Stihl interesting

Glad you're not disappointed [smile]

You'll like the blower too, but you will notice how the blower chews through the battery. I'm jealous of your AP300 ... I don't know what it is with Australia and batteries ... we only get the AP115, AP180 and AR900 at the moment. Consequently I've got 3 AP180's now. Fortunately the charge quickly.

 
So .. just upgraded my cordless MSA200 chainsaw to TCT chain. The TCT chain is 3/8, so the upgrade required new:

Bar
Chain
Sprocket
Chain cover

I'll keep my little MS170 petrol in case of a zombie apocalypse, but the MSA200 seems to match it. Maybe I should get a Stihl Magnum (in case of really big zombies)
 
Kev said:
So .. just upgraded my cordless MSA200 chainsaw to TCT chain. . . . . . . . . . .,. Maybe I should get a Stihl Magnum (in case of really big zombies)
Click to expand...
[size=13pt]
Mmmm, Kev, this addiction to Orange Aid could be even greater than
the one to Green!  [smile]

Just note that the TCT chains are not a DIY sharpening option, and even the professional timber cutters around here dislike them as they cannot be easily sharpened out in the field.

Despite this I have two of them for my Wood Boss and yes they certainly do last a lot longer cutting storm damaged/pruning Gum and Wattle Trees (the latter very tough on chains) before I need my dealer to sharpen them.

[size=8pt][member=13058]Kev[/member]
 
I drank orange koolaid way before chugging on the green.
at one time I had more than one of everything in the pro line.somethings three identical(climbing saws).never was able to wear anything out,just drop or smash it beyond justifiable repair,one of the first ones I got has won the lifespan lotto,1988,with 15 yrs of daily use."stihl" use it monthly
 
buying the bench mounted sharpener was one of the best purchases.if the chain even just looked dull,swap it out with another,plenty of spares on the truck.I bought rolls of the sizes I used,made my own.that meant a whole bunch of chain was around,easier to make a new one than sharpen a dull one.stihl brand chain was far superior to other brands.
the sprocket is one very frequently overlooked maintenance item for the occasional user to inspect,along with the bar itself
 
Had another days productive gardening with the pole pruner and the strimmer. I hacked down as much stuff with the pruner in half an hour as my wife managed to achieve in a day last year.

It does seem strange that the latest batteries are not available in Australia. It can't be a safety issue - maybe Stihl want to test them in a limited sized market in case there are problems?

The blower is definitely next on the list. I don't think I do enough chainsawing to justify a TCT chain.

Kev, you'll have to buy the bench mounted chain sharpener. I see you can get diamond wheels to sharpen your new chain. [wink]
 
carbide chain is only better for roots,stumps&dirty cuts.super expensive to buy and sharpen with dismal performance in normal cuts.
 
johninthecamper said:
carbide chain is only better for roots,stumps&dirty cuts.super expensive to buy and sharpen with dismal performance in normal cuts.
Click to expand...

Specifically got one to attack a stump that is low and grew in (well, through) a large plastic pot. The heavier bar, chain, etc in 3/8 over the 1/4 is very noticeable when introduced to the light 36V chainsaws ... but it does cut extremely well so far.
 
cliffp said:
Had another days productive gardening with the pole pruner and the strimmer. I hacked down as much stuff with the pruner in half an hour as my wife managed to achieve in a day last year.
Click to expand...

  Yeah the pole pruner is great (I have a gas model)! BUT be careful you can make a big mess to pick up real fast. One of the first times I used it I spent maybe an hour  cutting all around the property. When I got done I looked around and thought Oh cr..  [eek]  Took me about six hours the next day to clean it all up.  [blink]

Seth
 
FWIW...keep an eye on the chain oil supply reservoir as it tends to be depleted faster than you'd think.
 
Cheese said:
FWIW...keep an eye on the chain oil supply reservoir as it tends to be depleted faster than you'd think.
Click to expand...

You're not wrong ... I don't think the oil lasts as long as the battery [eek]
 
Ya, I've got the petrol version of the trimmer and i was surprised as to how much oil the auto luber dispensed. Two tanks of gas....one tank of oil.

Thanks for the original post...as much as I enjoy the gas versions...I'm going to check out the battery variant.
It's the wave of the future...
 
I noticed the oil levels were going down very quickly - wishing I'd bought 5 litres rather than 1 litre.

The mistake I made with the pole pruner was not checking the tension of the chain - it came off yesterday, luckily it didn't cause any damage.
 
SRSemenza said:
cliffp said:
Had another days productive gardening with the pole pruner and the strimmer. I hacked down as much stuff with the pruner in half an hour as my wife managed to achieve in a day last year.
Click to expand...

  Yeah the pole pruner is great (I have a gas model)! BUT be careful you can make a big mess to pick up real fast. One of the first times I used it I spent maybe an hour  cutting all around the property. When I got done I looked around and thought Oh cr..  [eek]  Took me about six hours the next day to clean it all up.  [blink]

Seth
Click to expand...

[member=1619]SRSemenza[/member], I don't think you are cutting real navy stuff with the pole pruner.  You should put your Grasshopper to good use along with the pruner.  When i do a pruning job, large or small, i use my Skag to clean up the brush.  A few minutes with the mower and a few minutes with the sweep rake, and the mess has disappeared.  You would be surprised how large diameter twigs/branches can disappear in a hurry with no damage to the mower blades. 
Tinker
 
cliffp said:
...
The blower is definitely next on the list. I don't think I do enough chainsawing to justify a TCT chain.
...
Click to expand...

I got an 86c, which is a blower and it goes in reverse with a bag to suck and mulch the leaves.
It is also possible to blow gently into a pile, but in a garden bed, or around a pool it is easier to go straight into the bag.
It doesn't have a HEPA and the dust cloud is impressive.

cliffp said:
I noticed the oil levels were going down very quickly - wishing I'd bought 5 litres rather than 1 litre.
...
Click to expand...

I started putting the used car oil into the chain oil...  [embarassed]
 
When the shops are closed and one needs oil then one does what is required.
 
I got an 86c, which is a blower and it goes in reverse with a bag to suck and mulch the leaves.
It is also possible to blow gently into a pile, but in a garden bed, or around a pool it is easier to go straight into the bag.
It doesn't have a HEPA and the dust cloud is impressive.
Click to expand...

I've got the Viking corded version of this and like it a lot except for the wire. I was thinking that if the battery version was good at blowing the leaves into piles, I could use the Viking in suction mode to mulch them (I find it tedious to switch between the two modes).

I've got some unused engine oil from my old BMW 535d, I might check its viscosity to see if it'd work?
 
cliffp said:
The mistake I made with the pole pruner was not checking the tension of the chain - it came off yesterday, luckily it didn't cause any damage.
Click to expand...

The chain's new so the initial stretch happens in the first couple of hours, after that it slows down. Just like putting a new chain on a motorcycle, drive it 20-30 miles and then readjust it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
How Many Versions Of The 12v CXS Are There?
Replies
17
Views
2K
Coen
C
M
Bosch cordless jigsaw GST18V-60BCN
Replies
0
Views
49K
Michael Kellough
M
M
Sanding/finishing plywood
Replies
11
Views
566
Crazyraceguy
Crazyraceguy
rmwarren
Stationary Palm Sander Mount
Replies
1
Views
368
semenza
semenza
luvmytoolz
Kneeling support rolling chair
Replies
9
Views
574
Packard
P
Back
Top