John’s Custom Saws build nightmare, what would you do?

Treeline

Treeline

New member
Location
Albany
***Edit after several pm’s with other guys I have decided I’ll name him: John’s Custom Saws from Instagram and YouTube.**** So last year in November I reached out to a popular saw builder (I’m not gonna name him just yet) to build a custom 500i for me. He states he is very busy but if I was willing to wait a few months he’d get it done for me by spring. I ended up getting the saw (brand new never had gas in the tank) shipped to him the first week in December. He follows up says he’s got the saw, cool now we wait.

Fast forward to March 15 of this year and I haven’t heard anything so I reach out for an update. He replies promptly saying he’s a little further out than he originally thought but he’ll get it to me in a month or so.

Fast forward to May 4th, I haven’t heard anything so I reach out, no reply. Two days later I reach out again, no reply.

May 7, I send email requesting a status update because I’m starting to worry. I inform him I’m starting to get busy and I need the saw, I told him if he didn’t have time for it I’d pay return shipping and no hard feelings.

May 9, he finally replies. He’s very apologetic for lack of communication on his part says he’s willing to send it back on his dime as well as reimburse me for the original shipping cost to send the saw to him in November, or he would still build it. He even offers to build the saw at a discounted rate. So I replied back saying ok awesome how quick can he build it and he said he’d have it done in 1-2 weeks.

June 18, I haven’t heard anything and I emailed again asking for an update, no reply.

June 23, I emailed saying no hard feelings but I just need him to send the saw back. No reply.

June 28, I emailed again asking him to please call me, no reply.

July 9, I text him this time, said hey man I need the saw I can’t wait anymore

July 12 late night he replies: says he has the saw complete but he’s been dealing with ilness so he hasn’t been able to work much.says he’ll discount as much as possible.

July 13 I reply first thing in the morning. Sorry to hear about sickness but happy saw is done. Please send me an invoice and the saw

July 15, he replied asking where to send invoice, say’s to PayPal him when I get invoice… cool. Asks if I want him to go ahead and throw the west coast saw parts on, he had them in stock so I say yeah go ahead that’d be great.

August 1, I still haven’t seen an invoice I reach out. Ask for him to send it

August 11, I haven’t heard anything so I send, “ I have reached my saturation point. You promised me the saw months ago. I have tried to be understanding because I know what it's like but I feel like I've been strung along too long with minimal communication from you. I need my saw back... built or not I don't care.” This is the first time I have been anything other than polite and understanding with the guy.

August 13, I say again “please. I don't want to turn this into a big ordeal I just want my saw back.”

Sorry for the long post, but that’s my situation. I think I’ve just lost a brand new 500i to this guy. My B.S. meter has gone off several times throughout the process but the guy has a strong following and has built saws for many people in the industry. I don’t want to throw his name out there just yet but I don’t know what else to do.
 
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Your story sounds very familiar. Not specifically with saw builders but a lot of businesses in general.

Sorry to hear your story and I hope you get this resolved ASAP
 
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Yeah this sounds uncomfortably familiar with an experience I had last year, I would be willing to bet with the same builder (EDIT 8/26/22: builder was not John). I sent payment to have a new saw built, upgraded, and modded in August of last year. After numerous emails and texts regarding delays (also at least one due to illness) and some periods of radio silence I finally was able to get a refund at the end of January. Fwiw I had successfully placed and received at least one order of saw parts from the builder before this event so I knew that at least the retail end of their business functional.

It's a frustrating feeling for sure once you start to think that you're being taken advantage of with virtually no situational control. I would recommend keeping up with the correspondence and definitely ask for a tracking number once it gets shipped.
 
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neums said:
Yeah this sounds uncomfortably familiar with an experience I had last year, I would be willing to bet with the same builder. I sent payment to have a new saw built, upgraded, and modded in August of last year. After numerous emails and texts regarding delays (also at least one due to illness) and some periods of radio silence I finally was able to get a refund at the end of January. Fwiw I had successfully placed and received at least one order of saw parts from the builder before this event so I knew that at least the retail end of their business functional.

It's a frustrating feeling for sure once you start to think that you're being taken advantage of with virtually no situational control. I would recommend keeping up with the correspondence and definitely ask for a tracking number once it gets shipped.
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Oh yeah that sounds like the guy I’m speaking of. I have saved all of our emails and texts thankfully. I don’t know how much good they’ll do me other than using them to warn other potential customers. Taking legal action would probably cost me a lot more than the saw
 
Normally I’d be a little more cautions just sending a brand new saw to someone from the internet, but there were several reputable people in the industry who had seemingly good experience with him so I thought he was legit.
 
The way I see it, until he delivers on a saw, built or not, or pays the price of said saw/shipping this man is a THIEF. I think letting the treebuzz community know would prevent more of these bad deals from happening….. Hey, if he’s so busy anyway, less saws coming to his shop would be doing him a favor.
 
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I've had one saw built in the past and was a little frustrated during the process. I was told a 10 week turn around time and it ended up being 20 weeks. I will say though, that little saw is fun to run and I'd do it again but with the expectation that it'd be a 20 week wait.

I've learned that if you need a saw now, your better off buying stock. Modded saws are best bought when you don't actually need them yet.

Hope your situation works out. I've only seen one 500i modded, but it way out performs a stock 500i. Good luck to you.
 
Jehinten said:
I've had one saw built in the past and was a little frustrated during the process. I was told a 10 week turn around time and it ended up being 20 weeks. I will say though, that little saw is fun to run and I'd do it again but with the expectation that it'd be a 20 week wait.

I've learned that if you need a saw now, your better off buying stock. Modded saws are best bought when you don't actually need them yet.

Hope your situation works out. I've only seen one 500i modded, but it way out performs a stock 500i. Good luck to you.
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Fortunately this saw was more of a want than a need. I did want it as a backup to my 661. And I actually ended up having to buy a new 661 while waiting on this saw due to a cylinder failure.
 
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If August 13th was the last outgoing communication from you, here’s what I would do.

Send him one last email, phone call AND text. Informing him if you do not receive a shipping tracking number within 48 hours for the saw you will report it stolen with the serial number to Stihl and his local PD. Let him know you have a copies of all communications.

Your choice if it’s a bluff.
 
I don’t have a horse in this race, but @evo that is a great idea. I recently went through a similar nightmare with a saw builder in Canada, glad I didn’t have to take it that far…..
 
@Chris Schultz and @Treeline as a mod over on the opeforum I’d be grateful if you you consider sharing with me who these builders are via PM. I’m always on the look out for bad builders to help steer members clear of potential problems.

Honestly they should both be outed publicly here, but that does tend to turn into a witch hunt. Sounds like it’s warranted in this case though.
 
Barc Buster said:
@Chris Schultz and @Treeline as a mod over on the opeforum I’d be grateful if you you consider sharing with me who these builders are via PM. I’m always on the look out for bad builders to help steer members clear of potential problems.

Honestly they should both be outed publicly here, but that does tend to turn into a witch hunt. Sounds like it’s warranted in this case though.
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Pm sent
 
evo said:
If August 13th was the last outgoing communication from you, here’s what I would do.

Send him one last email, phone call AND text. Informing him if you do not receive a shipping tracking number within 48 hours for the saw you will report it stolen with the serial number to Stihl and his local PD. Let him know you have a copies of all communications.

Your choice if it’s a bluff.
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That’s a good idea. I’m gonna do that. I’m not much of a bluffer, I was headed to magistrate court tomorrow to file suit with a customer who hasn’t paid his bill from February. I made my final courtesy call today telling him I was going to file suit tomorrow and he promptly gave me his card info to settle up. I really hope the saw builder doesn’t make me take it that far though.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience, unfortunately you are not alone when it comes to this builder based on what I've seen on other forums....

I'm just starting to get interested in modded saws myself and will have my next round 'built,' but as someone else mentioned in this thread, that's not a saw to count on by a certain date, have something you can use daily and when the built saw comes, it's an upgrade. That said, the behavior you are experiencing is unacceptable.
 
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