Gearhead1
ArboristSite Operative
I thought it only proper to say hello and give a brief introduction as a new member, so here goes! A lifelong resident of Michigan, I'm also the granson of an immigrant Swedish logger and thankfully some of those skills have been passed along to me through my Father. I've been blessed to have spent many hours in the woods, either with a saw or a gun in my hand (depending on the season 
). In addition the experience of working WITH chainsaws, I have much also in working ON them as a state licensed mechainic, which is how I earn a living right now. I worked at a McCulloch dealer in the early-mid 90's when there was still quality behind the nameplate, so I had my hands on a thosand or so of them at the time and became REAL familiar with the then popular models of Macs. I had to leave that area of work (outdoor power dealership) because it wasn't paying beans, but now I've found myself working for a private company running their repair shop and once again I am repairing saws (and other machinery) by the dozens (all makes now).
In our family we pretty much ran McCulloch saws, so it pains me greatly today to see the name on those Chineese plastic toys selling today. My Dad bought a PM610 in the late 70's when we put in a wood stove, and that was our primary cutter for 25 years. It still runs fantastic and has been one of the most dependable machines I've known, wearing out a bar & chain, brake band, throttle link, and nothing else in its life. Many years later (in the early 90's) we picked up an Eager Beaver 3.7 for a steal ($50.00 brand new--K-mart clearance!!!), and have put a few hours on it too. I save it more for bigger work because the 20" bar I find awkward for cutting up the smaller stuff. More recently I have acquired a used Pro-Mac 10-10S (about the last made of that design), which I like quite a bit too. After studying the sitiuation on current saws, and knowing that those McCullochs are going more toward parts obsolescence, I picked up a used Husqvarna 257. I find it to be a decent saw all around, lighter than the McCullochs we have, high-rev engine, with the difference in its smaller displacement becoming apparent only when you sink that bar well into a large log. Heck, I ran over it with the dump truck duals and it came out in one piece (did have to tig the aluminum handle where it cracked.
And now the primary reason I joined here...I've got a project BIG, old beast McCulloch 1-76 that I acquired through work. For the sake of clarity I'll start a new thread on that matter, and wrap up this wordy greeting to all. I'll be looking forward to talking saws, cutting, or what else with you fellas here.
). In addition the experience of working WITH chainsaws, I have much also in working ON them as a state licensed mechainic, which is how I earn a living right now. I worked at a McCulloch dealer in the early-mid 90's when there was still quality behind the nameplate, so I had my hands on a thosand or so of them at the time and became REAL familiar with the then popular models of Macs. I had to leave that area of work (outdoor power dealership) because it wasn't paying beans, but now I've found myself working for a private company running their repair shop and once again I am repairing saws (and other machinery) by the dozens (all makes now). In our family we pretty much ran McCulloch saws, so it pains me greatly today to see the name on those Chineese plastic toys selling today. My Dad bought a PM610 in the late 70's when we put in a wood stove, and that was our primary cutter for 25 years. It still runs fantastic and has been one of the most dependable machines I've known, wearing out a bar & chain, brake band, throttle link, and nothing else in its life. Many years later (in the early 90's) we picked up an Eager Beaver 3.7 for a steal ($50.00 brand new--K-mart clearance!!!), and have put a few hours on it too. I save it more for bigger work because the 20" bar I find awkward for cutting up the smaller stuff. More recently I have acquired a used Pro-Mac 10-10S (about the last made of that design), which I like quite a bit too. After studying the sitiuation on current saws, and knowing that those McCullochs are going more toward parts obsolescence, I picked up a used Husqvarna 257. I find it to be a decent saw all around, lighter than the McCullochs we have, high-rev engine, with the difference in its smaller displacement becoming apparent only when you sink that bar well into a large log. Heck, I ran over it with the dump truck duals
and it came out in one piece (did have to tig the aluminum handle where it cracked.And now the primary reason I joined here...I've got a project BIG, old beast McCulloch 1-76 that I acquired through work. For the sake of clarity I'll start a new thread on that matter, and wrap up this wordy greeting to all. I'll be looking forward to talking saws, cutting, or what else with you fellas here.
). 
