The First Saw You Bought

[Partner]

My first chainsaw is my partner 465, she had a few years behind her and she was swimming in the river. After drying, it worked until the end of over 10 years before many more arrived ;-)

 

[Stump Shot]

The first saw I ever bought was a small Stihl that I got at Myrtle Creek Saw Shop for my boss at the time. His little pickup truck saw burned up so for his birthday I went to the closest saw shop and got him a better replacement. This long before the internet, Rich wasn't the chainsaw guy on youtube yet. He was very helpful and went straight to what I was looking for without an up-sell first. He wanted to fuel and oil the saw to which I said no, as sure enough the boss tried to start that saw right in the fancy restaurant we were having his party at. The saw never started that night, but did the next day, so all in all it was a good time with the first chainsaw I ever bought.

 

[Loony661]

The first saw I ever bought was a small Stihl that I got at Myrtle Creek Saw Shop for my boss at the time. His little pickup truck saw burned up so for his birthday I went to the closest saw shop and got him a better replacement. This long before the internet, Rich wasn't the chainsaw guy on youtube yet. He was very helpful and went straight to what I was looking for without an up-sell first. He wanted to fuel and oil the saw to which I said no, as sure enough the boss tried to start that saw right in the fancy restaurant we were having his party at. The saw never started that night, but did the next day, so all in all it was a good time with the first chainsaw I ever bought.

That’s quite a story Steve! He must have been a great boss!

 

[Stump Shot]

That’s quite a story Steve! He must have been a great boss!

I probably ate and drank more that night than the saw cost, was a pretty good tab at the end of the night the boss paid for the crew.

 

[Kw trees]

My first saw i bought was this 362 that’s was 9 years ago.
Me my dad always cut firewood but I just started at tree service and ran only stihl.
I remember like it was yesterday I walked in to the shop I did tons of business with until they closed for good because of covid.
My boss at the time always was about 362 so I picked you up for 725 with 20in bar I still own the saw and thought of times of selling it since I was disappointed with the power of it when bought my 261 but after all these years it still hangs in the garage and I bring it out here and there to jobsites but I’m hopping the 400c can bridge the gap to 70cc saws when I’m up in the tree

 

[big_eddy]

Grew up cutting and maintaining ski trails with Homelites, Poulans, Remingtons, Mccolloughs and similar 70’s saws. My dad had a several big firewood saws over the years, but I wanted something small and light to carry way out on the trails to cut dead falls too large for the Swede saw. I convinced him to buy a small McCullough with a 12” bar. I cut a lot of dead falls with that saw, most of which were much larger than 12” so required 2 passes to sever. (and therefore took as long or longer to cut than with the 36” Swede saw) Good thing it was a hike from tree to tree, cause it would never restart hot. I remember dad and I snowshoeing about 5 miles into the bush one day to make a log cabin. We cut (and hung up) 1 spruce that day. Never did go back to finish the job.

When I was 14, I worked a week or so clearing bush for a road with a bunch of other students. I was the only one who had used a chainsaw before, so I was immediately put in charge of felling. They had a husqvarna (wish I knew what model) which was a new brand to me. It was so much better than any of the saws I had used before, that when I bought a house and needed a saw, husqvarna was all I considered. The first saw I actually bought was a 1989 50 Special, which I still have. That saw cut all the wood to heat our house for over 30 years. Realized last week, it is still running its original plug.

My son gifted me a tired 562xp about 3 years ago, when he replaced it with new. I ran it until it needed a new ring, and bought a new one while I was waiting for the rebuild parts to arrive.

Now I have a matched pair of 562xps and the 50 Special.

Along the way I have also collected a number of non-running older saws from friends who know I have saws and therefore seem to think I want any scrap saws gifted to them by their grandpas, uncles or dads. And i briefly owned an MS290 which did not impress and is the only saw I have ever sold.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Boomer2230]

I bought an MS 291 back in 2012, needed a saw for general use and some firewood, untill about 6 years ago. The saw is still all original, and cuts between 15 - 20 chord a year. Was given a 1978 Husqvarna 162se, finally brought her back to life, was traded an older 017 to buck up a neighbors 5 chord. And just recently picked up a basket case 61 that is now running again also. There is over 15 chord in the yard waiting for spring.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

My dad and I went halfies on this back in the day Serial number says it was made in ‘75. I was in 10th grade. Had a newspaper delivery route and saved up...We started heating our house with a wood stove when the price of oil went through the roof. It still runs very well. I always used good oil and lots of it! I kid you not, all it’s ever had was a carb kit and a new plug (which it didn’t even need).

 

[Cedarkerf]

First chainsaw I bought was a Stihl 044 back in 1988. Was debating between the 044 and 038 super. 044 in this pic then came an064 thenthe 066 then the 260then 019

First saw I ran a was my dads old Mcculloch Super 33 that was an old saw my grandaddy used for light work logging. Pic below is not that saw but a pic for people who've never even one.

Pic of Granddaddy near 10 mile Oregon With one of his log trucks

 

[Maintenance Chief]

View attachment 327910 View attachment 327909
My dad and I went halfies on this back in the day Serial number says it was made in ‘75. I was in 10th grade. Had a newspaper delivery route and saved up...We started heating our house with a wood stove when the price of oil went through the roof. It still runs very well. I always used good oil and lots of it! I kid you not, Ill it’s ever had was a carb kit and a new plug (which it didn’t even need).

Its amazing how hard you have to work to kill an Xl-12, looks great!

 

[Maintenance Chief]

First chainsaw I bought was a Stihl 044 back in 1988. Was debating between the 044 and 038 super. 044 in this pic then came an064 thenthe 066 then the 260then 019View attachment 327908

First saw I ran a was my dads old Mcculloch Super 33 that was an old saw my grandaddy used for light work logging. Pic below is not that saw but a pic for people who've never even one.
View attachment 327911
Pic of Granddaddy near 10 mile Oregon With one of his log trucks
View attachment 327913

You can tell from the picture of your saws that you take good care of them.

 

[wap13]

First saw I purchased was an MS390. Thought I was getting a big boy saw as it ran 3/8s chain and was over 60cc's. Ran it a few years but after a tank of fuel my hands would get pretty tingly. I didnt know any better and just thought that was part of it. Fast forward 3-5 years and I found AS and muffler modded the saw, trimmed the limiters, etc. I then came across some guy named Mastermind selling a rebuilt ported 372. Purchased that saw, sold the 390 and never looked back. That was when I learned too, some saws run smooth and it is not necessary for your hands to go numb when running a saw. The 372 is long gone now (I'm one of the few that 372s dont "do it for me") but have since been fortunate enough to have several of Randy's saws, all with spring AV.....

I often wish I had purchased a 260 pro or 360 (maybe the 361 was out then). I am sure I would still have one of those if thats what I bought but the MS390 NOT being a pro saw just wasnt good enough...... at least in mind, despite never letting me down. I dont miss the MS390 one bit but it would have been nice if the first saw I ever purchased was one I wanted to keep for the long run.

 

[Cedarkerf]

You can tell from the picture of your saws that you take good care of them.

Old pic. Only saw of the bunch left is the 260 wich is the wife's rest have been been replaced by 661 500I 194 t ,ported 372xpw sold to a buddy.
The 044 had around 2500 hours on it .
Still have 056 super Mac 250. I do try to take care of them tho. Every saw I've had has more than earned their keep. Still have the 032 Dad bought new in 1979 runs great.

 

[M2theB]

Grew up with a craftsman in the house for the stove in the cellar. Years later, got married and built a house and borrowed my father in laws Pioneer for the fire place wood.
When we decided to stuff the hole in the fire place with an insert, I bought my first saw. A 353 from Northern Tool. Ran that for years and did some milling with it to build the woodshed. She got tired and I started getting a few more saws. I put a 346 top on it and haven’t cut with it for a couple years.

 

[Nathan lassley]

Bought a Ryobi labeled redmax gz400 early in 06 because I was helping grandpa with stuff. I still have most of that saw, it held up well considering how bad it was beat. Have a few more saws now.

 

[sawgeek]

My first saw was a Husqvarna 357xpg bought new in -04.
It has a LOT of use on it but is still in great shape, only issue i had on it was that darn auto-decomp crap and a piston scored by carbon.
Great saw, really love it and still use it.
Since then it got 8 more friends on the go-to saw shelf

 

[Scotty Overkill]

The first saw I owned was a McCulloch Mini Mac 110, but it was given to me and I used it for quite a while in my early 20s to cut firewood for my workshop....

The first saw I actually ever paid money for was a Stihl 041AV Super. I still have it to this day and occasionally dust it off and take it to a tree job. To me, with its modded muffer, custom Jeep leaf spring bucking spikes and timing advance, it's the best sounding saw I own. It SINGS....

 

[CrystalRiver1]

The first saw I ever bought was a Sand Cast Poulan. I was working at a sawmill and heating with slabs I got from work. I had been cutting them with a circular saw, but some were too thick for that.

One night Glenda and I were at an auction, and they sat the big ugly Poulan up on the block. Nobody bid on it. So they sat a few hand tools up with it....still no bids. Then they sat a tool box up there. I bid 15.00 and was the only bidder.

Hell, the tool box was worth more than that.....

Anyhow, I fought with that damn saw thru that first winter.....probably had the carb off 20 times. But, I cut my wood that year with it.

Next summer I bought a used 028 from the Stihl dealer in Allardt. 125.00 for the saw, with a fresh tune, and a new bar and chain. He gave me a 6 pack of orange bottle mixing oil, a gallon of bar oil, and a file too.

I used that saw for the next 20 years.

Hellava story...I love it!
How did you get into the saw rebuilding/porting business & did you always possess the skill-set or was it an acquired thing?

Inquiring minds want to know! lol

Blessings your way,

Reg

 

[Mastermind]

Hellava story...I love it!
How did you get into the saw rebuilding/porting business & did you always possess the skill-set or was it an acquired thing?

Inquiring minds want to know! lol

Blessings your way,

Reg

I grew up helping my older brother frame houses....but I was always a gearhead. So, I went to trade school to be a mechanic. Worked as a mechanic for awhile on flat rate....but framing houses paid better so I went back to that. Spent the next couple of decades framing. But I built engines and transmissions for my friends, and drag raced every weekend. I got pretty good at making power....

Then I got really sick from a tick bite. One doc said it was Lymes, another said it was something else. I'm not sure, I was just sick. Thank God our home was paid for, or we would have lost everything. I sold my race cars, sold several classic cars and trucks, and managed to keep the lights on.

During that time, I also found out that I had Hepatitis C, and that my liver was damaged. So I started an experimental treatment program for the Hepatitis.

Holy hell was I ever sick then. They used chemotherapy drugs back then to kill Hepatitis. Between the tick bite and the other I was weak as a kitten.

It took a couple of years to begin to feel better....and when I did, I got bored. I found a Stihl 028 that I had smashed with a pine tree in one of the sheds, and decided to fix it. Searching for parts online led me to Arboristsite. Well I started reading about guys hopping up chainsaws !!!!! Yes chainsaws. Hopped up chainsaws? Is that really a thing?

Well hell.....I couldn't afford to build another drag car, but I could afford to build a saw engine. So I did. And it ran pretty well.

I started tinkering with saws as a way to make a few bucks.....I was still too weak to build a house, but I was able to sit down and work on a saw.

I heard about a gtg in the next county over, so I went....and there I ran a Treemonkey MS660. That was a stout saw...and I was determined to build saws that ran like that one did. By then I was fixing a few saws locally, and selling used parts on Ebay. Saws were helping pay the bills. Before too long I had ported a few, and I got a small lathe, and some better porting tools.

Then I heard about a gtg where they were gonna race 046/MS460s in a 24 x 24 piece of poplar. So I built an 046 for the race. Believe it or not, I won that race. Before I left there that day a few guys were asking me if I would be willing to do a saw for them........

 

[Loony661]

I grew up helping my older brother frame houses....but I was always a gearhead. So, I went to trade school to be a mechanic. Worked as a mechanic for awhile on flat rate....but framing houses paid better so I went back to that. Spent the next couple of decades framing. But I built engines and transmissions for my friends, and drag raced every weekend. I got pretty good at making power....

Then I got really sick from a tick bite. One doc said it was Lymes, another said it was something else. I'm not sure, I was just sick. Thank God our home was paid for, or we would have lost everything. I sold my race cars, sold several classic cars and trucks, and managed to keep the lights on.

During that time, I also found out that I had Hepatitis C, and that my liver was damaged. So I started an experimental treatment program for the Hepatitis.

Holy hell was I ever sick then. They used chemotherapy drugs back then to kill Hepatitis. Between the tick bite and the other I was weak as a kitten.

It took a couple of years to begin to feel better....and when I did, I got bored. I found a Stihl 028 that I had smashed with a pine tree in one of the sheds, and decided to fix it. Searching for parts online led me to Arboristsite. Well I started reading about guys hopping up chainsaws !!!!! Yes chainsaws. Hopped up chainsaws? Is that really a thing?

Well hell.....I couldn't afford to build another drag car, but I could afford to build a saw engine. So I did. And it ran pretty well.

I started tinkering with saws as a way to make a few bucks.....I was still too weak to build a house, but I was able to sit down and work on a saw.

I heard about a gtg in the next county over, so I went....and there I ran a Treemonkey MS660. That was a stout saw...and I was determined to build saws that ran like that one did. By then I was fixing a few saws locally, and selling used parts on Ebay. Saws were helping pay the bills. Before too long I had ported a few, and I got a small lathe, and some better porting tools.

Then I heard about a gtg where they were gonna race 046/MS460s in a 24 x 24 piece of poplar. So I built an 046 for the race. Believe it or not, I won that race. Before I left there that day a few guys were asking me if I would be willing to do a saw for them........

This reads like a good movie script! If this isn’t a good underdog story, I don’t know what is. To have it all, lose almost all of it, then come back a hero at the end - that’s just awesome! Kudos to you for seeing the potential and doing it! Ever since I was told stories of “hopped up” chainsaws, before joining this site, I had heard of you up here in MN.. Your reputation precedes you. How amazing! You’ve certainly earned it.