Chinese 365 Copy...

[MCW]

Hi Guys. As mentioned in another thread I recently had a few saws imported from a supplier of mine in China. He sourced them from other suppliers doing a bit of homework for me on the way. To be honest these were just for kicks and to play with then sell at cost to friends/family if they showed any promise. Otherwise they would have the crap thrashed out of them until they died
Please don't think I imported these to crap over genuine saws, I haven't. I actually imported the two 365's as test beds for the 372XP BB kits I am importing from the same guy. The other saws were an 070 copy and an 038/380 copy. The 070 and 038 were from the same manufacturer and the quality very disappointing. The 070 still won't run properly but despite the 038's poor visual and external build quality, it starts and runs surprisingly well. The 365's were from another manufacturer. It pays to remember that there are a number of Chinese companies knocking off the 365 - these ones are the better versions with larger crank and bearings etc. After seeing them I have no doubt they are the better version doing the rounds.
Anyway have attached some photos below as I pulled one of the two 365 copies down after half a tank. The manufacturer had run it after assembly but had tuned it way too rich. From memory it was only pulling just over 10,000rpm. I leaned it out to 11,800rpm but it was a still a bit rich for safety.
Compression cold was around 145psi so I pulled the base gasket and reassembled it. Compression went up and squish was about .030". (for those guys that read my thread in AS I apologise if there are inconsistencies. I'm going by memory here which is sometimes a bit dodgey!).

Some of you may also have noticed the broken brake handle in one of the photos. The saw I pulled down had the handle broken in transit due to abuse but also poor packaging...

 

[MCW]

The P&C assembly is of surprising quality. Even better quality than a brand new MS660 which says something. That's not having a go at Stihl, that is just stating a fact about how their internal quality is going downhill in that particular model. (the 660's reliability is not in question!).

This is a surprisingly well built saw. I compared it to a mate's genuine 365 and to be honest could not tell the difference except for the obvious stickers and the manufacturer's name on the carby. Funnily enough the Chinese saw is noticably heavier. (less magnesium I presume!)

It starts well, idles well, accelerates well. It does everything that a genuine 365 would do. After pulling it down I can also see no reason as to why it wouldn't be reliable.
Cost wise it is very appealing (more so in Australia where our saw prices are insane). I can sell one of these for about USD$400 and make good money (a genuine 365 in Australia is around USD$1400 MSRP). It also comes with a 20" laminated bar and genuine Carlton Full Chisel. Having a Carlton account and having the same A2-LM chain in stock I have no reason to believe it isn't genuine Carlton.

 

[MCW]

And a video of this saw in some pretty hard Casuarina. This is with a 20" bar, standard 7 pin rim, and Carlton A2-LM full chisel chain.
Sorry about the wood in the video, I'd been hacking into it moments before with my modded 660 and it became a bit unstable

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Now by importing these saws I'm not trying to start any arguments, just hoping that many of you will find it very interesting at just how good Chinese saws have become. This is by no means a disposable saw.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Eventually, we will all have slanted eyes. Really.

Interesting thread. When I worked offshore some Chinese shackles had gotten in the mix and we were instructed to find them and replace them with OSHA approved shackles.

 

[PCTREE]

All the bolts used on Wraptors are made in the US. Sometimes costs 3X more but Im told chinese bolts just cannt be trusted.

 

[Cobleskill]

Ya see that thing about knock-off passenger aircraft replacement parts? They found knock-offs on Air Force One.

 

[Cobleskill]

It is amazing they can do such a good job of copying for so cheap. "Genuine Chainsaw" My bud bought a 6.5 horse "Chonda" for his log splitter-$200. I swear you could put Honda parts on it and they would fit. Runs good.

 

[SkwerI]

Whenever a market becomes unbalanced, somebody will figure out a way to fill the void. Amazing that genuine Husky and Stihl saws are so expensive there, and most treemen aren't known for their financial wealth.

 

[MCW]

It is amazing they can do such a good job of copying for so cheap. "Genuine Chainsaw" My bud bought a 6.5 horse "Chonda" for his log splitter-$200. I swear you could put Honda parts on it and they would fit. Runs good.

Yeah. Truth is though that even a genuine 365 wouldn't cost much more than this (if at all) to actually manufacture. Sad part is that most Honda small engine parts are out of China, in fact I think all of their stationary engines are from memory.

Whenever a market becomes unbalanced, somebody will figure out a way to fill the void. Amazing that genuine Husky and Stihl saws are so expensive there, and most treemen aren't known for their financial wealth.

It's unfortunate but true. I can import a 200T new from the states and land it here for less than half the local price. The Aussie dollar is now one 1:1 with the US dollar as well.
To give you an idea...

3120XP with 42" bar = USD$2500
MS880 with 42" bar = USD$2800
200T = USD$1550 MSRP but can buy them for as low as USD$1380 from the cheapest dealers.
395XP = USD$2000
390XP = USD$1880
MS660 = USD$1950-2000

We get well and truly ripped which is why saws such as this particular Chinese copy would do well if marketed properly. Anybody who would buy one of these would never have purchased a genuine 365 anyway. In fact in that price range in Australia they'd only "just" get an MS170 if they're lucky.

 

[SkwerI]

At $1380 for a 200T, I might just possibly begin to consider using something else. Almost.
I lurves my 200T



(I will unintentionally derail your thread any chance I get. Or whenever my mind wanders off......)

 

[brendonv]

I like your ankle condoms.

 

[Al Smith]

A few years ago I landed about a half a ton of chain from TSC for a mere 50 bucks .Just lengths from 12 feet to 50 feet ,no hooks . So I bought a bunch of hooks not paying much attention except they were Campbell Hausfield which I naturally assumed to be US made .Wrongo Marylou they were Chinese which did not amuse me in the least .Once again proving a brand name means very little now of days .

 

[woodworkingboy]

Before we completely knock the hell out of the Chinese for their crappy stuff, I'd just like to say that a number of years ago, I bought some cobalt blue colored silk sheets in Hong Kong that were very very nice. It was a present for a friend of mine who is quite the ladies man.

 

[MasterBlaster]

To take the Chinese lightly would be a grave mistake.

 

[Al Smith]

The Chinese aren't the only ones .If I told you the off shore content of most components on US made automobiles you would be shocked . It's not all just Pacific rim countries either .

 

[Al Smith]

--further more they ship stuff in bulk to Mexico,repackage it then peddle it under the guise of good old NAFTA . They've just screwed us 40 ways from Sunday and we couldn't see it happening at the time ,sucks .

 

[thattreeguy]

All the bolts used on Wraptors are made in the US. Sometimes costs 3X more but Im told chinese bolts just cannt be trusted.

and thats the kind of thinking, that will keep you turning out a great product......american made, and trusted
the chinese...are only out to make a buck
looks like a husky

 

[Al Smith]

Here's one .Imagine this chit .Crankshaft castings done in India for Pete's sake,shipped to Ohio and machined .Installed in an engine which is shipped to Mexico ,heaven forbid to be installed in a Lincoln to be sold in the US and Canada .Good grief .

 

[Magnus]

Why they are cheep?

They have no development costs, no cost for spare parts or service systems, they have cheaper components in the saws, no warranty to be hassled with No quality demands at all, no environmental fee's or regulations to consider and pay for.
Workers that have no rights or reasonably payed..

These saws are as feared here as the America/Italy made consumer grade saws.

 

[Cut4fun]

Thanks for the thread.

I think it just comes down to when something is no longer being made or is outdated, the overseas places buy the right to them. Look at the saws they are making, older designs.

Also when I lived in Turkey in 85-86, there was BRAND NEW 57 chevys and 64 impala's running around with diesel motors. We were told gm had sold the rights off to the molds.

 

[bruce6670]

I've been on a mission for over a year now trying to only buy products that are made in the US or other countries that pay a decent wage to their employees. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that the things I'm buying cheap, are made by some little kid in a third world nation, just so some big corporation can make huge profits. Some things are getting near impossible though.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Wow.

when I lived in Turkey in 85-86, there was BRAND NEW 57 chevys and 64 impala's running around with diesel motors.

Amazing.

 

[Al Smith]

Well truth be known we've just about ran out of choices .It's not just an invasion of inexpensively made goods in the US and Canada but to every area in the world .You should hear the Germans mumbling about it .

Like I said before about that Lowes plywood. The freakin white oak most likely came from Ohio, shipped to China then right back to Ohio for some fool like me to buy the damned stuff because that's all the choice I had .Hmm,the oak just came full circle so to speak .We're just screwed and didn't even get a kiss .

 

[Magnus]

Thanks for the thread.

I think it just comes down to when something is no longer being made or is outdated, the overseas places buy the right to them. Look at the saws they are making, older designs.

Also when I lived in Turkey in 85-86, there was BRAND NEW 57 chevys and 64 impala's running around with diesel motors. We were told gm had sold the rights off to the molds.

This is often the case, but not the china saws.

 

[MCW]

At $1380 for a 200T, I might just possibly begin to consider using something else. Almost.
I lurves my 200T



(I will unintentionally derail your thread any chance I get. Or whenever my mind wanders off......)

Heh heh. Thats why I imported my 200T from the states plus 2 others that I sold.

I like your ankle condoms.

Yeah they stop my ankles getting pregnant! With my job that involves a lot of field consulting I have to wear them to stop my socks getting full of prickles - otherwise you have to simply throw them in the bin at the end of each day. They're also good for stopping your boots getting full of woodchips. (I normally wear chaps but for some of the short vids like this I don't).

Thanks for the thread.

I think it just comes down to when something is no longer being made or is outdated, the overseas places buy the right to them. Look at the saws they are making, older designs.

Also when I lived in Turkey in 85-86, there was BRAND NEW 57 chevys and 64 impala's running around with diesel motors. We were told gm had sold the rights off to the molds.

I agree. We also have our local GM car plant (Holden) producing a new "save the Australian car industry" small car. Except that only 25% of it is actually Australian...