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Aaaarghh,I'm a chainsaw collector! How did this happen?

Started by skipster, January 27, 2016, 04:01:58 AM

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skipster

Now,I've been collecting vintage musical instruments since i was 13.
Guitars,banjos,ukuleles,violins,mandolins etc, I have owned pretty much everything I ever desired.
Nowadays I've whittled the collection down a fair bit, concentrating on the 1880's to the 1940's,mainly american stringed instruments.
I was happily settling into my "twilight"years as a collector, the passion had calmed,and i was comfortable.

Chainsaws were just a tool i sometimes used until I bought an MS362 and was enjoying forestry work.
Deciding I needed a second saw,I found a nice old 044, followed by a rebuildable parts saw.
Researching the 044 on this forum opened up a whole new world,and I have transferred my interest in instrument collecting to chainsaws,so far ending up with two 044's,two 041AV's and two 08s's. Now on the hunt for an 090!

Its so much fun having a new hobby at the middle age of 52,I feel like a kid again.
thanks fellow addicts and co-enablers.

Spike60

Haha, that was a really good post! Saws as a hobby probably crept up on many of us the same way. Even being in the business, it wasn't always that way for me. Saws were just one of the things in the store. But at some point it became more than that. I'm a history buff, and the timeline and history of saws got me interested in the collecting aspect. Sticking to my Huskys and Jonnys, connecting the dots and filling in the missing models has been a blast. Plus it has the added benefit of giving me a broad base of knowledge about the older models that most shops are clueless about, so it's good for business.

And out of all the hobbies that involve something with a motor on it, saws have some unique advantages. First, it's by far the least expensive of any of them unless you have no self control at all. They really don't take up much room, so there's always room for a couple more. For most of us, they produce a usefull byproduct in the firewood that helps us heat our homes. Factoring in the savings on wood heat can result in a hobby that really doesn't cost you anything at all. Spending a couple grand on tires and rims to make a truck look cool doesn't produce anything other than for the place that sells them. 

Stlhl has also produced a lot of models over the years. You better make some more room in the garage.  :D
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

sawguy21

Yup, you are hooked and there is no known cure. :D My story is much like Spike's, I started wrenching and selling at a small engine dealership and got involved with saws and loggers. Old saws started coming my way, the shop and the customers didn't want them, and I just couldn't say no.
It is a fun hobby, relatively inexpensive if I exercise restraint, and doesn't take up a lot of space. Plus it gives us something to talk about. BTW, I am also looking for an 090, lots were used in this area but any I have found are too rich for my bank account.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

skipster

Actually,talking bank accounts, saws are quite inexpensive to collect compared to musical instruments and other collectables.
For example,a mid-range collectable Stihl 044 cost me $160, whereas a midrange guitar from the 30's starts at about $800, and usually goes for double that.
I paid $70 for my 08S,and have had more fun tinkering with it than with a $700 banjo.

mmartone

I'm also in the same boat as it were. 5 years ago I had a few old stihls that got used on a rare occasion. Now I have about a dozen running saws,  at least that many in need of repair and some more parts and junk. This all happened after I got my Woodmizer.. wonder if theres a connection.
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

Al_Smith

Once people find out you collect them you might be up to your hip pockets in them, all freebies. Besides that it's probably more interesting than stamp collecting .

CR888

I brought one home from my local rubbish tip last week, had it cutting wood by days end. Some of the older saws were built so well and with such detail and quality, its really hard to not like them when you start stripping them down or see them sitting on the shelf. While new modern pro saws cut fast, are light and super smooth they lack the personality of the old ones. I also about a year ago when dropping green waste at the tip saw a contra lightening sitting next to the scrap bin. I got worried God may not let me enter heaven had I let this saw get melted down.....it came home too however while it has compression and spark my guess at this stage is it may need a few more bits than a fuel line and carb kit.lol

sawguy21

old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

skipster

Quote from: CR888 on February 08, 2016, 06:08:51 AM
I brought one home from my local rubbish tip last week, had it cutting wood by days end. Some of the older saws were built so well and with such detail and quality, its really hard to not like them when you start stripping them down or see them sitting on the shelf. While new modern pro saws cut fast, are light and super smooth they lack the personality of the old ones. I also about a year ago when dropping green waste at the tip saw a contra lightening sitting next to the scrap bin. I got worried God may not let me enter heaven had I let this saw get melted down.....it came home too however while it has compression and spark my guess at this stage is it may need a few more bits than a fuel line and carb kit.lol

I found an old pioneer,pre chainbrake,at the tip the other day,gave the loader operator $10 for it,and was lugging it to the car when a young woman came up and asked if i buy chainsaws- long story short,i went round to her place and ended up with a mint,unused Stihl MS181c for a fifth of the new price,it was an unwanted gift from an ex-husband and she just wanted it gone.
Cute little thing(the saw!) not sure what I'm going to use it for,but i dont have a small saw in my stable,so i'm going to keep it.

CR888

Quote from: sawguy21 on February 08, 2016, 11:31:03 AM
That is a sweet find, I should be so lucky. :D
Yeah well it ain't a shelf queen yet, when I first saw it, what got my attention was that unique shape of the dawgs that 1106 series have. Most of the original saw paint was worn off but there was a little deep red paint on the dawgs that hinted to me that it was a contra. It's missing the top cover, air shroud & air filter. But its got spark and good comp. I just need to clean the spiders out of the intake before I try to get it too fire. I'm sure it will fire/run but this thing has sat for a long time and needs a good spark lead and little bits here and there. Looks to be my most challenging saw so far to return to functional runner. That's OK, there is some good AM parts on the bay and I have friends into saws that I am sure will help. Just been too busy to put it on the bench and I have a few projects I want to finish first.

Mn woodchuck

I don't know how I got here either I had a 710 MCloughlug for years cut fire wood for my parents , did little cleanup work around the farm. Decided I wanted to cut more as a lot of trees in our wood land went down so I bought a 350xp  next thing I know I have 9 running saws and 2 I'm working on. All my huskys run and my husky swede runs well. I have a wild thing I'm working on and that 710 needs some tlc again , it never ends. But I'm having fun !!
to soon oldt to late schmart!
3 husky 350xps 340xp 362 346. 372xp McCullough 710.and a jonsered 2150 sopped up..
Cat D6 D2

skipster

So,a common thread running through this is"I don't know how it came to this.."
Unlike many other addictions,which can be traced back to such things as your traumatic third birthday party etc, chainsaw collectors syndrome can strike suddenly out of the blue,for very little reason.

Al_Smith

Probably my best dumpster find some body else found. A McCulloch 700 .Missing the recoil and chain brake .The person gave it to me ,stuck tight .After a good treatment of Kroil and about a week of turning it, it freed up .Doner saw for some parts and it runs like a new one .Ya just never know. ;D

CR888

I have only sold one saw which I got a fair price for, I bought the same saw brand new so I really just upgraded it. I now wish I had not sold it and would happily buy it back given the chance. With about 25 saws in stock covering all displacement classes l have no 'needs' just plenty of wants! Saws are good to collect, don't cost anything like other things that run on two cycle mix, don't take up much room and are fairly easy to sell if you get the right ones. There are just too many positives and not enough negatives when it comes to collecting saws. I don't quite yet need a wide angle lens to take a pic of my fairly small collection so things are ok!

Spike60

That sums it up pretty good CR.

One thing I noticed is that once you start using the word "collector" certain perceptions and definitions change. You no longer get dumb questions like, "What are you going to do with all of those saws?" People that used to say stuff like that are now just as likely to say, "Hey, I found this saw for you at a yard sale." 

Also, being a "collector', it's expected that more saws are on the way cause that's what a collector does. And you can bring the word "need" back into play here too. You could have say, a 254 and a 262, and you would still "need" a 257 to complete the series.

Don't fight it, just go with it.  8)
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

HolmenTree

Collecting is good if the price is right  :D
I know this is old news to some of you,  but this is what a buddy of mine pulled out of the garbage dump for me...I primed the carb and the 38 year old Jonsereds 70E fired right up.


  

 

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

deerslayer

I'm not a saw "collector", just an "accumulator". Same with guns. I don't try to get any particular kind of saw, or fill gaps in a list of models, just get "more" of them. Lately I've been attempting to sell off some saws and not buy any (or at least many). That hasn't been all that successful but hey, I'm trying.

I agree that saws are not really an expensive hobby. I've purchased about $15,000 worth over the years but I've also sold off about $15,000 worth over the years. So the saws I have now I have a pretty small amount invested into them.
Too many chainsaws, not enough wood.
Stihl, Husky, Craftsman, Mac, Homelite, Poulan. Some live here, some just passing through.

skipster

I picked up this sweet Husky L65 at the local market yesterday.
Three pulls and she fired up,sounded great,and cut beautifully. My first vintage husky,and a nice saw

sawguy21

I am a member of a local collector's group, most of the guys are into tractors but interests do vary. There is even a guy with wood gas conversions. ;D Today we were setting up a display in a mall, I got offers on two more vintage saws, an IEL and a Titan. Sigh, it never ends.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Paul_H

Science isn't meant to be trusted it's to be tested

ReggieT

The beginning of my horror, I mean (saw)  ::) story started innocently enough when my heat pump went south about 6 yrs ago...everything seems so foggy now.
Then there was the in depth study of hardwoods vs softwoods, then hauling green wood wood in the trunk of my car from a lumber-yard, Craiglist scores of ash, hackberry, and devils walking stick! I recall the crazed feeling when I bought my 1st saw...a farm sloth Poulan 5020AV, next was my chisel chain obsession, then the 1st score of hedge, black locust, and shagbark...toting critters in the house with the splits...next was an Stihl 034 AV that catapulted me into a sorta burly Jekyll & Hyde case...then came the colony of saw carcasses...a Husky 242XP...the night me and a random mastiff battlied firewood thieves through the snow & Evans Williams. That was many moons, I mean saws ago. Just found an 044 for $170...only needs a....  ;)

teeter_totter...must warn other!!!

sawguy21

Quote from: Paul_H on February 14, 2016, 10:14:43 PM
Good news Roy,are you going to scoop them up?
I will likely get the Titan, they haven't decided if they want to part with the IEL.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

sawguy21

My friendly neighborhood saw dealer is cleaning house, he has about 40 years of old saws and parts to get rid of. I scored two Homelite XL-76s and the prize a Super XL-922 just before the scrap dealer showed up. ;D. They are in remarkably good shape externally but it will be a while before they see the bench, I already have some projects to finish. I also have to create shelf space. Thank you Paul_H 8)
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

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