Nik's Poulan Thread

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here is the link to get a full size rattle can of Sub-Lime J5. it is expensive @ $25.00 a can.

Welcome to Totally Auto

Yea, it is somewhat expensive but you don't have the issue of mixing the correct amount of paint to reduce waste, paint hardening while ur waiting to second coat, or cleanup of the spray equipment. For those w/o spray equipment it would fit the bill
Bob
 
Did anybody ever try the Rustoleum Lime paint that I suggested about 2 years ago? I've used it on my Poulans and can't tell the difference between it and the Poulan green. It's available at Rural King for much less than $25..I think it's $3.95.

Can't say that I have. Wonder if Tractor Supply carrys it as we don't have any Rural Kings in my neck of the woods.
Bob
 
Can't say that I have. Wonder if Tractor Supply carrys it as we don't have any Rural Kings in my neck of the woods.
Bob

TSC didn't have any last time I looked, been awhile though. Rural King stores are scarce out my way. Been to one last fall to buy a wood splitter. Its 30-40 miles away. Somebody would have to pin a note on my shirt pocket for me to remember to look for the paint next time I go. :(

:cheers:
Gregg,
 
TSC didn't have any last time I looked, been awhile though. Rural King stores are scarce out my way. Been to one last fall to buy a wood splitter. Its 30-40 miles away. Somebody would have to pin a note on my shirt pocket for me to remember to look for the paint next time I go. :(

:cheers:
Gregg,

Rustoleum calls their paint "Key Lime", I saw it on a Sears advertisement. I bought mine a Rural King about 2 years ago.
 
Rustoleum calls their paint "Key Lime", I saw it on a Sears advertisement. I bought mine a Rural King about 2 years ago.

Arnie, I do remember that, even saved a Pic of it. LOL

KeyLimepaint-1_zps5da7394b.jpg


:cheers:
Gregg,
 
Arnie, I do remember that, even saved a Pic of it. LOL

KeyLimepaint-1_zps5da7394b.jpg


:cheers:
Gregg,

I remember it and the picture he posted of it as well.

Not seen it in person but I thought it was a poor match myself from the pictures.

A good automotive pair would sure hold up to gas better and also last longer as well.

I would think anyone going through all the trouble to restore a saw and all the work to get it in shape to paint wouldn't want all that work wasted on cheap paint.
 
I remember it and the picture he posted of it as well.

Not seen it in person but I thought it was a poor match myself from the pictures.

A good automotive pair would sure hold up to gas better and also last longer as well.

I would think anyone going through all the trouble to restore a saw and all the work to get it in shape to paint wouldn't want all that work wasted on cheap paint.

I hear ya Mark!! The hardest part of doing a restore, and I have only done ONE. LOL Is the prep work involved getting all the parts just ready to paint! The paint I used was Acrylic enamel with Urethane hardener added. But, the black I used was rattle can Rustoleum. :(

That Key Lime Arnie is showing looks to me like might be a close match to the older Poulan green, but not for the newer green. Hard to tell from a can pic. The Sublime green I used, is just a tad too green. You don't really notice it unless there is an original to compare it with.

I think on just saws I was gonna use as "work saws", any of the rattle can jobs might be a good cheap alternative, just to make them look a little better. If I were to try and restore more saws, I would definitely go with the mixed paint. If I was smart, I would have some custom matched & mixed like you did, or the paint Brad had mixed, looked like a good match.

:cheers:
Gregg,
 
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you did a great job on that one. You make a good point, a quick coat of rattle can paint on a work saw might help protect the metal from further oxidation, saving it for a future full restoration. I used some old fish oil based rustolium red primer on the bed of a old ford wood hauling truck I owned. It smelled like sardines if I parked it in the sun for months after it was painted. It was the toughest paint I have ever seen. It was almost like a bed liner. I could slide 8 foot red oak logs that were to heavy for me to lift and they didn't take the paint off.
I suppose they have "improved" the formula since then. It was many years ago..

When I semi-restored a saw a couple years ago, I went over my rattle-can color with clear engine enamel. Has held up better than I thought it would.
 
I hear ya Mark!! The hardest part of doing a restore, and I have only done ONE. LOL Is the prep work involved getting all the parts just ready to paint! The paint I used was Acrylic enamel with Urethane hardener added. But, the black I used was rattle can Rustoleum. :(

That Key Lime Arnie is showing looks to me like might be a close match to the older Poulan green, but not for the newer green. Hard to tell from a can pic. The Sublime green I used, is just a tad too green. You don't really notice it unless there is an original to compare it with.

I think on just saws I was gonna use as "work saws", any of the rattle can jobs might be a good cheap alternative, just to make them look a little better. If I were to try and restore more saws, I would definitely go with the mixed paint. If I was smart, I would have some custom matched & mixed like you did, or the paint Brad had mixed, looked like a good match.

:cheers:
Gregg,

Here's a comparison between an NOS chain brake on my 5200 which has rarely seen daylight and a 3400 cover painted with the Key Lime from Rustoleum.

Side by side there is quite a difference. The light was not too even so I took three pics. The Key Lime looks pretty green by itself but beside the original it looks very yellow. I wouldn't hesitate to touch up an old saw with it but I'm not too sure about the durability. The primer I used was not very good.



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Here's a comparison between an NOS chain brake on my 5200 which has rarely seen daylight and a 3400 cover painted with the Key Lime from Rustoleum.

Side by side there is quite a difference. The light was not too even so I took three pics. The Key Lime looks pretty green by itself but beside the original it looks very yellow. I wouldn't hesitate to touch up an old saw with it but I'm not too sure about the durability. The primer I used was not very good.


Tim, I'm amazed at how close your NOS 5200 cover looks to what I just used on mine. Hard to tell in pics, but not that far off. My 5200 compared to the rest of my Poulan herd, is quite different.
5200paint030_zps405dd2f4.jpg


Gregg,
 
Tim, I'm amazed at how close your NOS 5200 cover looks to what I just used on mine. Hard to tell in pics, but not that far off. My 5200 compared to the rest of my Poulan herd, is quite different.
5200paint030_zps405dd2f4.jpg


Gregg,

The saws that you and Mark did look perfect. I guess one thing we will never know is if Poulan wasn't too fussy or changed tints periodically which gave slight color differences. The chain brake does seem to match the original paint on my 5200 but the gloss level is considerably higher than on the saw. I woud guess that the wear and tear on the paint dulled it some.
I plan to try and have the paint matched from the chain brake this summer and paint the 5200 and maybe the 4200 as well.
I don't have decent access to blasting and I wouldn't trust most shops to media blast the saws so I will be sanding a feathering to get the best surface I can.
My 3700 was a factory repaint over Canadian Tire yellow and the ainter's surface prep was horrible. There's as much yellow showing as green. It was likley subbed out as I doubt they would have invested in a paint operation for the Canadian operation.
 
I've got to say I sure envy you guys for all the older saw purchase opportunities you have in the US. I have never seen a 306 or 245 come up for sale and the only 5200 / 4200 I saw come up I bought. One 4000, a few 3700's a PP505 and a bunch of 3400's, mostly rebranded ones.

It seems like the area I live in is a Homelite mecca. Good saws but they just don't feel good in my hands.
 
The saws that you and Mark did look perfect. I guess one thing we will never know is if Poulan wasn't too fussy or changed tints periodically which gave slight color differences. The chain brake does seem to match the original paint on my 5200 but the gloss level is considerably higher than on the saw. I woud guess that the wear and tear on the paint dulled it some.
I plan to try and have the paint matched from the chain brake this summer and paint the 5200 and maybe the 4200 as well.
I don't have decent access to blasting and I wouldn't trust most shops to media blast the saws so I will be sanding a feathering to get the best surface I can.
My 3700 was a factory repaint over Canadian Tire yellow and the ainter's surface prep was horrible. There's as much yellow showing as green. It was likley subbed out as I doubt they would have invested in a paint operation for the Canadian operation.

Tim,
I'm very anxious to see your 5200 & 4200 and how it turns out. I think I will paint my other 5200 this summer. But I'm not going to tear it all down and blast it. Will just try and degrease and sand some by hand and mask things off the best I can. It will remain a "work saw" anyway.
My 4200, I will just leave it as is. It don't look bad, and is a work saw also.
My cousin restores cars and has a nice Snap-on blast cabinet that I used on my 5200 parts. I hate to keep using somebody else's tools like that. LOL So will be a hand sanding job.

:cheers:
Gregg,
 
Tim,
I'm very anxious to see your 5200 & 4200 and how it turns out. I think I will paint my other 5200 this summer. But I'm not going to tear it all down and blast it. Will just try and degrease and sand some by hand and mask things off the best I can. It will remain a "work saw" anyway.
My 4200, I will just leave it as is. It don't look bad, and is a work saw also.
My cousin restores cars and has a nice Snap-on blast cabinet that I used on my 5200 parts. I hate to keep using somebody else's tools like that. LOL So will be a hand sanding job.

:cheers:
Gregg,

Now you're putting pressure on a fellow geezer. I've never used a spray gun before. I may practice on the only Mac I have and paint it green if I can find my chain hoist to get it off the ground.
 

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