It Lives!!! !!! !!!

[RED-85-Z51]

Just fix saw's out of your garage, it's a lot more fun.

I did, since I was just 10-11 years old. Then I realized people will pay very good money for me to fix their stuff.

When I graduated HS I started the business, and Ive been going fine ever since. Ive only had a few bad customers so far.

 

[sugarbush]

I did, since I was just 10-11 years old. Then I realized people will pay very good money for me to fix their stuff.

When I graduated HS I started the business, and Ive been going fine ever since. Ive only had a few bad customers so far.

sound's like you have a real passion for small engine's, that's very important to be successful.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

sound's like you have a real passion for small engine's, that's very important to be successful.

Ive always been intrigued by lawn and garden equipment.

4 years ago I bought a 1962 Wheel Horse model 702 Gerden Tractor. When I got it, it was totally rusted, just a Frame, Trans, Hood, seat and 32" gear driven deck.

I paid $25 for it. MY dad told me I had just wasted 32 dollars. 25 for the tractor, 7 dollars to drop it off at the dump...:hmm3grin2orange:

But I proved them all wrong. Tore it down to the frame, sandblasted, primed, painted. Serched for an Era Correct Kohler K181S, Wired it all up, rebuilt a few things and it ran. I cut grass with it 6 months after I trailered it home. Im proud of it, Ill never sell it, Ive been offered enough money for that little tractor that I could go out to the local Stihl Dealer and say "go to the very bottom of your product list, and gimme one of them" but Ill never sell it.

Ive recently picked up a 1967 John Deere 110H Ill restore just the same, when this heat breaks.

 

[TopJimmy]

Red,

I love your enthusiasm and passion. I wish you the very best in starting your own repair shop. I know that when you tell people you are starting a business, they often tend to be very negative. I do not want to come off as negative, but want to try to give you a little advice. I have learned from the school of hard knocks. You appear to be doing everything right, training, working, your own projects, etc. A common problem that people with a passion for anything (in your case, small engines), is that they lack the experience and knowledge of the realities of owing a small business. Under capitalization, sales tax, self employment tax, business license, insurance, employment taxes (federal, state and possibly local), etc. can cause a lot of heart ache.

If you have not already done this, take a little time away from the small engines and study the necessary parts of running a business. You may want to consider setting up shop in some sort of an established business. Something along the lines of a small mower shop that does not sell saws, and needs help in the shop. You could form some sort of a partnership and run the shop and saw sales and they could run the mower sales. You could use and learn from their experience with the administrative part of the business + you would have a built in customer base. If it was an older person you could have a plan to buy them out when they retire and have an established business. However if you do any kind of a partnership, make sure that you have a predetermined and agreed to (in writing) exit strategy. That way if it does not work out, or you get ready to be on your own, it can be a clean break.

Please not think that I doubt your abilities or assuming that you would fail if you jump out on your own. Just understand that there is a lot to know about starting and running a successful business that you will only learn from experience.

With all that I have said, the best time to start out and learn from your mistakes is when you are young, with few expenses and without a family to support. So think it through, plan for the worst and go for it.

Jim

 

[sawinredneck]

Good post Jim!!! In a nutshell Red, he is saying keep you're overhead down and learn customer relations and bookeeping from someone else that knows how it works. And did so very elouqently I must say! It is very easy to go out and buy this and that then have them sit around not making you any money when you need that and the other thing, but are broke from buying this and that the first go around!! Learn from someone else, while you are figuring out what they are doing wrong at the same time!!!! Good and confused? GOOD!!!! It only gets harder!!!
Andy

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Well, I do pay all my taxes, I learned about the penalties they hit you with if you are a day late..:bang:

When I started it was all out of pocket for a while. but I had tools.

MY dad has a Snap-on 3 tier box full of tools, and I have a 3 tier Craftsman box full of tools, and a rack of testing stuff Ive accumulated, electrical testers, gauges, all the goodies.

As far as tools, Im set. Now, having said that, I dont have many Briggs tools, BUT, after I am a dealer, I get briggs tools at next to nothing cost.

I dont stock alot of parts here. just Briggs filters I can move fast, 3-5hp Foams, and 5-7hp Pleated papers.
Then the 12.5-18hp Vertical Filters.
I keep a roll of Starter rope, and lengths of 2 stroke and 4 stroke fuel lines.

I have a few Briggs recoil starters...

Beyond that, I dont stock much. i see no need to run out and buy 1000 dollars in parts that may sit in a box for 2-3 years, when my local supplier has them all on hand, all the time.

I dont even stock blades, beyond the 42" AYP and MTD blades (common).

I advertise in a Local classified paper, 12 line ad, 6 weeks at a time. It keeps me busy, 3-4 customers a week, sometimes 8-10 customers a week.

Im not looking to expand HUGE right now, just keep steady cashflow into the business account.

I have an old 4X8 Trailor I pick up and Deliver with, and my dad just bought a 17X8 Dovetail Car Hauler, so there isnt much I cant pickup.

Im very up front with my customers, about what is worth fixing, and what is going to be an ongoing headache for both of us. If they still want me to fix it, I will.
For instance there is a 38" 12hp MTD that was under water...rusted out, but ran. Guy keeps pouring money in it...and I dont know why, but Im THIS close to telling him I will buy it from him for parts, just so I dont have to get all cut up on it's rusty self anymore..

Ive only had a handful of stuff I couldnt fix, right now I have a 10hp Briggs pressure washer, that wont start and stay running. It never loses fire, and the carb is new. It is VERY high hours, so Im thinking it is just tired, as compression is low when it warms up.


I know all the headaches of paying the taxes and stuff though, and it is a pain! Right now, Im just having to pay Sales Tax..

I saved every reciept from last year, and ended up breaking even on my income tax, even though I made all sorts of money, it came up under the "limit". So I didnt have to pay this year. Still turned profit though.

 

[sawinredneck]

Sounds like you are on the right track
Sorry, have to laugh, Briggs tools?????????? You got a hammer? A ring compresor? A large adjustable wrench and a set of feeler gauges? You are done!!!! Other than a pry bar, not much else is needed LOL!!!! Sorry, not a big fan of briggs anymore:deadhorse: Used to be great, then ok, then I met Kawasaki:hmm3grin2orange: Hard pressed to WANT to work on another briggs, let alone own one:biggrinbounce2:
On the pressure washer, check the valve clearance, should be .008 on both sides, then do a compression check, sounds like a valve is staying open, probably carboned up! More than likely needs the valves lapped in, years of practice!!!
BTW: Don't you just love these new non-rebuildable carbs? I mean WTF were they thinking??
Andy

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Sounds like you are on the right track
Sorry, have to laugh, Briggs tools?????????? You got a hammer? A ring compresor? A large adjustable wrench and a set of feeler gauges? You are done!!!! Other than a pry bar, not much else is needed LOL!!!! Sorry, not a big fan of briggs anymore:deadhorse: Used to be great, then ok, then I met Kawasaki:hmm3grin2orange: Hard pressed to WANT to work on another briggs, let alone own one:biggrinbounce2:
On the pressure washer, check the valve clearance, should be .008 on both sides, then do a compression check, sounds like a valve is staying open, probably carboned up! More than likely needs the valves lapped in, years of practice!!!
BTW: Don't you just love these new non-rebuildable carbs? I mean WTF were they thinking??
Andy

non rebuildable carb?

Talking about the Walbro Fixed main, or the Nikki fixed main?

As far as I know, they are all rebuildable, you just have to have the briggs tools to remove the jets, and seats.

To remove the inlet seat, they say to use the bolt out of the briggs flywheel puller, and a small socket. Thread the bolt into the seat (self tapping) and then tighten the jam nut onto the socket, and pull the whole assembly out by turning the nut. It sounds complicated, but done right, takes a couple minutes.

The side mounted jets are easy to replace, and the internal verticle mounted jets are pretty easy too.

Briggs has a full line of kits for dealers.

Valve lapping kits, ring installation kits, piston installation kits, flywheel holders, and pullers, D/U bearing reamers and counter borers, as well as pullers and bearing aligners and holder to install a new one.

Ball bearing main pullers..seal protectors, hones, different stones, leakdown tester, Charging shunt tester...

Just alot of stuff you might really need one day. Plus, it is all good quality, and the prices are fair.

I intend to have the full line within a year.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

FWIW, Im not a huge fan of briggs either. I prefer an old Twin Onan, or a Cast Iron Kohler..

But briggs must hold...90% of the market now..I know 95% of the equipment I see has a briggs on it.

 

[sawinredneck]

I was joking about the tools:biggrinbounce2:
All of the newer carbs on the Techumseh's and Birggs are extruded, you can just replace the "bowl kit" and once they plug 3 times out of 10 you just throw them away and replace them!!! I hate this EPA crap!!!! NON adjustable, non-rebuildable junk!!! Go to HD and look at the carbs on the newer walk behinds and compare the Hondas to the Briggs, you will see what I am talking about, just an alluminium extrusion with holes in it and a plastic bowl!!!
Andy

 

[Justsaws]

Factory reconditioned 46cc with a 18" bar. Some people love them, most people hated them. Some ran great, most ran poorly. Assembly work was dodgy at best.

I am glad you like yours it should not be hard to find more as they fall from the sky during wood cutting season as people become fed up with the parts failure and lack of availability.

I just went though one for a fellow I work with. He loves it. He has one of the longest lasting hardest used ones I have ever seen. All it ever needs is maintenance work. Amazing. I had 55 gallon drum of power heads at one time, do not anymore, do not remember where they went. But I was glad they went away.

I hope yours works well for you. Keep up your enthusiasm, it is refreshing.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I was joking about the tools:biggrinbounce2:
All of the newer carbs on the Techumseh's and Birggs are extruded, you can just replace the "bowl kit" and once they plug 3 times out of 10 you just throw them away and replace them!!! I hate this EPA crap!!!! NON adjustable, non-rebuildable junk!!! Go to HD and look at the carbs on the newer walk behinds and compare the Hondas to the Briggs, you will see what I am talking about, just an alluminium extrusion with holes in it and a plastic bowl!!!
Andy

Hmm, I might have to check into this. As far as I know, the only extruded aluminum Carb made recently, was the Tecumseh Vector Engine ( I have 2). And while it isnt totally rebuildable, Ive never had any need to rebuild one.

I got one that sat with water in it for over a year, outside with bad gas. I dropped the bowl, blew it all out, and hit it with some spray, and it ran perfectly. The other one had bad gas so bad the bowl was solid corrosion. And it ran perfectly after being blown out.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Okay, I got bored so I took the bar/chain off, removed the clutch, and the Oiling Pump.

The oiler looks like new, 0 wear on the gears. I dont know if I was supposed to, but I put a very small dab of vaseline on the plastic gears...dont see how it could hurt.

Anyways, I removed the oil cap, and the strainer fell out...so I had some 2 stroke Tygon Fuel line laying around, and I fed it through the hose hole i nthe bottom of the oil tank, and fetched it through the fill opening, and pressed on the strainer, than pulled it back through, and the strainer nipple expanded the hose, and it fit tightly in the hole in the bottom of the tank. I fed the hose over to the pump and put it on there, then put it all back together, and it cranked on the 2nd pull.

Let it warm for a minute at idle, then went out and had some fun.

We had a limb on a fig tree that was leaning too far over, so I cut it off in 2" sections down to the stump...Ive got about 50 little discks, ranging from 4" around, up to 10" around.

Then I went and cut up some of our firewood, never had a hiccup, the saw ran great, it oiled perfectly.

It idles nicely, and revs quickly, with almost no vibration. It is very smooth.

I wiped it down with a wet rag, cleaned the bar off, and blew it out. And I swear to you, it could be sitting on a shelf as new.:greenchainsaw: