I have one of these so I have the best of both a woman and chainsaws
Stihl should be ashamed of themselves.
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Nothing. The 661 is more expensive, 462 slightly less expensive. The whole line has gone up 15-20% in the ast year
Bill G
ArboristSite King
No doubt the prices have exploded. It seems like yesterday (actually 20 years or so) a new 044 was $575 plus tax.
A better example might be the 029 that was sold all over for $299 plus tax in 2000. Now go back 45 years and look what a comparable saw was plus tax. Guess what folks at or more than $299.. We had cheap saws for years and I guess we are now paying for it. That does not mean I like it though.
Compare your wages to back then though. I would bet the cost increase was comparable to your wage increase.
Gabriel1982
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bill G
ArboristSite King
Well I did not earn wages in 1955 but had I, I will assure you the would have been a hell of a lot less than what I earned in 2000. The price of the saw in 1955 was close to the same as in 2000.
And all things considered chainsaws are a dirt cheap hobby that serves an actual purpose. I've spent alot more on stuff that didn't.
That was exactly my point.
If I had 600 saws and my wife didn't divorce me I would think she was crazy and divorce her.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
Well I guess you missed the point when I said......
You said
With all due respect what was your point? As I said in the earlier post we had cheap saws for years and are now paying the price.
Chris1044
ArboristSite Member
Supply chain shortages are real. Hell even something like the polymer pellets to make the plastic housings have become difficult to get.
That is likely the major driver for cost increases, as it is in my industry producing similar products. Whatever your opinion on covid is, one thing you can't dispute is how much it exposed the fragility of the global supply chains.
That is likely the major driver for cost increases, as it is in my industry producing similar products. Whatever your opinion on covid is, one thing you can't dispute is how much it exposed the fragility of the global supply chains.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
True but the "covid dog" won't hunt anymore. What it exposed in the USA was some folks choice to not work while they collect twice their wages. Those payments will be paid by those that are working by choice.
The supply chain issues is just another excuse.
Gabriel1982
Addicted to ArboristSite
Come to Romania. We drown in plastic... Valea Oltului is also called Pet River... Since it's always full of pet bottles...
2-3 dudes clean it, 2000-3000 bastards throw daily pet bottles or just about ANYTHING in Olt river...
Don't see this problem to be ever solved,if ever...
My point was the price of saws has risen minimally if at all when compared to inflation.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
That was the point I made. They decreased from about 1955 til about 2000. Since then not so much....................
I started out with a Homelite 7-19C in about 1976. Selling firewood. Think the saw was about 1959 model.
I gave $90 for two of them, one a good runner, the other for parts. Firewood was about $40 a pickup load. I made about $200 a week working at a tobacco warehouse.
Not sure what any of that means. Context I guess.
I gave $90 for two of them, one a good runner, the other for parts. Firewood was about $40 a pickup load. I made about $200 a week working at a tobacco warehouse.
Not sure what any of that means. Context I guess.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
That is simply not true.
Depends on how you look at things. Now I know and hope few are working for minimum wage but it is a way to gauge what it took to buy something relative to wages which what you mentioned earlier.
In 1955 the federal minimum wage was $0.75. A new quality firewood saw was $300 thus requiring 400 hours of pay to buy.
In 2000 the federal minimum wage was $5.15. A new 046 was $625 thus requiring 122 hours of pay to buy
In 2022 the federal minimum wage is $7.25. A new 462 is $1280 thus requiring 177 hours of pay to buy
As compared to wages in the 45 year period from 1955 to 2000 the price of saws decreased 328%. From 2000-2022 in less than half the period (22 years) the price of saws increased 145%
As I said earlier we enjoyed cheap saws for years and are now paying for it.
If you prefer to look at inflation then the period from 2000-2021 was 48.6%. We can figure 10% for this years so 58.6%
So the saw that was purchased in 2000 with inflation calculated in should cost $991 today. It instead costs $1280 which equals inflation of 105% I am sorry but from 2000 to today saws have went up at close to twice the rate of inflation.
There is no doubt that the minimum wage hasn't increased in lock step with inflation. But the reality is hardly anyone outside of fast food works for min wage today. Even fast food since 2020 has paid more than min wage.
Inflation figures as I am sure you are aware very with how they are figured.
I bought a Stihl 260 and 440 in 2000. I don't remember what I paid exactly, but IIRC the 260 was around $400 and the 440 $800. Wages at my currently employer have over doubled in that time period, yet the saws haven't. I know thisnis anecdotal.. the other thing to consider is the technology involved in saws has changed since 2000. The more complex castings associated with strato charged motors and the increased use of electronics add to the cost of manufacture. Then you have the rapid inflation brought on by the covid fiasco. This is a temporary thing and in 10 years from now the numbers will be more reasonable.
One thing is for certain. Current saws, all things considered are pretty cheap considering the performance compared to saws from 2000.
Bill G
ArboristSite King
I am glad your wages have doubled in 22 years. Go talk with the UAW workers that built John Deere tractors in 1977. The go talk with their grandkids who are also UAW workers building John Deere in the same factory 45 years later.
When you get done doing that go ask the farmer that bought a new 140hp tractor in 1977
Then ask the farmer that bought a new 140hp one in 2022
When you get done doing that go ask the farmer that bought a new 140hp tractor in 1977
Then ask the farmer that bought a new 140hp one in 2022
