McCulloch Chain Saws

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Picked thus up last weekend. Gave it a quick carb cleaning and a once over and put it in some wood.

I have never heard a saw like this one before.View attachment 341465 View attachment 341466

What do you mean you never heard a saw like this before? Are you new to McCulloch saws? McCulloch saws do have a sweet sound to them and some better than other's. That saw doesn't have much of a muffler on it so it makes some noise. One of my favorite sounding saws I have is my 740. It just has that deep throaty sound like a big block... I have a few that I haven't got running yet but one other with a nice sound is the 797. I don't run it much but it has a unique sound to it indeed. My 440 is just plain LOUD but when in the cut she sounds good... That is one saw that almost makes me wear ear plugs... ALMOST but Id rather hear it because it is like music to the ears. I been listening to loud music most of my life but I have the best hearing of anyone I know. I don't feel the need to wear ear plugs as most saws don't bother me. I think most like hearing the sound however there are quite a few that do wear protection...

Nick
 
Hear is a saw I just got recently... Still can't believe I own one of these but here it is.. I started collecting McCulloch saws last year sometime and did a lot of reading on saws and whatever I could find. I knew this was considered a fairly Rare model and was only made from 02/57 to 05/57 which is a very short time. I wish I could find out some more info on these but there doesn't seem to be much. There has to be an old timer out there that worked for McCulloch back in the fifties still alive. He would be 70 something or 80 years old so it is possible. maybe they could shed some light on this model. Anyway overall it is in great shape for the age of it and complete. Has an old Oregon Armor Tip bar on it and 1/2" chipper. The guy I got it from said it runs good but I haven't done anything with it yet. The fuel tank is clean and the wick looks good. He said he bought it and ran it a bit then drained the tank and it has been sitting since.

He bought it from an older man that was using it to cut firewood and was getting up in years and was too heavy for him now so he sold it. The guy I bought it from isn't strictly a McCulloch collector so luckily he was willing to let go of it. I have some NOS parts for it here and there so can easily get it going if it doesn't run for any reason. Seems to have really nice compression and a double sprocket for a winch I imagine. It's a neat early piece of McCulloch history. On another site they had a discussion going about these and at the time 9 have been discovered. The last serial number so far reported is 1001 and there is also number 1 in someones collection. This saw looks like 254 I can't tell for sure but it's an early example. I need to find an early Goose bar for it ...

I'm just happy to own it and admire it. I am taking it apart and cleaning all of the crud out of it and it has a LOT of crud. I don't think this saw has been cleaned out in 50 years. May not have been used much. Still has the sticker on the coil about half readable. Crank seal looks original with National Patented on it looking vintage. It's nice that it takes a common air filter so easily replaced. I want to run it a bit but for the most part it will sit on a shelf. Too rare of a saw to take out and possibly get damaged or broken. So the small but ever so growing collection is getting better all the time. You just never know what may come your way. I certainly didn't expect to get my hands on a 49 anytime soon if at all but I did. What an interesting design with it's rotary valve and how the carb mounts in the saw. Reading about something is one thing but when you have the real deal in front of you it to examine it makes all the difference in the world. This is one saw that will stay in the collection for many years to come God willing. People say everything has it's price? That doesn't pertain to me especially with the 49... I wouldn't sell it for any amount of money... I'd rather have the saw any day over money... I doubt if I would ever have the chance to get another... It has a good home here with me...

Nick

49Right_zpsce21f18e.jpg


49Lida_zps79e004a6.jpg


49Sprocket_zps2f90155e.jpg

ArmorTipBar_zpsa119c587.jpg
 
So where's the crud?:laugh:

ds, post: 4758146, member: 43890"]So where's the crud?:laugh:[/quote]



It was behind the side cover on the flywheel side and it was thick as hell. I snapped a few pics ill post after I get them sorted. I got the muffer apart today and it was loaded with carbon. Got that cleaned out and back together. What a muffler that sucker is huge. After I took it off and looked in the cylinder I couldn't believe my eyes. Clean as the day it was made. The top of the piston has nothing on it at all and the wall is perfect. It looks like it was hardly run... I have to get on the PC this tablet isn't working right...Ill post a few more pics later on...

Nick
 
Not many of that model. The 73 and 77 are pretty hard to find as well. If that saw runs when your done, that makes two runners that I know of. Mark has a 77 I think. You didn't by chance come across any carb gaskets and diaphragms did you? Of all the parts, those seem to be the hardest to find. I'm planning to get one of mine running soon, right after the Contra Super AV I'm collecting parts for.

We need a video of it running!
 
Not many of that model. The 73 and 77 are pretty hard to find as well. If that saw runs when your done, that makes two runners that I know of. Mark has a 77 I think. You didn't by chance come across any carb gaskets and diaphragms did you? Of all the parts, those seem to be the hardest to find. I'm planning to get one of mine running soon, right after the Contra Super AV I'm collecting parts for.

We need a video of it running!

I am currently searching for pieces and parts to see what I can come up with. I know it is a rare saw and luckily the man I got it from doesn't collect McCulloch saws that's probably the only reason I got it from him. He knew what he had and got it because of that but wasn't something he wanted to keep in his collection. He bought it, ran it a bit and then drained it of gas and oil and has been sitting since. It was a little dirty on the outside but I had already wiped it down when I snapped the pics of it.

I just decided to take it apart and see what it looked like inside yesterday. It is without a doubt the nastiest dirtiest saw I have ever run across internally. All of the fins were packed with oily grime, sawdust, cruddy goop but that's good it preserved it and cleaned up well. Even the coil still has the original sticker on it which I haven't run across yet. I took the flywheel off and cleaned it up as best I could and got it back together.

Points need to be cleaned up a bit and haven't done that yet but after it was all back together I sprayed some mix in the spark plug hole and pulled it a few times and she was running. The guy I got it from said it ran well and he drained it right away so I am hoping the carb gaskets are good. Haven't got that far yet. It has a nice blue spark so it will be we exciting to her it roar to life. I don't plan on using it much at all but will do so a little from time to time just to keep things lubed.

When I took the muffler off to look in the exhaust hole I couldn't get over how beefy that muffler was. Luckily I got it apart and cleaned all the carbon out of it and it is rock solid. Probably had an 1/8" thick hard carbon in it but. I got it all out. Then I looked in the hole ... Moment of truth and saw just how clean it was... I mean sparkling brand new clean and not even a mark on the cylinder walls to be seen... The piston rings are super clean as well. The top of the piston is about as clean as you can get I was amazed for a 1957 saw to be in such good shape.

I don't think this saw got much use even though the paint is worn off and such it is way too clean. Out of all the saws I own or looked at this is without a doubt the cleanest one I have run across for the piston and cylinder. That was a good feeling to see that and I knew It was in good shape after that. Should be easy to get her going. I snapped a few pics of the piston and cylinder I'll upload later. Overall I am really happy with this saw. I never expected to find one much less own one but hey I been a lucky man in many ways in this life.

I have a prospect on a few 73 models and a 77 I may be getting soon. These are my favorite saws for the old Mac's. After a member here gave me a super clean 47 for the price of shipping I wanted to collect all of this series. I have seen 73, 77, 4-30 models for sale but told myself it would probably be a cold day in hell before I found a 49. But hey there it is so never say never. I was nervous as hell until it came in the mail and thank God he packed it very well so it wasn't going to get damaged with that pack job. So with all that being said I have no doubt it will run. Ill get some more pics of it and take a video of it running after I get that far.


Nick

Sent from my S10 using Tapatalk
 
Here is a pic of the crud I was speaking about inside the 49. It was pretty nasty and the fins were also caked with it totally blocking all air flow. I got it cleaned up pretty good. What a difference you can see everything now... The rings look great. I messed around with it today and got her running. Didn't take much. All I did was fill the tank to see if it was going to leak anywhere ... No leaks so I put the lever in the middle like the cover said to do, pushed the primer three times which still works great, pulled it once or twice and she fired right up and purred. I have to fine tune it but it is running pretty good and no leaks anywhere I can see... Oiler still works, a bit weak but there is oil on the chain... I took a video of it but I have to edit it and make it smaller first before I put up the link... Now you see what I mean by CRUD...

49crud_zpsea888821.jpg


49Cleanedup_zps3da2445f.jpg


49rings_zpsce690d39.jpg
 
Nickolas,what type of cleaner did you use for crud removal?


Well.... Believe it or not a long handle screwdriver and an old oily shop rag... That's it. I never use any cleaner on saws. I take my good old sweet time and a small blade and gently scrape away the old muck. Then come behind it and blow with compressed air and then wipe it clean. Usually its oily and that preserves the surface so you can just wipe it clean. I still am going to disassemble the entire saw and clean it from inside out and put fresh gaskets in it. What I can't find I'll make myself. This saw was covered in oil so easily cleaned up.

I took apart a 1-62 yesterday and water had gotten inside it so I couldn't just wipe that one down. It will need a cleaner to clean up the white crud it has inside. Or it may end up just being a parts saw for my 1-60. Regardless the 49 is coming along ... On another website they had a discussion on this saw and only around 9 have been found/reported. Latest serial number found is 1001 so at least 1001 of these made. With only 9 known it's a pretty rare saw. This example is in great condition for being 57 years old.

I really love these big old saws and also am going to get a 73, 77, 4-30 and a 3-25 to sit along side the 49. It will take a little time but I have the hardest one of the bunch to locate so the rest will be fairly easy to get. I know where a few of each are so I'll make a few deals down the road and add those to the collection. I want to restore one to like new condition. Going to get a blast cabinet so I can strip all parts and then paint it and make a new old saw. In time I'll do it but right now things are slow going. Money is the main issue here but I'll reach my goals in time..

Nick

Sent from my S10 using Tapatalk
 
IMG_0232.JPG Saved from scrap.Nothing great or rare,but "a super pro".Shows not much use ,Chain is new ,Mc sprocket nose bar is in excellent shape (1/4").Had to clean Points and to replace carb.diaphr.-Great runner!IMG_0233.JPG
 
View attachment 341983 Saved from scrap.Nothing great or rare,but "a super pro".Shows not much use ,Chain is new ,Mc sprocket nose bar is in excellent shape (1/4").Had to clean Points and to replace carb.diaphr.-Great runner!View attachment 341984


That looks really clean... Good looking saw. It's nice to find saws like this as they are out there collecting dust waiting to be found...

Nick
 
Well.... Believe it or not a long handle screwdriver and an old oily shop rag... That's it. I never use any cleaner on saws. I take my good old sweet time and a small blade and gently scrape away the old muck. Then come behind it and blow with compressed air and then wipe it clean. Usually its oily and that preserves the surface so you can just wipe it clean. I still am going to disassemble the entire saw and clean it from inside out and put fresh gaskets in it. What I can't find I'll make myself. This saw was covered in oil so easily cleaned up.

I took apart a 1-62 yesterday and water had gotten inside it so I couldn't just wipe that one down. It will need a cleaner to clean up the white crud it has inside. Or it may end up just being a parts saw for my 1-60. Regardless the 49 is coming along ... On another website they had a discussion on this saw and only around 9 have been found/reported. Latest serial number found is 1001 so at least 1001 of these made. With only 9 known it's a pretty rare saw. This example is in great condition for being 57 years old.

I really love these big old saws and also am going to get a 73, 77, 4-30 and a 3-25 to sit along side the 49. It will take a little time but I have the hardest one of the bunch to locate so the rest will be fairly easy to get. I know where a few of each are so I'll make a few deals down the road and add those to the collection. I want to restore one to like new condition. Going to get a blast cabinet so I can strip all parts and then paint it and make a new old saw. In time I'll do it but right now things are slow going. Money is the main issue here but I'll reach my goals in time..

Nick

Sent from my S10 using Tapatalk
Have the 3-25 and 4-30 ,both running great (after some work!).They were looking the same inside,lots of oily crud.I use a wooden scraper ,some diesel and compressed airIMG_1053.JPG Both are equipped with the original "Geese" Bar ,also new 1/2" chain. It`s always a pleasure to cut with this saws!
 
Have the 3-25 and 4-30 ,both running great (after some work!).They were looking the same inside,lots of oily crud.I use a wooden scraper ,some diesel and compressed airView attachment 341991

Nice..Don't you just love these big old saws... I have seen quite a few 4-30 saws and know where a really clean one is. Best one i have laid eyes on so far... Trying to work a deal on it...hopefully i will get it soon. I should use a wooden scraper myself so not to make any scars...


Nick
 
Hi guys,
I scored this today and have know idea of what model it is. I can't find a thing on it, but I haven't cleaned it yet. Any help would be appreciated.
 

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