New cheap saw

[2458n]

Got a 380 poulan at a auction a couple of years back. When I got around to using it I was surprised how much I liked it. Now shopping around for parts I find that the saw is already past it's prime and parts are hard to find. Looked at a saw this morning and the Stihl MS880 brought 1000.00 even at auction. Do not have to worry about parts- could not afford it used.

 

[MossRoad]

I think the point of this thread is that for occasional use or a second saw, these cheap Poulans are hard to beat for price. Sure, a Stihl would be nice, but I have no need for a saw that expensive. And if I drop a tree on it or run it over with my tractor I won't be out big bucks.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Ive owned most all brands of saws over the years, mostly mid to high priced ones, this poulan is the first Ive ever owned that cost under $200, i was very skeptical at first, 50cc engine, 20 inch bar plus a carrying case AND SO far after 4 tanks of gas of pretty hard use, im 100% happy with it, hope it stays that way, time will tell BUT worst case scenerio if it just lasts one season im not out much money. Either way i think im done with buying $500+ saws, after all im not a professional lumberjack, im just a working guy that uses it as needed on my 10 acres.

NOW my next question, instead of starting another thread, in years past Ive always had a guy at the mower place sharpen all my chains for $5.00, well he retired couple months ago, so how tough is it for someone to sharpen their chain themselves? Without spending a lot of money ($100+) on a sharpener, what do you all suggest as far as sharpening the chain?

 

[2458n]

I went through the same thing my man sold his shop and sent me to someone else. The new guy treats me way better than the first. I bought a file and just touch it up between trips to the pro.

 

[square1]

how tough is it for someone to sharpen their chain themselves?

It's a skill that is easily learned with time & practice. Working with my dad in the woods as a teenager it was my job to keep the saws fueled, lubed, adjusted & sharp (and split, stack, load & unload the truck :thumbsdown: ) I average 10 federal cord a year (for the past 5 years) and have never paid to have a chain sharpened in 40 years. Frequent touch ups with a file are better IMO than long runs between sharpening.

 

[s219]

I sharpen 3-4 times in a typical cutting day, or more frequently if needed (a sharp chain can go to heck in an instant). It should be a go-to skill for anyone running a chainsaw, otherwise you're probably cutting with a dull chain or wasting time swapping chains during the day.

The downside to cheap Poulans are things you might not think about, like maintaining good chain tension, consistent oiling, cooling under load, maintaining tune/compression over a temperature range, etc. Use it hard enough and the rough edges will start to show.

Poulan made great saws back in the day. I have one circa 1972 and it's a very nice saw (consider it a family heirloom). But I'd skip their newer saws and put the money towards something better.

One easy way to sort saws is to look at the emissions sticker and see how many hours they are rated to maintain emissions specs. The good saws will say 300 hrs. Cheaper saws will say 50 hrs. Interestingly, you can see a 300 hour sticker on a homeowner Echo saw, but only a 50 hr sticker on a Stihl homeowner saw. Stihl doesn't start rating at 300 hrs until you get to the higher end of their product line. So it's not always what you think. In case anyone is wondering, the emissions spec relates to quality of pistons, rings, liners, etc, as well as assembly quality.

 

[/pine]

They are not meant for commercial duty but I have gotten great service from a couple of Poulan saws..
Have been using a "Farm-Hand" 2775 (20") for going on 15 years and it still runs and cuts great...I also have an 18" bar that does make it a bad azz saw...I always flip the bar over when I change chains...I also have a 3314 that never fails to start on two pulls...

I wish the 2775 had a fuel primer bulb though...

 

[dfkrug]

One easy way to sort saws is to look at the emissions sticker and see how many hours they are rated to maintain
emissions specs. The good saws will say 300 hrs. Cheaper saws will say 50 hrs. Interestingly, you can see a 300
hour sticker on a homeowner Echo saw, but only a 50 hr sticker on a Stihl homeowner saw. Stihl doesn't start
rating at 300 hrs until you get to the higher end of their product line. So it's not always what you think. In
case anyone is wondering, the emissions spec relates to quality of pistons, rings, liners, etc, as well as assembly
quality.

That is an interesting metric for the newer saws, if you can find it out. I wonder what the rating is for this
new Makita DCS460 I have here.... I will check.

I have and work on many saws, and I find the sweet spot for years of manufacture to be in the 80s, due
to the adoption of electronic ignitions and plastic fuel tanks, but before the conversion to all-plastic or
nearly all-plastic bodies. The 87 Poulan 4000 I have here is 65cc of glory.

The biggest differentiator on longevity I have found is whether they use 2 or only one piston ring. Pro
saws seem to "all" have 2, tho it is not easy to find out. I imagine the pro saws or better-made saws
also use more durable cylinder metallurgy, too.

As for the current crop of Poulans, I would put them up against the low-end Stihl MS170 in terms of
quality and longevity. You can get a lot of work out of the Poulans if you take care of them. The
usual models you see in the stores are the 3314 and the 4018. That PP5020AV is not as easy to find
in the stores, but definitely a bargain.

Currently refurbishing an 83 Husky 2100. It has many 100s of hours on it.

 

[dfkrug]

Poulan made great saws back in the day. I have one circa 1972 and it's a very nice saw (consider it a family heirloom).

I have a 73 Poulan S25 tophandle saw, which were the choice of arborist-tree climbers back then. 2 piston rings and
all-magnesium construction made this unit very durable. A pro saw, for sure.

Poulan (part of Husky now) has changed hands several times over the years, but they were tops a few decades ago.

Poulan WAS Freddy Kruger's preferred saw, after all.

 

[MossRoad]

Ive owned most all brands of saws over the years, mostly mid to high priced ones, this poulan is the first Ive ever owned that cost under $200, i was very skeptical at first, 50cc engine, 20 inch bar plus a carrying case AND SO far after 4 tanks of gas of pretty hard use, im 100% happy with it, hope it stays that way, time will tell BUT worst case scenerio if it just lasts one season im not out much money. Either way i think im done with buying $500+ saws, after all im not a professional lumberjack, im just a working guy that uses it as needed on my 10 acres.

NOW my next question, instead of starting another thread, in years past Ive always had a guy at the mower place sharpen all my chains for $5.00, well he retired couple months ago, so how tough is it for someone to sharpen their chain themselves? Without spending a lot of money ($100+) on a sharpener, what do you all suggest as far as sharpening the chain?

I have the cheap 29.00 sharpener from harbor freight. Works great. I have 5 chains (7 as of yesterday, as I found new Oregon chains for my 18" Poulan for $12.95). I keep the sharp ones in a zip lock bag with some oil. That fit in the case with the saw. When I get down to one in the bag, I sharpen them all. Takes 5 minutes.

In the field, I use a file with 5-6 strokes on each tooth if the feel dull. Works for me.