Before us is a typical, 100% Chinese, with all the ensuing consequences: careless assembly, constant “jambs” and demands to finish something, but with all these shortcomings, it puffs for the benefit of the owner. Judging by reviews on the Internet, in the case of chainsaws of this brand, the lottery effect is stronger than ever. Some, having disassembled the saw for maintenance after two years of operation, see the piston still shiny, others complain about “premature death” and workshops’ refusal to deal with this “junk.” It seems that when purchasing, everyone has a choice to make: will they decide to try their luck in purchasing a chainsaw with mixed reviews.
Confusion about brand and purpose
Compared to previous times, the level of information delivery has changed greatly. The custom of manufacturers has disappeared from the habit of providing with each product comprehensive information about the legal address of the manufacturer (what is today considered the “homeland of the brand” and the actual location of production facilities (now they write “country of assembly”). For the user, the opportunity to find out information like b has expanded with the advent of World Wide Web. But where is the truth in its vastness? So is the Maxcut chainsaw - you won’t find anything about this product.
The ownership of the Maxcut brand (correctly read “Makskat”, although most domestic users pronounce the name with the letter U) is rather vague. Some specialized sites say that the head office of the brand’s founders is in the USA, others say that it is in Russia. On the official website it generally says “Designed in Austria. Only one thing can be said with certainty: the saw is assembled in China, and quality control on the part of the customer leaves much to be desired, if it exists at all.
Thanks to its power, the model is referred to as semi-professional on most specialized resources dedicated to chainsaws. You shouldn’t delude yourself about this: the assembly features simply won’t allow you to use the saw in active mode all year round for heavy work: sawing, felling, preparing firewood. As for construction work with “light material” - boards and beams - the weight of the saw is too high for them (together with the bar, chain and full tanks about 7 kg). Therefore, we can confidently classify the tool as a household tool. As a seasonal assistant for cutting firewood for a bathhouse and occasionally felling rotten wood or dead wood on a site, a chainsaw can, under a fortunate combination of circumstances, last for more than one year.
Chain saw "Max Cat" MC-3818
Gasoline tool with simple functionality and convenient controls. The engine part starts quickly at any time of the year, although in winter, in addition to the throttle cable, this requires pumping up the fuel with a primer, which is also included in the design.
Advantages:
- vibration damping;
- improved throttle control;
- reusable air filter;
- low noise level;
- chain catcher;
- cutting mechanism brake – contact and inertial;
- ability to monitor lubricant level.
Specifications:
- Power potential – 1.7 hp;
- Tire and chain complex – 45 cm;
- Fuel tank – 0.28 l;
- Oil capacity – 0.16 l;
- Weight – 6.2 kg.
Design
The MaxCut 146 chainsaw is made according to the classic design. The engine is single-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled, with developed cylinder fins. The combustion chamber is located in the upper part, where the hole for attaching the spark plug opens. At the bottom there is a crankshaft with two counterweights. There is information about chrome plating of the cylinder and piston, but disassembling the chainsaw in service centers shows the absence of a special coating. On the other hand, the honing of the internal mirror of the cylinder and the grinding of the piston were carried out efficiently, which allows them to be “nursed” for a significant period without any damage.
The crankcase is completely metal and consists of two parts. On all sides except the front, it is covered with plastic body kits in the form of covers, a fuel and oil tank, and a rear handle. There is a sticker on the throttle handle in good Russian, which recommends a fuel mixture ratio of 1/32. The throttle trigger is standard; to the right of it there is an exhaust actuator for controlling the air damper for starting the engine after idle time. In the extended position, air access is difficult, the mixture becomes richer, and the engine starts to work more quickly. On the left, under the operator's hand, there is an electronic ignition switch. There is no primer, it will take longer to pull the starter during a cold start, but in a working saw and with normal gasoline this will not last longer than five minutes.
The starter itself has an easy starting system, which saves up to 60% of the operator’s effort. It's all about the return spring, which acts in the same direction as a person - to unwind the ratchet.
Gasoline and oil tanks are in a standard location, with plastic caps and without transparent windows. The air filter cover is attached to two hinges and secured with a plastic wing. The air filter itself is simple, without clamps, held on by friction, and when removed it reveals access to the carburetor. The carburetor itself is pure Chinese, which does not even try to imitate Walbro or Zama. There is a hole on the body for access to the adjusting screws, closed with a plastic plug.
The tire is mounted on two studs with nuts, an open clutch. The chain tension regulator is twisted along the tire, from the outside. The oil supply to the chain is metered by a screw on the underside of the saw.
Chainsaw "Max Cat" MC-246
A semi-professional modification of a gasoline cutter, which is useful both in logging and for harvesting lumber. It has a compact design, which allows you to take it with you fishing or outdoors.
Peculiarities:
- good power capabilities of the gasoline engine;
- long tire equipment;
- chain with a standard pitch of 0.325 mm;
- spacious containers for gasoline and lubricant;
- good packaging - there are tools for assembly and a tank for creating a fuel mixture;
- anti-vibration system;
- long engine life;
- The air filter is mounted on quick releases and is easy to clean;
- reliable clutch;
- The drive sprocket is wear-resistant and needs replacement less often.
Specifications:
- Traction force – 2.2 kW;
- Guide – 40 cm;
- Fuel tank – 550 ml;
- Oil capacity – 260 ml;
- Weight – 6000 g.
Quality of materials
The main complaint of most users is the poor processing of parts and the poor quality of materials.
Here are the most common of them:
- The gasket between the two halves of the crankcase sometimes comes out. Doesn't affect performance, but it's unpleasant.
- There is a flash on the crankcase casting.
- The plastic of almost all parts is of low quality and extremely cheap. This can be seen from the side covers and even from the brake flap.
These shortcomings show how cheap such a serious tool as a chainsaw is. They practically do not affect the operation of the motor itself and the nature of the cut, but simply serve as a reminder to those users who want to buy a Husqvarna-quality tool for 4,000 rubles.
Design features
The Maksut semi-professional chainsaw is as close as possible to similar professional-class tools in many respects, in particular in terms of comfort and duration of continuous operation, control automation, and the service life of critical components and assemblies.
The design allows, if necessary, adjustment or maintenance of the chainsaw to be carried out by the owner himself. Maintainability is facilitated by a sufficient assortment of spare parts, motor and chain oils, as well as other consumables.
Modifications
On the market you can find two chainsaws that have differences, but have the same index - MC 146. These are modifications of the same model. The version in an orange-gray body is often called the “pre-restyling” version, and the unit in black plastic with a red top is produced with the addition of Shark and is considered an improved version. External differences are extremely minor: in addition to the color design, the later version has a toggle switch instead of a key on the ignition switch and a button for fixing the gas position. Rumor has it that internal changes affected the CPG, but it is almost impossible to verify this, and a visual inspection shows nothing.
Petrol saw "MaxCut" MC 252
High productivity and durability of operating parameters under any load is what distinguishes this modification from all others.
Advantages:
- the air filter is quite easy to maintain;
- the lubricant pump is manually controlled;
- additional chain brake – safety in all situations;
- anti-vibration technologies;
- chain adjustment on the side of the tool;
- launch in seconds;
- reliability both in the cold season and in hot workshop conditions;
- gear stop so that the concentration of efforts has a clear focus;
- good balancing of the structure, allowing to reduce weight pressure on the shoulder girdle and spine.
Technical data:
- Gasoline engine – 2500 W;
- Guide length – 0.45 m;
- Weight – 5000 g.
And even cheaper?
Energomash BP-37
PATRIOT PT 445
Oddly enough, this is possible. Among saws with a 40 cm tire and similar engine power, the PIT GCS-45-D model can be found for over 3 thousand rubles when ordered online. Other competitors - PATRIOT PT 445, SOYUZ PTS-99371, Energomash BP-37 - cost about the same as Maxcut, the difference up or down is up to a thousand rubles. The quality and service life of these saws greatly depend on the chances of getting a factory defect and experiencing all the delights of contacting a service center.
SOYUZ PTS-99371
PIT GCS-45-D
Maxcut chainsaws are a strong competitor to other brands
There is no doubt that chainsaws sell out faster and receive a lot of positive reviews. In terms of their technical characteristics, equipment, level of safety and material design, they are identical to many branded saws, although the price is several times lower than them.
Their advantages are:
- powerful and energy-efficient motor systems;
- precise design of the structure;
- improved trigger mechanism;
- compact body, allowing better distribution of forces during the act of sawing;
- production of spare parts for each series and model of chainsaws - the tools become repairable and can last many times longer than expected.
Important disadvantages that must be taken into account when purchasing Maxcut power tools are:
- uninformative operating instructions, which a person without technical education will not be able to understand;
- difficulties in purchasing auxiliary materials - lubricants, motor oil, suitable for these saws.
Let's look at Max Cat saws, which have proven themselves best in our country.
Advantages and disadvantages
If you ask a person who has passed through one chainsaw what the main advantage of the Maxcat 146 is, he will answer: “At its price, it starts and cuts.” It would be funny if it weren’t for hundreds of cases of saws of similar prices being returned right after unpacking. These can also be found among the products of this company. But this is just bad luck.
Pros:
- Powerful engine
- Metal crankcase
- Good CPG processing
- Low price
Minuses:
- Low quality materials
- High chance of getting married
- Heavy weight
- The need to correct minor flaws from time to time
Owner reviews
I love reserves in everything, so when choosing a chainsaw for clearing an old forest park and collecting firewood, the engine capacity and power of the MaxCut MC 252 chainsaw played a decisive role. In two weeks, without any problems, I felled more than 30 trees, sawed 6 cubic meters of firewood for the house and 40 cubic meters for relatives and friends. At first there were problems with starting, the problem was solved by replacing the standard spark plug with a better analogue. There is an excessive consumption of fuel and chain oil, I am adjusting the pump, but so far without much success. Otherwise, everything is fine, I recommend it to everyone. Valery
The Chinese-assembled MaxCut MC 3816 saw was recommended by a good friend who has been using this model for two years without any problems. The first impression is that it looks good, but you have to get used to the weight. The tire is long enough for everyday work. On hard wood, the chain quickly becomes dull; after the end of the life of the saw set, I want to install a Shtilev set. Nikolai Nikolaevich
Description
The MAXCUT MC 152 chainsaw is used in everyday life and professional activities. The chainsaw is widely used for gardening and construction work, and at sawmills.
One of the advantages of the model is the inertia brake, which is activated when the chain accidentally hits a foreign object. It increases the safety of working with the tool. The mechanism is turned on and off using a handle located in the middle part of the chainsaw body. The model is equipped with a two-stroke engine running on a fuel mixture of gasoline and oil. The components are poured into separate tanks. Oil supply for lubrication of the saw chain is carried out by an automatic system.
The 72-teeth chain tension is adjusted using a socket wrench. It comes with the tool along with hex keys, a dog stop, two hex keys and a round file.
The chainsaw is well balanced. It is equipped with a vibration suppression system, which significantly reduces the negative impact on the operator’s hands during operation and improves controllability of the tool. Forged saw chain.
