# Is This Saw Worth Anything?



## Battenkiller (Aug 28, 2010)

Before I toss this old thing in the dumpster, I thought I'd run it by the gang here.  It's an old Sears chainsaw that was given to me about 25 years ago.  I bought a small Stihl right after that and never fired this one up.  I'm sure it needs a major overhaul, but I thought it may have some value to someone.  It sat in the corner of the old shed for over 20 years, but I have no interest in providing shelter for it in the new shed.  I hate to just chuck a tool into the trash, so I thought I'd give it one last chance.

Does it get a stay of execution, or does it become scrap for tractor parts?


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## smokinj (Aug 28, 2010)

Do you know what model it is?


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## 'bert (Aug 28, 2010)

Does not appear to have a chain brake, if that is the case - I say lets get that off the streets or into the hands of a collector that only wants to restore it for show, not for use.

'bert


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## ANeat (Aug 28, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> Do you know what model it is?


 
 It says Sears Lightweight Geardrive G-44

 Honestly if it was mine I would keep it just cause I think its pretty cool.  Its clean enough and complete enough.  I would probably see if it ran and hang it up in the shop somewhere.  Might even get it down and cut wood with it from time to time but I wouldnt want to do a lot with it. 

  It may have some collector interest, I have no idea.  Im just a bit of a motor head and like stuff like that


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 28, 2010)

That is an oldie! Looks similar to an old Homelite I have. Keep it as an antique.


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## Battenkiller (Aug 28, 2010)

’bert said:
			
		

> Does not appear to have a chain brake, if that is the case - I say lets get that off the streets or into the hands of a collector that only wants to restore it for show, not for use.



The reason why I never fired it up was because of the lack of a chain brake.  Going to the Stihl dealer and watching the rep hit the chain brake on a running saw and then immediately grab the bar with his hand  :ahhh: made me buy one of them instead.

SJ, here's a shot of the name plate with Model and SNs on it.  It's called "lightweight", but it's a few pounds there.  Almost 20 Pounds with the bar and chain.   :bug:  No idea of the displacement, but I'd guess it's around 70-80cc based on the physical size of the saw and the size of the cylinder.

ANeat..... thanks a bunch. :roll:   That's all I need is a tool hoarding enabler. :lol: 

Ya know, I think you're right.  It's pretty cool, and it won't eat much in the shed.  I can make a special shelf for it where it's out of the way.


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## Battenkiller (Aug 28, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> That is an oldie! Looks similar to an old Homelite I have. Keep it as an antique.



Yeah, I was wondering if Homelite might have made it.  How do you like yours? 

Check out the mix ratio on the plate.  1/2 pint to a gallon of gas.  hh:


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## oldspark (Aug 28, 2010)

I have been using a chainsaw for 30 years with no chain brake and have never had a problem, it NEVER has come into play, can not begin to guess how much wood I have cut, I think you guys make too big a deal of this.


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## ANeat (Aug 28, 2010)

I would still like to hear that baby run  ;-P


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 29, 2010)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> Backwoods Savage said:
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I think Homelite did make them for a while but don't remember for sure.  Ya, nice oil/gas mixture.


Like oldspark, I used a saw without a brake for many, many moons with no problem. I even thought them silly when they first came out but I definitely can see the advantage for most folks. So now I have saws with brake and can honestly say that I've never needed the brake. Maybe it is how someone starts sawing and the fact that most folks now just buy a saw and start learning from there whereas years ago one worked alongside someone who knew how to handle the saw. By observing first and then starting when an experienced sawyer is at hand is a great way to start and avoid bad habits.


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## oldspark (Aug 29, 2010)

If I remember correctly David Bradley made some chainsaws for Sears 30 years ago or so ago, I had one and it looked some what like that but not sure.


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## Battenkiller (Aug 29, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Maybe it is how someone starts sawing and the fact that most folks now just buy a saw and start learning from there whereas years ago one worked alongside someone who knew how to handle the saw. By observing first and then starting when an experienced sawyer is at hand is a great way to start and avoid bad habits.



I think you're onto something there.  Proper tool handling has already been worked out by examining the thousands of things that can and will go wrong.  Learning this stuff as kids and getting it incorporated into work routines likely saved tens of thousands from disabling or even fatal injuries.  I wasn't so lucky to be around wood cutters, so I approach the whole thing with a lot of caution, which I think is wise in these cases.  Experienced vets have felt in their hands all the fury that a saw is capable of, hopefully with Dad or Uncle Joe at his side in the beginning.  They know how to "catch" and neutralize these forces, just like a boxer learns to slip punches that would kill the average guy.  The weekend warrior going scrounging around for free firewood with a new, high-powered saw in strange and often awkward situations can be a disaster waiting to happen.

Familiarity and practice can lead to great skill without you realizing you are acquiring it.  I can think back to the first time I used a power buffer, polishing metal parts on antique musical instruments.  The dang wheel would rip things out of my grasp and fling them at high speed to remote corners of the shop, and I would spend hours moving power tools and wood stashes to find these irreplaceable gems.  Now, some 40 years later, I can't make a part jump out of my hands even if I wanted to, and I don't even hold them that tightly anymore.  Somehow, my body learned how to deal with these powerful rotational forces all on its own.

I'd hazard a guess that the vast proportion of those 30,000 chainsaw accidents/yr that I keep reading about happen to folks who never had the opportunity to learn by shadowing an experienced user.  Sure, accidents can happen to anyone, even pros, but I'll be honest... I get a bit creeped out when I read some of the macho stuff regarding tool use I find on the Internet.  As the recipient of a life-changing accident myself, all I can say is get instruction from a competent operator or take it real slow until you really understand what is going on at the business end of a power tool.  When I show people the little chuck of wood that almost killed me and left me permanently visually impaired, they laugh and say, "That little block?"  Well, Lord Physics works the way he wants to work.  By the time you find out what the real deal can be, it's a hundredth of a second too late.


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## oldspark (Aug 29, 2010)

’bert said:
			
		

> Does not appear to have a chain brake, if that is the case - I say lets get that off the streets or into the hands of a collector that only wants to restore it for show, not for use.
> 
> 'bert


 This is the kind of post that drives me nuts!


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## Battenkiller (Aug 29, 2010)

ANeat said:
			
		

> I would still like to hear that baby run  ;-P



Should sound something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjIgkDrRsCU

A Google search of Sears Model numbers made by someone on Arborsite ID'd the first three numbers - 917 - as made by Roper.  I also found this regarding a similar looking D-44 on another site:



> ...judjing by your model # I'd say your saw is around a 1968.I have quit a few of these and just gave one to the old mac guy. This model has 4.4 CI,and should have a 21" bar,they made a smaller one with a 17" bar. They also made these saw in orange and blue. Some of these models had the self sharpener ,and some were the easy start.,they dropped bradleys name somewhere between 62-64.From what I've found out bradley still produced up till around 68, but under Ropers name who bought them out in 66.Gets confusing when the government gets involved.
> 1910 Sears, Roebuck and Co. purchased the David Bradley Manufacturing Co. As part of Sears, Bradley made all sorts of goods, including war materials. Sears ultimately used the ?Bradley? trademark on all agricultural items sold in the catalog, irrespective of the source of manufacture. Sears sold Bradley in 1962 as part of an anti-trust deal with the federal government.
> 
> ...I think bradley was still producing but with sears name on it not bradleys until they got bought out.The funny thing is sears was monopolizing the market back then so the government made them sell bradley, roper bought it and sears owned about half of roper. So doesn't make much sence to me.I notice alot of the saws and the tractors didn't change much till about 67-68 when roper came in. I also have quite a few of the garden tractors also.I think bradley was still producing but with sears name on it not bradleys until they got bought out.The funny thing is sears was monopolizing the market back then so the government made them sell bradley, roper bought it and sears owned about half of roper. So doesn't make much sence to me.I notice alot of the saws and the tractors didn't change much till about 67-68 when roper came in. I also have quite a few of the garden tractors also.



So a David Bradley, made for Sears by Roper???

Ain't much in the history books about this stuff, is there?


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## 'bert (Aug 29, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

> ’bert said:
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The OP was tired of the the saw taking up room in his shed, and was asking what "we" thought should be done with the saw.  Did not seem like he had any interest to spend money to restore it, so I say junk it.  That is just MY opinion.  If my opinion "drives you nuts" simply add me to your ignore list.  I am pretty sure I am on Fjord's ignore list after the other thread this morning.  That is why the feature is there.

I like my shop super clean and do not hold on to things that I have no or little use for.  I have even had people ask if they should remove their shoes when they have entered my shop!  So that is where my comments come from.  My wife on the other hand like antiques and such - makes for some "interesting" conversations.


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## Battenkiller (Aug 30, 2010)

’bert said:
			
		

> The OP was tired of the the saw taking up room in his shed, and was asking what "we" thought should be done with the saw.  Did not seem like he had any interest to spend money to restore it, so I say junk it.  That is just MY opinion.



Gosh, is the moon still full?  Everybody seems to be barking at each other lately. :lol: 


Actually, the OP just wanted to know if it had any value.  I made it clear that I don't like to just toss old tools.  There seemed to be some interest in the thing from everybody else.  Anyway, you stated your opinion, majority rules, you're voted off the island.  I'm 'a gonna keep 'er. ;-)


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## oldspark (Aug 30, 2010)

Sorry bert did not mean any thing other than the "no brake thing", I should know better than to put up a post like that with out explaining what drives me nuts. I would never put any one on ignore. once again sorry for the funky post.


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## Battenkiller (Aug 30, 2010)

Yeah, 'bert, I was just kidding you, just so you know.

On the saw... I guess the "G-44" means "Gear-driven 4.4 cu.in."?  So that's 72cc, which is 15cc bigger than my 357XP.  Probably does the job with torque like most of those old engines, so it might be good for small milling jobs if I get it running.  Takes the absence of a chain brake out of the equation in that case.


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## 'bert (Aug 30, 2010)

No offense taken by either post,  all I ask BK is that when you get tired of moving that saw around your shed is that you send me a PM  

If i hold on to something i have not used for 2 years i usually get rid of it, whether it be sell it, pass it along to someone who needs it or whatever.  That is one of the ways I help keep my collection of "stuff" in check.  But all that said, I am having a hard time parting with my 028, lots of offers to take it, but it was my first saw.

While I better get back to the fire.  Just started my first fire of the season.  Little cool here in the 'bert tonight.  Pretty sure the World of Outlaws folk were cold here this weekend.

Good wishes to all

'bert


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## ironpony (Aug 30, 2010)

if you dont want it anymore 
let me know how much to ship it to me
I will store it for another twenty years
I like to save old junk
my wife doesn't appreciate it but
as long as its not in her garage its ok


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## burntime (Sep 3, 2010)

In that video it does not sound like that saw ever winds out?  Kinda mid to high and never really screams...


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## blades (Sep 3, 2010)

David Bradley = Sears more like 50's or 60's vintage. All the DB saws I have seen have been gear driven, those brutes do not stop. There is a restaurant up north that has vintage DB units on display. Quite a collection including 2 man units.  A few years back I had a customer bring one in, 48" bar that he wanted to know if I could do anything with it. I got it running well and sharpened the chain, played with it a tad. Man that thing was heavy. Sure wasn't going to win any speed contest though.


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## Battenkiller (Sep 3, 2010)

burntime said:
			
		

> In that video it does not sound like that saw ever winds out?  Kinda mid to high and never really screams...




That's what I meant by "getting the job done with torque rather than RPMs".  A lot of engines back in the day had lower bore/stroke ratios, which weren't able to rev as high but produced lots of rotational torque at the crank.  They just chugged along without dropping RPMs.  A modern engine with identical displacement has a bigger bore, shorter stroke, bigger and lighter valves, lighter flywheel, and a lighter piston, all creating more horsepower due to it's higher top RPMs.  It will, however, lose that HP advantage rapidly as soon as the RPMs drop a bit.  I imagine that in a saw, the new engines will have more horsepower and will cut a lot faster, but must be matched to the task more carefully in order to avoid bogging down and dropping RPMs and losing HP.  At least that's the way I understand it.






			
				blades said:
			
		

> All the DB saws I have seen have been gear driven, those brutes do not stop.  Man that thing was heavy. Sure wasn't going to win any speed contest though.




Yeah!  Slow and steady for my small milling tasks, and weight will not be an issue with the beast mounted in a milling jig.  Higher torque means it can probably use a more aggressive chain with lower rakers and take large chips because it won't bog down.  I'm getting more excited all the time. :cheese:


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## Battenkiller (Sep 3, 2010)

burntime said:
			
		

> In that video it does not sound like that saw ever winds out?  Kinda mid to high and never really screams...




That's what I meant by "getting the job done with torque rather than RPMs".  A lot of engines back in the day had lower bore/stroke ratios, which weren't able to rev as high but produced lots of rotational torque at the crank.  They just chugged along without dropping RPMs.  A modern engine with identical displacement has a bigger bore, shorter stroke, bigger and lighter valves, lighter flywheel, and a lighter piston, all creating more horsepower due to its higher top RPMs.  It will, however, lose that HP advantage rapidly as soon as the RPMs drop a bit.  I imagine that in a saw, the new engines will have more horsepower and will cut a lot faster, but must be matched to the task more carefully in order to avoid bogging down and dropping RPMs and losing HP.  At least that's the way I understand it.






			
				blades said:
			
		

> All the DB saws I have seen have been gear driven, those brutes do not stop.  Man that thing was heavy. Sure wasn't going to win any speed contest though.




Yeah!  Slow and steady for my small milling tasks, and weight will not be an issue with the beast mounted in a milling jig.  Higher torque means it can probably use a more aggressive chain with lower rakers and take large chips because it won't bog down.  I'm getting more excited all the time. :cheese:


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## oldspark (Sep 3, 2010)

blades said:
			
		

> David Bradley = Sears more like 50's or 60's vintage. All the DB saws I have seen have been gear driven, those brutes do not stop. There is a restaurant up north that has vintage DB units on display. Quite a collection including 2 man units.  A few years back I had a customer bring one in, 48" bar that he wanted to know if I could do anything with it. I got it running well and sharpened the chain, played with it a tad. Man that thing was heavy. Sure wasn't going to win any speed contest though.


 I bought my craftsman saw which was a David Bradley in 1977, it was just a run of the mill saw, at the time I wanted to know who made it so all the info pointed to David Bradley and by the way it was a piece of crap.


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## smokinj (Sep 3, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

> blades said:
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I think most of everthing made in 1977 was crap...


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## blades (Sep 3, 2010)

David Bradley Co. 1910-1966, company sold several times after that brand name carried on by Sears on other mfg saws. So by 1977 it was not a true DB unit


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## oldspark (Sep 3, 2010)

blades said:
			
		

> David Bradley Co. 1910-1966, company sold several times after that brand name carried on by Sears on other mfg saws. So by 1977 it was not a true DB unit


10-4, been so long ago not even sure where I got the info from, CDI went out of it and sears could not get me the right one so I sold it back to them which pissed off the store manager.


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## Danno77 (Sep 4, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> I think most of everything made in 1977 was crap...


Jay, I was born in '77... what are you saying man??? (actually, since I was born in September, there is a good chance I was MADE in late 76, but I am NOT going to verify that one with anybody...)


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