New or Used saws

[John Mc]

When you guys are talking about hours of use on a chainsaw, are you talking about hours you were working in the woods, or actual hours of run time on the chainsaw? That is, if you work an 8 hour day in the woods, are you counting that as 8 hours of time on the chainsaw, or something less than that (possibly significantly less, depending on what you are doing), since the chainsaw isn't in use 100% of the time.

I have to say, I had no idea a chainsaw would go 3500 or 4500 running hours before it was shot. I would have guessed far less than that, even if you took good care of it. Mine will probably die of old age or some stupid thing I do before they reach those numbers.

John Mc

[quietrangr]

I saw from about 7 to 2, or around seven hours, then I jump on the forwarder and bring it in to the landing. Seven hours minus an hour for breaks is six hours a day, times about 24 days a month, equals 144 hours, times 12 months is 1728 hours a year minus two weeks off for good behavior, er...I mean...vacation...equals 1662. I was guesstimating at 1500 hours a year earlier, and it could even be a little less than that. But 1500 a year should be pretty close. I use up about one chain a week. My 2171 worked full time for three years, but it's not done yet. Still has some life in it, still runs decent.

Those saws are amazing. Just think how you'd look after going up and down 10,000 times a minute for 3,000 or 4,500 hours.

[stonebroke]

So you saying total saw time not the amount of time the saw is actually being used?

Stonebroke

[Rocky_J]

So you saying total saw time not the amount of time the saw is actually being used?

Stonebroke

I have no idea what you're trying to say exactly, but he's talking about running time. That's the amount of time the saw is making noise, burning fuel and hot air is coming out of the muffler.   

[quietrangr]

Rocky has it right. I saw for seven hours. During the seven hours sawing, I'm on breaks maybe an hour, so six hours or so running time. I based the 1500 hours a year on six hours a day, 24 days a month. I'm a logger, so it's pretty consistent time per day. I used to have a tree service. Then I put in fewer hours on the big saw, but they were harder hours, more like firewood cutting, but every day. Could wear out a big saw in a hurry blocking up those three foot diameter elm trees.

[stonebroke]

I meant the amount of time the saw is actually working as opposed to just iding or shut off. On tractors most tractors are adjusted to PTO speed which means that when a tractor is iding then is a accumlating hours at a much lower rate. In logging this would probably be equivalent to someone bucking fire wood constantly,i.e.  high revs working and not much slack time. I doubt if any chainsaw could stand 3500 hours constant use at max horsepower.

Stonebroke

[quietrangr]

I will go insane trying to figure out how much it's idling and how much it's sawing.  (Closest smiley I could find to showing an insane guy.) There's not a whole lot of time that it's shut off. I might as well be home in bed if it's shut off, though every hour or so I might take a five minute sit-down.

[boobap]

i was at this motorsports shop a few months back. they have these cool little (i mean small) hour meters that are about $35. they have a led that coils around the + side of the coil led. also they auto shut off...yes this will only tell you running time, but i don't let my saws idle much...

[flushcut]

 I have only bought one used saw out of my nine and that was a 3120xp that was barely used and has good compression.

[Bruce Hopf]

I bought a few (8 to be exact) used Stihl Pro chain saws, from my local dealer. The customer didn't want to pay to get them fixed, so they traded them in. I was able to get them at a decent price. They ranged from $75.00, to $100.00. One was for $150.00, while the other one was for $200.00
One needed a total rebuild, new bearings, and seals, gasket kit, carburetor repair kit, and a P&C kit. That was an 044.
I picked up a couple 034's, pistons for both needed to be replaced, and carburetor repair kits, as well.
I picked up another 044, for $100.00, and all it needed was a clutch bearing, and the drive for the oiler, from the clutch hub. The piston, and cylinder looked close to new. It hadn't seen very much work at all. This one was ported by a friend of mine, and he also did the muffler modification to it as well.
I picked up 2- 024's, one needed new fuel, and oil caps, plus a carburetor repair kit. The bottom of the chain saw was wet with bar oil, and the dealer assumed that the crank case gasket was leaking, but it turned out that the oil cap was doing the leaking, while the other 024, needed a carburetor repair kit.
I got a 064, for $150.00, and all it needed was a new base gasket, carburetor repair kit, intake boot, fuel line, and I had a 24" bar and chain already for it.
I ran into a box of 084 parts, with a few crank cases, and almost all the parts, except a couple, and the flywheel had a couple of fins broken off. I ran into another 084, that the seals, and bearings were gone, for $200.00, scavenged what parts I needed from it, and finished the 084, I was working on. I put a new 30" bar and chain on it, as well.
Sure I bought a few intake boots, and fuel lines, but I have enough saws to cut all the fire wood I'm going to cut, but I did all the work myself. I'm like All Smith, do it as a hobby, and hope to do a little business on the side.
I have invested in these 8 chain saws, with new parts that were needed to get them running again, was between $1,750.00, to $1,800.00, and that was including the bar, and new chains, that I put on them.
But then again, I'm only a wood cutter here on the farm. I mostly cut fire wood for myself, and sell a bit on the side as well.
If you are a handy person, that you are able fix things, and rebuild an engine of a chain saw, on your own, used would be a easier way to go. If not, new would be the way to go for you.
I got my chain saws, from a dealer, and there was no modifications done to them, until I got them anyway. I'm a very mechanically inclined person, and I also used to be a Authorized Factory Service Mechanic for another Stihl Dealership (not the one I got the chain saws from), a few years ago, so that helps. Bruce.

[Bruce Hopf]

3500 actual running hours on a chainsaw  Wow .

I have a McCulloch Mac 10-10, that my Great Uncle bought new in 1968, (42 years old) and it has cut a heck of a pile of fire wood.  It is still a very strong running chain saws,  but I don't use it that much any more, because it is a bit heavier, that my Stihl 044's, slower in the cut, and has no anti vibration. 
I had no choice but to go to Stihl, because they have the anti vibration, plus of health reasons too.  Bruce

[Glenn]

I have always bought new saws but ...  3 years ago i found a retired guy who had a brand new in box pioneer/partner p52 plus.  He bought 2 of them (in 1984 i think), used one and had the other one in the garage atic all this time in the box.  The one he used was still running decent but had seen alot of work.  He offered me the new one and i bought it right away.  It had never even seen gas.  I love it - its what i learned to saw with when i was a kid.  I have cut about 8 tandem loads of logs into firewood each year for 3 years (24 loads)without any trouble - same bar.  It runs great lots of power.  I put on an 8 tooth sprocket and its plenty fast now too.  I'm going to look for more cause I know they are out there.

[HolmenTree]

Ever since I was old enough to get a job making a living with a saw [16], I bought new, the saw & parts are a tax right off so you get 1/2 the money spent back anyways.
Years ago when mechanical harvesting took away my falling job I took the lumber grading course & job at the sawmill. Sitting in a chair for 8 hrs turning & marking lumber made me miss the bush, so I bought a brand new 066 Mag Red Lite/ 28" & a old beat up 1965 Ford F800 dump 3 ton & went out & cut/sold birch firewood.
I'd get a timber permit, drive the 3 ton right into the stand of birch, with snow on the ground in winter I'd throw a set of tire chains on the rear. Summer was a little easier going but you had leaves which cut visability.
 I'd fell my trees, block them up into 24". With the 066s clutch cover off, bar nuts shimmed with washers I would then "noodle split" the blocks as they lay flat on the ground. Always lots of moss on the ground with no rocks, I had good going for years. That powerfull 066 ripped through big tough crotched birch blocks like butter.
I'd throw 2 cords loose onto the 3 ton & deliver to nearby cottage country & town customers. I at times was making 2 trips a day before going to work & "resting" at the sawmill job. $600  of wood sold a day plus my $200 a day lumber grading job was worth it.
Then I got into the "big money" residential tree removal jobs & I quit my sawmill job.
Willard