Super deal on chainsaw

[Tedinski]

I found this great deal & picked up a saw, and thought maybe other people would be interested.
If you put in coupon code SAVE2 you'll save another couple of bucks.
http://www.vminnovations.com/Product_12827/Poulan-PP3416-16-34cc-Gas-Chainsaw-Refurbished-.html
I'm not connected to the site in any way... I hope this isn't breaking any rules of the forum.
Ted

 

[Finksies]

I'd spend a little more and get something better, unless you are just using it on occasion.

 

[Johnny Dill]

Save your money and get a Stihl or a Husq. With that Poulan, you will keep on POULAN when it won't stay running.

 

[Tedinski]

I guess I should have asked before buying!
I was under the impression Poulan was a good name
Wood isn't my only heat source though... so it's not like i'm cutting cord after cord after cord of wood.
Hopefully it does the trick.

 

[Gunny]

I agree with Mr Dill. My father owns a Poulan and has for years. About 10 yrs ago he moved up to Northern Michigan to retire. For fathers day I gave him a Husq. 455 Rancher and a few chains to get him going. His comment was "what's wrong with the one I have". My father does not complement nor comment on things as normal people do. We went out together cutting wood to keep him good over the winter. After about 1/2 hr he shut his saw off and just stared at me and said " This thing is awesome, why didn't you give this to me years ago?". I can't tell you how proud I was that day. To this day my step mom says he still NEVER loans the saw out or lets anyone use it. Someone asks to borrow a chainsaw and he gives them the Poulan in a plastic bag, because it leaks bar oil so bad. Note: He keeps the Husq. in the house.

 

[TreePointer]

I guess I should have asked before buying!
I was under the impression Poulan was a good name
Wood isn't my only heat source though... so it's not like i'm cutting cord after cord after cord of wood.
Hopefully it does the trick.

Poulan was a good name. Now it's an entry level, low displacement saw line found in most big box stores. For some people it's all the saw they need to get the job done. May it serve you well.

 

[Johnny Dill]

Agreed. I started out with a used Craftsman because it was all I could afford. It still runs great, believe it or not.

 

[Teddi]

I lost an ebay auction on a virgin Dolkita 6421 by $5 last night. It went for $460 - now that was a super deal on a chainsaw.

 

[Fifelaker]

Do you know how to properly tune a saw? If not find someone who does. Keep the chain SHARP if it slows, stop and sharpen. Keep the air filter clean. Use a good oil @ 40-50:1 with fresh fuel. Drain the fuel if you are not going to use it for a while. If you do all of these that saw will last quite a while. I have a friend who has one of these and he has run it hard for a few years and it still runs good.

 

[Tedinski]

Well that company doesn't mess around! I ordered the saw yesterday around 2:30, and it just arrived at my door!
After what I've heard here, perhaps they didn't want to give me a chance to change my mind.

 

[Tedinski]

Do you know how to properly tune a saw? If not find someone who does. Keep the chain SHARP if it slows, stop and sharpen. Keep the air filter clean. Use a good oil @ 40-50:1 with fresh fuel. Drain the fuel if you are not going to use it for a while. If you do all of these that saw will last quite a while. I have a friend who has one of these and he has run it hard for a few years and it still runs good.

Thanks! I've had a couple of chainsaws... never used them very hard. Only had to change chains a couple of times (that tells you how little I've had to use them). I loaned my Craftsman out a number of years ago & it came back "bad". I think they ran it with straight gas.. now it runs for about 5 minutes (or a little less) and dies. won't start again until it cools... then same thing. Five minutes & it dies.

The other was a little McCulloch refurbished unit that I just used for lopping limbs and such. It's had much harder use than it was designed for since the Craftsman hasn't worked... which still isn't very hard.

I'm lucky. Some friends have always gotten together and we do tons of wood. There are lots of saws about... I get some wood, they get some wood, and we all share the work.

 

[Stegman]

Don't let the gear snobs frighten you away. I bought an 18-inch Poulan refurbished a few years back for $100 and it works fine for my needs - bucking wood and cutting down smaller trees.

 

[Tedinski]

Don't let the gear snobs frighten you away. I bought an 18-inch Poulan refurbished a few years back for $100 and it works fine for my needs - bucking wood and cutting down smaller trees.

Thank you Stegman.
I've been sitting here kinda kicking myself.
I spent a fair bit of money on my new pellet stove & pellets... don't have a lot left over for other things. I was very worried I just wasted some $$!
I don't have a huge need for a saw any more, but I'll always need backup heat with my original wood stove. I live in the boondocks & the power goes out frequently.
There's another thread regarding rocket mass heaters. I'm seriously considering building one. (I'm just a heating geek, I guess!)

 

[Gunny]

Well no way I'm say'n he is wrong for buying the saw. It will probably work just fine for his needs, especially at this point with not using the wood stove too often. The only thing is I, and other members, are just trying to point him in the direction of a saw that lasts. The Poulan my dad has in a bag still works, not well, but works. I prefer Stihl saws and I bought my dad a husq. but I know they both will last. When the points burn out on the Poulan and when it heats up and he is just Poulan and Poulan and Poulan and the thing won't start he will know why. Just hate to see the $ go towards something in the future he may not be happy with. Either way I hope the saw lasts forever Ted, Good Luck!

 

[Tedinski]

Thanks Gunny! I guess I know now I'll have to get another saw. You're right about getting good quality equipment. It ends up cheaper in the long run!
Hopefully this one gets me through 2 or 3 years, when (hopefully!) the bank account can support a proper piece of hardware.

 

[TreePointer]

Every saw has its place.

I actually like the newer Craftsman 42cc saw with spring antivibe. If you can put up with a some oil piddling out of it during storage, it's not a bad homeowner saw.

Heck, I bought a new 38cc Earthquake saw off eBay for $32.77, shipped to my door. It doesn't have great throttle response like a 346XP and some parts like the chain adjuster are a little too "plasticy," but it cuts surprisingly well. Not bad for less than a dollar per cc. And I can't stop cutting with it because it's too much fun seeing how far I can push it.

 

[Johnny Dill]

I lost an ebay auction on a virgin Dolkita 6421 by $5 last night. It went for $460 - now that was a super deal on a chainsaw.

Wow. Those saws are beasts! I got lucky like this: I spotted a Craigslist ad for a Stihl Farm Boss for $200. I expected it to be in used condition. When we met in person, this Stihl was BRAND NEW. not even a scratch on the bar. The case had zero scratches inside or out. I think that he STOLE it from somebody as he did NOT look like a "chainsaw guy".... I bought it and I absolutely love this thing!

 

[tom dee]

I lost an ebay auction on a virgin Dolkita 6421 by $5 last night. It went for $460 - now that was a super deal on a chainsaw.

Is that the 64 cc Dolmar or the 72 or trhe 84cc I got that the Makita saws are apparently made by Dolmar I see reg online the Dolmar 64cc pro saw for like 570 ish bux the 72 cc w dbl fell spikes for round 670 ish Thats real money to me I will say my mid 80's Hartil designed Poulan 3.3 cube saw W power match bar 20 and rslf chain was unstopable for the then 240 bux i had in it wish i could find another and lightweight no chain brake etc great ..

 

[blades]

For the most part dolmar makita same saw different color. Makita name in blue a little less cost then same in Dolmar orange.

 

[tom dee]

well i noticed when looking at electric saws makita wanted 299 for a 12 amp i think 16 in unit i found a 15 amp 18 for likes of 99 bux with a weediculous warranty too this is for the girls use on porch to goof off sculptures etc so no gas wasted my wifes Passat wastes enuff of that..

 

[Stegman]

Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to be nasty to the gear snobs. It was said tongue in cheek. I personally would love to go out and get a nice Stihl, but my wife sees me out there doing just fine with my crappy little Poulan and it's hard to justify the expenditure.

I thought [hoped?] I maybe had killed it off about a month back when I tried using it to buck some logs and it was bogging down and stalling when trying to cut. But I knew from experience that meant it probably just had bad gas in it. So I drained the tank, threw in some new gas and - voila! - good as new.

Funny thing is, when I first bought it, I thought it was a piece of crap because I ran into the same problem. I filled it with some old gas I had lying around. After trying to use it a couple of times with no luck, I shelved it. About a year later or so I decided to put some fresh gas in it and it fired right up and cut like a champ. I felt like a moron.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to be nasty to the gear snobs.

If that saw gets what you need done, just keep on keeping on. Saw snobs are worse than wine and beer snobs. The chain is more important than the thang attached to the back of it anyway.

 

[Snotrocket]

I have 2 Huskys, a newer Stihl and an old Poulan with a 14 inch bar. The Poulan is the oldest and I have never done a single thing to it other than gas, oil, and keep a sharp chain on it. It has never failed to start or left me hanging.

It leaks bar oil like crazy when it sits, but it's not meant to be kept on the coffee table.

 

[BrotherBart]

When I bought this Poulan in 1991, and now has over a hundred cord under its belt and has never seen a shop since I picked it up, if you mentioned Husqvarna everybody would ask you why you wanted a great sewing machine to cut wood.

 

[osagebow]

I think some "entry level" saw problems are attributable to "entry level" saw users. May my abused, mistreated poulan rest in pieces.
(pours a bit of used 10w40 oil in tribute)