Lidl Chainsaw

[wizer]

Lidl have this chainsaw on offer this coming Monday.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages ... ainsaw.ar1

What do you think? Steer Clear?

 

[matt]

Do I recall reading somewhere that you're a little accident prone, Wizer? (Apologies if not...)

That said, I'm tempted because I have quite a few trees that need regular trimming in the garden but ultimately I think I'm too much of a coward to go climbing around in trees with a chainsaw - esp as I couldn't justify the additional cost of all the safety gear.

I guess you're considering it from the point of view of prep'ing blanks?

 

[wizer]

Yes I have that reputation but I've only had one power tool accident, albeit a spectacular one.

and yes I'd like one for splitting turning logs, not for actually felling or pruning trees. This is about the cheapest 40cm chainsaw I've come across. I can get a Bosch for a similar price but it only 1800w and has a 12month warranty, this has 3yrs.

 

[gidon]

Love the way it's described as a "gardening essential"!!

Sorry Wizer have no idea but have to say if you can get a Bosch one for a similiar price albeit less powerful I'd probably go for that. I know some stuff can be pretty decent from Lidl but not sure I'd trust any non-branded chainsaw!

Cheers

Gidon

 

[lurker]

Wizer

If you look very very closely you can see a brand name -Dakota

 

[wizer]

Dakota

The thing that's making it viable is the 3yr warranty. AFAIK the main problem with electric chainsaws is the gears stripping. Well if they'll keep replacing it for 3yrs then I think it's probably worth £60. The bosch model I am looking at has mixed reviews and I think the quality of the machine itself will be similar to this.

 

[BMac]

I have a Lidl chainsaw under the 'Oregon' name and it is OK for light work. It tends to clog up if you are cutting along the grain (splitting blanks) and mine kept throwing the chain off until I found the critical point for tension.

Would I buy another one? No, I would buy a petrol model.

Would I buy one for occasional light work? Yes

Lidl returns - the 3 year warranty seems good but it will get you your money back, not a new tool because they are rotating stock items.

Brendan

 

[studders]

The hire shop that used to be near to me would only let Diy'rs hire electric chain saws. Apparently they are rather less dangerous than the petrol ones? That said I ended up buying a small McCulloch (sp) electric model and, whilst very useful and well built, it made me very wary when using it seeing as how it had more than enough oomph to rip through the 12" logs I had.

 

[Max Power]

In my opinion the general public should not be allowed to own chainsaws without first attending some form of training scheme. Which other tool has so much exposed blade? Reminds me of the incident a couple of years back when someone accidently decapitated their wife.Dangerous tool + untrained person = accident waiting to happen.

 

[big soft moose]

Apparently they are rather less dangerous than the petrol ones? .

not so - the inherent hazard in any chainsaw is the turning chain , and that is just as lethal with an electric model, plus you have the added hazard that its easy to cut the cable (so use an RCD).

my advice to anyone buying a chainsaw is that you must buy the appropriate ppe ( leggings, boots, hat and gloves) and that if you are buying a cheap saw you should be prepared to spend as much again on PPE.

My only comment on the specific model that toms looking at is to make sure that it has an easy operable chain brake to protect against kickback (its not clear that it does from the photo)

and to be honest when you buy one you need to be able to handle it and ideally try it running which means going to a specialist dealer as lidl aint goingto accomodate that.

I would generally suggest that a petrol model is a better bet , but in toms case i appreciate why he wants an electric - but that said I would say look at it as an investment and buy a decent one from stihl or huskie (afterall when lathe shopping you bought the big red machine not a £99 special from clarke the same logic applies to c/saws as much as any other kit)

if you really cant afford that the cheap axminster one isnt half bad - and is better balanced than a lot of budget models - you will be able to handle one at the kent axi show room.

 

[big soft moose]

In my opinion the general public should not be allowed to own chainsaws without first attending some form of training scheme. Which other tool has so much exposed blade? Reminds me of the incident a couple of years back when someone accidently decapitated their wife.Dangerous tool + untrained person = accident waiting to happen.

speaking as a fully qualified opperator ( NPTC CS30, 31, 32, 33 , 34, and 36 ) I abosulutely agree - though only the first of the certs i have is necessary for workshop use, the others relate to felling big trees and dealing with widow makers - but the thing is that even the two day course for NPTC CS30 costs over 300 notes.

you can get cheaper training from lantra etc but even so its well over the ton.

That said i have to say i cant see how anyone could "accidentally" decapitate anyone with a chainsaw - at the very least you'd have to be extremly negligent or reckless - while my feeling is that it would be deliberate followed by a sob story defence.

The bottom line tho is that chainsaws are no more inherently dangerous than saw benches, bandsaws, or many other things people have in their shops - but like anything else you must know what you are doing, wear appropriate PPE, and treat any tool with appropriate respect.

(for example i know chainsaws backwards and use a big powerful one most days in the winter months - but saw benches and router tables worry me )

 

[BMac]

I agree with the safety message. I am fortunate to have a friend who teaches chain saw safety courses so I had an afternoon at his house before I took the saw out of the box.

The only safety message I would add is that, as an amateur, I never use the saw when I am alone at home.

Brendan