I gave away a chainsaw

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sedanman

Just cut the piano!!
Joined
Jan 15, 2002
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Location
Beacon NY usa
I actually GAVE away a chainsaw. My best friend has 4 kids, 3 of them are handicapped, his wife doesn't work and he suppliments his heat with wood. I've cut and delivered about 3 cords for him last year. When I showed him my saws, I felt guilty for having so many when he had only a cheesy Craftsman. I had two Jonsered 49sp's, I gave him one. About 10 years ago when I got laid off, he paid my bills (ALL OF THEM!) for two months, I tried several times to pay him back in cash but he'd never take the money. A few loads of firewood and a chainsaw are the least I can I do for him.
 
:angel: That is the best story I have heard in a long time. thank you for shairing it. You and your frend are the real thing. People that stand by and do nothing have nothing..
 
admiral gesture

Hi There, sedanman, that was a very admiral gesture on your part, and goes to show us why giving feels better than receiving, in fact, giving is actually receiving in most cases, because we get a good feeling that goes along with it.
I also gave away a saw on Thurs. of last week, but under different circumstances. When I started the woodlot I was in last Tues., there was two woodticks sledding out some blown down Cherry they had blocked. They had the blocks on overturned car hoods with ropes attached and pulling it thru the woods on the snow to a 40 yard bin. The one woodtick, Glen, I know, as he was instrumental in finding me the woodlot, and the other woodtick, Steve, was the woodlot owners son using his father's rocked out 08S which would only cut small limbs, with Glen using his not so rocked out 038M.
Anyway, when I showed up, they immediately discarded their wood sleighs once I skidded the blow downs with the skidder to the bin which totaly spoiled the both of them.
Then the problems started. Steve was kind of out of a job, because Glen wouldnt let him use his backup 038S and was coming into the woods and asking me mindless questions as too what he should do next since he had already spotted my 357WXP in my truck. So I told him to just go and get the tractor and start loading the blocks in the bin.
When he got back with the tractor I was in the bush falling and my first thought was " that kid will back into my truck with that tractor", so I came out as fast as I could to move my truck, but Steve had beaten me too it by driving it ahead and got it stuck in the snow, but was standing there talking on my cell phone he had found on my front seat. Then Steve says to me, " John, does your truck always stall like that?". Then I realized he hadnt taken off the parking brake. (Glen was gone by now)
By this time I was becoming a little disjointed, but did contain myself, because after all he is the woodlot owners son. So I got in the truck and rocked it out of the snow, but didnt see Steve behind me with the tractor and heard a "Bang", as I slid sideways and hit the bucket of the tractor with the truck. ( Is it any wonder I prefer to work alone?). Steve, just said, " sorry bout that". I though I had smashed the rear quarter panel, but luckily just hit the bumper and put a not so small smiley into it.
Anyway, the next day Glen got there first ( Steve starts at 2pm), and Glen started to complain about Steve and that he wasnt going to pay him the 450$ he promised him when the bin was full, because he said Steve was dragging his ass most of the time.
I urged Glen that me must pay the kid or we both might get thrown out before I get my logs out of there.
Then I came up with a "Plan", give the kid a saw, then he will have some direction and feel like he is his own man.
Glen questioned my mental health and suggested I not give him one of my modified saws.
So the next day I gave Steve a brandnew Husky 55 and the kid loved it, and picked up filing and safety real fast and is happy as hell and is already getting his dirt bike friend to braze a couple of pipes on his saw. Steves already cut 4 cords and is coming in earlier and staying later. This is just one example about how less= more.
Maybe I will give Steve a link to this page. ( no, maybe I wont).
John
 
Well Done John!

By giving the Kid the saw, not only demonstrated to him that you have faith in him to complete the job, but also get him to have "ownership" in his task, and is working longer to achieve his goal.

You have the makings of a good boss!
Tony
 
John,That was quite equitable of you i probably would have just locked him in the truck box until i got the wood out. :D Because you know he will probably end up Dropping a tree on your truck before its over with.
 
Kudos to both John and Sedanman for helping out where most people would say "the hell with em". I have a couple of guys that are in their 60's and one thats in his 70's that still heat with wood. I sharpen and tune their saws every year. When they try to give me money I refuse, and they usually get a little mad. I tell them that they can buy me a coffee and call it even. I'm sure most of us in this Forum have helped someone out with a saw or mower. Makes ya feel good:)
 
I too, have given away saws in the past - the wood sawing community needs to stick together - if someone is struggling, I will gladly do what I can to help out. Besides helping someone out, it also clears out space so that I can get a new saw. ;^) Works for me...
 

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