Holzfforma/Farmertec 661 Clone

[eric4]

I stumbled upon a Stihl 661 clone on the big fleabay, costing nearly the price of the model number. This is the first clone I've seen of a newer generation Stihl. I imagine the 660 was one of their best sellers...

Reckon someone else would have found this interesting too! I hope more are to come, as it makes for an easier access to replacement parts, and likely drives down the price of OEM used.

 

[CAMike]

I just looked on the Farmertec Web site (Feb 2025) and no such animal shows up ...yet. Maybe it’s a prototype? “IF" they source the carb and solenoid from a manufacturer that can match or exceed OEM performance and reliability they have another winner.

Maybe FT will begin their 5 series Husqvarnas' soon? With the new tariffs, FT must keep improving all aspects of their products.

 

[Nighthunter]

There was a video on YouTube awhile back on them

 

[Nighthunter]

 

[eric4]

I just looked on the Farmertec Web site (Feb 2025) and no such animal shows up ...yet. Maybe it’s a prototype? “IF" they source the carb and solenoid from a manufacturer that can match or exceed OEM performance and reliability they have another winner.

Maybe FT will begin their 5 series Husqvarnas' soon? With the new tariffs, FT must keep improving all aspects of their products.

Sounds like these are traditionally carbureted.

It'll be interesting to find out if you can M-tronic a clone!

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Or just buy a real one, this just makes it easier for a bunch of crooks to fill and oem chassis full of junk to sell to some unsuspecting person for too much money. Also have no idea how anyone would think the oem would reduce parts costs or cost of an all oem used saw would be less because of someone cloning the actual saw.

 

[eric4]

I was referring to USED oem parts potentially going down on ebay and such. Some folk would rather have a shiny new chinese plastic, than OEM with some blemishes.

You're right about the potential to get conned on a saw advertised as OEM but has knockoffs hidden beneath... Guess any future 661 buyers will have to shop with scrutiny.

For what it's worth, my blue 660 clone has milled 50+ slabs without skipping a beat! In my use-case, it wouldn't have been worth it to throw an extra thousand bucks for OEM. Obviously other's haven't been as lucky with their china saws

 

[lehman live edge slab]

These clones in my opinion do nothing good for the most part, if you think about it the purchase of these saws helps very few people anywhere but China. It doesn’t bring jobs in manufacturing, sales or dealerships who hire mechanics ect. It doesn’t give moneys to the oem companies to invest back into new designs and technology for future products to sell and keep all the employees in Virginia Beach and everywhere else in the world working. All it does is make a few people a quick buck on a design they stole from someone else’s and a few importers/ amazon. Not all but a lot of them have quality flaws with nobody to repair them unless you like to tinker, plus like I said before it helps the dishonest people rip off unsuspecting people. I’ve repaired several “rebuilt” saws for people full of Chinese parts that ran poorly or not at all. Also who’s holding them to any safety standards and if you are hurt because of a manufacturing defect who you going after? China? Good luck with that.

 

[Motorka]

They wouldn't sell them in USA if people wouldn't buy them....

 

[lehman live edge slab]

They wouldn't sell them in USA if people wouldn't buy them....

I understand that but all people see is saving a few hundred dollars and basically that is the only benefit to the whole clone. I see mitutoyo calipers and dial indicators for sale on eBay shipped directly from China for 50-60$, it’s just a cloned piece right down to the made in japan labels and owners manual copy. That’s all this does is promote dishonest resale as the real thing to make a buck. They aren’t real but it’s really hard to tell on some stuff as of late. It’s all the hurray for me f everyone else attitude. And yes I’m guilty at times buying some Chinese stuff but try and keep to a minimum. Usually it’s known Chinese stuff snd not a design they stole from someone else either. Just a cheap socket set for in truck that I don’t care so much if it disappears ect.

 

[Motorka]

Hey this is happening back from 80 s ... now everything is made in china.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Hey this is happening back from 80 s ... now everything is made in china.

I’m aware I was around to see it, also some of this is a bit different because it’s not something someone farmed out to a China company to build its a ripped off design they decided to just build and sell with no licensing or permission. If Stihl or husky was sub contracting them to do this it’s not quite the same situation anymore.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

do you think chinas ability to steal and copy others designs is because others have shipped their manufacturing to them in order to cut costs?

thats my theory is that most products that china steals is products that companies have made in china for cheaper, than china steals it and sells it for pennies on the dollar competiting with the original, I think if companies quit sending manufacturing there it would not be so easy for china to use there blueprints and compete with them.

just my .02

 

[eric4]

Doesn't stihl and husky make a lot of their parts in china nowadays? I imagine these global corporations have a cost/benefit analysis on "if we have china make our parts, they'll likely manufacture knockoffs as well, but we've calculated that into our profit margin for moving manufacturing to a country that has no worker protections"

 

[lehman live edge slab]

do you think chinas ability to steal and copy others designs is because others have shipped their manufacturing to them in order to cut costs?

thats my theory is that most products that china steals is products that companies have made in china for cheaper, than china steals it and sells it for pennies on the dollar competiting with the original, I think if companies quit sending manufacturing there it would not be so easy for china to use there blueprints and compete with them.

just my .02

Most of the clone stuff is purchased one time tore apart and copied. It’s not that Stihl or anyone sent them designs how to built it for them.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Doesn't stihl and husky make a lot of their parts in china nowadays? I imagine these global corporations have a cost/benefit analysis on "if we have china make our parts, they'll likely manufacture knockoffs as well, but we've calculated that into our profit margin for moving manufacturing to a country that has no worker protections"

No not really on stihls end but not sure on husky up till now when they shut all us saw manufacturing down and sent to china or Brazil. On stihls end they do I’m sure farm out some stuff but not to the extent that some of the clone importers would lead you to believe. Some of these importers would try to lead you into it being the exact same saw just no labels or mark up which is bs. Stihl has a large plant in China and they do make tools there for mostly their market out of the same global source parts as any other plant they own. Chinese plant making an ms 250 is using same parts as the us plant manning ms 250’s that are sourced all over the world. Stihl makes a large majority of the important hard parts themselves, plastics are made in Virginia Beach and shipped to Germany ect. They make mag castings in Germany and Brazil to ship to other factories. Over 90% of Stihl’s cylinders are made by Stihl in Brazil and the remainder are ks, mahle or gilerdoni. They make their own pistons and do final machine work in Virginia Beach they make crankshafts in Virginia Beach and Brazil for sure maybe other places. They are in full ownership of zama and make their own carbs and oil pumps there along with supply other manufacturers like husky and echo. If you go on Stihl global they will break down an ms 362 that is over 50% made in house by Stihl. They have always farmed our ignition systems ect but they are using Germany stuff not Chinese for they’re ignitions, they use German made starter rope ect even. They probably farm out screws im sure other stuff but they still make a lot themselves and probably have actually increased stuff they make for themselves to get a better handle on supply chains.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

There is some people on line saying they have this part made in the same place as oem but can’t say who’s making it because it’s a secret ect. And they don’t like when they get called out on it, answers always are very vague.

 

[EFSM]

Most of the clone stuff is purchased one time tore apart and copied.

My dad saw some Chinese at the GIE-expo with cameras taking closeup pictures of Honda engines from every angle.

 

[Woodwackr]

They wouldn't sell them in USA if people wouldn't buy them....

Same argument with coke and Fentenol

 

[Woodwackr]

My dad saw some Chinese at the GIE-expo with cameras taking closeup pictures of Honda engines from every angle.

The last thing China actually invented...and didn't steal... was gunpowder and I'm starting to doubt even that.