Newbie Here and Looking for a Project

[mattgatten]

New here, love the site.

Ok, I just recently picked up a nicely running Stihl 026 and absolutely love it. I've ran cheap saws before but this is the first nicer one that I have owned. It could use a little TLC but it's my only saw and I'm always on the hunt for wood for my woodturning. I'm dying to give it a good 'going over' and get it looking really good too. However, since it's my only one, I know the minute I start any work on it, I'll get a call to go cut up some wood!

With that, where are some good places to go looking for a project saw? I would like to find something with more displacement than the 026 but not go crazy and pick up a 066 or something like that.

Any suggestions? Also, if you have any decent candidates that won't kill my wallet (just to get the saw), shoot me a PM or reply here.

Thanks guys. Awesome site!

 

[mile9socounty]

Well, the best place to hit up for a project saw online is either the Trading post on here or try fleebay. Garage sales, or talk to people you know that know people that know people. As your local Saw shop(s?) if they have any old saws. Oh, Welcome to the addiction!

 

[mattgatten]

Thanks. I've got a great Stihl dealer and mechanic here in town and they put up with a lot of my questions. I had them look my 026 over and they told me 'I done good' with it. So I'm inclined to stay with Stihl based on the service I can get so close to me. With that, what is a logical step up from the 026. (Hope I'm not opening a can of worms here). Nothing too rare. Something that has parts semi-easy to find. haha

Thanks in advance guys,
Matt

 

[computeruser]

Next logical step up would be an 044 or 046.

 

[mattgatten]

Cool!

 

[OilHead]

If you do a good job of hot rodding the 26 you wont be needing a 361. See if one of your local dealers has any dead 044's. As long as every things there & not totally trashed cosmetically $ 150.00 - $ 200.00 a fair price- pro grade. . Generally as a rule when the piston & cylinder head south on saws it does not take out the crankshaft or bearings & are good for 2 or 3 rebuilds. Then either reserect it with a genuine stihl kit e-bay $ 200 or Bailys $ 100. Can't recall exactually but they might have a 046 jug you can use instead. Or do the same thing with a 066 if one of the dealer happen to have one .

 

[mattgatten]

And look how quickly this thread has gotten me looking for a junked 066! hahaha Thanks guys. I'm looking on fleabay and there are some real basket cases. Probably way out of my league right? (I'm very mechanical, just not real knowledgeable about chainsaws). I used to fly the big gasser remote control airplanes so the engines are very similar in many respects. Do you guys go after some real bad ones or a complete saw that has some major component trashed on it? Just don't want to get 'burned' too badly.

Also, someone said 'hot rodding' my 026. Forgive my noobish-ness. What kind of hot rodding are we talking about. What can you do to these things. If it's really cool, I might even go after trashed 026 so I at least have spare parts or a good learning experience for my saw that is actually running. ha

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[andrethegiant70]

You'd do best financially to find a whole saw that needs some help, rather than collecting components to build a saw. Sometimes it can take a while for that "right saw" to roll around. BTW, you have CAD. For your first task on arboristsite, you should use the search function and see what CAD means. You will then have exercised the muscle that will help you do all KINDS of "hop ups" to your 026 and do a million other things to any saw you purchase.

The Giant welcomes you.

 

[blsnelling]

Get a 460. I love my ported 460.

 

[mattgatten]

Translation of patronizing post - "Noobie, use the search feature to exercise your brain and discover that you are addicted to chainsaws. You can also find anything you want using the search feature."

I apologize for not searching first, however, I like to get threads going and get to know folks when I'm new to a site. Thus the title of the thread.

Sorry,
Matt

 

[andrethegiant70]

Didn't mean to be patronizing at all. I just wanted to steer you in the right direction. There's YEARS of great data here... By doing the searches, you get lifetimes of collective chainsaw wisdom... much more so than you'll get from those present (apologies to those present) on a Friday morning. Interestingly enough, there are even numerous threads from new posters looking for a first project!

You will always get to a point where you need to ask questions (I know I do). No crime there. Like I said, welcome. I foresee a bright "chainsaw future" for you. You have the bug!

 

[spacemule]

I'd go to a saw shop and find an old junker. If you're lucky, you can find one that was run on strait gas and only needs a set of rings. In my opinion, it's not worth buying if it needs more than a set of rings, because you can find a running saw for what the parts cost.

 

[Zodiac45]

And look how quickly this thread has gotten me looking for a junked 066! hahaha Thanks guys. I'm looking on fleabay and there are some real basket cases. Probably way out of my league right? (I'm very mechanical, just not real knowledgeable about chainsaws). I used to fly the big gasser remote control airplanes so the engines are very similar in many respects. Do you guys go after some real bad ones or a complete saw that has some major component trashed on it? Just don't want to get 'burned' too badly.

Also, someone said 'hot rodding' my 026. Forgive my noobish-ness. What kind of hot rodding are we talking about. What can you do to these things. If it's really cool, I might even go after trashed 026 so I at least have spare parts or a good learning experience for my saw that is actually running. ha

Thanks again,
Matt

It's all relative I suppose but beware of the fleabay stuff and try to do your homework as best as you can. Stihl seems to command high prices and some of the stuff is rough. I've seen trashed 044's and 066's going in the $400s! Look at the guys feedback, and ask allot of questions. If he can't or doesn't answer to your satisfaction, pass on it. Parts can add up in hurry.

 

[mattgatten]

It was just my attempt at some humor as well as taking a small shot back at ya. It's all good. I'm going by the shop today because the lady at the counter (not the guys or the mechanic I usually talk to) gave me the wrong air filter for my 026. I'm taking the old one in with me. I'll probably speak to the mechanic today too.

Well, if there are other saws that make great projects other than Stihl, I'm open to suggestions as well. I was reading about PlantBiologist and his moron BIL breaking his J-Red 801, and a bunch of others. I have plenty of patience and time when I'm around the house. Even completely rebuilding one (except for splitting a case) is probably within my reach.

I've been told that Stihl and Husky are great, I've looked at older McCulloch and J-Reds (and hear the J-Reds are really good) I haven't done much research on the MC's or JR's, however.

As for searching, you're right. I've been lurking and reading on here for months. Again, I was also looking to get some dialogue going and make some friends along the way (hopefully). I am scouring e-bay as we speak. I am a software engineer and I've got some custom stuff I've written to scrape ebay with some pretty heavy filtering to remove all the listings with the 'stuffed keywords'. Example: When you search for Stihl 044 and you get some stuff in the results like 'Stihl 029 Not 044, 046, 066' so more folks see the listing. It's against the TOS but folks still do it. Only defense is to report all you see. My 'little helpers' just bypass it all together. (Sorry for the ramble).

I run a photography forum on vBulletin with about 1000 members and 40k posts and we experience the same dilemma.

Thanks again guys,
Matt

 

[Taxmantoo]

In my opinion, it's not worth buying if it needs more than a set of rings, because you can find a running saw for what the parts cost.

+1, seen too many cylinder kits that cost as much as a running used saw, and dead saws going for 1/2-3/4 as much as a good saw.

 

[Chris J.]

I like the eBay auctions, or BINs, that include several saws in one listing, as that tends to keep away the folks only interested in one of the saws. Sometimes you score a good sleeper or two, & have a future project saw or two. Of course as you know you run the risk buying someone else too-far-gone basket case saws.

Craigslist is another possibility, depending on where you live, at least that way you can handle the saw first to determine its condition Around my area I very rarely see any large name brand saws for decent prices.

As others have advised, & you've mentioned, getting to know the folks at your local saw shops is a huge plus.

Welcome aboard, & best of luck scoring a good project saw! Keep us informed on what you find.

 

[mattgatten]

Thanks guys. I definitely will keep you all in the loop. Now I just have to wait and see what turns up. I live in St. Louis so there's a good amount of Craigslist traffic for our area.

Thanks again,
Matt

 

[oldsaw]

+1, seen too many cylinder kits that cost as much as a running used saw, and dead saws going for 1/2-3/4 as much as a good saw.

That's the truth. Buyer beware.

Mark