Who's Your Supplier?

[lxskllr]

Some comments in another thread regarding Baileys got me thinking about supplies. For routine saw stuff, I don't think they have much competition with selection and price. Their WoodlandPro bars for consumer saws are pretty good for the price, and I also like the WoodlandPro(Carlton) chain. They also have good prices on files, though when my Pferds are used up, I'll go back to Stihl files since my new dealer has much better prices than the old one did, and I like Stihl files better.

I did have one problem with them. I ordered a replacement face shield for my forestry helmet cause the old one rusted out. Figured I'd get steel again. It lasted a year, and the mesh is finer than nylon. Got the face shield, and it was nylon. The packaging was marked with both steel and nylon, but it was nylon inside. Not sure how that happened. Was debating about saying anything, cause the nylon was only a couple bucks cheaper, but said "Screw it. That's a file or two", and sent them an email. They said they'd credit the difference, but that never happened. If I contacted them again, I'd be losing money, so I wrote it off, but it would have been nice to get some of my money back. I'm mildly irritated, but not enough to quit using them when they have something I need.

Anyway, I use Baileys for saw stuff, and Wesspur and TreeStuff for climbing and rigging supplies. Gap arborist supply is pretty decent too. They're in driving distance from me, though a bit of a hike. I got my Petzl helmet from them in person.

Anyone else that's good for supplies?

[Old Greenhorn]

I am cheap thrifty and I search around. I have bought from most of them, but I look for the OEM brand I want and then find somebody who has it in stock. I have pretty much given up on buying cheap stuff when it comes to important tools, parts, or supplies, but I will buy cheap for the throwaway stuff that never lasts very long anyway and quality is not a big factor. I have bought from Bailey's for felling wedges and Husky roller guides because I could not find what I wanted anywhere else. I used to buy a bunch from NT, but very little anymore because they don't have the quality to justify their prices. A lot of it is junk. For expensive stuff I shop carefully and look for the right manufacturer, then find a dealer I can buy from.
 I have also bought from Stahls and they have some hard to find stuff at good prices, but are missing some of the other stuff I buy. Around here there are only 2 walk-in shops. One I don't like, their customer service is non-existent, their prices are high, and their techs are very sloppy. My son does like them however. The other was close and had fair prices, but they moved and now are an hour long loop for me to drive. I have not been to the new store yet but can buy from them online (Sheldon Hill Forestry). Usually I ask my son to pick something up for me because he is over there at least weekly. Their website is not really good though.
 It's hard to have a favorite. They each have their strengths. I just shop carefully.

[Al_Smith]

I have found that Stihl prices are more often less expensive from a local dealer than from the internet .This area has no well stocked Husqvarna dealers and those parts come from a dealer in North Carolina .
Parts for the older saws such as McCulloch are where ever you find them which normally would be E-Bay. Some are reasonable , some are outragious .Collecting and or restoring old things is not for everyone .Some times finding parts is like looking for a needle in a hay stack .

[thecfarm]

I don't need alot of supplies. But I do try to keep a spare bar on hand all the time and a couple chains. Labonville use to be about 20 minutes from me,Farmington,ME,but they closed in July.  But there is one in Madison and Mexico,just about 45 minutes away.I use to buy my bars,chains,files,saw mix oil,wedges,chaps,logging chains and boots from Labonville.

[hedgerow]

We don't have any good walk in full service saw dealers around my area. Most have to order so I just order my self. Ten years ago or maybe more I found Bailey's. For about 6 or seven years I did a lot of business with them I like there woodland pro chain. I bought saws and supplies from them that had free shipping a lot and good prices with quality equipment. Then maybe three to five years ago they had a big shake up and its not been the same since. I don't do much business with them now. I shop around to find the best price on quality equipment. Just had a big issue with a bar chain combo I bought off Amazon last week that I order for a Stihl and came for a Husky. Seller wasn't wanting to play ball Amazon stepped in and made it right. I ended up ordering one off Ebay for a couple more dollars and its already here and is the right one. I am actually currently looking for a big saw 90 cc plus and have driven to a couple dealers 100 miles or less from me and I wasn't impressed by any of them and they didn't stock anything that size. 

[Magicman]

I stopped buying from Bailey's when they stopped being a Forestry Forum Sponsor.

[Haleiwa]

I get bars and chains for my Keto from Stahls.  Local store is about 85 for a bar and wait for it to be special ordered.   Stahls is 62.50.  They carry Oregon brand.

[sawguy21]

hedgerow there are only two manufacturers of saws in that range, the market is very limited so dealers are not going to stock them. Even here in big timber country they are special order. My point being that you have to be realistic with your expectations.
I have worked for both dealers and a national supplier, neither can afford to sit on inventory. If the dealer seems indifferent that is another story entirely, it is definitely time to change.

[Pine Ridge]

I haven't bought anything from baileys in about 5 years, when i used to buy from them the shipping costs were VERY HIGH. It had to be something i needed badly for me to order from them. I can usually get whatever i need from my local saw shop, if he doesn't have what i need he will go above and beyond to get it for me, he takes good care of his customers.

[Ron Scott]

Most often, the local Husky Dealer, Ebel's Hardware, Falmouth, MI or one of the Forum sponsors. Haven't bought from Bailey's for some time since they discontinued sponsoring the Forum.

[hedgerow]

hedgerow there are only two manufacturers of saws in that range, the market is very limited so dealers are not going to stock them. Even here in big timber country they are special order. My point being that you have to be realistic with your expectations.
I have worked for both dealers and a national supplier, neither can afford to sit on inventory. If the dealer seems indifferent that is another story entirely, it is definitely time to change.

Sawguy  I under stand no one wanting to set of inventory that doesn't move fast. I think your statement about {indifferent} hit the nail on the head. They acted like they could care less if I bought a saw or not. With dealers like this I end up buying on line for the best price I can get. I have never taken a saw to a dealer to be repaired I do my own work. Seems like in a lot of areas customer service is gone. 

[gspren]

  I haven't bought from Bailey's in years but then I don't really buy a lot from anybody. For new saws, blowers, weed eaters and the associated supplies I use the same Amish owned Stihl dealer that lxskllr uses. For my older non warranty work there is a local lady that was a Stihl dealer but now she just does repairs and sells some supplies, she knows her Stihls. 

[ehp]

I buy from my saw dealers and try to stay with OEM as much as I can, I prefer the Stihl ES bars for cutting on the landing when the sand is not frozen, its brutal on chains and bars

[dgdrls]

I don't use a lot of CS parts in a year.
In the past couple years I was stocking up from a local shop in Northern NY.  He retired and closed up.
Prior to that I used with very good success a certain shop in Centralia WA (Wish they would sponsor here)
for saw and other supplies.  I've gone back to them.

D

[Old Greenhorn]

 I mentioned in another post over the weekend I found the wedges I need to have, and they are from Madsen's. I have been intending to send them an order at some point and today was the day.
 I felt like I was back in 1968. Yes, the have an 'online presence' but it only consists of a pdf catalog and a few other things. I looked everything up in the catalog and wrote it down, then I called them. They have an email address but clearly state that they don't like to use it, they would rather talk to you. I listed my order with a nice fella name Mark, and he added it all up and gave me a call back with the final price less shipping. That will have to wait until they box it up and weigh it, I was told.;D
 The prices are fair and mostly at or below the competition. There is no way to order online at all. I don't see this as a bad thing. I don't mind using the phone, yes, it is nice to place and order at 10pm which you cannot do with them, but talking to a nice fella and getting what I needed with a little chit-chat on the side was a nice change. My order for 3 wedges wound up at around 100 bucks because I bought some things I could not find in other places for a fair price. (I think $50 for a simple crusher hat that we used to be able to buy in any hardware store (for 10 bucks) is too high. They charge $29. or so and I can live with that. I miss my crushers. I used to have 3 or more in rotation of cleanliness and I have had none for 5 years, can't find them.) I got a decent pair of button type braces at a very reasonable price. I would love to visit their store, looks impressive. 
 Yes, I wish they were a FF sponsor, but they don't seem to have any interest in the online world. They never even asked me for an email address. I hope they send a catalog, I forgot to ask.

[hedgerow]

Old Greenhorn

Five years ago while I was on vacation out that way I made a two hour detour out of our way to go to Madsen's. In my area there aren't any big saw shops. I think to see that many Stihl chain saws in one place you would have to go to the factory. Wow what a store I was like a kid in a candy store. I left there with a 461 and many other things too. Ended up spending almost 1/2 day there it was will worth the detour. They send me a catalog once a year. 

[ManjiSann]

I don't really need that many supplies, at least not compared to you fellows that do this for a living. What little I need I've either purchased from the local big box store or off eBay. For parts I can't find on either of those two sites I've had good luck with partstree, their shipping is insanely fast. 

I'm mainly interested in good prices and quick shipping as I usually need the part yesterday.

I really should check out some of the local shops and see if I can find one I like and can create a relationship with.

Brandon 

[barbender]

In my area, te saw shop that is knowledgeable and has what you need is becoming a thing of the past. There used to be enough saws working up here that it supported more than a few small shops where the guys knew their stuff. Now it's getting to be more homeowner saws than anything. Some of the hardware and fleet stores still have knowledgeable mechanics but it's hit or miss whether your saw gets to them, or some kid that drools on himself while looking at your saw. I've pretty much reverted to ordering parts online, then I get what I need instead of trying to educate a kid working the parts counter for 3 weeks🙄 

[Old Greenhorn]

In my area, te saw shop that is knowledgeable and has what you need is becoming a thing of the past. .........
..........I've pretty much reverted to ordering parts online, then I get what I need instead of trying to educate a kid working the parts counter for 3 weeks🙄

Yup, there is a lot of that going around, pretty much the same here, and the one shop that thinks it is pretty good, really isn't. I don't like them much. I pretty much buy as you do. That was why I made note of the call I had with Madsen's the other day. I actually had a conversation with the person on the other end. Most of the stuff I ordered didn't even have parts numbers, just descriptions. I needed a new set of button braces and the guy asked me if I wanted the plain black ones or the orange ones with the MADSEN'S name on them. At first I said, 'I'm an old guy, just give me the black ones". He chuckled 'yeah maybe that bright stuff is for the young guys, I dunno'. I laughed and rethought and said 'Do you know what? Give me those bright orange ones instead, this way they can find me easier when I finally drop dead." He said, 'nah, that ain't gonna happen, but at least the kids will be able to see where the good cutter is working.' and we both laughed.
 It was a 10 second exchange, but something you don't get ordering online or dealing with a parts kid.
 I should see that package today or tomorrow, but it's a long way from the left coast to the right. I am anxious to see if those braces are my shade of orange or if they clash with my saw pants. :D ;D ;D ;D

[sawguy21]

The local shop is drawing increasing business from a large area because they are good and they are fair. The tech came from Walker's in Nanaimo, a well known hot saw builder, and the owner, our own Paul_H, comes from a logging background. They know their stuff. The dealers in the larger neighboring communities don't seem to care, I have tried to deal with them on products Paul doesn't handle.
I deal online as little as possible, experience hasn't been good, but I also don't buy a lot. I want to see what I am getting  before I plunk my meagre resources down.

[old guy]

HLsupply, partstree.com, very good service.

[sablatnic]

I am lucky to have absolutely decent Husqvarna, Echo and Stihl dealers within 20 minutes from my home, but to be honest, I purchase most of my stuff from dustbins and scrapheaps. Havent yet purchased anything from the net, except a few parts saws.

[weimedog]

I have three really good Husqvarna Dealer's I work with as a primary source of parts. THEN HLSupply for some of the better AM, Definitive Dave's place another, and finally if all else fails ...eBay