DaveCA
ArboristSite Member
all cleaned up and ready to go
Buying Saws
- Thread starter thompson1600
- Start date
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DaveCA
ArboristSite Member
Used saws can be good, but rarely so.
This one runs like new.
Reliving the past is Ok sometimes.
This one runs like new.
Reliving the past is Ok sometimes.
Funny about mechanical stuff......they get used.
I bough my Husky new. Now its used. If I was to sell it its already depreciated to 1/2 to 3/4 of purchase price.
Buying a well maintained used saw isn't a bad idea. I bough a pair of used Homelites (super XL and XL 12) back in 1989. They STILL cut to this day. I have countless reliable hours doing everything from clear cutting roads to cutting my firewood. Best 50 dollars I ever spend if you think of the return on investment. They paid themselves off 100 times over on the very first road job they were used on.......
Buy used? Sometimes its the best way.
(Since vintage saws have become a hobbie...it puts another spin on the buying used concept but thats another story for nut cases like me to understand)
I bough my Husky new. Now its used. If I was to sell it its already depreciated to 1/2 to 3/4 of purchase price.
Buying a well maintained used saw isn't a bad idea. I bough a pair of used Homelites (super XL and XL 12) back in 1989. They STILL cut to this day. I have countless reliable hours doing everything from clear cutting roads to cutting my firewood. Best 50 dollars I ever spend if you think of the return on investment. They paid themselves off 100 times over on the very first road job they were used on.......
Buy used? Sometimes its the best way.
(Since vintage saws have become a hobbie...it puts another spin on the buying used concept but thats another story for nut cases like me to understand)
16hp Chainsaw
Check out this used saw, 16hp, has 2 wheels, self propelled, and maybe if you hassle the guy enough, he might sell it to you.
http://www.stevenchalmers.com/Gravely/16HPChainSaw.shtml
Check out this used saw, 16hp, has 2 wheels, self propelled, and maybe if you hassle the guy enough, he might sell it to you.
http://www.stevenchalmers.com/Gravely/16HPChainSaw.shtml
Tony Snyder
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thompson 1600, you are a brave soul. At least narrow your choices down to a newer Husky or Echo. My reasons being: availability of parts and ease of maintenance.
tony marks
Addicted to ArboristSite
i would agree buying new is best for any buisiness that dont need dn time,due to
equipment problems..but a new factor in the question is these new carbs..is every body going to have an stihl tech or the like ,,available to make these saws perform.id still buy new ,if i depended on saws for the bulk of my work..but this mite change the equation a bit.. jmo
for me my saws are good but several yrs old,with adjustable carbs so i enjoy ,keeping them rite..i am tho considering ,,
expanding to 2-3 trucks going out..
if i decide to take that plunge ,,it wont just be my saws but saws and other equipment,, for operators of varying skills..
that happens and ill go first class with the best i know to buy,, and dealer support backing them up.
equipment problems..but a new factor in the question is these new carbs..is every body going to have an stihl tech or the like ,,available to make these saws perform.id still buy new ,if i depended on saws for the bulk of my work..but this mite change the equation a bit.. jmo
for me my saws are good but several yrs old,with adjustable carbs so i enjoy ,keeping them rite..i am tho considering ,,
expanding to 2-3 trucks going out..
if i decide to take that plunge ,,it wont just be my saws but saws and other equipment,, for operators of varying skills..
that happens and ill go first class with the best i know to buy,, and dealer support backing them up.
I agree, if you need equipment right now. New is the way to go.
That being said, I try to avoid being in that situation.
With Stihl and Huskys being reasonably rugged. Snagging a deal on one in excellent condition is fairly low risk.
Overall I've had good experiences with used Stihl & Huskys. But I try to buy ones in excellent condition.
Then first thing I do is tear it down, rebuild the carb, inspect everything, dial in the mixture and make sure everything is up to new specs.
Buying used, then running it without going thru it is just asking for trouble. Unless of course it's already been reconditioned by someone you trust.
That being said, I try to avoid being in that situation.
With Stihl and Huskys being reasonably rugged. Snagging a deal on one in excellent condition is fairly low risk.
Overall I've had good experiences with used Stihl & Huskys. But I try to buy ones in excellent condition.
Then first thing I do is tear it down, rebuild the carb, inspect everything, dial in the mixture and make sure everything is up to new specs.
Buying used, then running it without going thru it is just asking for trouble. Unless of course it's already been reconditioned by someone you trust.
hobby climber
ArboristSite Guru
...Display/Demo ???
A while back as I was starting out in the biz(part time), I didn't want to spent all that money on a new saw and didn't want to get burned with used saws either. One day while at the local Home Depot store I saw an Echo-4400 with parts missing from it. On a whim, I got a-hold of the manager and asked how much for that picked apart display saw? He looked it over, went to his office and came back with a price $130.(Cdn.) less than the sticker price. I said I'll take it! He told the floor person to take care of me at this poine and went on about his job. The floor guy asked if I wanted the box to carry it in... I said sure. Well guess what was in the box ?,(its original box),! All the missing parts and paperwork ! He placed the saw in the box, sealed & signed it with the managers instructions and walked me to customer service. As I was paying for the saw another person at the dest opened the box and filled out the registration and warrantee card for me. It's true what they say.....It doesn't hurt to ask!
A while back as I was starting out in the biz(part time), I didn't want to spent all that money on a new saw and didn't want to get burned with used saws either. One day while at the local Home Depot store I saw an Echo-4400 with parts missing from it. On a whim, I got a-hold of the manager and asked how much for that picked apart display saw? He looked it over, went to his office and came back with a price $130.(Cdn.) less than the sticker price. I said I'll take it! He told the floor person to take care of me at this poine and went on about his job. The floor guy asked if I wanted the box to carry it in... I said sure. Well guess what was in the box ?,(its original box),! All the missing parts and paperwork ! He placed the saw in the box, sealed & signed it with the managers instructions and walked me to customer service. As I was paying for the saw another person at the dest opened the box and filled out the registration and warrantee card for me.
It's true what they say.....It doesn't hurt to ask! hobby climber
ArboristSite Guru
...what do they take off the price of the saw to display them?
You just have to ask! This manager didn't know that the rest of the parts were in the box and the floor person was just following instructions form his manager. This saw was to be sold "as is" but no one told the customer service people. I was very lucky that day...wish I bought a lottery ticket!!! Check with your local dealers because every now and then the saw companies (Husky for example), have dealer specials. Also at certain times of the year the companies get rid of all the demo saws at a great price with full warrantee. Have your dealer talk with the company reps to fine out what will be available. If your going to buy a HUSKY saw ... spend the extra $40 or $50 dollars and get an "XP" series saw, it's worth the price!!! A good saw to start with would be the 357xp. Its not cheap but its not junk either! Remember this, most the saws that go on sale are not the professional series(xp) saws, just the lower end home owner grade saws(no XP after the number). Good Luck
You just have to ask! This manager didn't know that the rest of the parts were in the box and the floor person was just following instructions form his manager. This saw was to be sold "as is" but no one told the customer service people. I was very lucky that day...wish I bought a lottery ticket!!! Check with your local dealers because every now and then the saw companies (Husky for example), have dealer specials. Also at certain times of the year the companies get rid of all the demo saws at a great price with full warrantee. Have your dealer talk with the company reps to fine out what will be available. If your going to buy a HUSKY saw ... spend the extra $40 or $50 dollars and get an "XP" series saw, it's worth the price!!! A good saw to start with would be the 357xp. Its not cheap but its not junk either! Remember this, most the saws that go on sale are not the professional series(xp) saws, just the lower end home owner grade saws(no XP after the number). Good Luck
hobby climber
ArboristSite Guru
BSM, the parts NOT on that saw were: the clutch cover, the bar, chain, gas & oil caps, chain tensioner, Metal plate in front of the clutch & its screw, the spiked bumper and the two clutch cover nuts. Everything was in the box except for the gas & oil caps, spiked bumper, chain and two nuts. I can only assume that the reason it was not put together is because it could not be put together without the two clutch cover nuts. The manager lowered the price because of the missing parts,(that were NOT missing). Lucky me eh! Otherwise I would have been buying only the power-head and that was just fine by me for that price. I ordered the missing parts I needed and it came to aprox. $34.00 . Once they came in, I was up and running . That little saw has made me a-lot of money over the past couple of years.
Otherwise I would have been buying only the power-head and that was just fine by me for that price. I ordered the missing parts I needed and it came to aprox. $34.00 . Once they came in, I was up and running . That little saw has made me a-lot of money over the past couple of years. 
Oregon_Rob
ArboristSite Guru
Used saws
I think used saws are great for newbies. They usualy require some work and clean up, gives you a chance to learn a lot about saws and how to take care of them and if you screw somethig up, your not out a lot of money.
Also, if you like to buy and sell saws a lot, your chances of not loosing money is pretty good, if you are half way smart about your buying and selling.
I owned half a dozen different saws before i bought new and i'm glad I did it that way.
I think used saws are great for newbies. They usualy require some work and clean up, gives you a chance to learn a lot about saws and how to take care of them and if you screw somethig up, your not out a lot of money.
Also, if you like to buy and sell saws a lot, your chances of not loosing money is pretty good, if you are half way smart about your buying and selling.
I owned half a dozen different saws before i bought new and i'm glad I did it that way.
