Pioneer Praise

[andrethegiant70]

Hi, Peeps. I started a thread the other day that asked which of two Pioneers I should give to a work friend of mine for chump change. The discussion quickly turned to whether a vintage Pioneer with all the attendant issues (parts availability, safety features, weight, etc) was really the right choice for these relative newbies. So I have folded and decided to find something more modern and more appropriate. THANK you to those who shared their opinion. You didn't have to care, but you did!

I have to say, the Pioneers are VERY cool. Both the saws appear to be runners, but I focused on getting the P51 operational (rather than the P50) and I thought you might like to see it run. It still needs to be gone through more thoroughly and cleaned up, but the fuel system is now completely redone.

This being the first Pioneer I've wrenched on, I'm blown away at how this thing winds out. Not too terribly loud either. The saw has power AND manners! Easy to start, idles great, and has more high end than I though it would. The saw blubbers out of the wood and cleans up in the wood, so I think I've got the carb set where it needs to be. The only thing that bothers me a touch is that the high mix screw is only backed out about 2/3 of a turn. That seem right to you Pioneer guys? Here's the vid and yes I know the chain needs to be snugged up.

Please excuse the hairy legs.

 

[Jacob J.]

You better be careful, Pioneers are habit-forming. 2/3 out on the high, where is your low-speed set? If it's blubbering out of the cut but cleaning up in the wood, I'd say you have it spot-on.

 

[DSS]

Yeah baby.............is that a great saw or what ???????

JJ is right, habit forming big time. Now , tighten your chain and show us a video in the wood !!!

 

[Arrowhead]

Pioneers SUCK!! Nobody should show any interest in them. They are heavy slow saws that constantly break down. Never buy any from e-bay or anywhere else.

 

[DSS]

Pioneers SUCK!! Nobody should show any interest in them. They are heavy slow saws that constantly break down. Never buy any from e-bay or anywhere else.

oh yeah,...I forgot







be vewy vewy qwiet.......................................

 

[pioneerguy600]

Too late guys,the cat has been out of the bag for quite a while now. At least I had 35 years of running them and knowing all along what I had.
Pioneerguy600

 

[andrethegiant70]

Pioneers SUCK!! Nobody should show any interest in them. They are heavy slow saws that constantly break down. Never buy any from e-bay or anywhere else.

Ha! That's funny! I'll try not to spread the word. Oh, crap, I just did! I'm always blown away when you can just "tinker" with a 30-year-old saw and it runs. That's some durable engineering, right there. Certainly the Homey and the Mac folks have achieved something similar in their older saws (and I really like them also), but I have to admit the Pioneer felt a bit more refined and maybe lighter than the Mac/Homey counterparts. It might be that I'm just new to them, though.

It seems to me I set the low idle somewhere in the vicinity of one full turn out. I always forget that i am above 5,000 ft here so the mix screws might be set leaner than usual.

Oh, that vid in the cut will not be impressive, .... someone stuck a safety chain on the thing!! This baby deserves the full danger version. I'll see if I can do something today (my crew flew all night and if I wake them I'm... well... in deep ****).

 

[thomas72]

I regret selling my Poulan Pro 655. It was a nice saw, even though it had that puny manual oilier.

 

[andrethegiant70]

There are few saws I regret selling, but sometimes you just need the room. I have a partial 525 that I've been hoarding because I knew I'd get around to the the Pioneers. That's a neat-looking saw in yellow. Looking at bore, stroke, and date, I'm guessing the PP525 is a P50 or P51 in drag.

 

[Arrowhead]

They sure are great saws. They are very basic and easy to work on. Congrats on yours.

 

[Guido Salvage]

I have this little P-20 that I have gotten to catch and run for a few seconds in the past. It may be time to drag it out and see if I can get it going.