New method of destroying a saw

[indiansprings]

Yesterday we had a customer come in with a saw, his diagnosis was it was making funny noises and wasn't cutting well.LOL

It was on a fairly new Craftsman, the chain had been put on backwards and run so long he had tore two teeth off the sprocket, destroyed the clutch and got it so hot it had ruined the oiler, just trashed it, had him leave it, have to look and see if it got hot enough to warp the case/bearing failure, I try to get some pics Monday.
He thought it was cutting funny. I've seen several chains were the customer had actually sharpend the back of the teeth but had the chain on correctly. This poor guy had to have run this thing for quite a while, as you could tell by the blue/black bar the oiler had failed long before he shut it off, run it until the clutch springs came out.

 

[Scandy14]

Wow

People like that should not even be allowed to run a saw.

 

[sachsmo]

Har, Har,

my first saw was more of a trencher than a wood cutter, cut the spur on it clean in half.



We alll gotta learn eh?

 

[7sleeper]

He sure was being consequent!

7

 

[indiansprings]

If he had went to a GOOD dealer, the individual would have prolly went over how to install chains, and went over the general operation of the saw with him if he wasn't an expierenced operator.
Since he bought it at a box store you would think they would have at least read the manual. Sold a saw to a young man, prolly 17 years old who came in with his single mom and grandmother, he is going to cut their firewood. New to chainsaws, must have spent forty five minutes with the youngster, going over the saw, re-enforcing his mother's rule of him not going cutting alone, got them to buy a set of chaps and gave him the basics on hand filing and saw maint. Gave him the address to the site, told him to do a search on felling/falling, although he prolly will just be sawing up saw mill slabs.
The appreciation the grandmother had was more than worth the time spent, you also get a customer for life that way.
The guy with the destroyed saw, typical box store purchaser, in a hurry, just get the saw fixed, I really have my doubts, I'd bet she is toasted once we get into her.

 

[T0RN4D0]

Old method, new fool.

 

[Joe Kidd]

What a tragedy, even for a Crapsman.

 

[056kid]

People like that should not even be allowed to run a saw.

No, people like that should not be allowed to breathe. If life where a little trickier, 40watts like him would end up worm food before they have a chance to spread the genius..

 

[Hammertime1]

I'm absolutely amazed at what I have seen Sears hardware or lawn n garden people tell customers in reference to maint or use if equipment. It's downright scary. I bought a lawnmower from Sears that was their display a while back. It wouldn't have been a good day if I started it without checking everthing first. oil was way overfilled, blade was being held by tape. Lots of stuff was wrong or incorrectly installed.
Worst part I was told just ad gas and she's ready to go.

 

[lfnh]

No, people like that should not be allowed to breathe. If life where a little trickier, 40watts like him would end up worm food before they have a chance to spread the genius..

Feeling a little generous this morning, eh.
was thinking more along the lines of 1 candle power.

Probly drives the same way the saw looks.

 

[B Harrison]

So with shop labor, new bar, chain, clutch, sprocket, oiler, springs, at what point is the $100 saw not even worth looking at?

A new one can be had for $140 at Slowes right now!

 

[belgian]

I don't think it's a new method actually.
Looking at the new generation of sawyers that has grown up with fancy mobile phones and no idea what farm equipment or a saw looks like, the saw manufacterers and dealers have a few new challenges to face. :msp_wink:

 

[THALL10326]

I don't think it's a new method actually.
Looking at the new generation of sawyers that has grown up with fancy mobile phones and no idea what farm equipment or a saw looks like, the saw manufacterers and dealers have a few new challenges to face. :msp_wink:

Whatcha talkin bout, is no challenge at all when someone brings in a Craftsman, the answer is NO, no we're not gonna look at it, no we're not gonna fix it and no your not leaving it here for us to throw away. So where's the challenge,LOL

Ya know Brother Belgian those people at Sears, they aren't in the education biz, they are in the take your money and see you later biz. Can't really blame them, they're just doing what they are told and paid to do. There is no way they are going to take time to explain the use of a chainsaw to someone when they probably have no idea themselves. Its not their fault either, their job is to take your money and that they do very well..

 

[056kid]

this thread reminds me, I need to take some screwdrivers in for replacement. I wonder how many people try and get replacements for their saws and related yard work articles. "this chain quit working, I want a replacement!"

 

[indiansprings]

More than likely it will only cost the guy $22.50 for a detailed and complete estimate of what it will cost to repair his saw. The ticket will prolly read, after the breakdown of components that have to be replaced and their cost, "Cost to repair exceeds the value of the saw". Now being nice guys, if he choses to buy a new Stihl we will eat the labor and time to make the estimate. It works out well that way, he then leaves his old junker for us to thrown down in the shed for what little parts are left, we sell a new Stihl, teach him how to use it and he comes back again and again.

 

[bcsizemo]

oil was way overfilled,.

I had a neighbor once that was super nice (older couple with some early college kids), but dumb as a box of rocks when it came to anything mechanical. A screwdriver was pushing their technical capabilities. And apparently it was genetic.

The son was home for fall break or something and was told to mow the yard. He checked over their push mower and noticed the oil was low..so he filled it up, all the way up.

Apparently it actually ran for a good 10 or 15 seconds before the crankshaft snapped and punched a hole in the block - leaking a good quart of oil everywhere....

At least it was near the end of the mowing season. I happen to have a left over engine sitting in the garage and was able to swap parts between them and get them a running mower for about $20. I know they used it at least another 2 years.

 

[Modifiedmark]

More than likely it will only cost the guy $22.50 for a detailed and complete estimate of what it will cost to repair his saw. The ticket will prolly read, after the breakdown of components that have to be replaced and their cost, "Cost to repair exceeds the value of the saw". Now being nice guys, if he choses to buy a new Stihl we will eat the labor and time to make the estimate. It works out well that way, he then leaves his old junker for us to thrown down in the shed for what little parts are left, we sell a new Stihl, teach him how to use it and he comes back again and again.

Thats exactly what the Stihl dealer here dose whenever a saw is brought in for repair here as well. Dont matter if its a 170, 250 or 390 either. :bang:

 

[indiansprings]

He wanted it fixed, I'd rather charge him for a detailed estimate than stick him with a repair bill that is greater than the worth of his saw without his prior consent.
We have bunches of toasted saws with the parts he needs, we'll also give him an estimate new vs used parts as well. In today's world money is tight and we try to respect doing the right thing for the customer, instead of just gouging him and repairing we'll let him make an informed decision, if he has it repaired, won't charge him for the estimate either. Thirty minutes of time isn't much of an investment for a customer for years, treat em right and they come back, irregardless of the brand we work on.

 

[lfnh]

Whatcha talkin bout, is no challenge at all when someone brings in a Craftsman, the answer is NO, no we're not gonna look at it, no we're not gonna fix it and no your not leaving it here for us to throw away. So where's the challenge,LOL

Ya know Brother Belgian those people at Sears, they aren't in the education biz, they are in the take your money and see you later biz. Can't really blame them, they're just doing what they are told and paid to do. There is no way they are going to take time to explain the use of a chainsaw to someone when they probably have no idea themselves. Its not their fault either, their job is to take your money and that they do very well..

there be a few old sears mags that would be keepers. a different era.
come to think of it, i guess i'm an old mag too.

 

[dboyd351]

there be a few old sears mags that would be keepers. a different era.
come to think of it, i guess i'm an old mag too.

Yes, there was a time when Craftsman and Poulan were both good names, and often for the same reason - can you say Craftsman 3.7/Poulan 3700, or Craftsman 2.3/Poulan 2300? Lots of good, reliable American made mag saws back then.