Mc Dillen Chainsaws - Opinions

[Shox Dr]

Has anyone used/bought a McDillen Chainsaw, off the bay of flea.


I only require it for fire wood, I've used to have 3 saws at one time, 2 Stihl and a Partner. So know good from bad, just want a cheap saw and dont want to spend 100quid plus on a second hand Stihl to find it dies in 2 months time.

Opinions please

 

[Wedg1e]

Arguably, you'd at least have a chance of finding spares to repair your £100 Stihl than some tat knocked out in China and flogged by Ebay box-shifters...

 

[Omniata]

I'd say the same...

If the body's in good condition the rest can be replaced on a Stihl...
Fairly cheaply too

The McDillen uses 25:1 oil:fuel too... Most Stihl's, if not all run of 50:1, so I'd recon there's a "cut down" somewhere...

 

[the snooper]

last time my stihl went wrong it cost me just over 6quid for a set of piston rings and easy to get hold of

 

[mike os]

£6... you flash git

£4.50 for a chain brake.... only spare part on my 026 in 10 years(other than consumables)

Personally you could not persuade me to have that if it was free

 

[CTB]

I've had my stihl for 18 years now and only replaced bars when they wear. It still starts easily and works like it should. I've cut an awful lot of trees and firewood with it, and I know if something breaks I can get spares to fix it easily. The secret to chain saw longevity is never to lend it to a friend!
I dont know how long a mcdillon would last, but I suspect nowhere near as long.

 

[the snooper]

well Mcdillon starts off the same as McCullough and they say that McCullough are classed as disposable dont fix it just buy a new one

 

[Omniata]

well Mcdillon starts off the same as McCullough and they say that McCullough are classed as disposable dont fix it just buy a new one

Hence the price

 

[Howburn]

Never heard of this make of saw but it is cheap so it will be tempting. There is quite a lot about them on this thread
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=21236&page=3
but admittedly they are top handled saws.

I sell new Jonsered chain saws and have some 38cc ones in stock I admit they are dearer than the one you are looking at but you will get 12 months guarantee and you can lambast me on the forum if it is no good. PM me if interested.

 

[mike os]

jonsered have always been good kit IME... no seen any for a good while tho

 

[Shox Dr]

Never heard of this make of saw but it is cheap so it will be tempting. There is quite a lot about them on this thread
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=21236&page=3
but admittedly they are top handled saws.

I sell new Jonsered chain saws and have some 38cc ones in stock I admit they are dearer than the one you are looking at but you will get 12 months guarantee and you can lambast me on the forum if it is no good. PM me if interested.

Do you have a linky to a web site, and model number please, PM if you wish

 

[mgarym]

the cheaper chainsaws have brass bushes instead of bearings
and no bearings at the end of the cutting bar.The quality of parts is controlled to such an extent that at each price point the manufactures can predict the life expectancy of the saw to with in a few hours!
Some of the cheaper one only have an expectany of 15 hours'which is ok if you use it once or twice a year in the garden then it lasts you for years.
But as with most things you get what you pay for.

 

[metalspanner]

mcdilldo DONT do it, I bought a chingchongwotadong 5200 'supersaw' for one job for around 50squid on fleabay, it didnt even manage to finish the job it was bought for.
I got a husky to do the job, but I still have a good saw for the rest of etc.
It does pay to shop around and pick up the best you can afford, the worst that will happen to a sthil is the cylinder and piston will wear or the cdi packup, still cheaper to fix than a chinease saw to buy and you have a good saw for years to come.

 

[Glynn Fletcher]

McDillen Chainsaw

Hi,
in reply to your request for info on the McDillen chainsaw I bought one directly from the manufacturer in Germany ( I actually bought 3 , one for me and the other two for friends) the cost was about £75.00 each in 2011. It hasn't ever let me down and with a 58cc power pack it cuts very large logs indeed. The blade is 20" and the engine starts first pull every time. as long as the chain is sharp it will be the best investment possible. I went for the German one as if they build brilliant cars why not incredible chainsaws. I wasn't wrong.
Glynn Fletcher

 

[pedrobedro]

I went for the German one as if they build brilliant cars why not incredible chainsaws. I wasn't wrong.
Glynn Fletcher

Fine old German name, McDillen They are Chinese selling through a distributor in Europe. I bought a top handle one (I know they are for arborists and it's going to kill me) under a different name but identical to the McD and if it finishes the job I bought it for I will be happy. My back yard logging saw is a Husqvarna 135, 2 years warranty and spares availability guaranteed for at least 10 years. I know it's an old thread but he started it

 

[Shox Dr]

So I might as well add my tuppence (Mmmm tuppence)

I bought a Sanli CS45 for £115 (RRP180) last Jan

I've put about 5 gallon through it, starts second pull cold, and first thereafter. Could do with more power but then doesn't every saw.

My back yard logging saw is a Husqvarna 135, 2 years warranty and spares availability guaranteed for at least 10 years.

EU law states manufacturers must hold stock of parts for at least 6yrs.

 

[pedrobedro]

EU law states manufacturers must hold stock of parts for at least 6yrs.

Yes but China is not bound by EU law I'm not knocking the saws they do the job and with the Walbro carb they are efficient. Plastics on some of them are a bit tacky, the chain brake on my cheap one feels a bit suspect (wobbly) but it works and the spark plug is a Chinese one but it there is NGK equivalent. It has an Oregon chain and bar which is a worldwide standard but if the clutch or sprocket went or the brake band wore out I think I would have to do a bit of searching to replace them. The little Husky was £80 more but the difference is immediately obvious.

 

[Shox Dr]

Very true. A good reason to buy a brand with an importer/distributor

 

[madkayaker]

My main saw is a husky 266 that was build late 80's ish. Has been used in forestry all it's life before I got it starts second pull from cold and first after that. Can still get all the bits new

 

[brewdexta]

I had a small stihl which was a problem starter so sold it to a mate and bought a bigger Husky 435 with decompression doo da, I used the stihl for brush clearance when I first bought the farm, I use the Husky for cutting large logs up before sticking 'em on the log splitter (old bobcat ram etc,) The Husky starts lovely, very easy,

My mate found the problem with the Stihl and that's a decent starter too now, not as easy as the husky though. I think it was some internal damage to a linkage, I did lend it to another mate and it never started well after that.......