chainsaw carving set-up on a tight budget

[stuckinthemud]

Evening All,

I'm new to this forum and if this subject has been raised before, perhaps someone can push me to the correct thread: I've been carving a while, almost all small-scale, (though I have burned-out a couple of cheap angle grinders carving some oak animals for my kids school with an Arbortech disk). What would you recommend as a budget set-up for occasional chainsaw carving?

[Ukulian]

ECHO CS281-WES WITH 1/4" DRIVE SPROCKET - SUPERB CARVING SAW FOR THE HOME AND PROFESSIONAL ALIKE. BUY THE SAW AND BUY SOME BARS! - Sugihara Guide Bars

[rooster]

We have been offering a chainsaw carving camp for beginners for nine years now and we require that participants have two saws and an angle grinder with a "flap sanding disk", safety boots, safety pants, eye and ear protection.

 

Bailey's in California ran a camp for a number of years and included a chainsaw in the price. Students were expected to change bars between blocking, shaping and detailing.

 

I always recommend a small cc saw for beginners, mainly because of weight.

I also recommend a maximum 0f 12" logs so that a 14" bar can work safely when ripping.

 

If the Echo CS281 saw was available in Canada (or US) I would highly recommend them. Sugiuhara or Cannon bars (Canadian Eh!)

 

ROOSTER

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[stuckinthemud]

Thanks both; even the Echo set is too rich for my blood - by occasional I mean only a few times a year - what are the issues with a second-hand saw? Would it be worth getting a second hand Echo/Stihl/other and putting a new carving bar on it?

[rooster]

Not a hobby to pinch pennies with.

Safety gear should be your first investment.

 

Second hand is fine for occasional use but will it be reliable?

My 24 inch saw is so old that it does not have a brake on it.

It has been reliable and strong but I only use it for ripping and only on big logs less than 24 inches so that the tip is not in the wood.

 

You will get many different opinions but remember that you only intend to be an occasional carver and not a pro!

[gobbypunk]

Hi , as with all tools you get what you pay for , you may be lucky and get a good buy from ebay but I think with a carving bar and chain and sprocket you would be looking at £200/250, and the saw could go wrong after 3 weeks or just over £300 is what I paid for a new echo and carving bar and I know its going to last me yrs and yrs talk to Rob D on hear he will set you up with a good deal good luck with your carving

Cheers Mark

[Darrin Turnbull]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

[Haironyourchest]

pick up a cheap mains electric chainsaw in Lidl, Aldi or Argos or similar and buy a proper narrow tip carving bar and chain for it. That will be doable for under 100.

[wisewood]

pick up a cheap mains electric chainsaw in Lidl, Aldi or Argos or similar and buy a proper narrow tip carving bar and chain for it. That will be doable for under 100.

 

I suspect that you may not be able to get a 1/4 sprocket for these cheap saws.

The Echo sounds like a good package, even if you got a decent used saw you still need to buy 1/4 sprocket, dime tip bar and 1/4 carving chain so whichever route you go you'll need at least £250-£300

Personally if it was me starting out I'd probably keep saving and buy the Echo pre set up for carving. If you decide it's not for you, you can sell on for similar money.

[Haironyourchest]

I suspect that you may not be able to get a 1/4 sprocket for these cheap saws.

The Echo sounds like a good package, even if you got a decent used saw you still need to buy 1/4 sprocket, dime tip bar and 1/4 carving chain so whichever route you go you'll need at least £250-£300

Personally if it was me starting out I'd probably keep saving and buy the Echo pre set up for carving. If you decide it's not for you, you can sell on for similar money.

 

The Florabest Lidl one comes with an Orgeon 16" AO95 'Doubleguard' bar - would the mounting end of that type of orgeon bar be the same a dime tip? I haven't a clue but sure someone here does.