EvilDeadChainsaws.com - Pt3 Re-opening 2013
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2020 1:25 pm
Here is part 3 of my EvilDeadChainsaws photo retrospective, ranging roughly from April to June 2013. This covers the re-opening of EDC, starting with constructing a new workshop from scratch using a PortaKabin at work. Then buying and dismantling a Homelite XL2, modifying and moulding the various parts, producing my first three Cabin chainsaws. I sold those three up-front, to fund the costs in setting up.
I didn't re-use any of my old 2006 moulds, they were all remade as I'd made quite a few design changes to the saws' construction and they would have been of little use. I basically wanted to make my saws as strong as I could, from past experience, although externally they look pretty similar. Each prototype piece was built up using plastic and superglue. This was then filled with Bodyfilla, sanded and given a few coats of primer to give a uniform smooth finish. Quite brittle in itself, but once I'd moulded them and made solid resin reproductions, they were quite strong. These moulds you see here, I still have as of writing seven years later in 2020, so they've lasted really well. Each one has probably had around 50 or so castings, including tests, orders and casts that went wrong for one reason or another.
The great thing about working from moulds, is that you don't need to track down an original Homelite XL as a starting point for each order, and you can build in as many complicated modifications as you want and they'll come out in each casting. The only proper real chainsaw parts in my saws were the guide bars & chains. Most everything else was made from raw materials.
At the bottom you can also see the heavy 3/4" plywood crates I was using. They cost more to deliver, but I never had a chainsaw arrive damaged while using them. I used the Portakabin shown here as my workshop until 2020 when I moved house and was able to finally have a home workshop again.
I didn't re-use any of my old 2006 moulds, they were all remade as I'd made quite a few design changes to the saws' construction and they would have been of little use. I basically wanted to make my saws as strong as I could, from past experience, although externally they look pretty similar. Each prototype piece was built up using plastic and superglue. This was then filled with Bodyfilla, sanded and given a few coats of primer to give a uniform smooth finish. Quite brittle in itself, but once I'd moulded them and made solid resin reproductions, they were quite strong. These moulds you see here, I still have as of writing seven years later in 2020, so they've lasted really well. Each one has probably had around 50 or so castings, including tests, orders and casts that went wrong for one reason or another.
The great thing about working from moulds, is that you don't need to track down an original Homelite XL as a starting point for each order, and you can build in as many complicated modifications as you want and they'll come out in each casting. The only proper real chainsaw parts in my saws were the guide bars & chains. Most everything else was made from raw materials.
At the bottom you can also see the heavy 3/4" plywood crates I was using. They cost more to deliver, but I never had a chainsaw arrive damaged while using them. I used the Portakabin shown here as my workshop until 2020 when I moved house and was able to finally have a home workshop again.