CHeap chainsaw?

[RobertN]

Check out Ebay... All kinds of saws on there.

Or, try the "Trading Post" on this arborist site:

http://www.arboristsite.com/pp-classifieds/showcat.php?cat=all&stype=1&si=homelite

I have the little homelite XL and used it for over 15 years with no major issues like my poulan from big box does. What I am looking for now is the Super XL all metal saw for my father to replace his that is burned up.

 

[MossRoad]

I just bought a Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model to replace my late father's old Craftsman 18" saw that has seen better days. Our Craftsman was originally made by Poulan and lasted a long time, but did not see lots of use until last year. It runs fine, plenty of power, light and easy to work on. It had no chain brake and I lost the case bolts after forgetting to tighten them. I will repair it for a spare saw, but wanted something a little safer. We had a smaller Poulan for many years that worked really well. Same exact saw as the Craftsman only a 14" bar. We loaned it to a friend who did not mix the oil with the gas and seized it up. It ran fine until then. My in-laws also had a Poulan that was identical to our two saws. It also ran fine for may years until by brother in law got a hold of it. It disappeared. My inlaws also own a nice Stihl saw, but my brother in law has that one, too. A few years ago my brother in law buys his father a Poulan Wild Thing, and then borrowed it, too! My father in law hasn't seen any of his saws in many years. Don't get me started on his log splitter. We also have a Poulan Prol weed eater/pole saw combo that works very well.

Anyhow, we have had good luck with the Poulan saws, so, after reading lots of horrible reviews about the Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model, I bought one anyway! Why?

Our old chains fit on this new saw, so I have those.
The new saw came with a case. I did not have a case.
The new saw came with an extra chain.
The new saw has a chain brake, which makes me feel a bit safer.
The problems reported all seem to center around the tool-less chain tensioning system.... that being the chain comes loose too often.

Right out of the box I put in fuel and bar oil, pumped the primer and it fired and ran on the 3rd pull. Made some test cuts around the house then headed for our property. In a couple hours of work, the chain came loose several times and even off the bar once. I finally figured that you have to really crank the small thumb wheel hard which lengthens the bar, then tighten the large wheel to lock it down about as hard as you possibly can. It didn't come loose after that, but I may just look into getting rid of that finger tightener and putting on a washer and lock not and use a wrench to tighten it. I just cannot see how anyone could get a 2" disc as tight with their fingers as they could with a nut and 6" wrench.

It cut the 12" and under trees fairly easily. I had nothing lager to cut that day. It is very comfortable to handle and well balanced on the top handle. It limbed small branches with easy. Much easier than the Craftsman it replaced.

I will give it another run this weekend and see how it does. Then I will report again after a few cords.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I have the little homelite XL and used it for over 15 years with no major issues like my poulan from big box does. What I am looking for now is the Super XL all metal saw for my father to replace his that is burned up.

Did it burn the outer cases of the saw or just the plastic? If the cases are ok Id like to buy them from him. That is the old two trigger model isnt it? I ran over mine and broke the case.
larry

 

[RobertN]

Didn't Poulan used to make top rated Pro saws, back in the 60's, 70's, and very early '80s?

I seem to remember that Poulan and Stihl were very popular saws with loggers in the Trinity mountains in N. Calif back in the late 70's.

I just bought a Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model to replace my late father's old Craftsman 18" saw that has seen better days. Our Craftsman was originally made by Poulan

 

[20 20]

Didn't Poulan used to make top rated Pro saws, back in the 60's, 70's, and very early '80s?

I seem to remember that Poulan and Stihl were very popular saws with loggers in the Trinity mountains in N. Calif back in the late 70's.

Yes back then they were a real good saw, now they are made by electrolux. Most all the cheap saws are made by electrolux, poulan craftsman mc's homelite low $ husky etc..

 

[milkman]

I just bought a Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model to replace my late father's old Craftsman 18" saw that has seen better days. Our Craftsman was originally made by Poulan and lasted a long time, but did not see lots of use until last year. It runs fine, plenty of power, light and easy to work on. It had no chain brake and I lost the case bolts after forgetting to tighten them. I will repair it for a spare saw, but wanted something a little safer. We had a smaller Poulan for many years that worked really well. Same exact saw as the Craftsman only a 14" bar. We loaned it to a friend who did not mix the oil with the gas and seized it up. It ran fine until then. My in-laws also had a Poulan that was identical to our two saws. It also ran fine for may years until by brother in law got a hold of it. It disappeared. My inlaws also own a nice Stihl saw, but my brother in law has that one, too. A few years ago my brother in law buys his father a Poulan Wild Thing, and then borrowed it, too! My father in law hasn't seen any of his saws in many years. Don't get me started on his log splitter.

I'd say that you have an in law that needs to go to the woodshed for an education!!!!

 

[MossRoad]

I just bought a Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model to replace my late father's old Craftsman 18" saw that has seen better days. Our Craftsman was originally made by Poulan and lasted a long time, but did not see lots of use until last year. It runs fine, plenty of power, light and easy to work on. It had no chain brake and I lost the case bolts after forgetting to tighten them. I will repair it for a spare saw, but wanted something a little safer. We had a smaller Poulan for many years that worked really well. Same exact saw as the Craftsman only a 14" bar. We loaned it to a friend who did not mix the oil with the gas and seized it up. It ran fine until then. My in-laws also had a Poulan that was identical to our two saws. It also ran fine for may years until by brother in law got a hold of it. It disappeared. My inlaws also own a nice Stihl saw, but my brother in law has that one, too. A few years ago my brother in law buys his father a Poulan Wild Thing, and then borrowed it, too! My father in law hasn't seen any of his saws in many years. Don't get me started on his log splitter. We also have a Poulan Prol weed eater/pole saw combo that works very well.

Anyhow, we have had good luck with the Poulan saws, so, after reading lots of horrible reviews about the Poulan Pro 18" 42CC model, I bought one anyway! Why?

Our old chains fit on this new saw, so I have those.
The new saw came with a case. I did not have a case.
The new saw came with an extra chain.
The new saw has a chain brake, which makes me feel a bit safer.
The problems reported all seem to center around the tool-less chain tensioning system.... that being the chain comes loose too often.

Right out of the box I put in fuel and bar oil, pumped the primer and it fired and ran on the 3rd pull. Made some test cuts around the house then headed for our property. In a couple hours of work, the chain came loose several times and even off the bar once. I finally figured that you have to really crank the small thumb wheel hard which lengthens the bar, then tighten the large wheel to lock it down about as hard as you possibly can. It didn't come loose after that, but I may just look into getting rid of that finger tightener and putting on a washer and lock not and use a wrench to tighten it. I just cannot see how anyone could get a 2" disc as tight with their fingers as they could with a nut and 6" wrench.

It cut the 12" and under trees fairly easily. I had nothing lager to cut that day. It is very comfortable to handle and well balanced on the top handle. It limbed small branches with easy. Much easier than the Craftsman it replaced.

I will give it another run this weekend and see how it does. Then I will report again after a few cords.

I ran the saw for aobut 3 hours today and took down about 50 trees in the 6-14" range. The saw worked well.... when the chain wasn't getting loose! I tell you, that tool-less chain tensioner is borderline garbagio. I cannot get it tight enough with my fingers to keep the chain tight like it should be. I will look for a large washer and locknut soon and try to retrofit it to work correctly.

Other than that, the saw started well and ran all day without incident. It does not have enough power to cut anything over 14" that is hard dry wood. You have to lift the saw up a bit or it will bite into the wood and stop. It will sail right through wet wood just fine. It is very light and easy to handle. I ran 4 tanks of fuel through it. It has a nice sized fuel tank so I was happy to not have to keep filling it as compared to our old Craftsman. It is a good saw for limbing as the 18" bar has plenty of reach. I just wish it had enough power to use the full 18" of bar. On a scale of 1-10 I give it a 6.5. You get what you pay for.

 

[MossRoad]

I'd say that you have an in law that needs to go to the woodshed for an education!!!!

He flunked woodshed may years ago.

 

[tallyho8]

MossRoad
You chain may not be getting loose. I have had quite a few of the newer model Poulans and the chains stretch a lot when they get hot.

If I put one of my old worn out chains next to a new chain, it is about 2 inches longer.

 

[Steve C]

Didn't Poulan used to make top rated Pro saws, back in the 60's, 70's, and very early '80s?

I seem to remember that Poulan and Stihl were very popular saws with loggers in the Trinity mountains in N. Calif back in the late 70's.

Yes they made a 4.2 cubic inch and a 5.2 cubic inch version of the same saw in the. The were big brutes . Sears sold them branded as Chraftsman. I had a the 4.2 cubic inch version. It came with a 24" bar. The 5.2 came with a 30 inch bar. Sears actually sold the bar and power head seperately. Either bar would fit on either saw. When I put a 16" bar on it for cutting the smaller trees around here I had to remove the bumper spikes off the front of the saw because they would catch on the bark and not allow the saw to drop through the wood as fast as it wanted to. It was the fastest cutting saw I had ever seen. It also had a very large fuel and oil tank. It was ahead of its time with solid state ignition and vibration isolated handles. If my barn had not burned down I would still be using it. It wouldn't wear out. This is what the Poulan looked like with the 30 inch bar. The Craftsman was identical except for the red paint.