Post by w30bob on Jul 22, 2023 17:32:26 GMT -5
I got into this nutty hobby with the intent to buy a single blue Wiz 55 like my Dad has..........and restore it to give to him. That was it.......no collecting, no kitchen island full of 26LCS's or 20' container on it's way to put the other 150-200 saws I now own in. But it is what it is. I really had no idea Homelite made so many different saws, or that there were so many other chainsaw manufacturers back in the day. I led a sheltered life I guess......it was Dad's Wiz 55 and his partners McCulloch........and that's what I thought made up the chainsaw universe.
So here I am chasing down saws, but the one that has eluded me so far was a nice 20MCS. And if you don't have the first of something........you've got no collection. They just don't come up very often and I don't get up early enough to go to garage sales like you guys and find them for $20. There's one or two on E-Overpay, but they're asking seriously stupid money for them......so no dice. I did manage to pick up a 20MCS 'parts saw' like a year or so ago, with the hopes of turning it into a keeper, but she's needing a heck of a lot to become a hangar queen. So the other day a really nice 20MCS pops up on our favorite auction site. I had told myself prior that if I was going to spend some serious money on a 20 it had to meet 3 criteria. It had to be too nice to restore, it had to be functional......not necessarily running, but not locked up...........and it had to have that ridiculous one-of-a-kind Kohler-like spark plug protector on it. If I found one like that..........I'd buy it. And sure as shit........one popped up!
So I watched the auction all week, not really knowing if people would bid it up or maybe not notice. They noticed. When it was over there were 44 bids! The seller did a good job of talking it up, but really it was a very nice saw. Complete, well cared for and not used much.........it met my criteria and then some. As the end of the auction approached I got ready.......like a sniper in a tree waiting for the enemy to stick his head out of the foxhole.....and with 2 seconds left I bid way more than anyone in their right mind would ever bid. And I won! I know........a really stupid way to bid on something........but I'm getting really tired of looking for one and just want to get it and be done with it. So now maybe I can move on to collecting other overprice stuff......like wristwatches or something.
I sent the seller my usual note saying not to put any packing tape over the saw's paint or decals........why do people do that?........to wrap the bar in some cardboard and not just lay it in the box so it slices thru and disappears into the UPS junk pile.......why do people do that?.....and to wrap it well because the tank is metal and dents easily. And he did an outstanding job! It was double boxed and wrapped with enough bubblewrap to pack 4 saws! Needless to say it arrive in great condition with no shipping damage. So I undboxed it and just looked it over for a 15 minutes or so, giving myself some time to relax and calm down! This must be how women feel when they get an engagement ring or something. Once calm I wiped her down carefully and installed the bar and chain. YIKES those scratcher chains are sharp!! Popped the oil cap off and it still had oil in it......and it wasn't leaking. I guess somewhere along the way Homelite forgot how they made that happen, as just about every other Homey I got leaks like a sieve. Then I hoped for the best and unscrewed the funky gas cap. Surprise......PERFECTLY clean inside. Like brand new! The previous owner DID take care of this saw. What else......fuel lines are original braided hoses, but a bit stiff. Air filter is good and it has it's little brush. Nothing cracked, stripped or broken that I can see. I'm thinking it's a keeper!
So here's a couple pics of my new gal, who'll go right alongside my other grail saw........my Sally Saw. You want to know what I paid, right? Well, I know some on here don't like to discuss such things, but I don't give a crap.......it is what it is. And although I probably overpaid it scratched an annoying itch....there were others willing to pay the same or just slightly less to scratch theirs. So......drum roll please.......I paid $455 whopping bucks for it! Crazy, I know!! But that's about what I paid for my Sally Saw and would only buy me a semi-decent new saw today from Stihl or Hus-Q.....so I'd rather have a vintage 20MCS that no one else I know has, in my mind. And you can't get a new saw with a 'scratcher' chain!!
So WOOO-HOOO...........I finally got one! Or it got me.......just depends on your perspective I guess. And here she is in all her glory. I still need to do a detailed cleaning, but she's presentable as is........I hope you enjoy her as much as I do.......but if not.....don't laugh too hard. You just might find yourself bitten by the same bug down the road a piece!
;O)
So here I am chasing down saws, but the one that has eluded me so far was a nice 20MCS. And if you don't have the first of something........you've got no collection. They just don't come up very often and I don't get up early enough to go to garage sales like you guys and find them for $20. There's one or two on E-Overpay, but they're asking seriously stupid money for them......so no dice. I did manage to pick up a 20MCS 'parts saw' like a year or so ago, with the hopes of turning it into a keeper, but she's needing a heck of a lot to become a hangar queen. So the other day a really nice 20MCS pops up on our favorite auction site. I had told myself prior that if I was going to spend some serious money on a 20 it had to meet 3 criteria. It had to be too nice to restore, it had to be functional......not necessarily running, but not locked up...........and it had to have that ridiculous one-of-a-kind Kohler-like spark plug protector on it. If I found one like that..........I'd buy it. And sure as shit........one popped up!
So I watched the auction all week, not really knowing if people would bid it up or maybe not notice. They noticed. When it was over there were 44 bids! The seller did a good job of talking it up, but really it was a very nice saw. Complete, well cared for and not used much.........it met my criteria and then some. As the end of the auction approached I got ready.......like a sniper in a tree waiting for the enemy to stick his head out of the foxhole.....and with 2 seconds left I bid way more than anyone in their right mind would ever bid. And I won! I know........a really stupid way to bid on something........but I'm getting really tired of looking for one and just want to get it and be done with it. So now maybe I can move on to collecting other overprice stuff......like wristwatches or something.
I sent the seller my usual note saying not to put any packing tape over the saw's paint or decals........why do people do that?........to wrap the bar in some cardboard and not just lay it in the box so it slices thru and disappears into the UPS junk pile.......why do people do that?.....and to wrap it well because the tank is metal and dents easily. And he did an outstanding job! It was double boxed and wrapped with enough bubblewrap to pack 4 saws! Needless to say it arrive in great condition with no shipping damage. So I undboxed it and just looked it over for a 15 minutes or so, giving myself some time to relax and calm down! This must be how women feel when they get an engagement ring or something. Once calm I wiped her down carefully and installed the bar and chain. YIKES those scratcher chains are sharp!! Popped the oil cap off and it still had oil in it......and it wasn't leaking. I guess somewhere along the way Homelite forgot how they made that happen, as just about every other Homey I got leaks like a sieve. Then I hoped for the best and unscrewed the funky gas cap. Surprise......PERFECTLY clean inside. Like brand new! The previous owner DID take care of this saw. What else......fuel lines are original braided hoses, but a bit stiff. Air filter is good and it has it's little brush. Nothing cracked, stripped or broken that I can see. I'm thinking it's a keeper!
So here's a couple pics of my new gal, who'll go right alongside my other grail saw........my Sally Saw. You want to know what I paid, right? Well, I know some on here don't like to discuss such things, but I don't give a crap.......it is what it is. And although I probably overpaid it scratched an annoying itch....there were others willing to pay the same or just slightly less to scratch theirs. So......drum roll please.......I paid $455 whopping bucks for it! Crazy, I know!! But that's about what I paid for my Sally Saw and would only buy me a semi-decent new saw today from Stihl or Hus-Q.....so I'd rather have a vintage 20MCS that no one else I know has, in my mind. And you can't get a new saw with a 'scratcher' chain!!
So WOOO-HOOO...........I finally got one! Or it got me.......just depends on your perspective I guess. And here she is in all her glory. I still need to do a detailed cleaning, but she's presentable as is........I hope you enjoy her as much as I do.......but if not.....don't laugh too hard. You just might find yourself bitten by the same bug down the road a piece!
;O)
