Have an idea of doing a build up

[Paul001]

I, like several here, buy/rebuild/recondition/strip/part out and then resale. I've done it as a hobby/side line for along time. With the recient number of folks thinking about getting into it a bit, I sat down and ran some numbers.

I stopped about half way through, as I didn't want to see what the actual profit margin was (I already know it's low), as I thought it might make for an interesting thread.

Do a build up, not one of the, been sitting on the shelf waiting till I had a little time honey hole saws...but an honest to goodness picked up off ebay/CL and I'm gonna rebuild it and make a few bucks saws.

I don't expect the write up to be a how to guide filled with tech notes and details plus lots of secret how too's...we've got lots of those threads. Just a basic rebuild, step by step...but on the clock and expensed out. Lets see exactly how long a home brew rebuild takes and exactly how much all the little incidentals actually add up to.

Follow up with a tracking, number of e-mail exchanges, visit scheduled, visits actually made, and finial sell price.

Wrap it up with a spread sheet and see what the numbers really look like.

Now, if you're like me...I'm not sure I want to see those numbers. McD's might make alot more sense onces the pencil hits the paper.

Thoughts?

 

[willsaw4beer]

Regardless of the numbers, doing something that you enjoy and getting paid for it you're coming out ahead. The worst aspect of working at McD's or other #### jobs is that the place would still suck even if it payed better.
I spose in your position where you already have the shop setup and pay dealer cost on parts would greatly help out the hourly wage involved...

 

[Saw Dr.]

It would be interesting, but I ask you to please spare me the pain. I fear that I have a whole shop full of profit loosers....

 

[Paul001]

Regardless of the numbers, doing something that you enjoy and getting paid for it you're coming out ahead. The worst aspect of working at McD's or other #### jobs is that the place would still suck even if it payed better.
I spose in your position where you already have the shop setup and pay dealer cost on parts would greatly help out the hourly wage involved...

Naw, thats the thing. I do not do this at the/for the shop. None of my saws are sold to commerical users/shop customers. I buy the parts at retail or from third party venders.

Tough to keep the two seperate, but I make sure they remain so.

And your right, doing something you enjoy, while making a few bucks at it...your ahead from the start. I have my own reasons for doing it, and for those reasons, on top of the enjoyment, profit is required.

 

[Paul001]

It would be interesting, but I ask you to please spare me the pain. I fear that I have a whole shop full of profit loosers....

You and I both know those saws are worth 5x's as much in parts than whole.

It's just not as much fun that way.

 

[epicklein22]

Pssst.....if I wasn't doing the rebuilding thing, I would be spending money to have "fun". Not counting time (because I'm having fun doing one of my hobbies), I make out good on the $ side of things!

 

[Jacob J.]

The first shop I worked at paid me $3.75/hr. (in 1988). So, I figure for rebuilding and selling a saw, I better get at least $4/hr.

 

[TRI955]

I started to do the math in this once....then I stopped, I like to think I at least break even......

Mike

 

[Paul001]

OK, so far it seems the consensus is "what we don't known can't hurt us".

 

[WetGunPowder]

i started to do the math in this once....then i stopped, i like to think i at least break even......

Mike

+1

 

[czar800]

I tell my wife I am up and at the lest even! lol!!! I have yet to flip a saw I fall in love and well i keep them all.

 

[Hddnis]

I've done this, full spreadsheet.

One of my best deals I made a good $17.00 per hour in just labor.:hmm3grin2orange:
It was a 017 that I picked up at a garage sale for $15.00. Put a new ring in it. Put a new chain on it. Put an airfilter in it. Sold for $125.00

Then there is the one where parts started adding up and I got $.013 per hour.:bang:

I find if I make $5-10 an hour I'm doing real good on a saw. Parts will eat profit really fast.

Parts saws help, but they cost money to get and a jug-n-slug is needed on a lot of saws to be able to sell them in good conscience.

Overall I don't do it to make money. I usually fix a saw planning to keep it and then once it's done I find another saw I want more, so I sell for money to fund my next project.

If you added up the cost of tools and shop space I'd be way in the hole. Fortunately they are paid for by other work and so that expense doesn't really count towards the saws.


Mr. HE

 

[Jacob J.]

Overall I don't do it to make money. I usually fix a saw planning to keep it and then once it's done I find another saw I want more, so I sell for money to fund my next project.

Mr. HE

That seems to be the catch-22 of this kind of work.

 

[Hddnis]

That seems to be the catch-22 of this kind of work.

Either I need the money or a friend runs one and they just have to have it. I've refused to sell a couple of them a saw because I know they won't take care of it. I tell them "This is a better than new saw and that's why you like it; but you'll trash it. I won't let you do that; when I work on these things I invest a little of myself into each one and I want them treated like the quality tool that they are."

It makes selling any of them hard.


Mr. HE

 

[Cantdog]

Maybe!!

The first shop I worked at paid me $3.75/hr. (in 1988). So, I figure for rebuilding and selling a saw, I better get at least $4/hr.

The cost of everything needed to build a beat saw back to new or better condition is more than they are ever worth. IMHO. Parts saws, rings, bearings, seals are the money costs, especially when working on saws that the needed parts are NLA. The time spent is another thing altogether!! But we all seem to keep right on doing it over and over and over again!! In my limited experience if you could get four bucks an hour doing this you would be in the big bucks!! Saws are a throwaway item. The manufacturers, dealers and pro saw guys understand this. It is always cheaper to just get a new upgraded saw with a warranty than do much more to a saw than a recoil spring or rope, sparkplug or some other minor repair.

What makes it worthwhile is a personal thing involving ego and stubbornness.
There is great satisfaction in taking something everyone else has given up on and transforming it back into a dependable, usable asset rather than a liability.

Personally I've never tried to make the numbers work. I know in my heart that they don't work. Sometimes maybe but on the whole.... no!

Will I let that stop me from doing something that I enjoy?......no!

Will I try to justify what I do to any one else?.....................no!

To us!! One and all!!!!

 

[GASoline71]

You won't make enough to live comfortably off of just rebuilding old junkers into runners and reselling them.

Unless livin' in a van down by the river suits you...

Gary

 

[jamie101]

You won't make enough to live comfortably off of just rebuilding old junkers into runners and reselling them.

I buy, rebuild, part out and sell. I do it part time as i work shifts in the Aerospace industry 3 days on 4 days off. Building and parting out saws, brushcutters, blowers and the like keeps me sane and active, if i didnt have my workshop and my tools i would crack up, its kind of therapy for me.

I served my apprenticship of 5 years learning how to use engineering machinery and work to tight tolerances and take pride in the things i produced. Then i moved into half office work half shop floor but dont get my hands dirty at work anymore. So thats why i do it,not for the money as i know it dont make huge amounts but it keeps me from going mad and makes me happy. Every penny i make from my part time hobby goes into a bank account that isnt touched until Christmas. It helps take the worry out of the financial restraints at that time of year.

 

[GASoline71]

That about sums it up... I do it too for the sanity of being couped up sometimes. Its fun to do... if I make a profit... cool... if not... hopefully I break even.

But as was said earlier... most of the saws I have bought cheap and put a little money in and sold for profit, I had originally bought as a project to keep. Then something better (or usually bigger) comes along and I dump the previous project on ebay or CL...

As for the big Macs and Homelites... those I keep... its usually the smaller saws (70cc's and under) I have redone that I ditch...

Gary

 

[THALL10326]

I, like several here, buy/rebuild/recondition/strip/part out and then resale. I've done it as a hobby/side line for along time. With the recient number of folks thinking about getting into it a bit, I sat down and ran some numbers.

I stopped about half way through, as I didn't want to see what the actual profit margin was (I already know it's low), as I thought it might make for an interesting thread.

Do a build up, not one of the, been sitting on the shelf waiting till I had a little time honey hole saws...but an honest to goodness picked up off ebay/CL and I'm gonna rebuild it and make a few bucks saws.

I don't expect the write up to be a how to guide filled with tech notes and details plus lots of secret how too's...we've got lots of those threads. Just a basic rebuild, step by step...but on the clock and expensed out. Lets see exactly how long a home brew rebuild takes and exactly how much all the little incidentals actually add up to.

Follow up with a tracking, number of e-mail exchanges, visit scheduled, visits actually made, and finial sell price.

Wrap it up with a spread sheet and see what the numbers really look like.

Now, if you're like me...I'm not sure I want to see those numbers. McD's might make alot more sense onces the pencil hits the paper.

Thoughts?

Interesting post there. Rebuilding saws completely, bearings, seals, pistons, cylinders don't leave much wiggle room for profit even if you get the saw for free. I guess using used parts may net a profit. New parts, not much room at all, if any, time you count your time.

I've found broken saws with good engines net a much better profit. Example just a few weeks ago a MS290 comes in. Tree done rolled on it and busted it up. Customer opts for new saw instead of repairing old one. I take old saw left behind and dump $105.00 in parts and put it back together. Next day sold it for 250.00. Took about a hour to do the work. Netted around 100.00 profit at 50.00 a hour for the work. Don't make that much profit on a new 290.

 

[Justsaws]

If you do your write up please include the cost of having the small business such as,taxes, licenses, fees, insurances, etc.

I am posting this because of the recent inquiries to the idea of purchasing with intent of resale. I find it humorous that people differentiate between their behavior and that of the much despised cheap immigrant labor.