Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First off for all of those people that gave negative reviews due to chain problems: The chain will not come off the bar spontaneously, it will not come loose every few seconds, it does not require tightening every minute or so. However, if the bar and chain is NOT assembled correctly it will do ALL of those things. There is this magical pin that is attached to the chain tensioner screw that MUST be in the small round hole in the guide bar. If that pin is NOT in the proper hole the bar will NOT lay flat against the saw body and the nuts will NOT tighten it down properly, no matter how hard one pulls on the wrench and strips the threads or nuts. The chain tensioning screw will not hold the chain in tension if the tensioner pin is not in the hole in the bar. I believe there is a section in the instructions that is called 'Installing the Guide Bar and Saw Chain' shown on page 23 and particularly Fig. 29 that should be of interest here. Now I know it is not 'macho' for some to read instructions, but it comes to mind; "that if all else fails, try reading the instructions" and by the way that means 'following them' is also required, -it may just help a bunch. Of course the part on page 23 about just -slightly- loosening the bar retaining nuts and not removing them, or turning them many times so the bar pops off of the chain tensioner pin may have been the first failure point. Instructions always seem to leave out little hints about what to look for when working on unfamiliar equipment. The thing is to get the bar and chain assembled properly and the chain will NOT come off. The chain may loosen slightly during use but that is what the chain tensioner adjustment is for. The chain is also pretty sharp when the saw is new so handle with care. It will dull very quickly if it hits rocks, concrete, metal, or dirt. That is something that can happen easily especially when cutting out stumps. Stuff on the ground seems to become incorporated into a tree when it grows. Children and critters also put stuff in trees. Experience shows that the replacement chains always last longer ;) Buy a spare. I think this saw takes an Oregon S50 chain, 3/8" pitch, low profile, anti-kickback, 0.050" gauge and 50 links. It does seem to me that a product that is assembled and ready to run should come with a small vial of bar and chain oil. That seems reasonable to me even if gas saws don't come with gas and electric saws don't come with extension cords. However, speaking of oil, the instructions do mention leaks during storage. -Yes, they will leak, some saws more than others. In this model the oil is forced out of the reservoir by pushing on the rubber bulb causing an air pressure change inside the reservoir. Daily air pressure changes and temperature changes during storage also push on that little rubber bulb, -and on the reservoir. I think that loosening the cap on the reservoir may help prevent the oil from being squeezed out during storage. I don't see that mentioned in the instructions, but maybe I missed that part. It may be worth a try. I don't know, my former saw had a pump that ran off the chain sprocket. Another thing that happens is after a few years the little plastic oil tubes split and oil runs everywhere. Replacement tubing can be found at the auto parts store in the small engine section. Bar and chain oil can also be found there for 10/gallon. This saw draws 8 amps so it will not cut overly fast but it does OK. More amps would be OK but that also means heavier and/or shorter extension cords and overloading outlets and plugs rated for 15 amps max. I feel 8-10 amps is a good compromise in a weekender saw application. Relax, listen to the tool, don't bog it down, let it cool off between cuts or periodically during cuts, and it should last a long time. Above all be careful, read the safety tips. Keep a good grip on the saw with both hands. Move it slowly and keep your balance. Pull the branches away from your work area to avoid falls. Branches and trees can move suddenly while you are cutting and they are very unforgiving. Don't end your day in the ER.