut your hedge nicely. Stihl do a decent 24″ inch one that’ll go through Blackthorn up to 3/4″. That and a pair of loppers for bigger branches and you have the answer.

There are heaper options but the little leccy are rubbish for anything other than leaves.

Try sticking an air line down the oil port.

slight thread hijack, but would a cheapish chainsaw (£60) be any good for hedge cutting / trimming

Chainsaws = scary. (and I’ve only used baby electric ones)

Chainsaw, up a ladder, at face height? NO. THANKS.

Get a decent hedge trimmer. It’s the right tool for the job.

DON’T try to trim a hedge with a chainsaw. It will snag and jump violently.