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Well I got my almost new Poulin chainsaw back from the repair shop, because it would not start. It was cool today and I had a needle pine out back that needed to come down...7" trunk...e-z deal?
Cranked it 24 times, before it started. Then after cutting for about an inch the air filter metal box blows off. Picked up and it was hotter than blue blazes...burned my index finger. Sprayed it down with some water and headed back to the garage. Dug out the hex head driver and torqued the sucker back on. Got back out to the tree and in another minute the chain blows off. headed back to garage and remembered this time that it would be hot. Let it cool off and removed the cover. They did not get the adjuster set into the blade right. Hmm. Reset it right and headed back out. Looked up and saw the tree was too tall and would come crashing down on my cable wire. Ugh. Brought out the step ladder and started cutting the tree again six feet up. Got in almost enough to begin to make a vee cut and then the blade sticks! Can't get the saw out of the darn tree, six feet up. Looked for a rope to tie it up there and hand saw it the rest of the way, knowing if it came down with the tree, it would probably break the saw. OK. No rope that wasn't two inches thick. Looked around and saw a roll of that 24" clear wrap for shipping. Climbed back up there on the ladder and wrapped the saw and tree in clear wrap. Grabbed a branch with a boat hook pole and pulled the top of the tree down, missing the cable. Whew. Saw did not drop, although the hot saw was now igniting the clear plastic wrap and it was full of gas! Grabbed it out of there and unwrapped her. Remember that pine easily ingnites, so the plastic wrap being on fire that I ripped off lands on some pine sticks. Whoosh. Had to go grab the garden hose, now.
Ok. Get back down to the base of the trunk. Start the saw and the air filter box blows off again. Yeah, again. Pick it up with a stick and head back to the garage. They forgot the lock washers! Figures. I lock washer it down and head back out and within the next minute the chain flies off again. Yeah, I am still not kidding!
I kick the tree and down she comes. It about went the other way, which would have decimated the neighbor's rotten fence. Grabbed the hand saw and whacked it all up in five minutes. Stacked the pine neatly, raked up the branches and gently parked the chain saw back in the garage for my next adventure with my favorite tool.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Preston...if you have this much trouble next time I would be looking for a large body of water near by to throw it in...then you will be forced to go buy a new saw.
On occassions...I think 3 times...I do something similar with a tool...take an old tool that has broken or is just plain wore out but maybe you can prolong it's life with a little duck tape, or screws, some washers, maybe epoxy the handle back on, or whatever...seems my repairs never last that long and each time I'm spending more time repairing than the time I use it on the job...after I reach a certain point I will calmly take a hammer...though sometimes not so calmly...and with vigor inflict enough blows that repairing is no longer an option...if not I will continuly waste more time trying to prolong the life of a tool that has already seen it's better days...I always feel better after doing this and also get to enjoy my new tool which I should have bought long ago...
posted
Great story! For what it's worth, my wife found a Lowe's gift card, which had $92 on it, told me to "have fun". I was at that store because I needed chainsaw oil for one I was about to borrow. Found out how much was on the card, then remembered using an electric chainsaw years ago, which worked OK. So I bought one with the card, and for stuff around the house, it has been awesome. I work with logs and timbers quite a bit, and there are some jobs that a circular saw just can't do, but this baby works great. Also for what it's worth, decimated sounds like a cool word along the lines of total destruction, but my wife informed me last week that the first definition is to destroy one tenth of something.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Preston, I bought a brand new Homelite 130 back in Dec '79 that was like that. I feel your pain. This was back when Homelite was still a decent saw, but this %&^#$ broke EVERY time I used it. I owned it less than 2 weeks. The last time I used it,(or tried to) if refused to start so I threw it up & over a big pile of White Pine logs into the rocks behind. That little hissy-fit cost me about $200 as I recall & I never owned another Homelite. I traded it for a Pioneer ( didn't get much on the trade LOL) & once it died, bought a Stihl. It's a workhorse
-------------------- Rodger MacMunn T.R. MacMunn & Sons C.P.207, Sharbot Lake, ON 613-279-1230 trmac@frontenac.net Posts: 472 | From: Sharbot Lake, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2003
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I bought a Homelite new in "76. Consistently starts on the 117th pull. After several years I brought it into the show where I bought it and wanted to trade it in for a new Stihl or Husky and was told that my Homelite might be louder and stinkier and fussier, but it would still be running after the other have worn out. The Homelight is still there and never gets used.
My Husky 460 starts on the second pull every time and so does my 357. My Stihl's do also. I also like the higher chain speed.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6712 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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i have probably have more experience with chain saws then most here. living in PA. on a farm, and later years worked with a 54" sawmill(1975-77). we cut the logs, took em to the mill and cut boards. we had a couple ECHO'S and i think at that time ECHO was building the craftsman chain saws. was about that time POULAN came out. we had 2....and all we did was work on them. never again. when my mom died(1978) and i took over the bar, it had a FRANKLIN wood stove in it, so i bought a HOMELITE XL, was a great saw, never more then 2 pulls to start it.this is the one i picked up from under the sink in the bar, fired it up and chased a guy outa the bar.....he didnt even open the screen door, but run right thru it)))). moved to fl 1981. 1986 we bought a house, and i think was that sept hurricane ELANA was sitting off the coast near tampa, and knocked some limbs down. i went to a pawn shop, i did a lot of sign work for and got a STIHL 015. also called an "arborist chain saw." 12-14" blade, one hand can run it. got it for $75. 2004 IVAN hit here. i still had that little saw, and between it and 18" BLACK & DECKER ELECTRIC.... we cleaned up the yard enough to get around. FEMA, and the county came in and cleaned up the really big stuff, they took 17 truck loads(iam talking big tandem box haulers)off the property(2 acres). the crew that was doing this, the boss, i saw him handling my little STIHL 015. i asked him why..he wanted to know if i wanted to sell it. told i needed a chain saw and would just have to buy another he said ok, ill trade you this new STIHL 021 for that little saw. i thought he was crazy but then he said he collects old chainsaws and the 015 is hard one to find. so i traded. was good till last couple years, with all the medical problems. i couldnt even pull the cord anymore so i gave it to a tree service guy....for some brush clearing. the pic i posted of the RYOBI lithium battery recip saw.....i got for my birthday........will do most of what i need. no motor to start, and i wont have to work on everytime i use it. SINCE THE RYOBI LITHIUM 18V batteries last so well, this will be my next addition to my RYOBI TOOLS. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-One-Cordless-10-in-Chainsaw-P542/202042149#.UdGACL1960s
[ July 01, 2013, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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I cut a little over 14 loggers cords (35 face cords) of firewood every year. About 10 years ago, I was too busy to cut my wood, so I hired a logger to cut it up. I was amazed at the speed of his Husky. I brought out my McCulloch pro 10-10, sharpened the chain, and started on the same log as the logger. His Husky cut the log twice and was better than half way through the third cut when I got through the first cut. I knew a Husky was in my near future. It takes about 4 pulls to start, but there's nothing like a freshly sharpened chain burning through a log with the speed of a good chain saw.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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As far as starting small equipment engines, ask any one who does repairs and they will tell you that most starting and performance issues are because of the gasoline.
My starting problems disappeared after I stopped using gas with ethanol in it. I buy straight gasoline, add some SeaFoam fuel additive and always keep it fairly fresh. Non ethanol gas is available if you look for it.
I use it in my Suburban and without changing my driving habits the fuel mileage improved 1.2 mpg over a year of driving. Not much but it shows that this ethanol thing is a crock.
Living in a hilly area I have noticed a power improvement in my riding mower too.
-------------------- Curt Stenz Graphics 700 Squirrel Lane Marathon, WI 54448 Posts: 590 | From: Marathon, WI 54448 | Registered: Dec 1998
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storm blew thru here two weeks ago and uprooted a 130+ ft tall oak,....it only missed the house by about 4 ft and swatted the back deck with the upper branches only knocking off the end of a gutter,....started up the good old stihl and after a couple of days had it jn neat piles save the 30' of 3'+ diameter trunk that lays in the wooded area that is all natural where it out of the maintained area we call a back yard,...anyone need about 5 pick-up truck loads of firewood????????(if ya wanna cut and split up the trunk part add about 4 more loads to the till)
edited to add,...the old stihl went back on the shelf where it'll probably sit till next time a tree falls and my money is on the fact it'll start on the fourth or fifth pull just like it did last week after sitting for several months since the time it was last used,....looks beat up and nasty like a chainsaw should but keeps on cutting,...
[ July 01, 2013, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: Tim Barrow ]
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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after owning a STIHL.........ther are no other chain saws))))). i do lettering for 3-4 tree service companies...all their saws a STIHL.....
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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And this is your favorite tool? Runs hot, wont' start. My little 14" chainsaw is a Echo. It's just my size.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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I just bought a Craftsman 18" electric and a 100' 12 ga. cord because I got tired of taking the Poulan to the repair shop every time I wanted to use it.....
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Sounds like I musta got lucky when i bought my poulan 19 years ago. We have 1 acre of woods here, and the chain saw gets used a lot. When we had the ice storm a few years ago it ran 10 - 12 hours a day for 4 days, only stopping for gas and chain oil. Several sharpenings, but I have only replaced the chain 4 times in 19 years.
Starting ritual is... add gas, add bar & chain oil, check chain tension, set choke, pull rope, open choke, pull rope, allow to warm a bit, start cutting.
I used it for about 3-4 hours this past Friday.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2274 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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1 outa 10.....whats that tell ya???? hehehehehehhehe
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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One of my friends when developing their ranch, had a guy doing some work with his D4 CAT. He was leaving it there for months and only using it a day or two now and then. Frances decided to ask to learn to operate it and soon was moving small trees and building roads. That Christmas Terry bought her a 12" chain saw for a gift. Frances being a quilter, made a quilted soft case for this little Stihl. She's jump off that Cat and unbutton the case, fire up the saw and cut what was in her way and resume building the road.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6712 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Electric is the way to go for smaller work. I now have an electric chainsaw, weed trimmer, rototiller and I had an electric lawnmower when I had a smaller yard.
The reliability can't be beat and once you get used to working with the cords, they're not bad at all.
-------------------- Phillip Newell Newell Graphics 1346 Garnet St. Burlington, IA 52601 319-754-5113 Posts: 187 | From: Henderson, IL | Registered: Apr 2004
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Cords! yeah, I remember those. Aren't they the things that I always manage to find with the blade? Thank God for electrical tape!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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[ July 03, 2013, 02:24 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Well, I must be a stubborn old fool. Went out today and thought I would try the Poulin again. Still have some limbs needing cut off. Oiled her up, topped it off with that $7 a quart special high octane/no alcohol they sold me, checked the chain oil, looked it over one last time, primed it the magic six times the guys told me to do and I cranked 50 times. Not a sputter! 50 times! Now that is a poor example of a toll that is ready to be thrown back to the repair shop and a refund given. No more.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Preston,years ago I had a simular starting problem,but w/ a riding lawnmower.Long story,many not needed trips 2 repair shop,new unit just out of waranty.
Problem was w/the gas cap,it has a small air vent hole on top of the cap that would clog or get closed up from the pull cord rubbing over it.
Ran a tiny drillbit thru the cap,started every time.This was in early 70's, chainsaw design may be different,maybe just try a new gas cap.
-------------------- Kent Moss Greg Moss Signs Posts: 363 | From: Wilbraham, MA / Charleston,SC | Registered: Nov 2003
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chainsaw caps are made with an air inlet, but also you can run them upside down for short cut...no gas will leek out.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Stihl here-always... except our son bought a Makita chainsaw-not bad, but he later changed the blade & blade guide for old Sihl ones & it's much better...
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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[ July 05, 2013, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Isn't doing the same thing over and over again, also the definition of the pursuit of perfection? I mean how many times did Edison try filaments, before he landed carbon filament?
Now when it comes to my nettlesome frustrations with my hapless Poulin chainsaw, I think I will honor your sage and masterful advice, Joe, and head to the boxland to get me another shooter!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Well Sir, you have a lot more patience than I do. I don't often lose it with people, but you can't reason with an inanimate object. If they don't do what they're supposed to, they're junk. I had a lawnmower like your chainsaw, once. One morning, somewhere around the 100th pull, I parked it under the front tire of my 85 GMC General & drove over it. I was empty, but still, half of 33000 lbs is enough to squash a lawnmower. Then I threw it in the pickup & took it back to the repair shop who'd just fixed it. When that stuff p---- me off, it's never going to make anyone else's life miserable. I no longer have trucks, but an 8lb sledgehammer would have fixed that Poulan good, if it was mine!
-------------------- Rodger MacMunn T.R. MacMunn & Sons C.P.207, Sharbot Lake, ON 613-279-1230 trmac@frontenac.net Posts: 472 | From: Sharbot Lake, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2003
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Preston,B 4 warned when buying from the big box stores.Most store items are manufactured 2 their specs along w/ volume purchasing 2 keep prices down.
Husky c/saws from them R known 4 having Valve problems.
Any European c/saw will prob.B fine 4 homeowner use,but if U buy a big ranch down in Santafe U may want 2 buy from independent dealer 4 a few $ more.
I KNOW ALL THIS BECAUSE...I HEARD IT ON THE INTERNET.
Kent Moss Paint On... Sweet Charleston
-------------------- Kent Moss Greg Moss Signs Posts: 363 | From: Wilbraham, MA / Charleston,SC | Registered: Nov 2003
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we used to call the POULAN CHAIN SAWS, a play on the name......PUL LON!!!!!! STIHL only makes one line of product. unlike JOHN DEERE, and a few other name brands. the JOHN DEERE lawn mowers you buy at the big box store are MURRAY in inside, john deere name only. RYOBI.IS ONLY SOLD AT HOME DEPOT. JOHNSERED, ECHO.....are also great saws.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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