So are Poulan users newbies? :-)

Hi Folks,

Well so far buying new chains all the time when the old ones stop cutting is not a good idea. (grin)

I even took them all out and "therodically" had them professiaolly sharpened, grabbed one and tried it and a butter knife would do better. So either the saw is buggered or the guys didn't do bupkis.

Sooo.... I bought another one! Same problem. Won't cut poplar worth a damm so I'm thinking something is wrong with the chainsaw. I'm now thinking new bar but again I've had this one for 10 years and it's been reasonalbe for the whole $179 that I paid for it so I can't complain really. Am I?

So I need to cut more firewood here for this season, but should I stick with my Poulan Wild Thing (its not that wild trust me) or maybbe its time to go get a STIHL like maybe a MS 250 C-BE? Gotta go see the price too.....

I maybe getting some land here soon and I might try build a 20 x 20 cabin so that would really justifty that class of saw, or would it - I dunno hence this post? Half a grand is a bit more than $179 but it seems OK to me. Can you guys suggest another brand? I'm also thinking its time to get a real chain instead of these skip-chains, again any suggestions?

Cheers'
Dave C
Calgary

 

If you can afford to buy land, you can afford to buy a stihl 261.


You'll thank me later.

 

Replace your bar, it maybe mushroomed on the guide rails or splayed out in width; check your drive sprocket/spur, if these are ok then check your clutch it might be bad. No reason to junk the Poulan it probably just needs some maintenance. It’s not a bad idea to have a second saw if you are planning on firewooding.
I have a 261 it’s a great saw but check around at the local dealers to see what is available, Echo & Husqvarna make good saws as well.

 

My dad gets his chains sharpened at a Hardware store and they do chit work sharpening with a grinder. Obviously they don’t care if it cuts good. It’s best to learn how to do it yourself. By hand or with a grinder. Any saw will cut decent with a properly sharpened chain. I am also a fan of pro saws, but they won’t cut well either with a dull chain.

 

My thought too...we've all done it
Close up pics of saw? Chain and bar too...

 

Well, my Jonsered got stolen, so I am mostly running my 50cc Poulan these days. Properly setup and with a sharp chain, it gets the job done. Someday I'll get a better saw again, that is not in the works right now.

Regarding chain sharpening, the Harbor Freight chain grinder works fine for me. It is even more "cheap" than the Poulan, by far, but it relieved me of the frustration of filing chains, and works fine for homeowner use.

It sounds like I am a cheap tool fan. Not really, the right tool for the job is the way to go. Both are in my garage (along with nicer tools for other jobs), and will be run as long as they work, at which time the Poulan will be upgraded.

Back to the Poulan question - if the chain is sharp, do a carb tune. Also, I have found the fuel lines on the Poulan to be problematic, you might want to make sure it is not hardened and restricted.

 

Hi Guys,


Thanks for the advice .....so a 261 over the 250 huh? I saw the 250 on consumer reports so that's where that came from ……

Yea the carb and saw are running happy but its just a butter knife when it comes to cutting – that’s why my next guess is the bar.


I’ll get a new bar and look at the sprocket as well, they are a bit hard to get up here but I’ll do some digging and yes the saw will be

for firewooding not to build a cabin …..



Afford to buy the land nope, I'm going to see Sam the guy I know ask him to let me have the land at the back of his two sections

that’s unlevel for crops and farming see if I can get 2-4 acres ......then buy or build a 20 x 20 cabin, but I’d need to check for water

first and then if there is a decent source there, drop in a well. Then if it happens and something does get built there the deal is:


When I'm dead the land and cabin, well system, and everything there goes back to him or in this case the kids. I’d only be on a

30 year lease …… the “cabin” will be on sonotube piles on a insulated sub floor.



I took all the chains to a sharping place here in town and all in it was $80 bucks so I thought I was good. Took the saw back out to

my campsite and stabbed at a 8” poplar with no results so I got one more new chain and same thing – so that to be eliminates the

chain as the problem. I have two files I use to keep the blades up out there and yep, I can sure tell when they get dull ….

I think the idea of a chain grinder is a good call, after al I have a ton of blades to do now. (grin)


IF you want pics I can do that …… if the cabin does get off the ground I will get another saw – like he said, for firewood its handy.

I’ll look at the bar and sprocket and even the fuel line – it does runs ok and the revs get up there ,but heck yea it could use a good

tune up but I really don’t know what the cutting issue is.


Thanks tons for the suggestions and I’ll post a few pics ….


Cheers’

Dave C

 

If a new chain doesn’t cut it has to be the bar. Hopefully a backwards chain would have been eliminated as the problem.
Never seen a spur sprocket so worn it wouldn’t pull the chain.
If the drags are too high it won’t cut, but the new chain eliminates that as the problem.
I would classify backwards chain as newb.

 

When my bar gets worn, the chain still cuts fine, just tends to curve...or sometimes cuts better when the saw is "rocked" in the cut...when that stuff starts happening I know its time to check the chain, and if nothing is wonky there, the bar.

Somewhere here a while back someone posted pic of a sprocket with the teeth cut clean "in half" where the chain had been riding!

 

Not saying there aren’t exceptions, but *most* guys on here that are burning lots of wood aren’t using entry level Poulan saws. If you’re serious about putting up some wood, get yourself a good saw (ie. Stihl, Husky, Echo, Dolmar-Makita, Jonsered). You will enjoy the labor of using that quality tool.

 

You right...I have a bunch of Poulan PRO saws they have cut a TON of firewood for me over the years! I really don't mind using them...but also bought them all used for ¢heap too...most in the $20-50 range.
Some of them are labeled as Craftsman, but same stuff...have a couple of the non pro series too...back up for the back ups really...no antivibe, so suck to run for very long. Have a Stihl and a Stihl clone too.
If I were cutting much more than 4-5 cords per year (my average annual usage) I would probably want higher quality saws...

 

So.. Are Poulan users newbies??

Often yes.

I run a Poulan 4218 as well as a Stihl.

I purchased the Poulan as a limited use homeowner saw. It's held up to the work I've put it through here at our new place.

They're not commercial grade saws, but what you are saying, something is wrong, and it's not likely the saw

$ 02

 

If you're going to buy a cabin where it sounds like it may be land locked, you want to be sure to get an easement for a road to access your dream....

 

Post some pics. Lots of folks are here trying to help you, but they are best guessing at this point.


They'll help you get it sorted out.

 

Maybe check the (rakers) depth gauges.
The cutters could be sharp and still not cut if the rakers aren't set .

 

The 250 is a good (home owner class) saw. They are very popular and dependable. But! For about $200? more, the 261 (professional grade class) is way more powerful, lighter, vibrates less and will last you a lifetime. The professional line of saws are rebuildable and hold their value.
The big selling point for me is the lighter weight.
As JimBear said, don't discount Husqvarna and Echo.

It's also possible to buy a good used saw if you have time. Some people will buy a saw just to clean up storm damage then sell it because they no longer have a need for it.

 

We have a WINNER !! Yep, I just went outside to get some pics for you guys and the chain that was on there was on half-asssed backwards!! So yea, I am a idiot! (I've kinda always known that but .....) So now the debate was or is, did I have the new one on backwards out there too ? Anyway we'll find out next weekend as we're going out to campsite for a few days.

And yep, the differance in price here between the 250 and the 261 is about $250.00 so it sounlds like you guys think it's worth it .......