Bought a new Poulan Pro 5020 to see what there about

[nick 55]

That's what I was thinking also. What does the caliper say when you measure the crankshaft.

Nick

 

[brages]

Any idea on the powerhead weight?

 

[nick 55]

I put the empty power head on the scales right away and found its no super light weight as it tipped the scales at 12lbs 6oz and fully loaded with fuel, oil, bar and chain it was 16lbs 8oz. Again were talking a $200 clamshell, strato, consumer saw so I guess the weight isnt awfull.

12-6.

Nick

 

[brages]

Whoops! Thanks!

 

[Modifiedmark]

Mark, could the drum be basically the same as a pp295 except it has a 3/8 spur on it? I don't recall if the brg is smaller on the 295.

It is smaller, I had one in my hand last night and it is closer to fitting but the brg inner dia is still a bit larger on the 295 style.

 

[zogger]

How robust does that starter assembly look and feel?

 

[JimM]

How robust does that starter assembly look and feel?

Mark is the expert, but I will say mine seems to start without much effort on the pull rope. I wouldn't think there would be any problems in that area.

 

[Modifiedmark]

I dont know what kind of question that was by saying robust?

I pictured the starter cover, typical stuff from consumer and some pro saws. Plastic cover with a plastic pulley etc. It seems to be the way of the world now days.

Jim did have a good point though it seems this recoil is spring assisted and it does pull over very easy, the large dia pulley probably helps that out as well.

 

[zogger]

I dont know what kind of question that was by saying robust?

I pictured the starter cover, typical stuff from consumer and some pro saws. Plastic cover with a plastic pulley etc. It seems to be the way of the world now days.

Jim did have a good point though it seems this recoil is spring assisted and it does pull over very easy, the large dia pulley probably helps that out as well.

Thanks. ya besides the picture, just your impression if it looked and felt "solid" and not overly flimsy.

I'm just going by a ton of reviews of previous similar models where people said the starter stripped out or broke, etc.

That's all, no biggee.

 

[dswensen]

Mark, mine came with no limiter caps on the carb adjusting screws. It looks from the picture that yours didn't either?? Does have the splined carb screws however, but I find I like them once I got the tool. On a running saw, it's much easier to keep the adjusting driver on them as compared to a slotted head.

 

[JimM]

Mark, mine came with no limiter caps on the carb adjusting screws. It looks from the picture that yours didn't either?? Does have the splined carb screws however, but I find I like them once I got the tool. On a running saw, it's much easier to keep the adjusting driver on them as compared to a slotted head.

I agree. I find my patience severely tested, and I admit most of mine is gone within minutes of my getting out of bed every day, of trying to get a screw driver on a slotted screw on a dancing saw when i really cant see good anyway.

 

[rms61moparman]

Here is the video with the saw in a piece of bigger wood. About 28" worth of Oak and you can see that it shows its a 50cc saw now but still not bad at all.

I was leaning on it some and it took it pretty well.

<embed src="http://img215.imageshack.us/flvplayer.swf?f=P886i" width="320" height="260" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/><br/>
<a href="http://profile.imageshack.us/user/Modifiedmark">[More videos from Modifiedmark]</a>

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6035/886i.mp4

That actually impressed me Mark!
Now don't get me wrong.....it isn't a 5100/346/261 etc.
But it isn't $400.00-$700.00 either!!!
I am anxious to see what a dremel and a bit of chain juggling would do to that saw!


Mike

 

[Eccentric]

Not bad at all for box-store sub-$200 plastic. A good loop of .325 would wake it up. Vangard sucks...

 

[8433jeff]

Not bad at all for box-store sub-$200 plastic. A good loop of .325 would wake it up. Vangard sucks...

Its sharp. I do prefer other, but I most like sharp. 20" on 50cc is a real stretch IMHO, especially in dryer oak like that. .325 may help quite a bit.

But a chain refit, different bar, and where we at price wise then? A 445? I don't think they (Husqvarna) are helping themselves here, it would be smart if they went with a 18", and they could stay 3/8's then, since the objective seems to be to use the Vanguard up. Mark, is it labeled Husky on the chain, or is it Oregon?

 

[Eccentric]

Its sharp. I do prefer other, but I most like sharp. 20" on 50cc is a real stretch IMHO, especially in dryer oak like that. .325 may help quite a bit.

But a chain refit, different bar, and where we at price wise then? A 445? I don't think they (Husqvarna) are helping themselves here, it would be smart if they went with a 18", and they could stay 3/8's then, since the objective seems to be to use the Vanguard up. Mark, is it labeled Husky on the chain, or is it Oregon?

That saw would be transformed with a loop of good .325 on a 16" bar. Homeowner saws always seem to be sold with longer than ideal bars. The extra 'inches' seem to be a selling point. I'm sure market research has been done, with the current way of things being the result. I have noticed that the majority of CL ads where 'non-chainsaw' people are listing saws have the bar (or "blade") length as an important element. Often times, the saw will be advertised as "20 inch blade chainsaw" or similar. They will almost always state the bar length, even when omitting all other details (such as make and model).....

 

[barneyrb]

That actually impressed me Mark!
Now don't get me wrong.....it isn't a 5100/346/261 etc.
But it isn't $400.00-$700.00 either!!!
I am anxious to see what a dremel and a bit of chain juggling would do to that saw!


Mike

I think I could work with that saw a little and close the gap a lot between those saws.....

 

[Chris-PA]

That saw would be transformed with a loop of good .325 on a 16" bar. Homeowner saws always seem to be sold with longer than ideal bars. The extra 'inches' seem to be a selling point. I'm sure market research has been done, with the current way of things being the result. I have noticed that the majority of CL ads where 'non-chainsaw' people are listing saws have the bar (or "blade") length as an important element. Often times, the saw will be advertised as "20 inch blade chainsaw" or similar. They will almost always state the bar length, even when omitting all other details (such as make and model).....

LOL - Some of it is the skewed view of an AS member with CAD! My dad always had a chainsaw. One chainsaw. Usually a Craftsman because he bought most all his equipment at Sears. With one bar and likely one chain. A 20" bar sounds like you can do more with it, and if it cuts a little slower, well really, so what? The total time he spent cutting wasn't enough to make that matter. Heck, he didn't know much about sharpening chains, and the difference between a longer and maybe slower bar is nothing compared to a dull chain.

With a longer bar you can actually cut a bigger tree, and it's hard to argue with that.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Mark, mine came with no limiter caps on the carb adjusting screws. It looks from the picture that yours didn't either?? Does have the splined carb screws however, but I find I like them once I got the tool. On a running saw, it's much easier to keep the adjusting driver on them as compared to a slotted head.

Yep splined screws.

I agree. I find my patience severely tested, and I admit most of mine is gone within minutes of my getting out of bed every day, of trying to get a screw driver on a slotted screw on a dancing saw when i really cant see good anyway.

Word for word, that is exactly how I feel! Scary that it could be that accurate.

That actually impressed me Mark!
Now don't get me wrong.....it isn't a 5100/346/261 etc.
But it isn't $400.00-$700.00 either!!!
I am anxious to see what a dremel and a bit of chain juggling would do to that saw!


Mike

Well you might be more inpressed then the others as you have cut on that log and know what its made of. You have also seen 100cc saws in that log for a comparison.

 

[Eccentric]

LOL - Some of it is the skewed view of an AS member with CAD! My dad always had a chainsaw. One chainsaw. Usually a Craftsman because he bought most all his equipment at Sears. With one bar and likely one chain. A 20" bar sounds like you can do more with it, and if it cuts a little slower, well really, so what? The total time he spent cutting wasn't enough to make that matter. Heck, he didn't know much about sharpening chains, and the difference between a longer and maybe slower bar is nothing compared to a dull chain.

With a longer bar you can actually cut a bigger tree, and it's hard to argue with that.

I had the same views back before my AS and CAD days..............when I had one or two saws. I worked for Sears Service in the '90s, and used to laugh at all the 20" bar equipped 40-50cc saws (that actually had "20 inch" stenciled on said bars). These modern, high-RPM 50cc stratto saws are better served by matching them with a shorter bar and/or less agressive chain. Can it run a longer bar? Yes. Is there really that much benefit to running a 20" bar on that saw (for the average homeowner)? Not in my opinion.

It may "sound like" you can do more with it, but I'm skeptical. A fellow could do all the "one saw, one chain" work he needs to do with that saw wearing a 16" bar. It'd be a hell of a lot easier on the saw too. For the kind of work where a 20" bar would be an advantage, these 50cc homeowner saws aren't the answer. Calling a professional would probably be the answer for Joe Walmart...

My earlier post was addressing the "bigger is better" mindset and the marketing that targets it (in relation to homeowner saws). Personaly (as a CAD sufferer), I'd rather spend that $200 on four good running Homelite SXL-AO's, Poulan 3400's, or McCulloch 10-10's. They're all perfectly happy with 20" bars and full comp 3/8" chain.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Not bad at all for box-store sub-$200 plastic. A good loop of .325 would wake it up. Vangard sucks...

Its sharp. I do prefer other, but I most like sharp. 20" on 50cc is a real stretch IMHO, especially in dryer oak like that. .325 may help quite a bit.

But a chain refit, different bar, and where we at price wise then? A 445? I don't think they (Husqvarna) are helping themselves here, it would be smart if they went with a 18", and they could stay 3/8's then, since the objective seems to be to use the Vanguard up. Mark, is it labeled Husky on the chain, or is it Oregon?

That saw would be transformed with a loop of good .325 on a 16" bar. Homeowner saws always seem to be sold with longer than ideal bars. The extra 'inches' seem to be a selling point. I'm sure market research has been done, with the current way of things being the result. I have noticed that the majority of CL ads where 'non-chainsaw' people are listing saws have the bar (or "blade") length as an important element. Often times, the saw will be advertised as "20 inch blade chainsaw" or similar. They will almost always state the bar length, even when omitting all other details (such as make and model).....

Here it comes and I wondered how long it would take. It actually took longer then I thought it would.

Now boys, repete after me, this is a consumer saw designed to be sold to the masses of homeowners, firewood cutters, doofus's and derelicts.

You and I are chainsaw enthusiasts and I'm pretty sure that Husqvarna/Poulan didn't have us in mind when designing this and marketing it for general sales.

Aaron is mostly right, but I would say that not just often time, but more times then not this saw will be advertised as "20 inch blade chainsaw. Non saw enthusiasts would see that as a better saw/deal then a 16" or 18" chainsaw even if it was a 346-18" saw, let alone the fact that this saw is less then half the hard earned money that they don't really even want to spend.

Jeff I agree that a 20" on 50cc is a real stretch more often or not but will say that I myself was surprised that this 50cc saw pulled the 20" 3/8's as well as it did. Nope its not blazing fast but it didnt struggle bad with it either. This setup is more then acceptable for this saws intended purpose.

After messing with those PP4218's last week this thing is a ten fold improvement over them for very little more money spent.

Would it be better with a 16" .325 setup? No question, why do you think I was looking so close at the sprocket on this one? I was looking to see if it could be setup with .325 chain easily. At this point I have to say that no, that at this point it dosent look like a easy chore to switch it over.

This brings out another quandry as well, the K041 bar mount. Seems the only 3/8's pitch bars in this mount are 20 or 22" (laminate bars at that) while there are lots of .325 sizes out there from 16"-20" so even a change to 16" or 18" is going to be more difficult.

We know that we can modify a very common K095 small Husky bar to fit these pretty easy but the average Joe Schmoe wont know that or even most OPE shops they would visit, let alone some place like Lowes.

But since I know that, I have a 16" 3/8's K095 bar on the shelf that I might try out on this thing with a good loop of LPX or LGX and I think that it will be a nice improvement, but the average consumer brobably wouldnt be so quick to buy one since it woud then be only a 16" chainsaw.