Pioneer chainsaws

[Arrowhead]

Just got back in from the garage, its been a good day for Pioneers. A young mentally and physically challenged lad that is sort of an outcast among his peers hangs out around the shop and woodyard. I had fixed him up a Craftsman chainsaw a couple of years back and he learned how to use it really well. Today I took some time and built him up a Pioneer P28 from a couple of parts saws that had accumulated under the workbench. The completed saw is a nice example of the P28 lineage and includes a chainbrake. After taking it out for a test run a fellow showed up with 5 big 600 series Pioneers that he has been telling me about for a couple of years, says hope you can use them even if just for parts. Each one turns over smoothly with compression and should run with some TLC.Before the day was over 4 more saws of another make were dropped off for the parts dept. Guess I will have a few project saws for this winter.
So, how was this weekend for the rest of the Pioneer posters?
Pioneerguy600

Jerry, Thats great how you mentor that young boy. I wish more people were kind hearted like you. Looks like you were rewarded greatly. The only chainsaw action I had today was hearing my neighbor a mile away running his!

 

[Brmorgan]

So, how was this weekend for the rest of the Pioneer posters?
Pioneerguy600

Well it ain't a Pioneer, but I picked up a pretty ratty-looking Homelite Super XL-130 at the scrap yard on Friday for free. It isn't in terrible physical shape from looking at the outside, but it's been sitting out in the elements for a long time and is corroded pretty badly and seized rock-solid. It was all I could do to pull the muffler from all the rust. Once I got it off, the exhaust port was just a solid mass of white aluminum oxide. I can't tell yet if it was seized before being "stored" or if it's just all the corrosion on the P/C and/or the crank bearings. It's going to need a good soak in some ATF/Acetone mix or some such to even begin to get anything working. And I've got a few other project saws I'd much rather work on before that one over the winter.

As for Pioneers, I picked up a couple 970 cases at the scrap yard a couple weeks ago. One is in terrible shape, smashed all in at the front but has all the smaller parts like the coil, carb, etc. intact which the other doesn't. So it looks like I'll have to strip both down to the nuts and bolts and rebuild one good one from there. One has an intact clutch cover, but I'm going to need an air filter, filter cover, and recoil cover to complete one. BTW they're painted an odd olive-green color, like they were army issue or something. Never seen a Pioneer that color before. Maybe I'll take a couple pics later this evening.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and FWIW, those 970s appear to be pretty much identical to the 2071 project and p26 donor saws I already have.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Well it ain't a Pioneer, but I picked up a pretty ratty-looking Homelite Super XL-130 at the scrap yard on Friday for free. It isn't in terrible physical shape from looking at the outside, but it's been sitting out in the elements for a long time and is corroded pretty badly and seized rock-solid. It was all I could do to pull the muffler from all the rust. Once I got it off, the exhaust port was just a solid mass of white aluminum oxide. I can't tell yet if it was seized before being "stored" or if it's just all the corrosion on the P/C and/or the crank bearings. It's going to need a good soak in some ATF/Acetone mix or some such to even begin to get anything working. And I've got a few other project saws I'd much rather work on before that one over the winter.

As for Pioneers, I picked up a couple 970 cases at the scrap yard a couple weeks ago. One is in terrible shape, smashed all in at the front but has all the smaller parts like the coil, carb, etc. intact which the other doesn't. So it looks like I'll have to strip both down to the nuts and bolts and rebuild one good one from there. One has an intact clutch cover, but I'm going to need an air filter, filter cover, and recoil cover to complete one. BTW they're painted an odd olive-green color, like they were army issue or something. Never seen a Pioneer that color before. Maybe I'll take a couple pics later this evening.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and FWIW, those 970s appear to be pretty much identical to the 2071 project and p26 donor saws I already have.

Brad you sure come up with some odd ones don`t you. The 970 is a lot alike the 2071. It should have the standard recoil not the easy arc style on it. Most of them had the OMC carb on them instead of the Tilly.I have one in close to new condition. The 1072,1073,2073,P20 and P25 all share the same size piston and jug,some other parts also interchange.
Pioneerguy600

 

[pioneerguy600]

Good to see lots of action on the Pioneer thread. I was out camping and using a P50 and a 655 to cut wood for some BIG fires. I should have snapped some pics and will next time.
A young east coaster who drank too much beer flipped his quad and broke his neck beside our campsite. Waiting five hours for an ambulance put a damper on things.

Leave it to those down Easters to drink too much and become unruly. It sucks for that to happen on a camping trip and have been there to witness a neck breaking while out camping. Fellow camper got too full of spirits and while swinging on a rope attached to a big pine leaning out over a pond forgot to let go on the way out, held on a little too long and let go on the way back, his head collided with the bank and his neck was fractured. My wife is a nurse and I was just a first responder trainee at the time but we did what we could until the fully trained paramedics arrived and relieved us, he was medivacted and lived but is partially paralyzed. Put a damper on that trip also.
Pioneerguy600

 

[pioneerguy600]

Jerry, Thats great how you mentor that young boy. I wish more people were kind hearted like you. Looks like you were rewarded greatly. The only chainsaw action I had today was hearing my neighbor a mile away running his!

I have known this young fella since he was 3 years old. His dad died in the driveway of a heart attack, his mom is not really stable but does the best she can. He is 17 now and has hung out most of his life, he has the making of a good mechanic, tries hard to learn but has only one fully functional hand and drags one leg/foot. I built a chainsaw holder for him to mount the saws in so he can wrench on them with his one good hand and arm.The 6" vice also comes in handy for him. He is also an accomplished lawnmower mechanic and has built himself up a small fleet of mowers. He always wanted a Pioneer saw so I put a small one together for him, after we took it out for some cutting trials he was off like a shot with it to show it to his mom and a couple of neighbors.May not see him for a couple of days but he will be back.
Pioneerguy600

 

[Arrowhead]

i have known this young fella since he was 3 years old. His dad died in the driveway of a heart attack, his mom is not really stable but does the best she can. He is 17 now and has hung out most of his life, he has the making of a good mechanic, tries hard to learn but has only one fully functional hand and drags one leg/foot. I built a chainsaw holder for him to mount the saws in so he can wrench on them with his one good hand and arm.the 6" vice also comes in handy for him. He is also an accomplished lawnmower mechanic and has built himself up a small fleet of mowers. He always wanted a pioneer saw so i put a small one together for him, after we took it out for some cutting trials he was off like a shot with it to show it to his mom and a couple of neighbors.may not see him for a couple of days but he will be back.
Pioneerguy600

Fantastic !!!!!

 

[briantutt]

I have known this young fella since he was 3 years old. His dad died in the driveway of a heart attack, his mom is not really stable but does the best she can. He is 17 now and has hung out most of his life, he has the making of a good mechanic, tries hard to learn but has only one fully functional hand and drags one leg/foot. I built a chainsaw holder for him to mount the saws in so he can wrench on them with his one good hand and arm.The 6" vice also comes in handy for him. He is also an accomplished lawnmower mechanic and has built himself up a small fleet of mowers. He always wanted a Pioneer saw so I put a small one together for him, after we took it out for some cutting trials he was off like a shot with it to show it to his mom and a couple of neighbors.May not see him for a couple of days but he will be back.
Pioneerguy600

You're a saint.

 

[DroppedP51]

I have known this young fella since he was 3 years old. His dad died in the driveway of a heart attack, his mom is not really stable but does the best she can. He is 17 now and has hung out most of his life, he has the making of a good mechanic, tries hard to learn but has only one fully functional hand and drags one leg/foot. I built a chainsaw holder for him to mount the saws in so he can wrench on them with his one good hand and arm.The 6" vice also comes in handy for him. He is also an accomplished lawnmower mechanic and has built himself up a small fleet of mowers. He always wanted a Pioneer saw so I put a small one together for him, after we took it out for some cutting trials he was off like a shot with it to show it to his mom and a couple of neighbors.May not see him for a couple of days but he will be back.
Pioneerguy600

Thats very kind of you Well done for spending time with him

 

[sefh3]

Holiday ''G''

I just picked up one of these and now I have a questions. Boy these saws have an unique tone to them but I need a bar and chain for this. Does anyone have one laying around that they would like to part with?

 

[propliner]

Boyesen reeds are in.

Hi guys, I just got the two-stage reeds in today.

For those of you from the U.S. who ordered a set or sets, I will accept payment through Paypal (preferred) or an International bank money order. I can't seem to cash postal money orders here so they won't work.

For you fellow Canadians, I will accept Paypal, bank money order or personal cheque.

For payment info including Paypal or otherwise, just drop me a P.M.

I haven't had a chance to put a set on a saw yet so I can't tell you how well they work.

I didn't order any extra sets so if you didn't order some earlier then I'm afraid you're out of luck for the time being.

I will include a cool Boyesen sticker with each set as shown below.

Brendon.

 

[WesternSaw]

Permatex

I have been cleaning up the P42 Western here and there,now its time to put the muffler back on, it's all decarboned.The gasket that came off seems to be in really good shape.Do I just go ahead and put the gasket on then the muffler assembly ?Or do I put some Permatex around the exhaust port to hold the gasket on?Maybe I should phrase it this way .Do I put Permatex on both sides of the gasket?Well please just tell me what the heck to do!
Many Thanks
Lawrence Pioneer Guru Wannabe! LOL

 

[Roy M]

I would not Permatex the exhaust gasket, too much heat and there is really no point. Besides, I hate working on an engine that somebody glued together.
I have been enjoying this thread, got a soft spot for Pioneers. They were tough saws and most were easy to work on.

 

[propliner]

Muffler gasket

Lawrence, use the bare gasket only. I use Loctite on the three bolts' threads though, they are prone to coming loose.
Brendon.

 

[DroppedP51]

Ok more info Ive advertised over NZ looking for a P60-61-62 ,Had a guy ring me about a P65 pioneer/partner I rang him back but he wasnt there , His son thinks its a concrete saw? or that the saw was pulled apart to fix a concrete saw, I havnt seen any of it yet ,HELP Im losing sleep dreaming of having a P61

Sorry to keep on But guy in chainsaw shop over here rekons P51 saw will not have same stroke as P60 series and im pushing $hit uphill tryn to find bits to do the swap said a "Target Concrete cutter" had same barrell and piston as later saws, he may have a P65 without its module, can an aftermarket ign be fitted?

 

[Arrowhead]

I am building a P60 from a P50/51 as we speek. The strokes are the same, 1.5" or 38mm. The bore on a P51 is 2.06" or 52mm, the P60 has a 2.25" or 57mm. What ever happened with the P65 when you spoke with the guys son? I believe you may still be able to get the ign. mod from Poulan. It is different from your P51. Im sure you can find one, I would buy the saw, then find a mod for it. The P65 is a SUPER saw, hard to find!

 

[propliner]

a "Target Concrete cutter" had same barrell and piston as later saws, he may have a P65 without its module, can an aftermarket ign be fitted?

The P65 cylinder and the Target saw cylinder both have the bottom lip which is not compatible with your P51 case.
You will need to find a jug with a flat bottom i.e. P60, P61, P62 jug. Anything newer such as Pioneer/Partner, Poulan Pro or Target will not work with the P51 case because of that lip.

As far as ignitions go, the Pioneer P62, Pioneer/Partner P62, Pioneer/Partner P65, Poulan Pro 655 and Target saws all had the same ignition module which is still available today. The earlier saws had different ignitions which are harder to find.

 

[WesternSaw]

Muffler Gasket

I would not Permatex the exhaust gasket, too much heat and there is really no point. Besides, I hate working on an engine that somebody glued together.
I have been enjoying this thread, got a soft spot for Pioneers. They were tough saws and most were easy to work on.[/QU

Roy,Thanks for the information,and good to see you back on here!
Lawrence

 

[WesternSaw]

Muffler Gasket

Lawrence, use the bare gasket only. I use Loctite on the three bolts' threads though, they are prone to coming loose.
Brendon.

Brendon,Thanks for the information on the muffler gasket and the bolt threads
Too bad about that young fella on the quad. Booze and machines don't mix together.Sorry can't tell you how I know!
Lawrence

 

[Jersey Wdstove]

1200A new in the box

Hi all - new to the site and don't know too much about saws. That being said I have a 1200A new in the box, but no bar or chain. I've seen a couple posts that said there isn't really interest for the 1200 from a collector standpoint. What I guess I'm looking for is some advice on what to do with it. Is it worth it to get a bar and chain and put it to use? Or would it just be simpler to get something a whole lot newer?

I'll hopefully be cutting 5 - 10 cords a year for the woodstove, so it won't be an everyday saw.

 

[WesternSaw]

Hello Jersey wdstove

Welcome to AS and to the Pioneer thread.Pioneer saws are excellent machines.As a true rare collectible Pioneer I'm not so sure, Gurus on here would know.A new in the box saw of that age is awesome.To find a saw of that age new in a box of any make saw would be grand, I would think.If you are thinking of selling it I'm sure someone on this thread would be interested,including myself!

Lawrence