custom chainsaw bar #2

[awol]

As far as holding up while working, the scallops do fine. Rust is the only issue I have dealt with so far, and that problem can be alleviated by greasing or oiling, and not putting it away while wearing a scabbard. I have used mine mainly for testing saws, and also done quite a bit of racing with it. It sure looks nice on my classic Swedish muscle!

 

[Philbert]

Rust is the only issue I have dealt with so far . . . .

Clearcoat?

Philbert

 

[CR888]

For those wondering how the finish would look after use, it is important to note that the shiny mirror finish on a Tsumura bar has a 'clear coat' similar to cars ect. In real work, this wears off/flakes off quite quickly and does not look anywhere near as nice. I like what homelite does but a clear coat may improve longevity a bit and help with rust.......Philbert beat me to it as l take to long to type!!

 

[DexterDay]

I can guarantee it will be on there longer than any paint or powder coat. Ever try to polish a scratch out of a bar?

I'd definitely slap a few coats of clear on it. And yeah, this saw doesn't see much use.

My first new Stihl and bought by my wife. I've had several saws in the same class that were faster and got rid of those first. This saw will be with me for a loooooong time.

 

[Derf]

So what's the cost to jewel a bar?

 

[DexterDay]

So what's the cost to jewel a bar?

Wondering myself...

Was hoping I got a text from Mike today. I know he is a busy man.

 

[Homelite410]

Well fellas. Engine turned, blasted and blued with logo I was thinking 250.00 + return shipping. This bar for Clint took about 3-4 hrs manual labor and machine time. But I do entertain trades....... Anybody have a silvey 510 up for grabs?


OK, for the clear, I have never shot clear. What should i use?

I am doing a really "special edition" Windsor 28" tomorrow. I will show you all after the owner gets it.

 

[Derf]

Damn, can't afford that, the decoration is more than the bar.

Randy and others charge about $300 for a port job, but it's all manual labor (not CNC) and they say it takes about 6 hours per saw.

I only make about $20/hr as a machinist, maybe I should ask for a raise.

-- edit --
We've got a blast cabinet and i could probably get through it myself manually on the Bridgeport, just didn't want to have to spend lunch break all week to do it.

 

[MontanaTed]

I wonder if you could use good ol wax, like on a machined top for a table saw or joiner. I know it holds up well to repetitive use, one factor would be the element of heat and bar oil. Applying a coat of Johnsons Wax takes merely minutes and will protect that bugger well. Clear coat will work but once it wears, you are left with the exposed metal again.

Another method that I have used on knives has been a protective spray, repetitively until the metal is impregnated with it, but again the heat factor and the chance of it gumming up might be possibility there.

I would lean towards trying the was method on it and see how that works, it's quick and easy to do. Lots of info on taking care ot saw tops on the net for info.

 

[Homelite410]

Perhaps I'm too high? What do you all think is fair?

 

[MontanaTed]

Perhaps I'm too high? What do you all think is fair?

Work like this is always a hard sell. I work for a steel fabricator and we always have a hard time pricing piece work, you have to charge shop rates to keep the doors open and heat on. I do a fair amount of work with local machine shop in town and recently I had some shims milled. 4"x 4" tapered from 1/2" down to 1/8
over 3". Cost = $70 a piece. there were only 7 of them. If I had a hundred the price would be better.

I looked at that bar and thought "Set-up time, blueing, material over head etc I bet it's 200 at least" wasn't far off. 4 hr at std shops rates you are right there, now set up 10-20 bars at a time and maybe you can get by doing them for 100 a piece if there are the same bar over and over where you can program and let it run while you are blueing etc and just swap the same bar out flip and swap over and over.

Sorry long winded for telling you I don't think its far off, maybe $250 shipped...just a thought either way seeing this post and the carbon dip has me thinking i need to rebuild my 046 and since I can't find all OEM parts I need maybe create show saw with one of these bars!

 

[Derf]

Well Mike, Ted says those prices are in line with what's expected, at least one person expected that, so if the market will bear it, more power to you. I wouldn't pay more than my bars which would top out around $100. Just my two cents.

Those shims would take me about 3 minutes to figure out the math on the angles and 15 minutes to set up (rotating the head on the Bridgeport, moving over a vise and clamping it down to the table, digging out the parallels, end mill, collet, etc), and I'd be cranking them out in 20 minutes or less each. $70 each is about what I'd charge if I was the shop charging $140/hr. But they don't pay me $140/hr.

Also, the assumption is, you're using those shims for work. Either you sell them to customers in need, or they help you do your job. Either way, they make you money. Unless I were trying to make a custom saw for resale, bar decoration isn't making me money. So coughing up machine shop rate is a hard pill to swallow since it isn't a "need" but a "want".

Yes, 4 coats of blue for 15 minutes is an hour, but would I pay you $100 (@$100/hr) to blue my bar nose? Heck no. I don't pay my painter for the time it takes the paint to dry either.

--edit--
I'm also very confused about the concerns with clear coat and/or wax to protect the finish. Almost all bars come with a pretty decent paint job that wears off in a few hours use. Only Total/Tsumura and SugiHara that I know of have a visible metal finish, and their clear coat wears off just like paint. [The bars are going to get roughed up in use people, it's normal. Eventually it will be bare metal. ]

For those people that don't like bare metal, or having a half-removed paint job (for shame! Lol) I get that you could appreciate engine turning as an aesthetic design choice that won't rub off. But then to worry about the durability of such a finish again and go back to trying to paint the bar seems like two steps forward two steps back.

 

[RedFir Down]

Damn, can't afford that, the decoration is more than the bar.

Randy and others charge about $300 for a port job, but it's all manual labor (not CNC) and they say it takes about 6 hours per saw.

I only make about $20/hr as a machinist, maybe I should ask for a raise.

-- edit --
We've got a blast cabinet and i could probably get through it myself manually on the Bridgeport, just didn't want to have to spend lunch break all week to do it.

You sound like quite the cheap, lazy ass to me.

I quite doing work for people like you a long time ago.


Anyways, Mike. Very nice work, the bar looks fantastic!! I wouldn't charge a dollar less than $250 for a bar done up that way considering your time and talent involved.

 

[Derf]

Yes, I am quite cheap and especially lazy. I don't actually work, I just spend my time looking around on Internet forums and trolling threads. I only wish I could spend lots of money on decorating tools that I don't use. I choose not to because I'm cheap, even though I have lots of money. Now I need to stop typing, all this finger exercise has tired my lazy ass out.

 

[CR888]

Custom fabrication of anything costs much more than mass production methods. Forget custom stuff if you want to stretch your dollar furthest, but saving money is not what this thread is at all about. l think we are lucky to have members with different talents that are a pm away for their services and would hate to see Mike stop posting due to some #$%$ that thinks custom fabrication is not 'value for money'.

 

[MontanaTed]

Well, Derf there is a big difference in being an employee and owning your own business. If you own your own shop and are charging $20/hr for shop time, then I need your information, there isn't a shop of any kind that I have ever dealt with that bills out at actual employee wages which it seems you are trying to debate here. Something only makes you money if it was bid correctly. (3) separate machine shops gave me pricing within $10 of each other for those same shims.

I would love to debate more if you want to PM me, there is no need for it in the open forum.
Bottom line these look freaking awesome! back to questions on the bars.

 

[GPX433Todd]

Tool & Die maker here. X5 on $250 being reasonable.

 

[Definitive Dave]

Perhaps I'm too high? What do you all think is fair?

work done too cheap loses its value in the mind of the buyer, your price seems fair, if anyone could do it, they would/will, artistry that is valued by others will always command a premium

a customer looking for the cheapest price also looks for reasons to complain about the work in my experience

take concert ticket sales as an analog
the best seats will sell at any price and the nosebleeds will always go half empty

 

[Homelite410]

work done too cheap loses its value in the mind of the buyer, your price seems fair, if anyone could do it, they would/will, artistry that is valued by others will always command a premium

a customer looking for the cheapest price also looks for reasons to complain about the work in my experience

take concert ticket sales as an analog
the best seats will sell at any price and the nosebleeds will always go half empty

Well put Dave, well put my friend!

 

[bikemike]

You have all seen how I do the engine turn so I'll start with masking. I pocketed the logo into the bar about .010" and then blasted and applied cold gun blue.

Clint's oh64 is beautiful saw and I think this bar does a good job of setting it all off.

you don't se many people thato do the swirl polish anymore that's bad azz