How about a Poulan 4218 for a first saw for a teenager?

[Modifiedmark]

Bout' the only thng I can add is don't push him, let him go at his pace.

They say the best learning tool is a fine example, you be that example. Because he will be watching.

Good choice for a beginner saw. Try to stay with a new one.Nothing more frustrating then a used saw that wants to act up now and then.

Exactly, there not really a bad choice for the money.

Someone mentioned opeining the muffler and tuning the carb and I agree with that.

That said I not long ago bought 3 of the factory referb Poulan Pro 4218AVX's off of ebay for $99 apiece and believe it or not the carbs were really set pretty much right on, right out of the box. Maybe the refeb outlets did it better the the factory....

I did open the mufflers up on all three and they all showed a nice running improvement from it. The carbs did need a slight tweek after the mufflers were opened up though. The low side pretty much stayed the same but the high side needed richened just a hair.
I also found these saws do not like a rich L setting or else they will stall coming out of a cut and such.

They need run in lean and just far enough out so they dont bog on acceleration. They ran great that way.

I had a thread about them if someone wants to find it.

 

[russhd1997]

A used Stihl 017, 018 or the newer versions, MS170 or MS180 would make a good first saw. Light weight, easy to start, anti vib and a Stihl like grandpa's. If he is anything like me he would appreciate the saw even if it is used.

 

[drumbum]

I know they arent highly thought of, but my grandson will be turning 19 soon, and he wants to help with the woodcutting. He is very slight of build, and cannot pull the 031 Stihl, or the 61 husqvarna. My son, his father, and I thought this might be a good learning/starter saw for him, he can do the limbing to help out with it. Money is tight, and this Poulan is advertised as brand new for just over $100 I think it would be a good learning tool. am I wrong? What would be better in that price range? Thanks for any advice.

Go to lowes and get a green poulan with the 16" bar for the same money. Same size engine as the 4218 but weighs less and you won't have to buy a smaller bar, just a better chain.

 

[brokenbudget]

Exactly, there not really a bad choice for the money.

Someone mentioned opeining the muffler and tuning the carb and I agree with that.

That said I not long ago bought 3 of the factory referb Poulan Pro 4218AVX's off of ebay for $99 apiece and believe it or not the carbs were really set pretty much right on, right out of the box. Maybe the refeb outlets did it better the the factory....

I did open the mufflers up on all three and they all showed a nice running improvement from it. The carbs did need a slight tweek after the mufflers were opened up though. The low side pretty much stayed the same but the high side needed richened just a hair.
I also found these saws do not like a rich L setting or else they will stall coming out of a cut and such.

They need run in lean and just far enough out so they dont bog on acceleration. They ran great that way.

I had a thread about them if someone wants to find it.

mark, i found lowering the needle just a tad helps with this.
other than slightly sloppy a.v., these are good little saws.
maybe let him run it for a while before doing anything other than just a proper tune to let him get used to it.
then open that muffler up and watch the smile open up with it.

 

[Modifiedmark]

mark, i found lowering the needle just a tad helps with this.

I'll keep that in mind if I ever mess with any again. Makes some sense but like I said with the leaner L setting it pretty much solved the problem as far as I know.

 

[Graham99]

Hi there,

Good on you for taking him under your wing, especially if there has been some "history", and good on him for wanting to step up and make a go of it, or as we say in Australia, being fair dinkum.

How much would a new MS170 or MS180 set you back in the US? I agree with the comment "a stihl just like grandads". The last thing you want is some thing temperamental, and it could be something that you eventually pass onto him as his first saw. I have a McCulloch 4620 which is the bigger sibling of the 4218 that you mention. I have converted it to a 4616, and had to deal with a starter mechanism that failed under warranty already. I have other pieces of plastic over the clutch cover that are not doing that great. There are some threads on here on how to fix it.

Here is my 4620, now a 4616. The 4616 is the name I have given it, you cant buy one off the shelf.

Regards
Graham

 

[Bigdgb]

This is my 9 year old son with his MS211 I got thim this year

 

[2yb3]

get him a 395xp and start feeding him some beef and get him out splitting a cord a day lol jk
sounds like the poulan would be good for him, maybe even an old small husky. maybe he'll take to sawing and he may even want to try and mod his saw. If he really takes to it maybe a 353 would make a good bday/christmas present. then he can cut firewood sell it and save up and get a bigger saw, possible for a teen over the summer to do.

 

[bezza1]

mac 1010 auto with chain brake would do good you can get them cheap off ebay

 

[McCulloch1-52]

I'd thought the same thing (Homelite Super E-Z, Poulan XXV, Homelite Super2,Poulan Micro), but this kid needs a lightweight rear handle saw with a chainbrake (none of the saws I was thinking of have all three charactaristics). Safety chain'd probably be good to keep on the saw for a while too. One of the many plastic Poulan homeowner saws (used or new) would fit the bill best. What he REALLY needs is somemanual labor and REAL guidance. Sound's like Grandpa is helping with that.:cool2:

What is a Safety Chain? I know what it does on other things, never seen one on chainsaw, does it go the bar or the chainsaw?

 

[russhd1997]

What is a Safety Chain? I know what it does on other things, never seen one on chainsaw, does it go the bar or the chainsaw?

A safety chain is a chain that has rakers that fill the gaps between the teeth or a raker designed to reduce kick back. It's a safety feature on homeowner saws.

 

[Alex D]

This is my 9 year old son with his MS211 I got thim this year

This picture is just screaming visit from child services IMO

Theres prob a good chunk of people on this site that think 9 is to young to run a chainsaw but child services Im sure virtually 100% would think it is and furthermore they could prob make a endangerment of a child etc... case. It could definately have potential to get ugly. If you think your son is ready at that age to run a saw fine but I wouldn't project it on a public forum that he does at least for another 5 or 6 years. Just my .02 cents for what they are worth.

 

[greg409]

This picture is just screaming visit from child services IMO

Theres prob a good chunk of people on this site that think 9 is to young to run a chainsaw but child services Im sure virtually 100% would think it is and furthermore they could prob make a endangerment of a child etc... case. It could definately have potential to get ugly. If you think your son is ready at that age to run a saw fine but I wouldn't project it on a public forum that he does at least for another 5 or 6 years. Just my .02 cents for what they are worth.

Depends on the child, I don't see a cellphone in his pocket, I do see more PPE than I generally use.

When I was 10, I was under my dad's willys, stick welding new clutch linkage in.

luck,greg

 

[Bigdgb]

This picture is just screaming visit from child services IMO

Theres prob a good chunk of people on this site that think 9 is to young to run a chainsaw but child services Im sure virtually 100% would think it is and furthermore they could prob make a endangerment of a child etc... case. It could definately have potential to get ugly. If you think your son is ready at that age to run a saw fine but I wouldn't project it on a public forum that he does at least for another 5 or 6 years. Just my .02 cents for what they are worth.

No, I disagree with you, each child is different, it is a lot how the child has grown up like or with depending on there surroundings, he is always under my watch, lots of kids who grow up on farms and the like are in to more practical stuff at early age then kids of similar age who's parents are not into this kind of stuff, while I am a saftey aware person (ask same other Oz AS members about the PPE I pack) I do not belive in bringing our kids up in cotton wool,
As for child services you would have to be kidding yourself if you think they follow up evey storey they hear of a kid helping out on the weekend, BTW he loves doing it, I think he is much better off out with me doing this, just look at todays youth, runing around the streets, in to drugs, or sitting at home in front of the TV or on the internet waisting time thinking the goverment should pay them to do nothing!
I have a cousin who's 11 year old son lost a hand one weekend helping his dad at his woodworking buisness, Worksafe (OHS Authorty) just said bad luck, the kid was not employed so no case, Child Services just said no case too as the kid was just working with his Dad on the weekend,
Endangerment of a child is not really a case in this country unless a law has been broken or the child was forced to do something or abused,
and or the person looking after them is a bit prob,

In someways it like this, the OP is talking about getting a Poulan 4218 for his 19 year old, I do not know the OP's son so thats all he may be able to handle so its hard to comment on, but for me when I was 19 I was all ready runing and owned a 034, 066, 090,
just like you do not know my son,

so as well meaning as your comments may be, evey piece of wood is different!