On Black Friday of 2016, I found a cheap chainsaw on sale for $99. I heat my home 100% with wood, so at that point in my life, the deal seemed worth it. Unfortunately, the worthless piece of junk tore up within 4 months, and the company refused to cover it under warranty. In related news, I will never purchase another Poulan product for the rest of my life.

In March 2017, I had about $200 credit available on my card and about $150 cash. I was just getting the first baby steps of the tree and landscaping business going when that POS chainsaw laid down on me. At that point, I had to make a choice: buy another cheap POS or get something of quality.

At a local hardware store, I found the 18″ Shindaiwa pictured above for $309, plus tax. After tax, I had less than $5 left on my credit card. That was a difficult choice to make. If the tool doesn’t live up to the ratings, I’m broke. However, there comes a point when you have to take a chance. In economic terms, this is called measuring risk and reward.

I’ve used the Shindaiwa for 2 1/2 years now. It’s my primary tool in the business. The only one that rivals it is my Tanaka weed eater, but that’s a post for a different day. The chainsaw has broken down three times. Two were covered under warranty, but one was a wear item. I’ve probably used $600 worth of chains and bars in that timeframe. I’ve downed some sizable trees and processed a lot of firewood with it.

Looking back, that decision, to scrape together all of my capital and use it to make one major purchase for the business was one of the best steps I’ve taken. The tool has paid for itself a dozen times over and continues to do so. A mediocre tool might have gotten me through one year, but then I would have been replacing it, spending at least the same total amount of money in a shorter timespan. I’ll probably replace that saw within the next year, but it will always hold a special place as the cornerstone of this business.

That’s all for now.