Sup everyone. I have a home owners delight poulan pro 18" 42 cc saw. So as the story goes. I moved to a new home in august. And I've had about thirty trees cut down. So today i started attacking the timber. It took me quite a while to buck up 40 rounds. Ranging is size from 14"to 18" rounds. Should that saw be able to buzz through this wood. Im currently wating on a call back from lowes on a Husqvarna 460 rancher 24" for 520.00. I really dont want to spend 500 if i dont have to.
Poulan pro struggling
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The 50cc poulan saw is much better but still nothing like a good husqvarna or stihl or any of the other reputable brands. And buy from a dealer not a box store. The saws sold at the box stores are not the same as the ones from dealers.
Right i cutting mostly oak. I didnt consider that. And i do have a mountian of wood to process. Possibly in the range of 7-10 cord. In my inexperienced guesstimate. Lol.
Allot depends on the chain to. The scrappy safety chains that come on the Poland are worthless. I started with a 50cc 20" poulan pro. I used it happily for about 5 years after switching to a full chisel chain and going down to an 18" bar. But I was always messing with it the carb always needed adjusted etc. I now have a stihl that makes the poulan look like a joke
Definitely check the chain and sharpen it if your throwing fine dust. Understand that safety chain will not throw the chips that pro chains will but should still thro chips not dust. If you feel experianced enough with your saw, upgrade to a semi chisel or full chisel chain and you will see a difference. Word of caution, cutting in a pile of logs like you have increases the chances of kickback already, so be mindfull of bar-tip location at all times and keep from contact of other logs while cutting.
The 460 rancher is a good saw for the occasional cutter. Dad has one and it is strong. FYI, a husky 460 rancher is the same saw whether its in lowes or joe local saw shop. Your local saw shop will offer knowledge, service and a wider range of models to fit your needs and budget.
Good luck with the saw shopping and dont forget the PPE.
The 460 rancher is a good saw for the occasional cutter. Dad has one and it is strong. FYI, a husky 460 rancher is the same saw whether its in lowes or joe local saw shop. Your local saw shop will offer knowledge, service and a wider range of models to fit your needs and budget.
Good luck with the saw shopping and dont forget the PPE.
No not necessarily. Look carefully at the actual model numbers and often you will see they are slightly different. The big box stores order tools at a certain price point and the manufacturers adjust things to make them meet that price. I am not sure about those specific chainsaws but I know for a fact that they do it with most other power tools.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
Poulans are not great chainsaws, but they turn the chain around the bar. Learn to tune the carb, clean the saw, and get a good yellow chain and keep it sharp, and you can run it until it dies.
Honestly, you're better off learning that stuff now, because you'll need it all when you get an expensive saw too.
I wouldn't expect a 40cc saw to fly through 18" oak, but I also wouldn't say it's too small to do the job. Don't expect to set any speed records (but you will be amazed at the difference a good sharp chain makes).
Honestly, you're better off learning that stuff now, because you'll need it all when you get an expensive saw too.
I wouldn't expect a 40cc saw to fly through 18" oak, but I also wouldn't say it's too small to do the job. Don't expect to set any speed records (but you will be amazed at the difference a good sharp chain makes).
I get the whole "built to a price point" idea but i also think people and forums take that idea too far just to spite the big box stores and push "shop local". As consumers we need to do our own research and make informed decisions. There are plenty of online options for products and there is no reason to rule them out based soley on hearsay. If you have proof of different 460 rancher models i would enjoy the read.
jetsam
Minister of Fire
I hear a lot of that, but I don't see much of it.
I'd expect a saw with a different parts list to have a different model number and probably a different warranty..... and a different parts list.
I really doubt that you get a different Poulan chainsaw at Home Depot and Earl's House Of Memorable Markups.
I agree I don't regret starting off with a poulan. But the 40cc one is apparently not a very good saw.
I have seen it with dealt tools without a doubt. The gears stripped on my big right angle drill and when I ordered a new set they were metal the ones I pulled out of the drill I bought at lowes were plastic. The gear boxes in many of the cordless dealt and Milwaukee tools have plastic parts from the box stores. I have seen it at the repair shop.
Like I said I don't know about chainsaws. I am sure the Poland are the same they are all homeowner grade cheap saws to start with. But I don't know about husqvarna.
Run what you brung. I cut firewood with a comparable saw for about 5 years before I upgraded. That is 25+ cords. It still runs If I want it to. It was a little homey 240. Learn from it. Learn what you like and dislike. Learn method. Learn chain sharpening. And when you wear it out, you will know what you want.
So i ended up buying the 460 rancher. It was 515.00 plus tax I still plan on using the 18" poulin for the small stuff. But i will keep the 460 in reserve for larger wood. I did look at the local tractor supply store. They had a 20" for 75o.00. Well I'll let you know how it goes.
DaveInPhilly
Member
That's a nice saw, it will serve you well. I was in a similar boat. A couple years ago we moved to our new house which has a bunch of ash, some standing dead, some soon to be. I also have a state park nearby that lets you cut fire wood. I had a old Poulan Pro that wouldn't cut it. I picked up a used Husky 445 with a 16" bar. It is significantly smaller than that 460, but its plenty of saw for the ~16-18" oaks laying around the state park. Hell, my buddy uses a Stihl 180 (which is even smaller than my 445) and it does just fine.
salecker
Minister of Fire
I got one of those in a bunch of saws last winter.
I got it running,the screen was plugged in the muffler.Opened the muffler opening a little,re tuned, needed a chain.
I put on a sharp chain and cut 11/2 cords with it then sold it.It cut just as good as a Husky 235 that came with it.Under the orange and green they are basically the same saw.Took a big Homelite C5 on trade
If i didn't have any other saws i would have kept it and cut wood with it all day.
I got it running,the screen was plugged in the muffler.Opened the muffler opening a little,re tuned, needed a chain.
I put on a sharp chain and cut 11/2 cords with it then sold it.It cut just as good as a Husky 235 that came with it.Under the orange and green they are basically the same saw.Took a big Homelite C5 on trade
If i didn't have any other saws i would have kept it and cut wood with it all day.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
I've cut a mountain of wood using mainly PP4218 and PP5020. They work very well for the low money I have in 'em...gotta keep a sharp chain on 'em just like any saw. Usually hand dress with a file every tank or two of fuel unless there seems to be zero decline in performance.
VirginiaIron
Minister of Fire
I have the mighty Poulan in the 46/18 and the 50/20. The 18" has a low kickback chain AND bar, so it doesn't cut that much. The 50/20 is a different beast without the low/kick chain and bar- and it cuts about 2/3 faster.
Than the 18 but is so much heavier. I now use the 18 for trim work. For $179 get the 50/20- my model is last years mode and has the chrome cyl- I'm not sure if the new eco engine is designed for longer life.
Than the 18 but is so much heavier. I now use the 18 for trim work. For $179 get the 50/20- my model is last years mode and has the chrome cyl- I'm not sure if the new eco engine is designed for longer life.
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
WRONG.
A 460 at Lowes or other BB store is THE SAME SAW as a 460 at your local Husqvarna dealer. The "slightly different" model number has to do with retial packaging and/or included extras. The saw itself is exactly the same; there are no lesser parts on the saws.
Husqvarna does have a history of offering the same exact saw with a different major part, but they will give it a different model name. For example, the professional level 372XP is almost the same saw as the less expensive 365 (no "XP" in the model name). The differnce is the transfer ports in the cylinder. If you know what you're doing, you can modify the cylinder to make it exactly like a 372XP.
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Did you miss where I said I didn't know for sure about those saws???? I very clearly said I didn't know but one should check it out before buying tools from box stores. If husqvarna doesn't do it good for them. I don't see why a company would compromise their quality and therefore reputation.
Yeah I still have my 50/20 I keep it as a backup. And yes switching chain and bar totally changes the saw. When I switched I went down to an 18" bar and I think it is suited to the saw much better. But I will never choose it over my stihl.
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
Nope, didn't miss it. You made a definitive statement about those saws not being the same. Then you stated that the saws are not necessarily the same because the model numbers were often slightly different. You then walked it back a little by stating that you weren't sure about these specific saws.
Your definitive statement is wrong, and the implication that it may be true with some saws other than the 460 is also wrong. I know of no chainsaw example and neither do the other contributors at AS who have looked into this for years know of an example. The closest thing I/we've seen over the years is an updated product version of the same model number. The remaining stock of the older version may still be sold (in both BB stores and dealers) while the new version is hitting the shelves, but it's not the case that a different version of the same model number is sold in BB stores as opposed to dealers.
The assertion that there are different saw versions of the same model number for BB stores has never been proven with an example, and that same assertion has been floating around for years (to the benefit of dealers, whether or not intended as such). As you have stated and I agree, some tools and other products are made to hit price points, but I've never heard of it with any chainsaw over the past 20 years.
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Fine i was wrong in my first statement. But that was not what you quoted first time around. And regardless I will always go to the local dealer first anyway. I can try out the equipment there. I know they will be there to help if I have a problem. And I would just rather support the small local guy.
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
Me, too. I like my local dealers (Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered, Dolmar/Makita) and try to support them as much as I can.
Hmm, let me rephrase that. I like all but one local Stihl dealer. It's at a big farm tractor place that gives me the third degree and thinks I'm going to kill myself if I want to purchase a non-safety bar or chain. I don't buy chainsaw anything from that nanny dealer.
Ok heres an update. I dumped the 460 rancher. And grabbed a 562 xp with a 20" bar. I did a test on a 21" silver maple. And buried the whole bar and it kept ripping right through. This will definitely speed thingh up. Lol
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