Fill me in on CAD...

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I get what it means, I’m just wondering how far it has gone for some of you?

Have you ever purchased a very expensive saw and not needed it / had little use for it?

anyone gone through it and come out the other end and learnt any valuable lessons you can share with new comers like me?

Thanks guys.

 

[Gord404]

Just kinda something you have to learn to live with, hell I bought 3 more last nite, sometimes, and I know it's tough, but you have to sell some after you have done the work they needed in order to keep feeding the beast they call CAD

 

[Brent Nowell]

Yes I bought a 550xp to replace my 455 rancher... I should have bought the 562 instead.

I resented that purchase for a long time because I went into the store and bought it without thinking and doing my research. 550 is a great saw but it just doesn’t have the torque that the 455 had... yes I know it’s only 5cc but it made a difference.
Had I bought the 562 I would have def gotten what I wanted, an upgrade all around.
Everything was better on the 550 except for the power.

to add insult to the injury I went and modded it right away and the thing had a bad carb from the factory. So no warranty and I had to deal with starting and stalling issues for over a year before I finally learned how to fix it.

do your homework, watch excessive amounts of YouTube videos on the model you are interested in, and post any questions that aren’t answered already. If you do that, you will have a powerhead that will make you smile every time you use it

 

[farmer steve]

I am the stage where I just look for good deals on super nice saws. The only big saw I bought and don't use is my Poulan 5200 countervibe. It does get run but just at GTG'S. The price was right and in good condition. I started out with a 023 and MS 290 and cut hundreds of cords with them. Probably about 25 saws here now. I guess my most expensive saw is my 462. No regrets although it doesn't get run all the time. Not much you can do when the CAD bug bites.

 

[Brent Nowell]

I am the stage where I just look for good deals on super nice saws. The only big saw I bought and don't use is my Poulan 5200 countervibe. It does get run but just at GTG'S. The price was right and in good condition. I started out with a 023 and MS 290 and cut hundreds of cords with them. Probably about 25 saws here now. I guess my most expensive saw is my 462. No regrets although it doesn't get run all the time. Not much you can do when the CAD bug bites.

Damn a 5200 I would love to own one...
Yes I should say for used saws I have no strategy, when I have the $ I look in the classifieds online and of anything older than what’s currently available new on the market, strikes my interest.
For collecting I am more interested in poulan and mcculloch, if it runs I will most likely buy it. I usually don’t spend more than 150 on those.
However if it were a big bore 80cc+ or a 5200 I would be prepared to spend much more to get one.
If your looking for vintage the poulan a IMO are the easiest to work on and have the most parts available, they seem to be the most popular brand for homeowner back in the 80’s.


Right now however I’m currently eyeballing the 3120xp and a dealer quoted me 1249 new for it. If the deal is still avail I am gonna jump on it

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I want a 500i or a 661. After starting the 064 it gave me an obsession for wanting something stupidly powerful! I had totally gone off the idea until yesterday!!

 

[U&A]

For me,

Its all about having fun. I get to heat the house, keep my mind and body occupied and healthy with an outdoor activity that I really have fun doing.....with unnecessarily powerful and large chainsaws.

But lets face it. Im not saving any money doing it. Sure my gas bill is super low in the winter. But I buy so much unnecessary chainsaw and wood processing related stuff that savings are eaten up.


Im not here to pretend im a lumberjack or pretend im a professional.

Do what makes you happy.... and if that is buying lots of chainsaws, then have at it[emoji16]


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[a. palmer jr.]

CAD in my case is going to the local mower shop (today) and coming home with half a truck load of saws and parts. Hard to turn down free stuff even if you don't need them...

 

[Big Red Oaks 4 me]

I kicked the habit. Almost. Going to put a Stihl 260 Pro project on here tomorrow for sale. Then I will be through...Maybe

 

[Freudianfloyd]

I get what it means, I’m just wondering how far it has gone for some of you?

Have you ever purchased a very expensive saw and not needed it / had little use for it?

anyone gone through it and come out the other end and learnt any valuable lessons you can share with new comers like me?

Thanks guys.

I went from 3 saws, two were chinese specials to 25 in one fall just because I wanted them. I rarely NEED to cut down trees, I just like to get them running, and play around with them.

 

[DaddyFlip]

I doubt I will have a long list, but some things are just cool to collect once you get into it. I have a cheap Sears saw and an old Husky someone gave me. If I could just stick to the job at hand and get back to life, then I wouldn't have a problem. Problem is, I don't have a life, so I collect stuff. I'll add a ridiculously large and powerful saw I have no business using next, maybe two, then I'll start hitting the pawn shops looking for that diamond in the rough that makes it to the 'you suck' thread. Some folks cut down a tree because it gets in their way, others go out looking to pick fights with trees. If you're not in one of those two groups, then maybe you just like the thought of cutting wood and/or playing with sharp, loud, dangerous things.

 

[RC Cole]

UHHHH got me. I am a nurse by profession. Work environment very stressful. Chainsaws don't gripe, whine or add to my stress level. I only cut 2-3 cords in a good year, I already had 12 saws and 3 were plenty large enough to do what I needed done, but when a unnamed member posted a Red 2166 I jumped right on it and didn't look back. I have used it for about 15 minutes total. ( well a heart attack kinda cut into my fun) but I look at it as therapy. We all have X number of days left, I wanna spend mine doing things I enjoy , riding motorcycles and
" playing with sharp, loud, dangerous things."

 

[buttercup]

Just kinda something you have to learn to live with...

What my psychiatrist said; it wont go away, but you can learn to live with it the best way possible...

 

[Conquistador3]

What cured me of the habit was the complete collapse of the used market. You just cannot fix and flip anymore, at least not if you have to pay through the nose for scrap metal. It kinda takes away the enjoyment of it all.
So people can keep their crappy Alpina's and Tanaka's and think they are sitting on a (non-working) goldmine.
Now I have three saws, all Stihl, all with their well defined task and I don't need any others. I have been progressively shifting away from Echo and Shindaiwa and towards Stihl for a few years now: Yamabiko makes very nice stuff, but their dealership network is atrocious (see the Shindaiwa dealer I had to deal with recently) and spare parts are ultra-expensive and take a lifetime to get here. So much for "Taking Stihl and Husqvarna head on".
The Stihl dealership is another matter completely.

 

[TheTone]

I rarely buy a saw anymore; I have accumulated enough future projects to last a long time. Also, another inhibiting factor is that I have reached the age where I am beginning to try to limit the amount of crap that those who survive me will have to deal with.

 

[Stihl working hard]

 

[Stihl working hard]

 

[Evan]

What cured me is everyone that's touched a saw has turned into saw tech with 50years porting and modding experience but in all reality they can't tune or sharpen a chain (not all)
one guy that stands out in my mind is pioneer guy. His information is top notch hes someone I respect and enjoy reading what he has to share. I consider there to be a handful of guys like this. Most hidden in the background not posting on websites.
Web sites like this have created lots of slop people posting information they've read but not understanding what they are saying themselves.
However these websites have helped grow the saw industry as it as grown from a tool to a toy that any everyday Joe can tinker and have fun with.

That's my take on it.

Gone from 9 or 10 to 3. Two 70cc one 50cc, been thinking to let the 50cc go to.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I rarely buy a saw anymore; I have accumulated enough future projects to last a long time. Also, another inhibiting factor is that I have reached the age where I am beginning to try to limit the amount of crap that those who survive me will have to deal with.

Anyone who inherits from me is gonna have to take the bad along with the good...My last brand new saw was a Homelite Super 2 if that tells you anything...it wasn't big enough for big wood so I purchased an old McCulloch which practically killed you to start it and had to settle for a Pro Mac 610 which I used for several years...

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Pretty much every saw I have purchased never gets used. I have two saws that get used every day. And 15 others that sit there looking nice.