POULAN The Official Poulan Thread

[Al Smith]

A Poulan S-25 weights about the same as a Stihl 020AV top handle and they both cut at nearly the same speed .The Poulan was the first saw I ever bought ,new in the early 70's and it still runs fine .It doesn't get much run time these days because I have a pair of Stihl 200 Ts ,one has been "enhanced ".BTW I also have a Stihl 020AV the most frustrating saw to work on ever made .

 

[lehman live edge slab]

A Poulan S-25 weights about the same as a Stihl 020AV top handle and they both cut at nearly the same speed .The Poulan was the first saw I ever bought ,new in the early 70's and it still runs fine .It doesn't get much run time these days because I have a pair of Stihl 200 Ts ,one has been "enhanced ".BTW I also have a Stihl 020AV the most frustrating saw to work on ever made .

I may be a little sick but I don’t mind the 020av or 020 avp to work on but can’t stand a mini mac

 

[heimannm]

With Mini Mac saws you get a lot of practice...on every saw.

 

[Al Smith]

You can add the little Homelites to that list too .

 

[Al Smith]

This"turtle shell" design was a popular way to build certain earlier small saws and in some form more modern saws .One that sticks out are the small Husqarna top handles .If memory serves 235 maybe ? You just about need to field strip those things to do anything on them .I've got a couple of them with failed oilers .The trimmers gave them to me . .Reason they bought them was becausse they were less expensive than a Stihl 020T .They ran fine they just wouldn't oil .I've got a box full of them I may or likely not ever repair them .For that matter I might never find the box again .

 

[FergusonTO35]

With Mini Mac saws you get a lot of practice...on every saw.

Back in the 2010's I had a whole fleet of Mini Macs because I hate myself. Seriously though, I didn't find them hard to work on or keep going so much as they are time consuming to work on. The case has to come apart to do anything but the most basic maintenance items. On the plus side, they didn't strike me as cheaply made, even the Eager Beaver versions. Also, when you buy a Mini Mac even as a non-runner it probably doesn't have much actual use on it. Most parts including the housing were metal and the fuel tank and other plastic bits were pretty robust. They gave me good service and most of them ran when I sold them.

 

[Al Smith]

Since the conversation of Mini Macs came up I also have a box full of them and maybe another 3 or 4 intact ,all freebies .The oilers were the weak link .Once used by the trimmers who might get lucky and get two years out of them then buy another one .One or two of those things had such short run time they had the original chains ,never filed .Bought to trim the apple tree then sat for 5 months and then wouldn't oil .The little Homelites did about the same xl2 etc .All that goes back nearly 50 years and then the Poulans and the Stihl were the best on the market.