I’d like to buy a vintage American made saw

[Hay Dude]

I have way too many irons in the fire, so what’s one more?
Anyway, I’m getting a bit nostalgic in my years and Stihl saws do my wood sawing tasks.

I remember my dad’s old saws. Remington, Homelite, David Bradley, etc.

Would like to find an old larger US made saw just to have one. I’d prefer one that runs as I don’t have the time and probably the skill to get one back into top running conditions. Maybe something that could cut for “fun” once in a while. I think I’d like to focus on a David Bradley, but was open to suggestions.

 

[stevem5215]

I remember an old McCoullough saw my dad had. It was so heavy as a kid I could barely lift it. My dad used it some but I think it was killer even for him to handle and it was dangerous IMO. He finally bought a new Mac when him and my brother started a cordwood business. As it turned out my dad did most of the work and my brother just would be delivery and collect the money. lol

 

[CalG]

I've got a pair of Mac 10's

One is a Pro mac, and the other a 10-10. IIRC

My go to saw when cutting the big stuff on the pile.

 

[jyoutz]

I remember an old McCoullough saw my dad had. It was so heavy as a kid I could barely lift it. My dad used it some but I think it was killer even for him to handle and it was dangerous IMO. He finally bought a new Mac when him and my brother started a cordwood business. As it turned out my dad did most of the work and my brother just would be delivery and collect the money. lol

Those were some of the earliest chain saws made. I remember the Pioneer brand saws also. I bought one from a logger in the early 1980s. A great beast of a saw, but damn heavy. After cutting a truckload of wood with it, I was wiped out.

 

[1Mech]

I have my dad's McCulloch Mini Mac with a 10" bar. I use it for small stuff like trimming. I rebuilt the carb when I got it and it still works pretty good.
A small lightweight machine. He bought it new back in the late '60s as I recall. We used it and another McCulloch, probably a 14 or 15" bar to cut firewood every fall.

 

[JasperFrank]

Homelite made some pretty good saws in the '70s. I had a 22 Inch Bar, New Old Stock, one with the finger chain lube pump. Inherited from the Dad. He said it never worked from the day he bought it. My Dad was not very mechanically inclined. Don't remember exactly what was wrong with it, but I got it running as it was something very simple like the points needed to be replaced. It was a first pull starter, all metal construction. Really liked that saw. Damn mice got to it in storage, and chewed all the wiring. Still got $100 bucks for it at a yard sale from a collector.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've got a pair of Mac 10's

One is a Pro mac, and the other a 10-10. IIRC

My go to saw when cutting the big stuff on the pile.

I have a big saw.
I’m looking for a vintage old US made saw.

 

[Hay Dude]

Those were some of the earliest chain saws made. I remember the Pioneer brand saws also. I bought one from a logger in the early 1980s. A great beast of a saw, but damn heavy. After cutting a truckload of wood with it, I was wiped out.

1980’s is too new.

I just sold my ECHO from the 80’s and it wasn’t what I would call vintage or heavy.


I’m talking 60’s. Like this David Bradley I found on FBM.

Or this old Homelite

 

[IXLR8]

I have a Homelite Zip that was my grandfathers he bought in the early 60's. Had to update the bar/chain/drive sprocket when the original chain was no longer available. Needs carb cleaned as it is running a bit rough. Heavy beast, just let the weight do the cutting. LOUD, but don't get in it's way as it will cut thru anything, even cinder block. DAMHIK

 

[jyoutz]

1980’s is too new.

I just sold my ECHO from the 80’s and it wasn’t what I would call vintage or heavy.


I’m talking 60’s. Like this David Bradley I found on FBM.

View attachment 1406790

Or this old Homelite

View attachment 1406791

Those are cool old saws. At Northern AZ University School of Forestry, they have an old McCulloch two person saw with a four foot bar and a handle on the front for the second person. A true vintage classic that I wouldn’t want to operate. But those 1980s Pioneers were all metal and extremely heavy for the year. Probably why they are no longer made.

 

[2manyrocks]

Can't imagine cutting with a saw like that all day.

 

[CalG]

I have a big saw.
I’m looking for a vintage old US made saw.

When I typed in "Vintage Mac Chainsaw" into the search engine, the 10-10 and Pro Mac were the most popular returned images. ;-)

One man's "Vintage" is another man's " I bought this new" ;-)

 

[kenmbz]

My neigbhor who was a lumberjack had a Mac with a 48" bar.
I was about 12 and could barely lift it off the ground!

I go to this site to discuss saws and they are always buying/selling older ones:

Arborist, Chainsaw & Tree Work Forum

Arboristsite is a forum & classifieds website for arborists, chainsaws, tree worker and firewood processing. Forums for all aspects of tree work, chainsaws and tree equipment. Classifieds for chainsaws & arbor tree equipment.

www.arboristsite.com

 

[jyoutz]

I have a humorous story about old saws. In the 1980s I started my forestry career in Flagstaff, AZ. One day an old logger came into my office to ask about upcoming timber sales. This guy was 70+ but still logging. He happened to see a rusty old crosscut saw I found in the woods and decorated my wall with. He said that he didn’t want to see any of those again. When I told him where I found it, he said that he left it there in the woods after getting his first chainsaw. IDK if he was serious or not, but it was obvious that he liked the newfangled power saws and was glad that the days of the crosscut were over.

 

[Hay Dude]

When I typed in "Vintage Mac Chainsaw" into the search engine, the 10-10 and Pro Mac were the most popular returned images. ;-)

One man's "Vintage" is another man's " I bought this new" ;-)

They are on my list. I was just making it known I am not searching for a big saw. I am searching for a vintage US made saw that looks like an older style 60’s-70’s saw,

20” -32” bar/chain is adequate. So I guess medium sized is the saw I desire.

 

[dfkrug]

I am restoring this old 1959 Clinton D65, originally sold by Montgomery Wards.

It is a technology wonder, with 95ccs, THREE compression rings, a roller clutch, and Tillotson HL carb. 36" bar with 404 chain. I already got it to run on prime. It has a unique, articulating bucking spike. I will post a vid on Utube when I am ready to cut with it.

Carb all rebuilt and ready to put saw back together. Bar cleaned up, fuel tank cleaned out. This is way more interesting than the many old Macs from the sixties, like the 250. I get those free, but most are only 80cc.

BTW, this saw is indeed heavy, but not much heavier than the 3120XP I have here.

 

[kenmbz]

I am restoring this old 1959 Clinton D65, originally sold by Montgomery Wards.

It is a technology wonder, with 95ccs, THREE compression rings, a roller clutch, and Tillotson HL carb. 36" bar with 404 chain. I already got it to run on prime. It has a unique, articulating bucking spike. I will post a vid on Utube when I am ready to cut with it.

Carb all rebuilt and ready to put saw back together. Bar cleaned up, fuel tank cleaned out. This is way more interesting than the many old Macs from the sixties, like the 250. I get those free, but most are only 80cc.

BTW, this saw is indeed heavy, but not much heavier than the 3120XP I have here.

Not hard to find the gas and oil tanks on that one

 

[xyz123]

I traded this ole Clinton off to a older friend after I made some test cuts.

Just not my thing, but wanted to see what made it tick. Parts were even rough to get many moons ago.

 

[xyz123]

Traded same guy this old mac 805 that looked like new too.

He does collect mac's. Bet he has at least 3 125's.

 

[Jstpssng]

My first saw was an old XL-12 (blue model). Not as old as what the OP wants but I remember when my father replaced his 1010 McCulloch with it back in nineteen sixty something.
I gave it away after buying a used 254 Husky. I sort of wish I’d kept it but can only keep so much stuff around.