Posted: 11/20/2008 4:07:33 PM EDT
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I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing.
Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? |
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I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Green is part of the problem. It gets hot, gummy and dulls a chain fast. Still you should be able to get through a few piees before it won't cut at all. Buy an extra chain - you'll need one anyway - and if you have the same problem, dry the stuff out a bit. |
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Oak is tough wood. You need a sharp chain.
Check to see if it is on correctly. Check for sharpness. Check the "sawdust" if you have chips, then you are doing fine. It you are throwing dust, you are using a bad chain. Make sure you are using bar oil. Make sure the chain is tightened correctly. |
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Poulan's are cheap disposable saws, fine if just to use a few times.
As I mentioned in the original post Get your chain sharpened.
As you see in the original post....this is a new saw Your chain is on the wrong way/backwards, not dull.
Also mentioned in the original post....I checked this was there bar oil?
Wow.....I also covered this in the original post.... 
Thanks fro some other responses though!  jj
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Poulan's are cheap disposable saws, fine if just to use a few times.
As I mentioned in the original post Get your chain sharpened.
As you see in the original post....this is a new saw Your chain is on the wrong way/backwards, not dull.
Also mentioned in the original post....I checked this was there bar oil?
Wow.....I also covered this in the original post....
Thanks fro some other responses though! jjCalm down, you said you were a newbie and we are just covering the basics. Yes, a factory new chain could be dull. I have gotten a chain back from sharpening before and they were damaged from being sharpened to the wrong angle. |
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I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl. |
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Quoted:
Poulan's are cheap disposable saws, fine if just to use a few times.
As I mentioned in the original post Get your chain sharpened.
As you see in the original post....this is a new saw Your chain is on the wrong way/backwards, not dull.
Also mentioned in the original post....I checked this was there bar oil?
Wow.....I also covered this in the original post....
Thanks fro some other responses though! jjThen the smoke is your imagination. |
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Quoted:
I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl. Sigh.......GD, that'll teach me. 
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Quoted:
I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl MS361 or bigger Fixed |
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Quoted:
I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl. +1000 |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl MS361 or bigger Fixed I run a 440 Magnum 
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Quoted:
I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl. Sigh.......GD, that'll teach me. You asked
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Original post said plenty of oil, but it doesnt say wether or not that it was bar and chain oil or oil mixed in the gas.
Another thing to look at is to make sure that the chain is not TOO tight, In order to do the check pick up on the chain and it should give a little slop .... maybe a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch max. |
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"Tough going" usually translates as you were leaning on the saw. This usually means dull chain, or technique problem. A technique problem will cause a dull chain........as will a coupla milliseconds on a rock or hidden barbwire or dirt.
Agree with suggestions to make sure bar tension isn't too tight - good way to pooch a bar. And check your fuel/2 cycle oil mixture - make sure you didn't screw up. Make sure you had bar oil in the reservoir is not being sarcastic - we've all screwed up. My most recent boner involved a newer saw I got for my wife. Gas and oil fills were in reversed positions - so guess what I did. Embarassing, but easy to resolve. Anyway, you probably have a dull chain. Take it to someone who knows his stuff and get a lesson in saw sharpening. Your choice of saw is not the problem, inasmuch as its brand new. That said, my Huskies are keepers. I still have my old Husky 50 and it cuts as well as when it was brand new in 1988. Stihls are just as good (think Ford vs Chevy), as are Dolmars and Jonsereds. Sam |
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Green Oak can be a bitch on good chains.
Your poor little POOlan came outta the blisterpack with a chain that wouldn't cut Cold grits in a shallow bowl without going dull. Head to the Stihl shop near you, and get a good chain and try again. Steer clear of the blister packed box store chains from Oregan. They are shit hobby chains with goofy assed liability proof rakers, set to barely cut and reduce any kickback to zero, while heating up the chain pissless. TRASH! Odds are you smoked the damn chain on the first cut. If the saw is still buzzing, not bogging, with mild pressure, and NOT cutting, it's the chain. While at the Saw shop, kindly admit you are new to this stuff, and ask for some pointers. You'll get a few snide comments on POOlan saws but they will go outta thier way to help you a bit, and maybe even keep you from getting a stitch or two. POOlan saws ain't the greatest and generally cut well for a while under light use, then piss the owner off with snotty little problems before complete failure. But...they Cut wood until they fail. Get a good chain, and wear it out while it is still operational. Get your moneys worth. When it croaks finally, head back to the Saw shop and buy the last saw in your lifetime. 
Almost forgot... the damn things leak Bar oil to a fault. Store it over something that will catch the oil. It might not be leaking now, but give it time. Good luck! S-28 |
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Oak is tough wood. You need a sharp chain. Check to see if it is on correctly. Check for sharpness. Check the "sawdust" if you have chips, then you are doing fine. It you are throwing dust, you are using a bad chain. Make sure you are using bar oil. Make sure the chain is tightened correctly. What he said! |
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Where can I get one of those! 
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Almost forgot... the damn things leak Bar oil to a fault. Store it over something that will catch the oil. It might not be leaking now, but give it time.
They're supposed to leak, that's how they oil the chain. Store it on the side away from the bar and it won't leak. |
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Shoot me an IM 
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Thanks guys....sounds like I got a cheap saw with a cheap chain. I'll try getting a good chain, I figure the cheap saw will do for cutting enough fire wood for a couple of camps a year.
You see, down here on the edge of the Everglades, we don't have fireplaces(except for the carpetbaggers) we don't have much land to clear(except for Palmettos) end we don't need a $400 saw to show our manliness!(we use Firearms for that!!) jj
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I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl. Sigh.......GD, that'll teach me. It really is the best advice––except you can't sell a used Poulan, as no one will buy one. Here's the ugly truth: A beat-up used Stihl > new Poulan. Sorry––you should have asked BEFORE you bought.
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Thanks guys....sounds like I got a cheap saw with a cheap chain. I'll try getting a good chain, I figure the cheap saw will do for cutting enough fire wood for a couple of camps a year. You see, down here on the edge of the Everglades, we don't have fireplaces(except for the carpetbaggers) we don't have much land to clear(except for Palmettos) end we don't need a $400 saw to show our manliness!(we use Firearms for that!!) jj
Don't sweat it bro. The little Poulan will cut more wood than you'll ever need down in the swamp. The canuks and yankees are right about their saws, but then again they have to cut all summer just to keep from freezing to death. They get super cereal about their saws, just like you do about air boats. Get a good beaver toothed chain, keep it oiled, and you'll have gray hair before it gives up. |
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Calm down, you said you were a newbie and we are just covering the basics.
I am quite calm....I just had covered "the basics" in my original post. Your comment was quite helpful though. I was getting dust, it probably is a dull blade, out of the box. jjSharpening your own chain is quite easy, once learned. Plus you can do it after a few tanks if the wood your cutting is rough. I'm sure you could find a video tutorial online and save a few bucks doing it yourself. here ya go link |
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Thanks guys....sounds like I got a cheap saw with a cheap chain. I'll try getting a good chain, I figure the cheap saw will do for cutting enough fire wood for a couple of camps a year. You see, down here on the edge of the Everglades, we don't have fireplaces(except for the carpetbaggers) we don't have much land to clear(except for Palmettos) end we don't need a $400 saw to show our manliness!(we use Firearms for that!!) jj
Don't sweat it bro. The little Poulan will cut more wood than you'll ever need down in the swamp. The canuks and yankees are right about their saws, but then again they have to cut all summer just to keep from freezing to death. They get super cereal about their saws, just like you do about air boats. Get a good beaver toothed chain, keep it oiled, and you'll have gray hair before it gives up. Didn't need it to keep warm this summer............... but kept 2 Stihl 460's running all summer to cut up all the downed trees from last December's ice storm...........
Need any firewood.......  
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| If you got the wood from a neighbor and it came from a tree in a neighborhood then you probably hit a nail or wire embedded in the tree. Re sharpen that chain and get back to work. Examine the bark to see if there are scars. If so then likely it's from a nail or wire. Don't cut there. |
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I bought a Poulan 18" Wild Thing. Just to cut a little firewood for camping. Not much other use for firewood in these parts. First time out I went to cut some green oak from some local tree trimming a neighbor had done. It was tough going and I got a lot of heat and smoke. I have plenty of oil, and the chain is on right, what could be my problem? Could a factory new blade be dull? What? Any tips??? Yes, Sell the saw, buy a Stihl MS361 or bigger Fixed I run a 440 Magnum  Me too, plenty of power & NO regrets 
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Green Oak can be a bitch on good chains. Your poor little POOlan came outta the blisterpack with a chain that wouldn't cut Cold grits in a shallow bowl without going dull. Head to the Stihl shop near you, and get a good chain and try again. Steer clear of the blister packed box store chains from Oregan. They are shit hobby chains with goofy assed liability proof rakers, set to barely cut and reduce any kickback to zero, while heating up the chain pissless. TRASH! Odds are you smoked the damn chain on the first cut. If the saw is still buzzing, not bogging, with mild pressure, and NOT cutting, it's the chain. While at the Saw shop, kindly admit you are new to this stuff, and ask for some pointers. You'll get a few snide comments on POOlan saws but they will go outta thier way to help you a bit, and maybe even keep you from getting a stitch or two. POOlan saws ain't the greatest and generally cut well for a while under light use, then piss the owner off with snotty little problems before complete failure. But...they Cut wood until they fail. Get a good chain, and wear it out while it is still operational. Get your moneys worth. When it croaks finally, head back to the Saw shop and buy the last saw in your lifetime.
Almost forgot... the damn things leak Bar oil to a fault. Store it over something that will catch the oil. It might not be leaking now, but give it time. Good luck! S-28 + 1000 Go to the saw shop and get rid of the safety chain. |
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Green is part of the problem. It gets hot, gummy and dulls a chain fast. Still you should be able to get through a few piees before it won't cut at all. Buy an extra chain - you'll need one anyway - and if you have the same problem, dry the stuff out a bit.
Actually, the opposite is true. Dried wood is much harder on the chain than green wood. Chainsaws were invented to cut green wood. |
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Thanks guys....sounds like I got a cheap saw with a cheap chain. I'll try getting a good chain, I figure the cheap saw will do for cutting enough fire wood for a couple of camps a year. You see, down here on the edge of the Everglades, we don't have fireplaces(except for the carpetbaggers) we don't have much land to clear(except for Palmettos) end we don't need a $400 saw to show our manliness!(we use Firearms for that!!) jj
Don't sweat it bro. The little Poulan will cut more wood than you'll ever need down in the swamp. The canuks and yankees are right about their saws, but then again they have to cut all summer just to keep from freezing to death. They get super cereal about their saws, just like you do about air boats. Get a good beaver toothed chain, keep it oiled, and you'll have gray hair before it gives up. Didn't need it to keep warm this summer............... but kept 2 Stihl 460's running all summer to cut up all the downed trees from last December's ice storm...........
Need any firewood.......
Of course you didn't need firewood this summer. You saw firewood in the summer for the coming COLD AS FUCK winter. This Florida swamp kid sees winter as anything <60*. He doesn't cut firewood for a living. He just needs advise for a small simple saw. I promise you, if you ever need advice about gigging gators at 2am out of an air boat he could probably come up with some comments too. He just needs a sharp-toothed chain & some oil. Any web-footed Florida kid that spends $500+ on a damn chainsaw will be known as an idiot and a fool. Not so different than what your neighbors would say in Kansas with an air boat parked in your driveway.
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If you got the wood from a neighbor and it came from a tree in a neighborhood then you probably hit a nail or wire embedded in the tree. Re sharpen that chain and get back to work. Examine the bark to see if there are scars. If so then likely it's from a nail or wire. Don't cut there. LOL!!! I hate it when this shit happens!!! Except around here it's deer slugs, buckshot, or .22 bullets.
I once was cutting away and got a shower of sparks, stopped, changed the chain and cut further up...sparks again. Changed the chain and went up another 6" and then split the cut log to see WTF it was. Somebody nailed a Hoseshoe to the old Oak a LOOOONG time ago.[>:/] S-28 |
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Thanks guys....sounds like I got a cheap saw with a cheap chain. I'll try getting a good chain, I figure the cheap saw will do for cutting enough fire wood for a couple of camps a year. You see, down here on the edge of the Everglades, we don't have fireplaces(except for the carpetbaggers) we don't have much land to clear(except for Palmettos) end we don't need a $400 saw to show our manliness!(we use Firearms for that!!) jj
Don't sweat it bro. The little Poulan will cut more wood than you'll ever need down in the swamp. The canuks and yankees are right about their saws, but then again they have to cut all summer just to keep from freezing to death. They get super cereal about their saws, just like you do about air boats. Get a good beaver toothed chain, keep it oiled, and you'll have gray hair before it gives up. Didn't need it to keep warm this summer............... but kept 2 Stihl 460's running all summer to cut up all the downed trees from last December's ice storm...........
Need any firewood.......
Of course you didn't need firewood this summer. You saw firewood in the summer for the coming COLD AS FUCK winter. This Florida swamp kid sees winter as anything <60*. He doesn't cut firewood for a living. He just needs advise for a small simple saw. I promise you, if you ever need advice about gigging gators at 2am out of an air boat he could probably come up with some comments too. He just needs a sharp-toothed chain & some oil. Any web-footed Florida kid that spends $500+ on a damn chainsaw will be known as an idiot and a fool. Not so different than what your neighbors would say in Kansas with an air boat parked in your driveway.
...acutually I do have a neighbor north of me that has an airboat.........uses it to check hunters at Quivira NWR......however, we don't have any gators here....that I know of......unless they're UF transplants
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Also a Stihl fan, but no Husqvarna love here? I run a Husqvarna. Its a great saw! I bought it to replace a Poulan. It was a real POS. I know why they call them Pullin. That damn thing was a bitch to get started. I was pullin it till I was worn out. Last time out with it I was trying to cut camp wood in the middle of winter. I gave it a good cussing and threw it as far as I could!!! |
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Also a Stihl fan, but no Husqvarna love here? I just bought a Husky, and it has been exceptional so far. Cuts better than my Dad's Stihl, but to be fair the Stihl is over 15 years old. So big plus one for the Stihl longevity, even if the new Husky outcuts it. |