Best deal you ever got on a Chainsaw?

[Foragefarmer]

What is the best deal you got on a chainsaw?

Mine goes as follows. I was in Richmond, Va. shad fishing the James with a buddy and some of his friends. The topic of chainsaws came up. And one guy starts complaining about this factory reconditioned chainsaw that never has run right and keeps cutting off. Well one thing leads to another and I follow him home and he gives me a MS 250 in a case with oil, 2chains, and a couple files.
I get it home, the saw fires up and runs for a couple mins. and then dies. I take the air filter cover off and the wire that fits into the kill switch is dangling loose.

Funny thing; and why I was thinking about it, is I heard almost the exact same story from a dealer just the other day about another MS 250.

 

[HittinSteel]

A fix or repair 2100CD on ebay..... that ended up being a perfect runner with compression in the 180 range.

A $150 mint 394XP....... had been straight gassed. Put a piston in it and for $200 I had an as new 394.

$100 338XPT that "wouldn't start". Just needed a recoil spring and then ran and looked new.

 

[Jags]

A used $20 homey 240 - cut every bit of firewood I used for over 5 years. Still runs. At $4.00 per year it would have to be free to beat that deal.

 

[Bocefus78]

066 for $400. I know its not a great deal, but its better than retail!

 

[Coal Reaper]

066 for $400. I know its not a great deal, but its better than retail!

$400 for my 066 as well

 

[ScotO]

Got a later model Homelite XL-12 for FREE from a buddy of mine.......all it needed was a new fuel line!!
Also got an old Homelite 150 for free......same thing, fuel line and she was off to the races. Neither was a high dollar saw but I made almost $175.00 for them, so that's a good thing!

Just picked up a Stihl MS192TC with three extra chains yesterday for $130.00.......that's a great deal!!

 

[mikefrommaine]

I picked up about 20 saws for 100 bucks. In various stages of disrepair. But Without any more out of pocket I've sold enough of the cheap ones to more than double my investment. And I ended up with a 385xp, 268xp and 61 that all run. Still have a few other stihl and husky saws to sell on eBay as project saws.

 

[basod]

Bought a Poulan 2900 2.8 Farmhand for $20, ran the snot out of it for 7 years, didn't pay attention to my 2 gallon gas can and torched it.
Sold for $15 as parts saw.

 

[mudr]

Free Poulan Pro Farmhand 295. 46cc. Was given to my by my uncle in law who I cut with on his land too. I helped him a lot on his property as well. Decent little saw, took off the 20 inch bar and threw on a 16. Runs rather well with a full chisel chain. Currently thinking of replacing it with something bigger in the 50-55cc range. My new place I'm moving too has a load and a half of sugar maple sitting in front. I'd like a bigger saw to speed things up. As it is I am strapped for time and don't get to spend enough with the kid.

Edit: Yes, I got it free from my uncle in law, and he was given it free as well!

 

[TreePointer]

I haven't had any great deals but I did get two saws free: Mac 130 and Craftsman 42cc.

I did jump on the eBay deal for an Earthquake 38cc saw for $32.77 w/free shipping. It's actually a nice little saw that came with a genuine Oregon bar & chain, file, scrench, and bar scabbard.

 

[Boog]

As several already stated.............free is good! A guy came to look at a saw I had for sale recently and ended up giving me two Stihl 031AV, one runs the other needs work. I'll jump on free any day! He didn't end up buying the saw either!

 

[lukem]

031AVE given to me not running....$40 later it was making firewood.

 

[lukem]

Oh and $300 on my 361...not a screamin good deal...but I think that is some of the best money I ever spent.

 

[Boog]

Oh and $300 on my 361...not a screamin good deal...but I think that is some of the best money I ever spent.

That's a good deal for sure! I did almost exactly the same trading $325 in "value" of old ammo for a mint MS360 Pro. The ammo cost me about 80 - $100 over 20 years ago.

 

[lukem]

That's a good deal for sure! I did almost exactly the same trading $325 in "value" of old ammo for a mint MS360 Pro. The ammo cost me about 80 - $100 over 20 years ago.

This saw is far from mint in appearance but I know it was treated well and it is an absolute screamer. Mechanically mimt....visually well worn. Looks dont bust cords though.

 

[jeff_t]

Home Depot Makita, rebuilt after being straight gassed, for $194. I use the snot out of it, hoping to wear it out so I can make another 7900, but no luck.

 

[volvo9]

Got a later model Homelite XL-12 for FREE from a buddy of mine.......all it needed was a new fuel line!!
Also got an old Homelite 150 for free......same thing, fuel line and she was off to the races. Neither was a high dollar saw but I made almost $175.00 for them, so that's a good thing!

Just picked up a Stihl MS192TC with three extra chains yesterday for $130.00.......that's a great deal!!

I got 2 XL-12's for free, one perfect, one for parts... but the parts saw runs and I'm planning on restoring it because I just love those saws.

I also got a real nice little 14" Mculloch saw for free too, but I need to tear that one down... for some reason bar oil is filling the cylinder when the saw sits for a long time... If used often it's ok, but leave it for 2 weeks or more and the cylinder is full and hydrolocked with oil... what the heck...

 

[ScotO]

I got 2 XL-12's for free, one perfect, one for parts... but the parts saw runs and I'm planning on restoring it because I just love those saws.

I also got a real nice little 14" Mculloch saw for free too, but I need to tear that one down... for some reason bar oil is filling the cylinder when the saw sits for a long time... If used often it's ok, but leave it for 2 weeks or more and the cylinder is full and hydrolocked with oil... what the heck...

the XL-12's are still great saws to this day.....I restored my FIL's a few years back and he uses it all the time.....he heats witha wood also.

Sounds like the Mac you have is leaking oil through the vacuum tube that actuates the oil pump......is it a Mac 110 or 135 or something along those lines? That was my first limbing saw......good little saws they were!

 

[schlot]

My Echo was a bargain. My brother was moving said I could have it. Said it didn't run too good. New plug and good gas and it's been running flawlessly.

 

[Foragefarmer]

All these free XL-12's; the saw of my childhood. The saw I saw run by my dad but never could touch and then someone stole it off the farm.

 

[Flatbedford]

I bought both my saws used. My 025 was $100 and my 036 was $110. Both ran great and still do with some occasional tweaking. I sold the family 029 that was paid for by a homeowners ins. claim for a tree down at my patent's house for $260 shortly after I bought the 036. So, my lifetime investment in chainsaws is a $50 profit. Once I add in chains, bars, files, and other stuff that $50 goes away immediately though.

 

[Thistle]

Best deal was in Dec. 1981,the wee Echo top handle.Xmas/early HS grad present from parental units.That saw is still running strong,can sit for weeks & start in 3-4 pulls every time.No chain brake,not even a hand guard & only 8000RPM or so.But let it loose with sharp low profile chain & it will eat through the toughest White Oak or Hickory limbs.

2nd best was the then new 62cc Super 380 in March 2000.Over 100 cords now,all I've done to it in that time except for chains is 3 air filters,couple spark plugs,2 fuel filters & new clutch in May 2011 & had to replace the bar in Sept 2012 when sprocket nose finally shot craps.

Not bad for a $355 initial investment.They certainly dont build them like they use to....

 

[Pallet Pete]

My Echo was on the top shelf out of the box at home depot with a $110 price tag on it ! My eyes popped out of my head and I snapped it up. Went home two pulls and away it went five years later with flawless operation the oil filter finally clogged but that's fixed and she is purring again.

Pete

 

[DexterDay]

A fix or repair 2100CD on ebay..... that ended up being a perfect runner with compression in the 180 range.

A $150 mint 394XP....... had been straight gassed. Put a piston in it and for $200 I had an as new 394.

$100 338XPT that "wouldn't start". Just needed a recoil spring and then ran and looked new.

I should have Jumped on that 394 (he listed as a 395)!!

My 2 bests are my 1st 036 Pro from my buddy at work. Was just over $100 and my 192-T (out on loan) for $120.

Only paid over $300 for 1 of my saws and It was by a long shot. But your hard pressed to beat a 460 Mag!! Even at almost $1,000, it's a deal!

 

[HittinSteel]

Dex, I remember the guy had it listed for around $300 and it had "carb issues". I called as soon as I saw the ad. After he explained the symptoms I knew it was fried and told him I was going to pass. He said his phone was blowing up and if I could get him $150 he'd sell it. Set the meeting place, told wife, jumped in the truck, hit the atm and sped to Canton....... turned out it had a 28" bar with it too