New Saw Day on Sat...

Little soon for that IMO...better let OP work up to that one...

 

Wasn't Poulin named Pioneer about 40 years ago? If so that's actually where I got my start. My grandfather and my dad went in on one. No idea of the model number. It was a bear to start but ran like a raped ape... I was too young to use it much but remember it well...

 

I think they are/were separate companies...not positive though.

 

I just googled it Dave. You're right. They were bought by Husky in 1979 and the name killed off in 1988.... I had my brands mixed up...

 

Story goes, my grandfather was one of the first in the area to buy a gas powered chainsaw. Really cool that I'm now in possession of that saw. Bought new, a 1959 Pioneer 610.

 

My co-worker gave me an old Pioneer 28(IIRC...I know I looked it up and its about 50cc) earlier this year...haven't tried to get it running yet, seems to have plenty of compression, so I am hopeful that a little carb work will have it running again...it was his dads and was one of several saws he inherited after the estate sale...he kept the runners...I think there was 1 Stihl and 1 Husky.

 

The men that ran those saws were real men. I can't imagine running one all day.

 

I was thinking, that didn't make any sense. A .325 chain is easier to pull than a 3/8 .050 chain.

 

I know what you mean, but on Harleys the giant transmission/ primary and cover is on the opposite side as the pipes that run on the right side.

 

My dad helped my grandfather (his FIL) get firewood with a 2 man cross cut saw. He has fond memories of the work it saved. Definitely a different time! I sure would struggle to heave that 30 pound beastie for a few hours. Given the choice to hand cut/buck a huge log or get used to the Pioneer, I'd become conditioned.

 

My dad had a homelite zip. Heavy as all get out. No thank you. He later got a mac610. Just as loud and lighter, but still heavy for what it is.

 

Funny how similar we are. When I was about 15 or so, daddy had the Homelite Super Wiz 55, with big bow blade, built like a tank and just as heavy. In 1980, he got a Mobile Dimension portable sawmill, I was 17, just out of high school and he got a ProMac 610, with a bow, I cut qiute a few trees for the mill with it. That saw got hung on a nail in the back of his shop for at least 25 yrs. I brought it to Dennis' GTG in '19 and gave it to Armbru84 ... He had it running a couple weeks later...

 

Here's a mint zip, or zip 2. 18 lbs 7 oz, power head only.


Granted I was like 13 or so, and not even allowed to run a chainsaw at that time, but I picked it up once. That's a lot of weight for only 3.6 hp.

Any modern 50cc saw weighs 2/3 of that and has more power.

 

Tonight I ordered a Tsumura Light 16" bar, a pair of Oregon EXL chains and a scabbard for that setup. The 261 got it's Halloween candy....

 

Not even a single letter...

 

Now we just need pics and vids w/ this new arm. Should look sweet.

 

I’m out in the woods with it now boys. I am quite happy with my economic stimulus so far. I’m also glad I ordered a lightweight 16” bar for it. The 20 works ok but makes the saw pretty unbalanced and nose heavy. It will also bog if you push it. I think once I have a proper bar on it and it gets broken in, it will be my new weapon of choice…

Todays project is dropping beech to continue to work towards a view behind our home… nothing big or exciting but good break in work for the 261…

 

Get huskihl to put some xtra sausage in it and you will REALLY love it.