Everything is breaking!!

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A month or two ago I loaned my new MS660 to a city tree worker for one single cut and he killed it. I'm in the process of rebuilding it (with the help of a couple of you gents, since I don't know what I'm doing).
Also at that time two more saws went down - one seemed like a carb issue, but even after I did a carb rebuild it still wouldn't run right so I took it to the shop. But then my 200T died on me - seized up. So I just ordered a piston kit.
This past spring my paint sprayer stopped working (I now have the money to get that fixed) and a couple weeks ago I couldn't get my pressure washer started.
Today I went to split some wood and the electric motor on my splitter is shot.

Dang it all!!! I just can't catch a break. 3 saws down, a paint sprayer, pressure washer, and splitter motor.

But wait! There's more: I have a slow leak on the front right tire of my work truck AND my dump truck, and another slow leak on a trailer tire.

My wife suggested I just go on a big tool-buying spree. That's tempting, and we have some money coming in now, but I want to be thrifty and repair all this stuff first. I wonder what's going to break next??
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Gentlemen my condolences and prayers to both of you...how heartbreaking losing the one's we love. My biggest fear in life is losing a child.

I tend to loan myself out w/ my tools rather than just my tools. Always seems to come back to me 10 fold. "Rod can I borrow your tiller?"...nope but I'd be happy to bring my tractor w/ tiller over and till up what you need. "I have a couple tree's that are too big for my saw...think I could borrow a bigger saw?"...nope but I'd be glad to come over and give you a hand cutting/dropping what you need.
I still have to ask what happened to the 660? Something he did or just a problem with the saw that showed up at the moment he made that back cut?
 
Gentlemen my condolences and prayers to both of you...how heartbreaking losing the one's we love. My biggest fear in life is losing a child.

I tend to loan myself out w/ my tools rather than just my tools. Always seems to come back to me 10 fold. "Rod can I borrow your tiller?"...nope but I'd be happy to bring my tractor w/ tiller over and till up what you need. "I have a couple tree's that are too big for my saw...think I could borrow a bigger saw?"...nope but I'd be glad to come over and give you a hand cutting/dropping what you need.
I still have to ask what happened to the 660? Something he did or just a problem with the saw that showed up at the moment he made that back cut?

Good post....and like the user name.15392675975688194409098116055186.jpg
 
I read the first couple paragraphs up to the point where you said your wife said go on a tool buying spree. I don’t know if the rest is even relevant or not, because half the battle of a married mans spending is with the wife. I say go buy everything new that you can, repair the old stuff and sell it . Now that I’ve said that, I’m go back and read the rest of the posts..
 
Nice Marley! I went to Mathews a few years ago (Heli-M). I used to shoot Bowtech Blackhawk many years ago and loved that little bugger. When it was time to change I shot about everything on the market and really enjoyed shooting the Mathews. Like saws I guess we all have our favorites and most get the job done pretty similarly.
 
After losing my wife on august 6 then my mom on the 14th I realize the things that can be replaced are the things that mean the least in life. Be thankful that you and your family are healthy, there will always be a new saw or something else in life. It all sucks:(
Sorry for your losses. As I get older and have lost several of my loved ones and have had some serious health issues myself I look at the big picture different. When we have a streak of problems with equipment I stay a lot more calm than I used to and count my blessings that no one got hurt and everyone is healthy. We will get the stuff fixed or replaced and move on. Family and friends are more important than stuff.
 
I read the first couple paragraphs up to the point where you said your wife said go on a tool buying spree. I don’t know if the rest is even relevant or not, because half the battle of a married mans spending is with the wife. I say go buy everything new that you can, repair the old stuff and sell it .


Yeah, that comment of hers shocked me as well. We've had a REALLY tight year, but that has finally turned around this month and we have money in the bank. :clap:
Being such a loving and sacrificial wife, she would want to see me happy with tools and go without basics for herself. But that's not going to happen. I only get what I NEED. However, now that we have a few extra bucks, I did get a couple things that I wanted. :rock:


I still have to ask what happened to the 660? Something he did or just a problem with the saw that showed up at the moment he made that back cut?

Whups - I forgot to include that. The cut went well for the first 80% or so, but then it quickly started getting really hard and he was struggling. Suddenly the saw started emitting smoke, and he kept at it for several seconds longer while I looked on in horror from a distance. The chain came off and he pulled the smoking saw out of the cut and said there was something wrong with it.
He got that right - there was something wrong with it - the owner stupidly loaned it to an idiot who couldn't tell when he engaged the chain brake! Fried it up good, I can tell you.
 
I know! I'm really kicking myself over it - but hear the story - it's almost reasonable.

The city was taking down an oak tree in the park across the street from my house. I asked them for the wood, and they agreed. So I grabbed my truck, trailer, saws and everything. I was waiting in my truck for them to drop it so I could go in and get the wood.

They have a rope around the top hooked up to a truck, and he cuts the notch, but just as he finishes, his chain breaks before he can start the back cut. Run to the shop to get another chain, while I continue to wait. I'm in a bit of a hurry since I have other things to do that day, but I sit patiently. He comes back with another chain, puts it on, and starts the back cut and it falls off right away. Well, he has the exact same saw as myself, bought from the same store even. He has ONE STINKING CUT TO MAKE, and he's about to run somewhere and get another saw or chain or something, so I figure that:
A) he's a professional
B) he has the exact same saw
C) it's ONE stinking cut and I'm standing right here

Yes, I did it - I offered my brand new MS660 with a 3' bar. He can't possibly screw it up with one cut.

Well, I was wrong, and I'll never loan out a saw to anyone again (except for my Craftsman which somebody gave to me and it actually runs).
Let this be a lesson to the rest of you as well - Never give in on your resolve to never loan out a good saw!
Yes, it's only a piece of equipment and therefore replacable, but it's also a tool of the trade, and easily messed up, unlike most every other tool I own. I'll gladly loan out a drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, pressure washer, cement mixer, etc. But not a chainsaw.
1) The first chain likely broke because he probably hit some metal in the tree.

2) A new chain stretches and the guy probably didnt account for that when he put it on.

3) He's likely not a tree professional at all! Most county workers dont spend a lot of time running saws at all throughout the year.

4) #3 is supported by the fact that he tried to push your saw through the cut with the break on and or possibly with a dull chain presumably after he his more metal.
 
1) The first chain likely broke because he probably hit some metal in the tree.

2) A new chain stretches and the guy probably didnt account for that when he put it on.

3) He's likely not a tree professional at all! Most county workers dont spend a lot of time running saws at all throughout the year.

4) #3 is supported by the fact that he tried to push your saw through the cut with the break on and or possibly with a dull chain presumably after he his more metal.


No metal in the tree.
He has run saws all of his life, but he's not trained.
He used a sloping back cut. Also, there was no need at all for the rope and truck (or the two extra guys standing around, but they are gub'ment (union) workers, so that's to be expected.)
I always use a rope when taking down a tree, but never when all the branches are cut off and the trunk is only about 30 feet high and straight up.
 
Speaking of everything breaking, I switched my splitter over to use the gas motor, and guess what?? I couldn't get it started. Fresh fuel and everything, but no go. I was able to get it running when I directly sprayed in some carb cleaner (couldn't find my starting fluid) while pulling on it, but it wouldn't keep running without it. Yes, the fuel supply switch is on, but it seems like a fuel supply problem.
However, I tried the same thing with my pressure washer and it wouldn't turn over at all - that sounds like a spark issue.
 
Good post....and like the user name.View attachment 679237

I really like bows, but my preference is cross bows. A great compound bow will get the job pretty much every time.

Uncle M. It seems like when things break they do it all at once. Oh well. For me I pretty much have two of every thing. I have learned that no plan is complete with out a backup. I was going to say that I even have a complete backup computer, not true as I have four. When one thing breaks it concerns me not so much as I just go to plan B or. Why is this, because so many times every thing has broke and I am flat stranded. So my alternate system has been put into place.

Most every one has it right your wife and other people whom you cherish are what matters. They are not only priceless, irreplaceable. And yes we loose those we love from time to time, but this is why we have many people in our lives that really care. You will almost forget that everything broke after some time has passed. Thanks
 
Whups - I forgot to include that. The cut went well for the first 80% or so, but then it quickly started getting really hard and he was struggling. Suddenly the saw started emitting smoke, and he kept at it for several seconds longer while I looked on in horror from a distance. The chain came off and he pulled the smoking saw out of the cut and said there was something wrong with it.
He got that right - there was something wrong with it - the owner stupidly loaned it to an idiot who couldn't tell when he engaged the chain brake! Fried it up good, I can tell you.

First winter I had my 661 buddy of mine ran it a fair amount, and dad never did seem to set it down. I noticed some melted plastic around the clutch drum and after $60 that was all fixed. Worm gear melted as well, that was the end of letting other people run it. I didn't blame them or anything, and $60 isn't any big deal but it was just one of those things. If something of mine is going to get messed up better off it be by me. Been in too many of those situations, I hate having to use someone else's tools.
 
Best break down I had this year was one of my employees decided to face plant my skidsteer with the arms all the way up and the bucket cylinders fully extended. Managed to bend both bucket tilt cylinder rods. Not a major break down but still cost me $1200.00 that I didn't need to spend. Bobcat sure knows what they want for parts. Each new loaded cylinder would have been $1100-(X2). Rods and seals were less than I spent but I didn't have time to fix it myself. I just took them into a hydraulic shop and had them make new rods along with seals. I also rebuilt the quick-tach with new pins and bushings while it was down. That was a repair I have been putting off for about 1000 machine hours now.
 
A month or two ago I loaned my new MS660 to a city tree worker for one single cut and he killed it. I'm in the process of rebuilding it (with the help of a couple of you gents, since I don't know what I'm doing).
Also at that time two more saws went down - one seemed like a carb issue, but even after I did a carb rebuild it still wouldn't run right so I took it to the shop. But then my 200T died on me - seized up. So I just ordered a piston kit.
This past spring my paint sprayer stopped working (I now have the money to get that fixed) and a couple weeks ago I couldn't get my pressure washer started.
Today I went to split some wood and the electric motor on my splitter is shot.

Dang it all!!! I just can't catch a break. 3 saws down, a paint sprayer, pressure washer, and splitter motor.

But wait! There's more: I have a slow leak on the front right tire of my work truck AND my dump truck, and another slow leak on a trailer tire.

My wife suggested I just go on a big tool-buying spree. That's tempting, and we have some money coming in now, but I want to be thrifty and repair all this stuff first. I wonder what's going to break next??
"...and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from Heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: 'Chop down the tree and lop off its branches...'" --Daniel 4:13-14
Whatch out for falling limbs while using your saw. Although, with everything in a constant state of decay and deterioration, it keeps me looking up.
 
Whatch out for falling limbs while using your saw. Although, with everything in a constant state of decay and deterioration, it keeps me looking up.

Yeah I see you're in VA.....where the decaying process has been GREATLY accelerated this year.
 
Best break down I had this year was one of my employees decided to face plant my skidsteer with the arms all the way up and the bucket cylinders fully extended. Managed to bend both bucket tilt cylinder rods. Not a major break down but still cost me $1200.00 that I didn't need to spend. Bobcat sure knows what they want for parts. Each new loaded cylinder would have been $1100-(X2). Rods and seals were less than I spent but I didn't have time to fix it myself. I just took them into a hydraulic shop and had them make new rods along with seals. I also rebuilt the quick-tach with new pins and bushings while it was down. That was a repair I have been putting off for about 1000 machine hours now.

Cylinder get $$. Couple years ago we lost the main cylinder on the number. The rod nut came loose and ruined the rod end. Was around 6k for a new rod.
 

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