How do I become a chainsaw mechanic

[Schmams]

I have to ask the OP: do you want to do this for a living or just as a hobby/extra income? I've enjoyed working on mechanical things since I was a kid and was a car mechanic for my first career. When you have to depend on an activity for a living the fun factor goes way down and the stress and BS goes way up. Learning on the job is a pretty rough way to start out. You'll either be doing busywork and mopping the floor or struggling to turn out finished jobs because you don't yet have the experience or training. Yeah, I've been there and it SUCKS.

If you are seriously thinking about doing this for a living I would advise you to see about getting a part time gig with a small engine shop. Work at it awhile and see if you like it. Be sure to have an honest talk with fellow techs about what kind of income you can expect and what kind of responsibilities you'll have. Be advised that, at least here in the states, your job benefits such as health insurance and vacation are going to be very modest and many small shops offer none at all. Finally (as if I haven't rained on your parade enough) you will be expected to work on anything that comes through that door, not just chainsaws. This may include trucks and ag equipment.

I'm really not trying to talk you out of it, I just hope you will carefully study this before you decide to change careers. After 10-1/2 years working on cars, mostly as a Toyota dealership tech, I hung it up and got an office job.

I should have changed the title of my thread....definitely not into in to make money...the way I see it, my new found interest is going to cost me money....at this rate lots.

I reread you post and substituted every time you wrote mechanic with stock broker......I couldn't have written it any better if I was describing my first career (except the benefits part). After 10 years as a broker I quit that because fun & money were not there...I hear what you're saying and truly appreciate the input....If the passion goes away, I'll get rid of the saws (in working order).

 

[RVALUE]

Just start with some junk saws,tear into them ! That is how I got started.

Look through the threads on this site,ask questions even if they are dumb ones ! We all did that,and stihl do ! LOL These people on here will help in most any way they can !

Be warned CAD will get you !! I started with 3 saws bout 2 years ago , its over 200 now !

They have stills in Canada?

 

[Dan Forsh]

You sound like me about 7 years ago, for whatever reason I suddenly decided that I needed a hobby and how or why that turned out to be fixing saws is beyond me to this day.

You will end up investing a significant amount into 'must have' tools for the work, and hey, who doesn't like getting new tools :msp_biggrin: If you intend to fix them and then flip them it should work out that you can turn it into a self-funding(ish) hobby. I have, based on the saws that I have sold, just the ones that I don't seem to have gotten to leave yet that gets your hobby money tied up for too long. I had never owned or ran a chainsaw in my life when I started, and consequently I bought a few overpriced pigs that now reside in the darkest recesses of my outhouse. But you learn from your mistakes (you'll make many) and gain from the experience of each saw you work on.

Fixing and selling on means that you always have a justification to your CAD and you are always getting 'new' saws, just try not to let them hang around for too long. It also means that you get to gain the experience at your own pace and at your own expense rather than working to a deadline on someone else's equipment.

I don't know anything more than you've said on your work background, but if like me you sit behind a desk all day, I find that there is nothing more satisfying than taking a junked old broken saw, working out why and restoring it back to a useful working item. I get far more satisfaction from hearing that saw roar into life again because I've fixed it than I ever do from a day's work in the office.

Have fun

 

[Schmams]

Yes, and igloos obviously!

 

[Schmams]

You sound like me about 7 years ago, for whatever reason I suddenly decided that I needed a hobby and how or why that turned out to be fixing saws is beyond me to this day.

You will end up investing a significant amount into 'must have' tools for the work, and hey, who doesn't like getting new tools :msp_biggrin: If you intend to fix them and then flip them it should work out that you can turn it into a self-funding(ish) hobby. I have, based on the saws that I have sold, just the ones that I don't seem to have gotten to leave yet that gets your hobby money tied up for too long. I had never owned or ran a chainsaw in my life when I started, and consequently I bought a few overpriced pigs that now reside in the darkest recesses of my outhouse. But you learn from your mistakes (you'll make many) and gain from the experience of each saw you work on.

Fixing and selling on means that you always have a justification to your CAD and you are always getting 'new' saws, just try not to let them hang around for too long. It also means that you get to gain the experience at your own pace and at your own expense rather than working to a deadline on someone else's equipment.

I don't know anything more than you've said on your work background, but if like me you sit behind a desk all day, I find that there is nothing more satisfying than taking a junked old broken saw, working out why and restoring it back to a useful working item. I get far more satisfaction from hearing that saw roar into life again because I've fixed it than I ever do from a day's work in the office.

Have fun

as we say up here - merci!

Yup I work behind a desk and as you suggest, to keep the CAD alive I will have to shed some saws along the way. Especially as I am looking to downsize my house. I've been active for about a month now and have 3 saws....third one I bought for a friend but working on it I've creating a bond...and I haven't even fired it up yet! :msp_tongue:

 

[Dan Forsh]

I forgot to mention, finding this site has a lot to answer for too. It'll certainly accelerate your addiction.:bang:

All fun aside, the help and advice I have received, and continue to receive from the members of this site have been invaluable.

 

[Schmams]

It is not absolutely necessary, but...man, get an air compressor. Clean saws as you are taking them apart. Makes it much easier to work on and clean saws run better and sell better.

The above other advice is right on, just get junkers and start fixing them up. It doesn't take long, people are handing you saws for freebie, you get them cheap, etc and next building 10,000 square foot addition to hold saws and work benches..well, maybe, but it does happen...

This site is BIG, goes back years, you would be hard pressed to not find threads on this or that saw model or repair or modification. Way more information here over some book I think.

Big chain has a noname 100psi 2 gallon air compressor with accessories on sale for $50...good enough???

 

[RVALUE]

Big chain has a noname 100psi 2 gallon air compressor with accessories on sale for $50...good enough???

I just shipped some rediguns (inline air blowgun) to MB Canada. To Elias Woodworking

 

[FergusonTO35]

I reread you post and substituted every time you wrote mechanic with stock broker......I couldn't have written it any better if I was describing my first career (except the benefits part). After 10 years as a broker I quit that because fun & money were not there...I hear what you're saying and truly appreciate the input....If the passion goes away, I'll get rid of the saws (in working order).

Sounds like you had the same experience. For me, mechanical stuff is just a hobby that turns a small profit, which goes into more machines and parts. The best part of doing it as a hobby is I can turn down a job I don't want and if I don't feel like messing with it at the time I don't have to.

 

[zogger]

Big chain has a noname 100psi 2 gallon air compressor with accessories on sale for $50...good enough???

Good enough for cleaning, yes, although a larger tank, like five gallons, gives ya a bit more reserve before it kicks back on. it'll work though. All I have is a CL used junker, think I paid similar to what you are contemplating, it only does 125, close enough, blows air, inflates tires, about all I use it for. Occasional take the riding mower blades off with an impact.

man, it helps cleaning though. sometimes I spray some soapy jazz on them, rinse with hose and air blast off. just depends on how grungy they are.

Least favorite part of saw work, but it is the most important this side of getting all the bits back where they belong.

Good for after cutting as well, three minutes tops gets the clutch area, fins, bar and chain, back clean, ready for next time.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Learn How To Clean Them

First become a master at cleaning them up with solvents and brushes. About half the time I fix them by simply cleaning them up and getting rid of grime and grit that can stop them dead, especially the junk inside the pull-cord housing and packed around the flywheel and ignition components. Nobody seems to want to run a clean chainsaw and they get dirty faster than just about any piece of equipment you can buy--except maybe a tiller.

Any saw that I fix gets returned clean. The owner appreciates that almost as much as the repair that was needed to fix the saw and get it running again.