Fix em up or part em out? That is the question.

[fearofpavement]

Chainsaws are primarily a hobby for me. ie, a recreational activity. Yes, I use them in our tree service, I cut firewood to heat our home with them but in reality, I could get by with about 7 to 10 saws and wouldn't need the 60 plus saws I have taking up space around here.

That said, I've realized for years that if netting revenue was the goal, many of the saws I fix up to sell would generate more revenue (and almost no risk) by being parted out on eBay.

I don't sell many parts on eBay because I don't find it very enjoyable. It's a lot of work getting pics, editing them for high quality, making postings and then keeping track of everything so it can be found when someone buys an item.

So, how many of you part saws as a revenue generator vs dinking aorund with them in the shop for very little financial gain but more for the satisfaction of bringing something back to life, meeting customers and training them, and just keeping stuff out of the landfill?

 

[sefh3]

I fix em up and sell them. I don't sell the parts. I keep them stored in containers on a rack for a donor saw to show up. Some have been there for a bit though. I use those parts to trade for other parts as well. I don't care for ebay. A ton of shady people on there. I don't use this to generate revenue all saws sold go into the kids school/sports funds.

 

[Fish]

Parting them out is the way I go, makes great money, with a lot less risk. I have a couple models with a ton of variations that I haven't parted out yet. [028,041]....

 

[exSW]

Parts are for swapping. Just about any machine will part for more than it's worth,even runners. That said,selling parts is a huge PITA.

 

[Warped5]

I part them out so the hobby can support itself.

I've only met up with one 'shady' person via eBay and his attempt to defraud me failed.

 

[Fish]

The bad part about models with a lot of variations, is that the buyer will try to make the part work, and when/if it doesn't, he will expect his money and shipping back, even though you tell him up front it won't work.....

 

[Guido Salvage]

I've only met up with one 'shady' person via eBay and his attempt to defraud me failed.

I am ready to try again...

 

[Czed]

I used to keep alot of part saws around it got out of hand I cleaned my shop out and now if somebody wants a saw fixed I'll price the parts for them or they can bring the parts and I'll fix it works better for me.

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

I prefer to fix'em up or sell them whole.

 

[Fish]

I prefer to dismember them.......

And sell the parts.......

 

[Mark71gtx]

I have a bunch of stuff I keep telling myself that I am going to sell. I just keep acquiring more stuff instead... People like myself need people to part out saws. For instance, I need an 038 Magnum crankcase right now...

 

[Mark71gtx]

I offen part them out if they are not a desired model, or they would take more time and money to fix than I can get out of them fixed.

 

[heimannm]

You can sell saw or parts of saws? Well I never...











Mark

 

[Motorhead]

I sell one saw and buy 2,Gotta stop some day.

 

[smokey7]

I do both part out and sell whole saws. Now I'm not on e Bay so I only part out saws that have lost all hope and are models that I know parts will move. I don't mess with rare ones unless it's only for me. I don't really sell many whole runners either.

 

[smokey7]

I see a craftsman 4.3 vl I'd be interested in if you wanna sell it.

 

[fearofpavement]

If you don't sell on eBay, how do you market saw parts? CL? Forums? local newspaper? word of mouth?

 

[smokey7]

Mostly word of mouth. Most of the people I deal with came from my auto repair work I do out of my garage at home. Some of those are tree services or knew someone that needed a motor head like me to either repair or tweak their saw or toy. I really do more repairs than sales, so sometimes the repair calls for use of a parts saw to complete their saw and I can charge what ever we agree on. Which usually pays for the whole parts saw with one part sale off of it.

 

[Milkman31]

There's money in fixing saws?

 

[dall]

I part them out so the hobby can support itself.

I've only met up with one 'shady' person via eBay and his attempt to defraud me failed.

i recently bought 066 cylinder from you on ebay and was nicer than expected in the pics so pics are what sells the parts