old poulan need some advice

[upandcommer]

Ok so I am officially a firewood junkie. I got on the phone last week and called two tree services and got on their lists one sells truckloads of wood so I don't expect any calls from him but the other called me on Wednesday with a 40" pin oak on the ground and chunked. I showed up to see the ms290 I brought was not gonna cut it literally. So talked to the CFO who helped load the trailer twice with rounds that where cut then hacked at with wedges mauls and come-a-longs into the trailer over two days. She says you need a bigger saw. Well on the way to our camping trip today just for fun I stopped by the saw shop on the way and low and behold a poulan 245a sits in the fixed trade in pile still had the owners manual tucked under the front half wrap so I ask how much and he says I was asking 125.00 but she has been here a while say 65.00. I take her out back start it and man she runs good. Long story short I bought it and now need to know if I can get a bigger bar for it (24") currently) if so where and what mount pattern will most likely fit? 75cc seems big for just a firewood saw but it seems pretty nimble for it's stated size. so any help would be great.
:help: :help:

 

[dinosaur50]

link

ther a link to some info on it http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.n...30a3071c44e1ea8b88256bfa00183a5f?OpenDocument

 

[Pcoz88]

??????

Don't you have a Mac sp 125 saw?

 

[upandcommer]

no it is a mac 1-43 and the tank is leaking so until I get time to rebuild the gas tank with a gasket I have to use the small ones.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Go to Oregon's website (do a search on Oregon Cutting Systems) and use the selector guide. They list a Power Match at 24 inches. You're in business!

 

[Al Smith]

Don't let the brand deter you or the size.I've cut firewood from any thing from a Homelite super 2 to a Mac SP 125,they all work.

If you give Bailey's a ring they for sure could lead you in the right direction for a bar.

Now,about that pin oak,Ohio grown,I presume.It is not like red or white oak that splits easily.That stuff is hard as granite and clingy as elm.Other than a hydraulic splitter,it's sledge hammer and wedge time.Good luck.I myself have 6 cords of that stuff,courtesy of a local tree trimmer,that I do battle with on occasion.The pin oak is winning.

 

[upandcommer]

The oak in question is gonna be processed by a friends 40 ton splitter I have seen it shear a 20" round of hard maple so it should do the job and then some. I was just wondering about maybe a 28" to 32" bar with some semi or full skip chain or should the 24" roller nose currently installed be called the max for the saw.

 

[ray benson]

Bar mount pattern is D176. Oregon's site lists a 28" bar.

 

[thomas72]

I would not put anything over a 2' bar on it. I use one and a bar bigger than 2' really puts a strain on the saw. I have a poulan 744 that I rebuilt, which is a 245 with a gear reduction and I would not run a bar no bigger than 3'. I would not over work the old saw with to big of a bar. I would just use what is on it if it is in good shape.

 

[motti]

The old Poulan manuals recommend a 16"-24" bar for the 245 and 306.

 

[upandcommer]

well the current set up is 3/8 x .63 on a 24" roller nose oregon bar would a change to .404 pitch give me any gains other than chain speed and torque reduction??

 

[thomas72]

On a old saw like that you are wasting your time with .404 unless it is above 90cc. That saw will cut at its best with 3/8 pitch chain. That is a well designed saw but not the best power house, and you have to treat it as that.

 

[upandcommer]

I finally got to use the big boy today on a couple loads of sugar maple from the tree service and all my worrying was for nothing I finally learned to hand sharpen and man the saw pulls the 24" 3/8 set up with authority. I am very impressed.