You get what you pay for, and sometimes more!
So today I'm going to take a break of talking beekeeping and try something new.
We all have those stories of wasted money on products that just weren't worth a hill of beans. But how many of us have something that has out performed what we paid for it? I want to share one of mine, a Jonsered chainsaw that I purchased used 21 years ago for $100. I actually bought 3 of them from a logger who bought all new saws at the end of the year for tax purposes.
All three saws were the same model, with one being a year older than the other two. I lent my dad one to use, put a 36" bar on one with an Alaskan Sawmill attachment, and kept the 3rd for cutting my firewood. I soon learned that the Alaskan Sawmill was good when you are in a remote area and can't truck in lumber or need some really long timbers, but not that great for much else. It is a slow process and by the time I account for my time and the gas burned, it is actually cheaper to buy from a local mill. So needless to say the 36" bar and sawmill attachment have been collecting dust for quite some time now. Funny thing is I still have some 2" slabs of hickory in my basement that I cut with it that are still waiting for a project to use them.
I burn between 6 and 8 cord of firewood a year. Considering the amount of wood I have cut in the last 21 year, these saws have performed incredibly well. Yes I have worn through many chains and bars, but that is no different than putting new brakes on your car. They are wear items. I've also lost a few chain tensioner bolts to vibration. Do to the age of the saws, parts can be hard to come by. So although all 3 saws still run, I have had to steal part to keep them running. I have broken one chain brake handle and a couple of rubber handle mounts. For a while I was able to find heavy spring replacement mounts, but even they break after a while. So currently I am down to 2 functioning saws and one parts saw.
Today I went out and cut up a few logs. One of them was actually bigger than the 20" bar so had to be cut from both sides. The saw performed flawlessly. It's like it knew I was going to be blogging about it and didn't want to let me down. Even at 10F outside, it started on just 4 pulls.
In less than 30 minutes I was done bucking up the 8 logs. Tomorrow is another day and I will finish off the splitting.
I know I got a steal of a deal on these saws, but even if I had paid full price for them I would still be very pleased and felt I had gotten my money's worth.
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#1 - Introduction
#2 - The Importance of Pollinators
#3 - Honeybee Castes
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Why You Should NEVER EVER Kill Honeybees Living in Your House
The Mysteries of a Bee Beard Revealed!!
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I always like hearing stories like this. I love finding good deals but not as much as my husband. He will search a lot longer for them than I have patients to. lol
I'm not that patient, but there are some really good deals out there if you are a little handy and don't mind fixing things. Of course you also can't be worried about what other people think either. I got a car for my son that was destined for the crusher all because it had a broken rear spring and there were no new ones available anymore. $30 for a used one from a junk yard and a little mentoring of my son how to replace it and he has himself a decent car.
Wow, what a deal. I'm hoping I get half that much from my Stihl. I use it all the time. Jonsered? Wow!
Jonsered is basically a Husqvarna. Husky bought them in the '70s I think. Swedes know how to make a good chainsaw, but then again the Germans are no slouch either. I think the same is true for all of them. Stick to the pro models if you can. I think the cheaper homeowner models aren't as good.
Can't beat that!
Nope, for once something goes my way 😝
Looks like a trusted saw for sure, Looks like you have your work cut out for you splitting those massive logs.
Yes, but I'll be firing up the log splitter for these bad boys. Being that it is nice and cold today (5ºF) they will 'pop' apart.
That’s great!! I had a craftsman saw that wasn’t worth fixing so said the repair guys! I guess it’s time I invest in a good STIHL!
Try and get a pro model if you plan on cutting a lot of wood over the years. Don't be afraid of buying a good used one from a logger who doesn't want to risk loosing time to breakdowns and constantly refreshes his saws with new ones.
I never thought of that! Not many loggers in my
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Wow, where to start but to say Thank You. I stumbled across your mentoring post today and was very intrigued by it. I have only been posting about 1 month and somehow have a reputation of 51, still trying to figure that out with all the other operational aspects of steemit. I also appreciate your desire to become a beekeeper. I'm not sure how close you are to any BIBBA (Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association) courses, but if you can I would highly recommend attending. I have become personal friends with one of their Trustees, Roger Patterson, who is head of education. We started a Bee Improvement effort here in the US as an affiliate of BIBBA and Roger has been over here 2 years in a row teaching at our workshops.
I have been doing weekly "Beekeeping for Everyone" post that you may find informative as you prepare for bees next year.
I grew up in the mountains of New Mexico in the 70's, firewood was the family business. I still love it. Bought one of those Echo battery powered units last year. That is a real saw, i was pleasently suprised. Not that I would take it out to get a load, but its great for trimming. Be careful about throwing the chain. The sprocket will beat the drive teeth and you will need to file the burr off the side of the tooth so it will run in the bar. Other than that its been a good saw. Quiet.