Hello from Nanuk of the North with Mr Farmsaw

[bellarmine]

Hello All,

I've just joined the ArboristSite to help out a friend with his Poulan saw. I've grown up mechanically inclined and good with electrical / electronic, like my Dad, enjoy tinkering with anything and everyhing. We also cut firewood for yearly heating using our (vintage?) Pioneer FarmSaw II. Thought I'd introduce myself and give others my thoughts on this tough easy-to-work-on saw.

My Dad bought our Farmsaw II new back in '86, I was just on the horizon then. Beginning in the early 90's we started heating exclusively with firewood every Winter, about 5 face chords every year, and the Farmsaw is the saw that did it, year in year out. Reliable and so easy to work on, every other saw I take apart just seems difficult in comparison, really nice logical tough design. Made by OMC, same as Johnson/Evinrude/Lawn Boy. It's a big 66cc saw, on the large side, to buy one in the same power bracket nowadays would cost you over ~$700, so in my opinion definitely worth a bit of coin to keep running. Only thing it's needed is a new electronic coil in the 2000's. Also put in a new carb kit, sprocket, Oregon bar and chain, on its 3rd bar now. Handles the 24" Oregon bar real nice, makes cutting stumps and trunks so much easier. I've taken over the wood cutting by now, I find when cold it likes to start by 3 pulls ignition on, then 3 pulls ignition OFF, then ignition on pull fires right up, every time. It's so easy to crank, easier than tiny saws because it has Automatic Decompression, even better than many STIHL saws with a manual button. We've run it on 25:1 oil mix from the beginning as that is what our 'generic' Pioneer manual says, though I hear noises that it actually uses 50:1. On occasion my Dad and I have a small argument about it, but at this point neither of us really feels like ruining a good thing and possibly wrecking it now after almost 40 years.........:^)

Attached a few photos, enjoy. I'm probably biased having grown up with it and knowing it like the back of my hand, but I would have to say it is in pretty nice shape, especially since it isn't even a shelf queen.

Hope you enjoy my ramble, anyone let me know if they'd like some info on Farmsaw repairs. Cheers!~

Bellarmine

 

[Ikeholt]

Nice post, I agree those are great saws. If you were closer, I'd make you a deal. I have 2 Farmsaw project saws that have been sitting for a decade.

Everytime I run a Pioneer or one of the Poulan Pros, they surprise me with the power they have. You need to run a Poulan BP 655. Basically a 99cc version of the Farmsaw, with a boost port.

 

[bellarmine]

Nice post, I agree those are great saws. If you were closer, I'd make you a deal. I have 2 Farmsaw project saws that have been sitting for a decade.

Everytime I run a Pioneer or one of the Poulan Pros, they surprise me with the power they have. You need to run a Poulan BP 655. Basically a 99cc version of the Farmsaw, with a boost port.

Thanks for the welcome Ikeholt, yes too bad you weren't closer, be good to have some spare parts. The Pioneer does appear to have enough oomph to power through the thickest stumps we throw at it, especially when my Dad keeps the chain Razor sharp ("Don't hit the dirt, don't hit the dirt!" lol). Thanks for the info on that Poulan Pro 655, that's amazing never knew about that, real close cousin, guess that's after Poulan bought Pioneer.

Cheers!~ Bellarmine

 

[FirewoodGuy15338]

Hey fellas, while we’re on the subject of farmsaws, what size are the screws that secure the clutch cover on? Whoever had this saw before lost em and I would like to get the right size

 

[bellarmine]

Hey fellas, while we’re on the subject of farmsaws, what size are the screws that secure the clutch cover on? Whoever had this saw before lost em and I would like to get the right size

Hi Firewood Guy, do you mean the nuts and studs that hold on the chain brake cover and clamp the bar? Or do you mean the screws that hold on the aluminum cover behind the clutch, covering the oil pump?

 

[A.C.195]

Hello All,

I've just joined the ArboristSite to help out a friend with his Poulan saw. I've grown up mechanically inclined and good with electrical / electronic, like my Dad, enjoy tinkering with anything and everyhing. We also cut firewood for yearly heating using our (vintage?) Pioneer FarmSaw II. Thought I'd introduce myself and give others my thoughts on this tough easy-to-work-on saw.

My Dad bought our Farmsaw II new back in '86, I was just on the horizon then. Beginning in the early 90's we started heating exclusively with firewood every Winter, about 5 face chords every year, and the Farmsaw is the saw that did it, year in year out. Reliable and so easy to work on, every other saw I take apart just seems difficult in comparison, really nice logical tough design. Made by OMC, same as Johnson/Evinrude/Lawn Boy. It's a big 66cc saw, on the large side, to buy one in the same power bracket nowadays would cost you over ~$700, so in my opinion definitely worth a bit of coin to keep running. Only thing it's needed is a new electronic coil in the 2000's. Also put in a new carb kit, sprocket, Oregon bar and chain, on its 3rd bar now. Handles the 24" Oregon bar real nice, makes cutting stumps and trunks so much easier. I've taken over the wood cutting by now, I find when cold it likes to start by 3 pulls ignition on, then 3 pulls ignition OFF, then ignition on pull fires right up, every time. It's so easy to crank, easier than tiny saws because it has Automatic Decompression, even better than many STIHL saws with a manual button. We've run it on 25:1 oil mix from the beginning as that is what our 'generic' Pioneer manual says, though I hear noises that it actually uses 50:1. On occasion my Dad and I have a small argument about it, but at this point neither of us really feels like ruining a good thing and possibly wrecking it now after almost 40 years.........:^)

Attached a few photos, enjoy. I'm probably biased having grown up with it and knowing it like the back of my hand, but I would have to say it is in pretty nice shape, especially since it isn't even a shelf queen.

Hope you enjoy my ramble, anyone let me know if they'd like some info on Farmsaw repairs. Cheers!~

Bellarmine

View attachment 1062847View attachment 1062848View attachment 1062849

Bautiiiii,

I have a question. My farm saw wit starts yo idle high idle after I cut a while if I set it down, it will Rev up all on its on. Why?

 

[bellarmine]

H

Bautiiiii,

I have a question. My farm saw wit starts yo idle high idle after I cut a while if I set it down, it will Rev up all on its on. Why?

Hi Bautiiiii, About your Farmsaw revving up, it sounds to me like an air/fuel problem. Sounds like it is running lean. You can try playing with the mixture screws, open the up a 1/4 turn and see if it changes. Check the fuel filter in the tank, if it's plugged. Also, try loosening the fuel tank cap, the cap vent might be plugged causing a vaccuum in the tank. These saws will speed way up and run fast when they are running out of fuel (running lean). Finally try a new carb kit, maybe the fuel pump is not working up to spec. I just fixed a saw where the fuel pump was not working AT ALL, it started, idled and revved up but was completely erratic and unusable. Hope this helps, Cheers!~ Bellarmine

 

[A.C.195]

H

Hi Bautiiiii, About your Farmsaw revving up, it sounds to me like an air/fuel problem. Sounds like it is running lean. You can try playing with the mixture screws, open the up a 1/4 turn and see if it changes. Check the fuel filter in the tank, if it's plugged. Also, try loosening the fuel tank cap, the cap vent might be plugged causing a vaccuum in the tank. These saws will speed way up and run fast when they are running out of fuel (running lean). Finally try a new carb kit, maybe the fuel pump is not working up to spec. I just fixed a saw where the fuel pump was not working AT ALL, it started, idled and revved up but was completely erratic and unusable. Hope this helps, Cheers!~ Bellarmine

Thanks