pleasant

Can be.....if you take the plunge and shell out for all of it. But if you are an agent for half a dozen manufacturers and all testing equipment is brand specific it's can be very expensive. Taking into account the cost of diagnostic equipment and labour, even if you can tell a customer what's wrong because you have the 'kit' if it's beyond an econmomical repair, then you still aren't earning anything from the repair that never materialised. Yes, we get paid for doing the diagnostics to provide the customer an estimate oif costs, but we have to keep this charge lower that we would like to, because even the charge for an estimate can and will put people off even considering a potential repair

There really are only 5 major things that can and do go wrong- battery, charger, switching, PCB and motor. Labour rate to repair is the same as a petrol. Generally electric stuff is more labour intenstive to diagnose and repair as they are a fiddly clamshell construction, and predominantly just by looking you can't actually 'hear' or 'see' the issue unlike petrol, so testing is required. When you quote an hours labour to get into it and then diagnose the issue even before a repair this can be over £50- however, providing the operator still has the good battery and charger, then for them a body only replacement machine makes more economical sense to purchase rather than repair the old 'body' At that point then we are often asked to 'recycle' (or dump) the faulty unit This 'green' machinery lark is a con

Battery kit out of warranty= generally beyond economical repair. More landfill Petrol kit out of warranty= repairable at reasonable cost. Extended life. Less landfill

As you are an occasional user, then I suspect rather than price, ease of operation, weight and a brand that has good support is more important to you. Therefore (like above) I would also recommend the Stihl MS181 with a 14" bar. Easy to use, good back up, and unlike a pro saw, will be a lot lighter for you to operate on an occasional basis.

If he/she can't be rsssed to enlighten his customer base, then buggered if I am!

If you re-read my earlier post you will see I state I already retail Aspen alongside Stihl Motomix and Moto+4. I know the virtues of using those products and I take great lengths and time explaining that to potential new users who in the first instance see the price and need an explanation as to why the cost, and then the benefits. When I asked you to explain your statement about 'overcoming the cost issues' (sic) by having a free trial, I was asking you to elaborate as to what the features and benefits are to the consumer and benefit to the machinery it is being used in....you know, the kind if stuff people would need to look out for. I am looking at this from a domestic/semi pro gardener man in a van user point of view, who is not privvy to the general chat between pro arb users, who may well know the advantages of your product already. There are an awful lot of casual users and semi pro gardeners who read this forum and reference it, and they would no doubt appreciate reading of the benefits and features of your product more than a pro user who is already aware of the product and the ONLY obstacle to them purchasing is price. I think you have made an assumption it is only pro user customers on here who are well versed as to your products benefits, and it is your understanding therefore, that price is your only obstacle on here. That may well be true for Arb pro's, but like I say, it isn't just those that view or search this forum for information. I wasn't being argumentative, and I know your trial offer is only open to pro arb guys, but I was effectively asking you explain to others, maybe less well informed potential new users- but you didn't

I think that last part of your comment sums that all up quite well., as quite clearly you couldn't

'and may then be inclined to up their prices in line' So someone may not need to, but will do so simply because they think they can? I don't like this practice..it is unjust, immoral and stinks of corporate cartels. Work to the profit margin you require given your costs....if you can reach that target without having to effectively fix prices by charging what others are, then good on you and good on your customers.

A general rules of thumb is the ideal length bar is 'roughly' a third of an engines cc's

Yes, ok

Seized bearings due to the build up of detritus attracted by the grease.....not as a result of none being there.

That's fine........but I see about 6 a year needing new cranks or seized bearings on certain saws. Husky did used to allow for greasing/oiling via a hole in the end of the crank, so not all are the same. but generally I wouldn't recommend it for saws where they don't make a provision for greasing.

Never grease these bearings....ideally should go on dry or the very least a light spray of WD oil. Grease attracts grit and shoite which just acts as a grinding paste on the crank. I repeat never grease them.

'Will pay' or 'will have to pay' if you create effectively a cartel in your area.....then you get prices chasing prices because one charges more then so does everyone else.....and then you have to start chasing for customers long term. Charging 'what you can get away with' simply inflates prices and reduces custom long term, when in reality if you look at your business plan rather than other peoples you will find what others charge is irrelevant to your individual needs to run a profitable business. it will also give you an indicator where to be more efficient if your calculations conclude your daily rate is actually more than the opposition. Personally, simply charging more because someone else is seemingly 'getting away with it' is immoral....even though it may appear to be a normal business practice for some. We all moan about pterol prices and how all oil companies seem to charge the same and put prices up at the same time like it's some conspiracy........but then doing the same in your own business ?

Comes down to what your costs are and what profit margin you require to sustain your business and lifestyle....not what 'everyone else is charging' This is what I find an issue with tradesmen and the like. Freds charging £250 a day, and I'm only £200 a day, so I'm now going to charge £250......this is blinkered logic. Every business and/or individual is different.....work your costs out, work out how much profit you wish to make and charge accordingly...don't take someone elses charges as a yardstick for your business.

I remember selling those al-ko's. Good little saw...pig to work on though.

True....but it clears up for a few weeks after i've put the cream on! 😁

My shelf queens are: Dolmar 118, Partner R421t, Pioneer 11-60, Stihl MS460, Stihl 028avs, Echo CST-610evl Twin, Stihl 090AV, Husqvarna 44, Stihl 048av, Stihl 031av, Danarm 1-71-ss. ..and my, 'I don't mind getting dirty' current saw is a: Stihl MS261

Greasing/lubricating will not make any difference. Something is imbalanced- like someone has said, run it without the attachment fitted in the first instance. This will give you an idea as to where to isolate the issue to some degree. The km56 power unit uses a flexi driveshaft, so is unlikely to be 'bent' in the true sense of the word, but the ends can get crimped to a degree. They are easy to remove and check- 8 torx screws and the top body comes off and the shaft just slides out. Fiddly, but no special tools required. When you run the power unit observe the rotation of the end of the shaft where you connect the attachment. You should clearly see whether it is off centre.There should be two metal 'bows' in the end of the shaft to help locate the corresponding shaft on the attachment....these can break and if they shear off in the end of the shaft then a new shaft end is required and they are expensive. The hedge cutter attachment does have a solid shaft with support bushes/nylon sleeve, but unless the shaft has been removed, bent then put back in during normal use I have never known one to simply bend. Bushes/support sleeves can deteriorate. Is it a genuine stihl attachment...I have seen loads advertised with a stihl power unit and an generic attachment....had one in a few weeks ago with exactly that, there was intermittent drive to the head.....turns out it was an ebay purchase and the seller had tried to shorten the drive shaft on the generic head to get it to fit. If you do decide to remove the power unit top cover (assuming it still vibrates with no attachment fitted) then while you're in there check the flywheel fins..if one is missing this will give to bad vibrations...as it also will if it is loose, but a loose flywheel probably won't allow it to start in the first place

You are correct...different size bar mount, different location of bar/chain oiler as well. Personally, I wouldn't bother

It's a scam. Was highlighted on here only a week or so ago. Pay your money, and you won't receive a saw. Here you go:

Have they not been written down, so own you nothing? They are telling you to replace them if they are that worn out they are breaking. Silly to compromise on safety....especially if they have done their money no doubt several times over.

A lot are the same or very similar.......neither Stihl or Husqvarna have their own refineries, so it is made for them to their specification as there are slight differences. It have been reported that Stihl's motomix specification is the highest requested and has the highest octane rating. I understand a similar producer of the stuff called Truefuel do/did make Stihl's motomix to their specs

If you decide to buy the 'neat' 4-stroke Stihl motoplus4 or Aspen 4, then at least you have options to dispense it for use in both 2 or 4 stroke machinery- however use a decent 2-stroke synthetic oil with your mix, such as the Green Stihl HP (not the ultra) oil, as this is the oil Stihl automatically add to their pre-mix 2-stroke fuel, as it has a stabiliser added, whereas the cheap Red version or the more expensive Ultra version doesn't

.....and these are just they type who we really need in this county aren't they?