Poulan 5400 for chainsaw mill?

[alabama xl]

My buddy just hooked me up yesterday with a poulan 5400 that has a bow on it. If get a 36” bar for this does it have enough umph to push through a log with reasonable speed to make slabs, or am I going to want/need something even bigger?

Found a guy with a homelite 770g with bar and chains recently, and was thinking about getting that, but I feel like an AV saw like the poulan will be much less effort to run. Any thoughts on milling with this saw?

 

[SeMoTony]

It seems, in most cases, the bars keep getting longer, needing a more powerful c'saw. Wood you believe I began with a ms-170 and a HF version of a post maker. Middle of the development is in my avatar 72 CC's pulling skip chisel around a 60" bar, before I found a Forester 72" bar and a 661-c with a ported cylinder. Timing is not advanced, since milling already builds heat. Muffler mod helps dissipate the heat, and provide better flow. Running a bit rich helps cool, & 32:1 has been recommended for milling. Rich and lean refer to gasoline . Higher oil ratio leans out the gas with the same carb openings. The 661 adjusts to whatever mix run into the tank. When I use the screw driver she only leans out to full two stroke at best cut ( pre-bog) in an ideal tune.
Enjoy safely

 

[Tim_10]

I posted a similar question regarding a Poulan 8500 and received these answers from the more experienced. I believe the 5200, 5400, and 8500 are all similar saws.

"Don't you dare do it. Either get a modern saw for the mill or go to Lowes and buy some boards.

Putting a 8500 on a mill would be like taking a classic Ferrari and putting it to work in a taxi."

"I highly recommend not to use that saw as a milling saw unless it is only on occasion, that saw is to rare and the parts are unobtainable!! It will pull all day long but on a mill things happen, it is a torque saw not a revving saw"




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[alabama xl]

I hate to hurt their feelings, but it’s probably gonna get used. if they want me to use a different saw, they can trade me a nice ms 660 or something. The poulan might seem “rare” because so many guys have 15 of them stashed away in their garage . I don’t have a ton of money to blow on chainsaw stuff, so I’ve gotta use what I’ve got! Compared to ms440, this should be stronger and better able to just run and run, I would think.

I don’t think the poulan is gonna need a muffler mod, but if there is something recommended, I’m open to it. My buddy used it without hearing protection and said it took a week for his ears to recover. Probably exaggerating, but looking at the muffler, the hole is pretty damn big.

I’ve seen a couple poulan bars 36” long on eBay that were a little over $100. Is there a bar mount close to the poulan that I could use something more common, like Stihl/husqvarna?

I haven’t fired it up yet, but heading back to the house soon to go do that!

I posted a similar question regarding a Poulan 8500 and received these answers from the more experienced. I believe the 5200, 5400, and 8500 are all similar saws.

"Don't you dare do it. Either get a modern saw for the mill or go to Lowes and buy some boards.

Putting a 8500 on a mill would be like taking a classic Ferrari and putting it to work in a taxi."

"I highly recommend not to use that saw as a milling saw unless it is only on occasion, that saw is to rare and the parts are unobtainable!! It will pull all day long but on a mill things happen, it is a torque saw not a revving saw"




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[Tim_10]

No hurt feelings here. I acquired my 8500 because it was my grandpa's so there was more sentimental value to me in it. I decided to just use it every once in awhile. I enjoy using it and it runs like a beast. I ended up saving money up and purchasing a ms660 with big bore kit from a AS member.
Regarding the bar I'll refer you to this post.

How close is a husky d009 bar to fitting a poulan 8500?
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...o-fitting-a-poulan-8500?.319012/&share_type=t


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[farmer steve]

I hate to hurt their feelings, but it’s probably gonna get used. if they want me to use a different saw, they can trade me a nice ms 660 or something. The poulan might seem “rare” because so many guys have 15 of them stashed away in their garage . I don’t have a ton of money to blow on chainsaw stuff, so I’ve gotta use what I’ve got! Compared to ms440, this should be stronger and better able to just run and run, I would think.

I don’t think the poulan is gonna need a muffler mod, but if there is something recommended, I’m open to it. My buddy used it without hearing protection and said it took a week for his ears to recover. Probably exaggerating, but looking at the muffler, the hole is pretty damn big.

I’ve seen a couple poulan bars 36” long on eBay that were a little over $100. Is there a bar mount close to the poulan that I could use something more common, like Stihl/husqvarna?

I haven’t fired it up yet, but heading back to the house soon to go do that!

you won't hurt my feelings 'cause i don't have any. please do some more research before you start milling with that saw. you may run that saw for a long time with no issues or you may mill 1 board. BUT if it breaks parts are like hens teeth $$$$ and then you still need a saw to mill. if the muffler on that saw is like my 5200 then no mods required. just ear plugs. if you want to sell the bow bar let me know.

 

[alabama xl]

I was thinking someone might be interested in the bow bar

I’m not out much to run it, since it only cost me $50, plus whatever I need to clean it up a bit. If it dies it dies. If it never gets run, it might as well be dead anyway. I’ve got too many other collections to keep too many chainsaws around that don’t get used... for now.