Whether you're cutting trees during the fall or spring, you know how much effort it costs you to cut thicker branches by hand. If you are looking for a cheap and compact solution, we definitely recommend a small chain saw VIOLEWORKS 88VF, with which you can cut up to 10 cm thick branches.
With coupon from EU warehouse
The VIOLEWORKS 88VF cordless chain saw is currently available from our international partner Banggood. It is available only in the Chinese warehouse and at a high price, but we found in Czech warehouse a much cheaper alternative. This is the exact same 4 inch saw but does not have the plastic guard.
VIOLEWORKS 88VF
We ordered this saw on Tuesday 28.9 and it was delivered to us by the DPD courier on Thursday, 30.9. Delivery took so long only 2 working days.
Content and quality of packaging
You will receive the VIOLEWORKS 88VF saw in a classic cardboard box measuring 33 x 10 x 17 cm. There is a saw inside, but it needs to be folded. The box contains a handle, a chain, a metal guide plate, on which a chain, a screwdriver, a wrench, a protective shield, a charger and, in our case, also 2 batteries are mounted. A single battery version is also available.
You will also find brief paper documentation in the package, which does not contain installation instructions. The saw itself works well despite the very low price. It is made of plastic, but it is pleasant to hold in the hand and made a good impression.
Chainsaw assembly
Despite the fact that there is no good instructions in the package, the assembly of this chain saw is relatively simple and intuitive. In the first step, it is necessary to unscrew the nut that holds the black plastic cover. Below it is a gear wheel and a space for holding a guide plate with a chain.
In the next step, we placed the chain on the metal guide blade so that it fitted into its groove around the circumference and stored it, as you can see in one of the following photos. The chain must fit snugly on the sprocket and the holes on the metal blade must fit into place.
After placing the chain, simply put the plastic cover back in place and secure it with a nut. The last step is to attach the plastic protector, for which a small screw is placed in the upper part. All you have to do is unscrew it, insert the protector and screw it back on. The saw folded in this way is ready for the first use.
Checking the chain and its tension
The chain in such a saw must not be too tight, but also very loose. You can check the tension very easily by hand, pulling the chain slightly out of its groove. If the chain falls out of this groove slightly even without pulling, it is too loose. On the contrary, if you can't even move it, it's too tense.
The chain tension is corrected by means of a screw located in close proximity to the metal blade at the top. By turning the screw clockwise, tighten the chain and loosen it in the opposite direction.
The chain in this cordless saw has no lubrication, so it is advisable to lubricate it from time to time to maintain a longer life and trouble-free operation.
How does it work in practice?
Initially, we were worried that the VIOLEWORKS 88VF chain saw with an output of 800 W would not only be for quite thin branches. In the real test, however, this saw pleasantly surprised us. The chain blade is approximately 10 cm (4 ″), so it needs to be adjusted.
We started testing when sawing thin branches, but gradually we switched to thicker and thicker ones. We also managed to saw the exact branch of the apple tree, which is exactly 10 cm wide. In the following video, you can see how they handle a rough branch:
Of course, dry branches are the easiest to saw, it is a bit harder with fresh and coarse branches. A 10 cm wide fresh branch of a tree took this sawmill and it stopped several times during sawing, but in the end we successfully sawed such a branch several times. However, thinner branches are absolutely no problem for this saw.
Batteries, endurance and charging
The pair of batteries in the package has a capacity of 2500 mAh. The manufacturer states the endurance for 1.5 hours of work. However, such an indication is not very authoritative, as it is not clear how long and often the chain saw went during the mentioned hour and a half.
We managed to discharge the battery much faster (about 30 minutes), during which, however, it went almost continuously. During the endurance test, we saw a 5 cm thick branch of thuja, twice a 7 cm thick branch of an apple tree and many other, thinner branches. You can see the total number of sawed branches per battery in the photo below.
The endurance is rather average and we would certainly welcome a longer endurance per charge. During work, the endurance per battery seemed quite short. We therefore recommend purchasing a package with two batteries. We perceive the absence of battery status signaling as a negative. During work, you do not even know what the remaining capacity is.
The huge positive is that the batteries are compatible with power tools from the well-known Makita brand. You can't buy a single Makita battery for the price of the VIOLEWORKS 88VF electric chain saw. When it comes to charging, the charger connects directly to the battery. Charging takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
VIOLEWORKS 88VF: Final Evaluation
The VIOLEWORKS 88VF one-handed electric chain saw is one of the cheapest you will find in the offer of international dealers. In our real test, however, we were convinced that even such a cheap saw can be good and will serve well during the period of pruning trees.
It cuts a maximum of 10 cm thick branches, which, however, can take it a little. However, he can playfully deal with the thinner. A huge advantage is the affordable package with two batteries, which are also compatible with Makita batteries. The overall life of these batteries remains questionable, but time will tell.
After several cuts, the connection between the gear wheel and the chain drive shaft was pressed out, it is only pressed with an overlap. "Fixed" using a welding machine and a lathe, otherwise it is to be thrown away. One of the batteries went dead after a few uses, after charging one cell went to zero, the rest were overcharged to approx. 5.5V, dangerous. Articles are not balanced! Bought with batteries not compatible with Makita, problem finding a replacement. It must be cut very lightly, otherwise the undervoltage protection will disconnect the battery. Pilka is very clever, but…
Wasted money, after 15 min. operation, the saw has stopped and the battery cannot be recharged. It doesn't matter if I'm recharging for an hour or five. It's a shop.
I also ran. With the Nakita saw, I cut twigs about the size of a finger and after 7 cuts the engine started smoking and the cutting was over, and it cost 1790 CZK. I sent the saw for a complaint, they wrote that it was overloaded and they didn't acknowledge it, that's what a friend of the Ogroup department said, so I'll take it to court, this is how to rob people. I will never buy anything at a discount again. The defect was in the product.
Hello. I will also join.. the saw is sikovna, but both batteries are dead after half a year.. maybe charged 5 times. Don't know where to find a spare battery? Makita is expensive..
credevo durassero quanto declarato 15-25 minuti dopo tagli di ramoscelli 3 cm lavorato 10 minuti compreso pause inoltre una batteria arrivata guasta sto litigando per sostituzione batterie vi faro' sapere come va a finire
Obszerny opis and zero information on battery voltage value. In all available descriptions of the battery, the voltage of the battery is covered by a secret, and nothing appears in the descriptions placed on the battery, except that it is the basic parameter of EVERY BATTERY. Probably the authors of various smart descriptions have no knowledge about it. VF – volt farad nawet elektrykowi niewiele powie a przeliczanie nie jest prosto !!!
Lehet-e rezervák accumulatur rendelni eżyz a sałwhez?
I need linen + 2 db. accumulator.