The first one/ cause of addiction

[astnmacgto]

Lol... Yes indeed I have a nice running 49. Apparently out of the handful known only two run. I didn't have to do much to it after I got it it pretty much fired right up. This is number 234 out of we know up to 1500 give or take for known serial numbers. I only collect McCulloch saws and am saw specific in my collecting. I only buy certain models or buy nothing . This way I keep it under control and am not tripping over saws. I decided early on only to look for uncommon to rare models but in the beginning I did buy a few to get started.

I was fascinated by the history of McCulloch motors and also have a vast library of information. I like the history of the company as much as collecting the saws. I also tear down every saw I get and make my own gaskets , replace seals and at least get them running. I been a mechanic all my life and enjoy bringing things back to life. These old saws are so easy to work on it just comes natural. Now this was a saw i wanted real bad. Never thought I would own one much less see any but I just got lucky on this one.

It belonged to an old timer out in either California or Oregon I don't remember and he was using it to cut firewood believe it or not. Well it got too heavy for him to use and he sold it to the guy I got it from. He didn't want to sell it at first but I made him an offer he couldn't refuse as they say. I'm very happy with it the condition is very nice. It also has a dual sprocket gear on it for running a winch which is the only one I've seen so far. It runs great . Usually starts on a few pulls . I rebuilt the oiler and primer along with replacing the right side cover gasket, starter, carb, fuel pump , and fuel tank gaskets. Made them all from scratch and seed her up real good.

I don't run it much for condition and rarity but I do start it every now and then. I really like running these old saws a lot. I got a 4-30A awhile back the cleaned up nice and runs like it was just made. Fairly low hour saw. I use it frequently as I don't find them awkward or too heavy like a lot of guys say. I think they feel real good in my hands and are a great saw at 87cc plus being a gear drive it won't let you down. It keeps eating wood unlike a direct drive and doesn't bog down or stop in the cut.

I got a roll of old McCulloch. 500 SL chain and made up a loop for the 4-30A and she cuts good. Got it dialed in with the high side lever and she will four cycle and smooth out in the cut. One of my best running saws actually it impresses me for 1953 or so and the old technology. I like the rotary valve saws they are pretty cool. I like anything old though but running these I get a lot of enjoyment out of. Just cut up some more dead ash from the EAB in my area. Killed all of my ash trees so I've got a ton of firewood to cut. Anyway the 49 is a special saw in my collection. I've been lucky on a few others too. I'm always looking for these big old saws or NOS parts and pieces . Definitely a fun enjoyable hobby.

Nick

A few more of the 49

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I'd like to be able to read through all of your information about mcculloch and their history, I have only read what I've found on the Internet. History Is my favorite subject. I have a 3-25 that was my grandpas. I don't know anything about the rotary valve mac saws or how they operate, care to shed some light on the subject?

 

[wood4heat]

I am pretty sure it was one of these in the mid to late 70ies. My cousin got this for Christmas and I am sure it was the first toy I was ever jealous of! To this day I haven't forgotten that chainsaw and I am positive it was at least partially responsible for my love of running saws today.


4069 by wood4heat on Arboristsite.com

 

[Big_Wood]

my first saw was a 32 husky when i was 6 years old. the funny thing is i gave it away to a friend when i was 10-11 and it just recently came back to me! after all these years! it's out in the shed but i'll get a pic one day soon. it's still in good shape too. i think my addiction started when i got my first 266 though. must have been 9 i think. so many saws since then it's ****ed. i remember a time i had like 60 2100's alone after my grandpa retired. i'm at the point i don't even want many saws. just my usual work saws and a project kick'n around once in a while.

 

[BigDee]

I will just squirt a bunch in my mouth, the last thing I'm thinking when I'm doing it is how much I'm getting . If I had to guess it's probably right around a spoon full. I haven't tried less, and probably won't, because when I get them it's not fun .
To keep on topic here's my first pro saw a 346xp. I got it November of 2012 for $300 and used it for 2 yrs almost to the day and then I straight gassed it. I ended up seling it for $200 which is one of the worse saw deals I've done . That was many saws ago for sure .

From my reading here I thought I knew that the only people who straight gas saws are sons-in-law, brothers-in-law, uncles, nephews and neighbors. Chipper1 you get a salute for honesty. and another for good humor.
Don

 

[1Alpha1]

my first saw was a 32 husky when i was 6 years old. the funny thing is i gave it away to a friend when i was 10-11 and it just recently came back to me! after all these years! it's out in the shed but i'll get a pic one day soon. it's still in good shape too. i think my addiction started when i got my first 266 though. must have been 9 i think. so many saws since then it's ****ed. i remember a time i had like 60 2100's alone after my grandpa retired. i'm at the point i don't even want many saws. just my usual work saws and a project kick'n around once in a while.

I can relate............

 

[Efisher26]

I am pretty sure it was one of these in the mid to late 70ies. My cousin got this for Christmas and I am sure it was the first toy I was ever jealous of! To this day I haven't forgotten that chainsaw and I am positive it was at least partially responsible for my love of running saws today.


4069 by wood4heat on Arboristsite.com

Now that I see that, I had one of thoes!


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Just a home owner that likes the older better made machines

Craftsman 3.7
Echo 290evl

 

[Boomer 87]

I guess I should say the first saw i ever had wasnt my wild thing, as a kid i had one of those poulan micro toys had the necklace chain that actually spun and made noise. I guess that could be part of why i love the green saws!

 

[buzz sawyer]

My dad put a lot of meals on our table with a Mall GP. I was always too young to run it and he finally wore it out. I thought it would be neat to find one like it and get it running again. A member had one for sale and after I got it I decided to go ahead and restore it. Came out so good it started me on a road to CAD.
Here are some before and after photos. I made the decals - didn't get the one on the clutch cover just right so since these photos I've gotten a more accurate one. Also found an instruction decal.

 

[HuskStihl]

I really hated chainsaws. They were a necessary evil to get work done. I went thru various box store cheapo's, which would last a season, then die (I was not, and am still not ChrisPA). Then I bought some more land, and bought a husky 359. That was the first time I had a saw that would throw the bar tip up when I hit the throttle. The drought hit in 2011, and the big trees started dying. Picked up a used 385, found AS when looking for some fix or other, and it's been slowly downhill from there.

 

[CJH]

.......then a small Homelite Super EZ automatic. All from Craigslist locally. The downward spiral has begun!

It's getting worse,....just picked up a blue Homelite E-Z (1972) with a McCulloch MAC120 thrown in for $70. Both complete it not running. Good spark but funky fuel.

I'll restore the EZ to its original blue, maybe the MAC (needs a new handle). Love these all metal classics!

 

[82F100SWB]

In my case, it isn't any one saw thats to blame, but my father. He started running saws at 13, he is 75 now. He retired from the bush in 2000, and his collection was rather impressive. He switched to Husky in 1980 and never looked back, so I grew up around orange saws, the first saw I ran was a 254. He seldom ran a saw more than a season, and if it didn't make the summer, it got traded in, not fixed. It wasn't until he got into the 42/242 and 246 that he had them last, but he had a tree fall on him in 91, and that slowed him down.
Standard procedure for a new saw when he got it home was mod the muffler, or swap on one that was already done, then make it scream. This was east coast pulpwood, so he was all about chain speed for limbing. I honestly dont remember him having a saw for more than 3 months without the hood being melted above the muffler other than the 246, which was the last saw he bought, and just didnt get run as hard due to his back.