McCulloch Chain Saws

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Very cool. Was going to comment on that fairlead. Nice touch. Have one on the 7-10 (along with one of Mark's dust guards). Can we assume they discontinued those fairleads as a weight reduction measure along with simply being overkill in general? Think this one is the only one I have.



I love those little fairleads. Those covers lack the protective lower lip of the newer covers. New ones probably gained back with the lip any weight reduction.

Ron
 
Yeah sir I have. Cuts great, will need a bit of fine tuning but I'm going to wait until I get her carb sorted rather than mess with the 10-10 carb.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Cool and fair enough too. Did you notice the grunt compared to the 54?

I love those little fairleads. Those covers lack the protective lower lip of the newer covers. New ones probably gained back with the lip any weight reduction.

Ron

I didn't notice that missing lip Ron. Was there ever a cover with both?
 
Mid-Week Commentary - True Sayings

Things aren't always as they appear. Haste makes waste.

I got a text this afternoon that a nice red oak was on the ground waiting to be cut. In the text was a concern that the stem might need to be cut in firewood length due to weight. Through the windshield (windscreen) I had spied it standing yesterday and guessed it to be about 30" in diameter. I thought what the heck, I'll take off a little early from work, call Brian and we will cut the stem into logs that the Deere could handle. Couldn't get away from the office which meant there wouldn't be enough daylight to bother Brian. So I decided to go for it alone. According to my weather app there was only 28 minutes of daylight left when I got there and I was regretting taking the time to bring the Deere. Tree is much bigger than I thought. Down to 18 minutes and I am still getting the PM 800 ready - seems I left my glasses at home in my hurry. Two minutes later the President of the Wood Ministry pulls up as he had spotted me going down the road. Now I am down to 8 minutes. The 800 roared to life as usual but with sparks flying it quit cutting half way down one side. No extra chain as I had installed my spare on site after seeing how dull the saw chain was.


When E. F. Hutton speaks everyone listens. (Old timers here will remember that slogan.) You can't make up for lost time. The weatherman is always right. It's just his timing that is off. (Bill Cosby)

Before I can swap saws, one of the Directors of the Wood Ministry walks up. Seems he lives in the neighborhood and was at home conversing with a fellow worker when I cranked the 800. The idle in the distance got their attention. He said when I brought up the throttle the other guy exclaimed "That's a McCulloch, it has got to be Ron." So he had come to investigate. While he investigated I swapped the chain on my backup offbrand. He reports to me that the tree is a lot bigger than it looked to him while standing and that he measured it - 42" in diameter. He left with 2 minutes to go. Saw behaved just like the Mac. It wouldn't cut at all. Tried it outside the cut and it would quit just passed the bark. Upon inspection I find that in my haste I had put the chain on backwards. Turned it around and finished the first cut leaving a twelve foot log. Still light. Great, enough time for another cut. Deere still on the trailer - also great I won't be needing it and I don't have to load it in the dark.


It ain't over until it is over. Plastic isn't all bad.

Cut the log into two 6 foot sections. It rolls and the big section traps my offbrand, pushing the plastic chain brake handle into the handle and slowly distorting the plastic covers. No way I can move a 3000# log with the cant hook I didn't bring. Darkness descends. Deere is unloaded. Offbrand rescued unscathed. Deere reloaded. Back home - an hour and 15 minutes to make two cuts. And it is still too big for the guys to handle. Maybe Brian will give his MACs a little workout on it before Saturday.

Be careful out there.

Ron

This commentary is brought to you by Blind Squirrel Falling, one of America's greatest imaginary businesses. The views expressed are those of the author, and though true, they are not the official position of BS Falling.
 
Mid-Week Commentary - True Sayings

Things aren't always as they appear. Haste makes waste.

I got a text this afternoon that a nice red oak was on the ground waiting to be cut. In the text was a concern that the stem might need to be cut in firewood length due to weight. Through the windshield (windscreen) I had spied it standing yesterday and guessed it to be about 30" in diameter. I thought what the heck, I'll take off a little early from work, call Brian and we will cut the stem into logs that the Deere could handle. Couldn't get away from the office which meant there wouldn't be enough daylight to bother Brian. So I decided to go for it alone. According to my weather app there was only 28 minutes of daylight left when I got there and I was regretting taking the time to bring the Deere. Tree is much bigger than I thought. Down to 18 minutes and I am still getting the PM 800 ready - seems I left my glasses at home in my hurry. Two minutes later the President of the Wood Ministry pulls up as he had spotted me going down the road. Now I am down to 8 minutes. The 800 roared to life as usual but with sparks flying it quit cutting half way down one side. No extra chain as I had installed my spare on site after seeing how dull the saw chain was.


When E. F. Hutton speaks everyone listens. (Old timers here will remember that slogan.) You can't make up for lost time. The weatherman is always right. It's just his timing that is off. (Bill Cosby)

Before I can swap saws, one of the Directors of the Wood Ministry walks up. Seems he lives in the neighborhood and was at home conversing with a fellow worker when I cranked the 800. The idle in the distance got their attention. He said when I brought up the throttle the other guy exclaimed "That's a McCulloch, it has got to be Ron." So he had come to investigate. While he investigated I swapped the chain on my backup offbrand. He reports to me that the tree is a lot bigger than it looked to him while standing and that he measured it - 42" in diameter. He left with 2 minutes to go. Saw behaved just like the Mac. It wouldn't cut at all. Tried it outside the cut and it would quit just passed the bark. Upon inspection I find that in my haste I had put the chain on backwards. Turned it around and finished the first cut leaving a twelve foot log. Still light. Great, enough time for another cut. Deere still on the trailer - also great I won't be needing it and I don't have to load it in the dark.


It ain't over until it is over. Plastic isn't all bad.

Cut the log into two 6 foot sections. It rolls and the big section traps my offbrand, pushing the plastic chain brake handle into the handle and slowly distorting the plastic covers. No way I can move a 3000# log with the cant hook I didn't bring. Darkness descends. Deere is unloaded. Offbrand rescued unscathed. Deere reloaded. Back home - an hour and 15 minutes to make two cuts. And it is still too big for the guys to handle. Maybe Brian will give his MACs a little workout on it before Saturday.

Be careful out there.

Ron

This commentary is brought to you by Blind Squirrel Falling, one of America's greatest imaginary businesses. The views expressed are those of the author, and though true, they are not the official position of BS Falling.


I you let me know where it is I will buck it tomorrow. Should have called me. You know me, I would have had enough saws to just swap saws and keep going.

Brian
 
Two weeks ago our city Superintendent stopped by to see if I would finish cutting two stumps they left when they took down a couple of large ash trees (lingering impact from the Emerald Ash Borer in the area) and of course I happily accepted the challenge. I took the SP125 with 36" bar and a splitting maul plus steel wedges and a sledge hammer. I didn't bother with extra chains, fuel, oil, or any tools since they were both within a block of my house.

In the process of getting the first stump cut off I got into the dirt (had to get it close to the ground, didn't I?) I had 5 wedges available plus the maul, there were moments I had all 4 wedges buried in the stump, managed to put my finger between the handle of the sledge hammer and the top of a wedge tapping it in to get it started, and busted myself in the chops trying to separate a chunk off a piece still attached to the ground...my wife told me to be careful as I was leaving.

In the end (after a quick stop at home to sharpen the chain and top off the fuel and oil) I did manage to get both cut, split, and unloaded at home. I didn't think about it at the time, but I may have had a Ron Woods kind of day...

1st one

20200227_091403.jpg

Cut as flush as I could

20200227_104419.jpg

1st one cut, split, and loaded in the trailer, getting ready to start on the 2nd after sharpening the chain.

20200227_111610.jpg

Mark
 
Today's pr0ject after getting three saws cleaned, sharpened, and repaired for a colleague was another unique adaptation of the 33/35/39 model saws. First photo is the brush cutter unit in the box when I first acquired it some while ago.

DSC02063.JPG

On the bench as I was getting started.

20200304_124943.jpg

All cleaned up and ready to move to the museum. This one is rather difficult to photograph due to the proportions.

20200304_180940.jpg

Rockcrusher 402 contacted me a while back about the correct header for the brush cutter...he knew I have the brush cutter because I bought it from him a few years back...and I was pretty sure I had one of those headers somewhere in my stash. I did find it and put it on to make this one that much more authentic. The muffler that came off the power head cleaned up very nicely. I need to find some additional air filters or some thin Max Flow material to make more like this one if I work on many more of these saws.

20200304_181020.jpg

This is a collection of bits and pieces, the engine is from a 39 but the housing/cover says 35 if you look closely but there was never a 35 or 35A saw sold with a black cover that I am aware of. Someone else theorized that McCulloch started painting replacement parts with the black crinkle finish when they had too many shades of yellow to insure a good match. Who knows for sure?

Mark
 
Lol, im sure i have some new rope lying around.....actually i know i have a length of black rope thatll work. Its hard to say how old that tattered rope is. It works though, until it doesnt. My dad liked to say when id get on his case about only changing oil once a year.....250,000 + miles later......you cant argue with success.
 
Two weeks ago our city Superintendent stopped by to see if I would finish cutting two stumps they left when they took down a couple of large ash trees (lingering impact from the Emerald Ash Borer in the area) and of course I happily accepted the challenge. I took the SP125 with 36" bar and a splitting maul plus steel wedges and a sledge hammer. I didn't bother with extra chains, fuel, oil, or any tools since they were both within a block of my house.

In the process of getting the first stump cut off I got into the dirt (had to get it close to the ground, didn't I?) I had 5 wedges available plus the maul, there were moments I had all 4 wedges buried in the stump, managed to put my finger between the handle of the sledge hammer and the top of a wedge tapping it in to get it started, and busted myself in the chops trying to separate a chunk off a piece still attached to the ground...my wife told me to be careful as I was leaving.

In the end (after a quick stop at home to sharpen the chain and top off the fuel and oil) I did manage to get both cut, split, and unloaded at home. I didn't think about it at the time, but I may have had a Ron Woods kind of day...

1st one

View attachment 803672

Cut as flush as I could

View attachment 803673

1st one cut, split, and loaded in the trailer, getting ready to start on the 2nd after sharpening the chain.

View attachment 803674

Mark

I resemble that remark. Folks seem to enjoy hearing about our screw-ups more than the smooth sailings. Then of course, if I didn't share my screw-ups I wouldn't have much to say.

With most of our cutting sites temporarily off-limits due to the wet weather, it is getting harder and harder for Brian and me to find our next weekend mis-adventure. Glad you were able to get out for a MAC-adventure; especially a 123cc one.

Ron
 

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