To return Craftsman saw or not?????????

[jeffman3]

I have a Craftsman saw that I can't keep running. I have taken it to the shop twice now, and the "return for refund" period is up on Tuesday. I bought the two year repair warranty with the saw and I love the way it works while it's running, but I haven't been able to cut for more then 1 1/2 hours before it won't idle. It is in the shop now for the second time. So do I tell Sears to give me my money back, and put some more money (that I really can't afford to spend) with it, and buy a husky or a Stihl? Or should I keep the Craftsman that is paid for, and let them keep working on it?

 

[wahoowad]

return it! maybe that one has a problem. I'd get another with your return if it served you well while it ran good. If you want more power, features, whatever then upgrade to something else.

 

[adrpga498]

Return it for repair. I have a craftsmen and I can't kill it. Had it for 6 years and when it dies I'll upgrade.

 

[mayhem]

Return it for another one...you may just have one of those bum saws. I have an 18" Craftsman that I've been using to cut a couple cords a year since 2000. Works fine for me...not great, but certainly better than adequate.

 

[abj1969]

definatley return it..

 

[MuckSavage]

Yep, return it....3rd strike & it's out. Tell 'em you bought a brand new saw so it'd run like one. If you wanted these sort of problems, you coulda bought used

 

[computeruser]

There's a question about this?

Return it while you still can. It is as much a piece of crap now as it was when you first brought it home. Consider it a lesson learned and buy a reliable saw from a proper saw purveyor.

 

[MrGriz]

Return it and buy yourself a Dolmar!

 

[jeffman3]

Craftsman went back for refund and I bought a Husky 350! The Sears mechanic told me "they just run like that.... They aren't built to run heavy like that" I guess I didn't think 1 1/2 hour was heavy. The guys at the Husky dealership told me that "...there is definitely something wrong with it if it won't cut for more then 1 1/2 hour.... did they pull a compression on it?" When another mechanic is telling me there is something definitely wrong with it, and the sears guy is telling me it's just the nature of this saw, I decided that I don't want this Sears guy working on my saw. Oh well they gave me my money back, and I am looking forward to working with the Husky. It has a longer bar and more power so I'm looking forward to see how it does with a big old elm tree! Now I need a log chain to get the bigger stuff out of the pile!

 

[MarcM]

Good choice. This is just an anecdotal thing... but my old man ran a Stihl 024 Woodboss AV for over 15 years, cutting 4-6 cords of hard wood per year, bought it new for $200 (I think... it was right around there). Never had any issues, always kept a sharp chain, well tuned and didn't abuse it.

Traded it in two years ago, not because it died on him, but because he wanted something more powerful. With is new 290, he got $150 on trade for his 024.

Bottom line, it just makes more sense, if you need a saw for more than just the occasional downed tree in your yard, to go with something quality, like you eventually did.

Enjoy it!

 

[billb3]

I have an old gallon can of gas that I grab every now and then by mistake,
(what does one do with really old gas that has oil mix , let it evaporate ?) and those are the symptoms my saw will exhibit.
Won't idle when nice and warm, has to cool to start.
Too many identical one gallon cans.

 

[carpniels]

HI Billb3,

If it is just one gallon or less of mix fuel, put it in your car before you fill up. THe little bit of oil will be diluted out significantly when you mix it with 15 gallons of fresh fuel.

Carpniels

 

[mayhem]

Or fill a bunch of small water balloons with it and toss them on your springtime burning pile when it gets wet.

Just kidding...please, nobody do this.

 

[benking]

Return it. I was given a pretty new Craftsman by my cousin and everytime I run the thing I get more upset. Each time I run it I spend more money. Cord pulls out, cap breaks off, choke switch pulls out. I've spend more repairing this thing than if I had just bought the Sthil 280 I've been lusting after. I'm typically pretty light on equipment but this thing is bad. Glad I didn't pay for it. Maybe I'll spend my big gov. refund check on a new Sthil...

 

[johnsopi]

I used my Craftman to clear my building lot. That killed it. Now I have a Stilh MS310 and a Domlar 5100.
The Domlar the better of the 2.

 

[cmonSTART]

Yup, that saw has problems, and shame on the salesman for telling you that about it.

 

[jeffman3]

Some tree guys were taking out some trees catty corner to my house. I asked what they were doing with the wood, and they said they were just hauling it off, except for the walnut, the home owner wanted it. So I said as long as you are hauling it off, why not just haul it across the street and put it in my yard! To my surprise, when I got home from work I found a LARGE chunk of Walnut in my front yard, along with some other wood that I can't tell what it is. (cross cut it has a very light yellow tint, but mostly white. I'm guessing popular? Bark is kind of pebbly looking, and light grey in color.) Any way, I have been working with the new Husky 350 a bit, and I can't believe the difference! :cheese: This saw has twice the power, and starts like a dream I once had! I should have bought it in the first place, but you live and you learn. I wish I knew someone with a saw to cut this walnut for boards, it is absolutely stunning! Would make a great coffee table, but I think it will become my new splitting block, or two.

 

[HeatsTwice]

It may not make sense for me to comment here but I have had a McCulloch MacCat 18" since 1991. They stopped making this peticular saw a while ago. It was a wedding present! The thing really cuts well and all I do is flip the bar every now and then and resharpen the blad after every gas tank. I usually cut about 3-7 cords a year and have been doing this since I got the saw.

I really like that I have to flip it on its side to put in chain oil, and stand it on its base to put in gas. This way, even if I am very tired I never accidentally put gas in the oil tank and visa versa. My cutting buddy (neighbor) has a Stihl Farm boss that I am impressed with. There seem to be lots of new features on these new saws that mine doen't have. But the Stihl filling holes are on the same side of the saw - making it more likely to fill the wrong hole when extremely tired.

 

[HeatsTwice]

Another thing I want to say about my MacCat is that, for bar oil, I use everything from recycled 10-30 weight given to me by my neighbor after he changes his automotive oil to automatic transmission fluid.

Now, before anyone chews me out for doing this, remember, I have had this saw for 17 years and have always used what ever I had for bar oil.

 

[Gooserider]

It may not make sense for me to comment here but I have had a McCulloch MacCat 18" since 1991. They stopped making this peticular saw a while ago. It was a wedding present! The thing really cuts well and all I do is flip the bar every now and then and resharpen the blad after every gas tank. I usually cut about 3-7 cords a year and have been doing this since I got the saw.

I really like that I have to flip it on its side to put in chain oil, and stand it on its base to put in gas. This way, even if I am very tired I never accidentally put gas in the oil tank and visa versa. My cutting buddy (neighbor) has a Stihl Farm boss that I am impressed with. There seem to be lots of new features on these new saws that mine doen't have. But the Stihl filling holes are on the same side of the saw - making it more likely to fill the wrong hole when extremely tired.

IMHO I don't see this as an issue - I figure if you're too tired to know what goes in which hole, then you are too tired to operate a saw safely... I don't have any problem with my old saw, don't think I'll have any with the new one either... Oil goes in the hole by the bar, gas goes in the hole by the carb...

I've also gotten fond of at least some of the new safety features - I will never again use a saw without a chain brake, and will probably avoid anything with a fat bar.

(Minor note - I took care of the double post and apology for you - no problem...)

Gooserider