Nik's Poulan Thread

[OhioGregg]

Good morning all. During my eBay time this morning I saw a Poulan 8500 bow saw being offered for $1,700.00 or best offer. Nice looking example to be sure, but really? A friend of mine, a VMI grad and smart fellow, has a saying for situations like this: "I've got nothing." To each his own, and I'm not being critical, but what's happening to our hobby and way of life? Have a great and safe day, Max.

Max, I think in part, we were are own worst enemy. Back before I joined this ArboristSite, Only saw I owned and cut with for 25 years was a 3400. I found AS as I was searching for info on parts for older Poulan saws. In a post someone asked about fixing or restoring a 3400. The response was, "Don't bother, Its just a cheap old piece of crap Poulan." Thankfully there were a couple guys that new otherwise, and a while later Nik, (Fatguy} started this forum group.
I think this site and few others like it, caused a upsurge in interest of the older Poulans and keeping them running. Ive heard comments at GTG's and such, when seeing or running a saw like a 5200 in big wood ..."i didn't know Poulan made a saw like that." All they knew was box store plastic green and purple saws. I remember when you could buy parts, complete saws, etc. fairly cheep on sites like ebay etc. Rare now days for sure.

Its not just saws though. Anything old school now days brings big bucks from collectors of items. My first car that I actually bought was a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Nobody told me back then not to sell it, because in 40 years its gonna be worth a lot a money. At the time it was just a car and my transportation. I needed to sell it to buy another vehicle. I couldn't just park it in a barn somewhere and wait for it to become a collectors item.

One of my favorite Poulan saws to run over the years has been a 7700. would dearly love one, but just no way I could spend that kinda money for it. Even if it was still new in box. LOL I have enough old Poulan saws to cut anything I will encounter. My mind is still stuck in the 70's, Every thing is mind blowingly expensive these days. Guess Im just getting old.

Gregg,

 

[3000 FPS]

I agree with you Greg. Things that are older seem to have go way up in money. Of course, they do not make saws like they used to either. I would much rather use an older saw and be able to tweak it any way I want. I just got back from the mountains yesterday and cut my 2/3 of a cord for firewood. I used my T/A 3750 and of course has been tweaked. I was at about 8000ft. A little adjustment of the carb and no problems.

I collected old pocket watches for years and nobody seem to care about them but within the last 5 years they seem to have all of a sudden become very collectable and have gone way up in money.

 

[OldChainsaw]

Good morning all. During my eBay time this morning I saw a Poulan 8500 bow saw being offered for $1,700.00 or best offer. Nice looking example to be sure, but really? A friend of mine, a VMI grad and smart fellow, has a saying for situations like this: "I've got nothing." To each his own, and I'm not being critical, but what's happening to our hobby and way of life? Have a great and safe day, Max.

How's a man price a saw with such little information about it out there? I'm sure it will come down but I don't think there are many of those left. I don't think it's that far off as I've seen those go for around $1200. Inflation is the reason and I don't think we will see things getting any cheaper. Just my opinion. Also, How much is a new saw that size?

 

[3000 FPS]

Made a trip to the mountains yesterday and took the T\A 3750. This should keep me warm.

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

Made a trip to the mountains yesterday and took the T\A 3750. This should keep me warm.

View attachment 1014617

View attachment 1014618

Good saw!

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Max, I think in part, we were are own worst enemy. Back before I joined this ArboristSite, Only saw I owned and cut with for 25 years was a 3400. I found AS as I was searching for info on parts for older Poulan saws. In a post someone asked about fixing or restoring a 3400. The response was, "Don't bother, Its just a cheap old piece of crap Poulan." Thankfully there were a couple guys that new otherwise, and a while later Nik, (Fatguy} started this forum group.
I think this site and few others like it, caused a upsurge in interest of the older Poulans and keeping them running. Ive heard comments at GTG's and such, when seeing or running a saw like a 5200 in big wood ..."i didn't know Poulan made a saw like that." All they knew was box store plastic green and purple saws. I remember when you could buy parts, complete saws, etc. fairly cheep on sites like ebay etc. Rare now days for sure.

Its not just saws though. Anything old school now days brings big bucks from collectors of items. My first car that I actually bought was a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Nobody told me back then not to sell it, because in 40 years its gonna be worth a lot a money. At the time it was just a car and my transportation. I needed to sell it to buy another vehicle. I couldn't just park it in a barn somewhere and wait for it to become a collectors item.

One of my favorite Poulan saws to run over the years has been a 7700. would dearly love one, but just no way I could spend that kinda money for it. Even if it was still new in box. LOL I have enough old Poulan saws to cut anything I will encounter. My mind is still stuck in the 70's, Every thing is mind blowingly expensive these days. Guess Im just getting old.

Gregg,

Good post and somes up everything really.
Might be retiring in a tent the way houses are going

 

[OhioGregg]

Roger, Funny you posting the pics of your 3750 cutting wood today. This morning I used my Super 380 for the first time in quite a while. Dandy saws indeed! Have a couple good size trees that storm blew the tops over on earlier this spring. Got he Red Oak down with the 380. Bucked up some with the 4000. Both ran great.




Gregg,

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Max, I think in part, we were are own worst enemy. Back before I joined this ArboristSite, Only saw I owned and cut with for 25 years was a 3400. I found AS as I was searching for info on parts for older Poulan saws. In a post someone asked about fixing or restoring a 3400. The response was, "Don't bother, Its just a cheap old piece of crap Poulan." Thankfully there were a couple guys that new otherwise, and a while later Nik, (Fatguy} started this forum group.
I think this site and few others like it, caused a upsurge in interest of the older Poulans and keeping them running. Ive heard comments at GTG's and such, when seeing or running a saw like a 5200 in big wood ..."i didn't know Poulan made a saw like that." All they knew was box store plastic green and purple saws. I remember when you could buy parts, complete saws, etc. fairly cheep on sites like ebay etc. Rare now days for sure.

Its not just saws though. Anything old school now days brings big bucks from collectors of items. My first car that I actually bought was a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Nobody told me back then not to sell it, because in 40 years its gonna be worth a lot a money. At the time it was just a car and my transportation. I needed to sell it to buy another vehicle. I couldn't just park it in a barn somewhere and wait for it to become a collectors item.

One of my favorite Poulan saws to run over the years has been a 7700. would dearly love one, but just no way I could spend that kinda money for it. Even if it was still new in box. LOL I have enough old Poulan saws to cut anything I will encounter. My mind is still stuck in the 70's, Every thing is mind blowingly expensive these days. Guess Im just getting old.

Gregg,

I personally think/hypothesize that it's actually a little bit of malevolence in it also, if you look at the inventions of the past century especially the chainsaw they really gave a common citizen a true practical tool for independence, like older cars and tractors. These items lasted generations and produced 10xs their values, just merely by their reliability and simplicity of maintenance.
Programs like cash for clunkers and sky rocketing scrap prices have been failing at getting these incredible pieces of independence from our hard working hands. If however you price these tools out of reach of future generations and they never know the true feelings of independence and pride of accomplishment, then it gets lost to antiquity and we will only see a complete throw away culture.
I try to never poopoo on anyones desire to redo any model of old saw, even the old green ones, if nothing else then to keep them from being bought up off EBay never to cut wood again.
Plucked from the scrap yard

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Todd's 4000 out today. Upto tank no3
with the 24inch bar buried in euc she's working pretty hard

 

[OhioGregg]

Todd's 4000 out today. Upto tank no3 View attachment 1014689
with the 24inch bar buried in euc she's working pretty hard

My favorite saw...at least the most used. The 4000 I run 20" bars on mine, except for one I cobbled together from random parts and JB weld. Painted it Ford tractor blue...and put a 24" bar on it. Worked great. lol

 

[9050lx]

Went to run my sears 3800 1987 today.Ripped a 24 inch oak round into a square for a table.Started running lean,like out of gas.The carb high needle was walking in lean.Put some threebond on the threads, should have tried teflon tape instead I imagine.

 

[hotshot]

Never had a HDB carb lose adjustment with the springs still on them, especially tighter in. Is your factory adjustment screws rubber boot 530035284 missing?

Get a cheap Stihl 066 carb screw grommet & trim off half to fit over both screws, if the threebond sealant won’t hold.

Two stub pieces of auto vacuum hose & a tie wrap holding both H & L screws together also works, as a real redneck method.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3850781004...zxrcW5+mdamsvWN8Pc4K9pZ/E+|tkp:Bk9SR96c5JDgYA

 

[s sidewall]

Never had a HDB carb lose adjustment with the springs still on them, especially tighter in. Is your factory adjustment screws rubber boot 530035284 missing?

Get a cheap Stihl 066 carb screw grommet & trim off half to fit over both screws, if the threebond sealant won’t hold.

Two stub pieces of auto vacuum hose & a tie wrap holding both H & L screws together also works, as a real redneck method.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3850781004...zxrcW5+mdamsvWN8Pc4K9pZ/E+|tkp:Bk9SR96c5JDgYA

Good advice on that hotshot.

 

[3000 FPS]

Roger, Funny you posting the pics of your 3750 cutting wood today. This morning I used my Super 380 for the first time in quite a while. Dandy saws indeed! Have a couple good size trees that storm blew the tops over on earlier this spring. Got he Red Oak down with the 380. Bucked up some with the 4000. Both ran great.

View attachment 1014663
View attachment 1014664

Gregg,

Some nice looking saws Gregg.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

My favorite saw...at least the most used. The 4000 I run 20" bars on mine, except for one I cobbled together from random parts and JB weld. Painted it Ford tractor blue...and put a 24" bar on it. Worked great. lol


View attachment 1014706

Looks quite cool in those colours. Yeap agreed they do prefer a 20

 

[3000 FPS]

Good saw!
View attachment 1014636

I have 3 of these saws. Here is a pic of a different one. I did some welding on the clutch side on this one.

 

[9050lx]

Never had a HDB carb lose adjustment with the springs still on them, especially tighter in. Is your factory adjustment screws rubber boot 530035284 missing?

Get a cheap Stihl 066 carb screw grommet & trim off half to fit over both screws, if the threebond sealant won’t hold.

Two stub pieces of auto vacuum hose & a tie wrap holding both H & L screws together also works, as a real redneck method.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3850781004...zxrcW5+mdamsvWN8Pc4K9pZ/E+|tkp:Bk9SR96c5JDgYA

Saw had a black plastic rectangle,threaded in which to hold adjustment,I guess.No springs on mix screws.

 

[hotshot]

Carb could be a chinesium made Zama model C3A-W3, and not the older Walbro brand.

Do you know which one you’ve got?

 

[9050lx]

Looks like my other HDB carbs ,on second thought,I better look closer.Bought this saw and it ran good from the getgo,I don't think I took this carb apart.

 

[hotshot]

Should have midget compression springs on both the H & L needles.

If you put Threebond on the mixture screw threads, then the springs would’ve been right in that goo.

Sounds like you’ve got a gray & black Craftsman 3.8 saw, #358.356090 or a 358.356091. If it is, an owners manual with parts listed at the end are in the link below. Great firewood bucking saws.

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/model/125mzlxl0y-000247/craftsman-358356090-gas-chainsaw-parts