Cheap chain that works

[deye223]

Why buy an MS-261 when you can buy an 880 for less than twice the price? If you're going to get gouged anyway might as well go big!

The same reason you have a 60 + year-old Fergie instead of a John Deere 8R

 

[Czed]

Some of might remember a while ago I tried a stihl clone chain in a 24" and wasn't very happy with it .
Well it got the better of me so I bought a couple of 18" and I must say I am more than happy with them , the 1st one I took down to near where I say a stihl chain is done and it did very well for the work it has done even the drive links and tie straps held up well for a cheapy .
View attachment 200280

A lot of ironbark dirty stringy and blue gum it held up well and as you can see it is clearly a stihl knock off .
View attachment 200281
View attachment 200282

Cheers D

Looks like the same vendor as the upstart
Brand I've used the last
Couple year's.

After a good handfile it's been excellent.
I've bought 30+ loops for friends after they tried mine.
Three of these for the price of one stihl chain here local.

 

[deye223]

Looks like the same vendor as the upstart
Brand I've used the last
Couple year's.

After a good handfile it's been excellent.
I've bought 30+ loops for friends after they tried mine.
Three of these for the price of one stihl chain here local.

Czed that looks like chisel do they have 3/8 semi .63 and what brand are flogging it under ......

 

[RI Chevy]

Nice job filing. That looks SHARP!

 

[deye223]

That one has been ground it factory new

 

[RI Chevy]

Lol. I see now. Nice. I may try a loop...looks promising.

 

[FergusonTO35]

The same reason you have a 60 + year-old Fergie instead of a John Deere 8R

Because I have good taste in tractors!

 

[Jonnyredtreepferder]

I've been buying some Archer 3/8 .058 18" loops full chisel. So far, so good. They are better than the other Chinese made chains I've been trying, and those worked fine too.

 

[Czed]

Czed that looks like chisel do they have 3/8 semi .63 and what brand are flogging it under ......

Sorry i didn't see your post
I'll check
Upstart walmart.com of all places was cheaper than Amazon.

 

[Czed]

Didn't find any.

 

[deye223]

Well after a year of using this chain in both semi and full chisel I wont be buying stihl 3/8 chain again .
This stuff beats Oregon and carlton hands down .
Pity there 404 is crap so I have to pay $620 for a roll of stihl .
Here are some pics of there 3/8 chisel chain 1st is the stihl .



And this is the semi .
Bottom chain is stihl .

Top in this one


Cheers D

 

[Wonkydonkey]

So wot you say the knock off chain is farmatec? Or one they sell. Any good ? What was the price. Etc.

I got some lovely farmatec 0.325 semi but with sq file.. they worked good till I hit a nail, 3 teeth gone But I’m still using it

I will say by the time you pay shipping from farmatec. There not much cheaper than some other brands..
Same old thing thou from China... no consistency and they send you anything if they don’t have what you ordered, ie 1.5 mm husky gauge when you ordered 1.6mm, and I know This because it had a husky number on the DL.

 

[deye223]

Ok I had to edit that other post this stuff is sold in Australia as hurricane and delivered to my door for $350 a roll just short of half the cost of stihl it's just a shame that they're .404 is rubbish .
I have used 17 loops all bought individually from them and it has been consistent so now I will buy a couple of rolls .
They have great customer service to any problems just send it back for a refund apparently.

 

[CrystalRiver1]

Yeah we call it the Australia tax ......
Have a look at these prices ......
View attachment 200307

YIKES!!!!

 

[Lightning Performance]

Well after a year of using this chain in both semi and full chisel I wont be buying stihl 3/8 chain again .
This stuff beats Oregon and carlton hands down .
Pity there 404 is crap so I have to pay $620 for a roll of stihl .
Here are some pics of there 3/8 chisel chain 1st is the stihl .
View attachment 263796
View attachment 263797

And this is the semi .
Bottom chain is stihl .
View attachment 263798
Top in this one
View attachment 263799

Cheers D

It's ok for short bars. Don't put it on long ones. If you stare at it... it will stretch a bit.

 

[deye223]

Well over here 32 inches is classified as a long bar and after the initial stretch which is what Stihl chain does as well no problems I'm happy cheap chain that works .

 

[Lightning Performance]

Well over here 32 inches is classified as a long bar and after the initial stretch which is what Stihl chain does as well no problems I'm happy cheap chain that works .

The Archer 3/8 063 did ok with 105dl on a 066. The cutters were softer than Oregon chain on this loop. Didn't buy anymore myself, others did.

 

[deye223]

And that's why I don't buy Oregon here I live on the coast all our wood is full of ants and sand .
Oregon chains soft cutters minimal Chrome beautiful to sharpen but 5 to 8 cuts later you've got to get the file out again everything I cut here is dry that in itself is a problem with chain around here.

 

[CR888]

The Stihl copy chain seems to be the best China chain, some of the Hurricane chain cuts really well and stretch is acceptable, GB evo-II chain semi in .404 has done the job too.

 

[deye223]

The Stihl copy chain seems to be the best China chain, some of the Hurricane chain cuts really well and stretch is acceptable, GB evo-II chain semi in .404 has done the job too.

I tried the Evo only used it once took it off gave the chain to a mate he used it once and now it hangs in his shed .
it just doesn't last like a 404 should sharpness wise no better than using 3/8 the reason we use 404 round here is at least you can get a cubic metre of wood cut without having to stop and sharpen .