How did you get started collecting Chainsaws?

[MotoBoyMatt]

My dad had a 1-43 Mcculloch that he bought new back in the early 60's, I can remember watching my dad use this saw when I was growing up and dreamed of the day when I was old enough to run that huge machine. The first saw I aquired was a parts saw to keep the ole 1-43 running. Then I started expanded my collection of saws, all with some common parts, so I could have several chainsaws with severaly different length bars, the right saw for the right job.

 

[MacDaddy]

I started racing saws years ago and then people in my town and towns close by started giving me there old saws and I realy like the Mac's because the first saw I ever ran was a 125 So now I have about 65 saws mostly Mac's

 

[Ax-man]

Came onto this site time to start uncollecting chainsaws, some models anyway.

Larry

 

[lostone]

I bought one, then like everything else it just went from there.

 

[Bob Wright]

I started by selling them, i got all the trades. I also used to buy them by the piles at the local flea market, Divorce sale took all of them . Spent 20 years looking for my old Echo CS-60s, found it sitting on a dealers shelf ...Bob

 

[Diesel JD]

My collection as it is doesn't rival most people's here but I got into it rather young, cause I loved watching my grandadaddy run his Mac 120. I got a Homelite from Wal-Mart, and a few years later when I started cutting firewood, I got the Mac3200, that was a big mistake! About a year later got the 025 and ever since I have loved Stihl saws, followed it with an 009 in 1998 and an MS390 justa couple weeks back.

 

[DanManofStihl]

I have a small stash of saws I am constely selling and trying the new models. I got started with the help of my neighbor I loved two strokes and I love how fast a saw could slice through wood it just amazed me so I bought a saw first saw. It was a walmart special hay you have to start somewhere I used the wildthing till the oiler broke on it and then I got my grandpas collection and they didn't work that well so I broke down and bought a ms 290 it was a good saw but alittle on the heavy side at the time. I have always loved chainsaws some people don't understand and I can't blame them they think they are like every other tool at home depot or lowes but to me they are different and alot more fun. I think of cutting wood more as fun then a job but hay its nice to get payed to do the things you like.

 

[16:1mix]

According to my sig line, I do not have a 'collection', as there is only one 'pleasure' saw in it. It's a Mall model 12a that I bought at auction with only one bid. I took it home and laid it aside for several years. Only recently did I get the urge to get it to run again. After cleaning the fuel tank and carb of stale gasoline and grahdoo along with a little breaker point polish 'ye old Mall was runnning. The chain was another story. Every single link was rusted SOLID and had to be soaked in 'panther piss' and exercised with a pliers until it was loose enough to run on the bar.

Once in operable condition this thing is a beast. 24" bar, 36 lbs of the knarliest sounding 5 CID two cycle engine I have ever heard. To make a living cutting wood with this thing would be a killer, but for fun....it ain't hard to love it!

(Do I detect another expensive hobby in the making?)

 

[West Texas]

Hey I'm not a collector and ended up with seven chainsaws before I knew it. Sold two last week and putting a couple more on ebay this week. That way I'll have some money to buy more saws.

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

Yeah, Dan I know what you mean about chainsawing being fun, and other people not understanding, most people I talk to about saws think I'm some kind of Texas Chainsaw Masacare Freak, ha espesially my neigbors here at my apartment complex. I'm pretty sure I'm the only guy here who currently has a chainsaw in his garage, let alone 6 and running test running them. If I were going to make a living with a chainsaw it would probably be a Stihl, one of the few "real" brands left (or that have stayed "real" mcculloch for example) Kinda funny to think about what would've happened if Mac wasn't continually sold and resold, maybe most pros would be wielding black and yellow instead of orange and white.

 

[Al Smith]

I started running saws as a teenager.Later in the 70's and 80's I sold firewood.What happened was that I went to too many auctions and held my hand up too long.Cheap saws and I could get them running in short order.I one day got this brain storm to paint a few.They looked pretty good so I painted some more.Then along came e-bay and before you know it I had around 40.It's neat but you can get carried away with it.

 

[DanManofStihl]

I think mcculloch, poulan and homelite were good saws but towards the end they ran off their reputation and that alone. They were purducing worthless disposable saws and had no dealers other then box stores. I think their would be alot more advancements with chainsaws if they had more of a tight market like the car companies do. Honestly the only real two saws that I see alot of people running are husky and stihl around here it is mostly stihl. Every once in a while you will see a echo or a solo most of the home owners have poulan and homelite. If they were still all in the game I think everyone would be better off.

 

[Vman]

i started with my dad many years ago cutting firewood. than the house i bought about 4 years ago just had enough cleared to put the house on. started clearing the property 3 years ago and used the living krap out of a cheap box saw (which is still running pretty good), than got my first "real" saw earlier this year...thats when i came to this site and got tons of great info from the members, and that led to some addiction .....just got 2 old homeys that i am gonna restore just for the helluva it.

 

[MotoBoyMatt]

Dan, to the same effect I've also heard that only focusing on the consumer market in an attempt to achieve ever increasing profits for the stockholders is what did Mcculloch in as far as the Pro Saw market goes.

 

[lesorubcheek]

Nice thread MotoBoyMatt. My dad had a David Bradley that he used up until I was about 10 or so. Then he bought a Homelite 350. A few years ago I decided I should get the 350 running again. That started my addiction. The David Bradley is now running also.

Dan

 

[Dadatwins]

Always was around chain saws from a young age as my father was in the tree biz and did his own repair work. I started tinkering with them on my own and found I could get them to run to use or sell for some extra $$$. I still tinker around with them now and sell a few but find myself getting attached and keeping more and more of them.