McCulloch 805

[Al Smith]

I think both Homelite and McCulloch just became complacent in the market .They could have both survived and done nicely had they modernized the saws rather than go more towards cheaper models sold at K-Mart .Fact is they both lost it in the board room by bad discissions of the members .Keep in mind Harley Davison nearly lost it during that same time perod also but that's another subject .

Both brand names survive to this day but the products are not the quality they once were especialy in light of brands such as Stihl ,Husqvarna and Dolmar . I could ramble on about the lack of quality in the later model Macs but I'm sure most have heard it all anyway .Tough to beat the earlier ones because they too like Homelite were built like battleships .That very reason is why some survive yet until this very day .

 

[woodworkingboy]

Homelite started out making sewing machines, and then branched into saws. It is hard to fail when nobody is making anything better. They lost it when unable to compete with the durable, lighter, and better balanced imports. They went for the cheap market, as Al mentioned, Sears carried their line for awhile. If you look up Homelite now, a list of consumer complaints also comes up.

 

[Al Smith]

Actually if I'm not mistaken they also made portable generaters prior to chainsaws .I also believe some of the first saws used Power Products engines before Homelite came up with their own design which incidently very much patterns the PP engines .

Another oddity is the fact that Robert Paxton McCulloch was actually into air moving devices and superchargers before he came up with the engine which eventually became the saw . He designed the engine just to test air flow dynamics of the superchargers and then built an empire from the byproduct .

 

[HolmenTree]

Bob McCulloch was like a Howard Hughes, he got into all kind of ventures but didn't focus on one product. Brilliant engineer, was also a good friend of Andreas Stihl. Bob sold the company to Black and Decker in 1973 when his pro saws were at their peak for the time. Then with poor health he died in 1977.
The last best USA built pro saw in my opinion was the Poulan 8500 from the mid 1980s. That saw was their answer to the Husqvarna Stihls etc. Even though Electrolux bought out the company long before.
The only other North American saw which "almost" gave the Euroupeans a run for their money in the 1980s was the 100% Canadian 1982 Pioneer P35. A streamlined European looking saw which was still being field tested when the firm closed. In 1983 Electrolux bought out the company.

 

[Al Smith]

I had made mention regarding Poulan saws that the only ones I've seen were the small models sold by Sears .Although there were some pro grade saws I have never seen any .

If memory serves me correctly Rotax Robert used to run one on the west coast racing circuit though .So evidently perhaps on the coast the larger models were used at least to some degree .

 

[Al Smith]

An update on the 805 .After I repaired the thing by using an 850 cylinder it seemed to do fine but ocasionally was hard to start .So rather than tug on the starter forever in those cases I usually just give them a shot of prime .

As it turns out on one occasion and much to my chagrin I think I hit it with straight gas mistakenly and hung the piston . .At the time I was working on my old Ford truck and got my gas mixed up ,chit happens .

As luck would have it I landed a beat up 850 off E-bay for cheap and transplanted the entire engine under the pristene 805 shrouding .So there it resides and is doing well .I don't screw up very often but if and when I do it's monumental .

 

[Guido Salvage]

The last best USA built pro saw in my opinion was the Poulan 8500 from the mid 1980s. That saw was their answer to the Husqvarna Stihls etc. Even though Electrolux bought out the company long before.

I have a 8500 and they were the last of the pro grade saws from Poulan and I believe introduced in 1985.

However, I would submit that the Homelite 540/8800 series was the last of the pro built American saws. They were introduced in 1988 and I bought this 540 new from Northern Hydraulics in 1991. I found the receipt when I moved, at $531 with a 20" bar (with the Safety Tip) it was an expensive saw in its day. For an additional $150 I added the 30" bar, the 20" has never seen wood.

I probably have not run 3 tanks of fuel through it. Last year it dropped of the shelf and I broke the handle (anyone have one?). The later 8800 series was all metal and this would not have happened to that saw.

I had made mention regarding Poulan saws that the only ones I've seen were the small models sold by Sears .Although there were some pro grade saws I have never seen any .

You could get larger Poulan saws through Sears. This is a picture of my Craftsman 3.7 (Poulan 3700).

You could also buy the Poulan 8500 in Sears colors.

 

[HolmenTree]

Good point about the Homelite 540 being the last pro USA saw Guido, by the way awesome collection of saws you have there. The Pouan 8500 at 85cc from the mid 1980s was a powerful saw, I don't know for sure how many loggers used them, but from my older brothers 8500 that I used a bit I was very impressed.
I remember Homelite making the big push to sell to the pro market in the mid 1980s. They sponsored the Homelite Tournament of Kings timbers sports at the time just like Stihl took on the Stihl Timbersports years later. The Homelites never really caught on here on the plains in the logging sector. Since about 1970 on the Jonsereds, Partners and Huskies took a good hold in the heavily logged colder climates of Canada and USA. They ran flawlessly in freezing temps. Something the others had a hard time with.
On the warmer PNW old 1969 built era Skils and Remingtons for example with up to 140cc were still used for falling up into the late 1970s.

 

[Cut4fun]

I probably have not run 3 tanks of fuel through it. Last year it dropped of the shelf and I broke the handle (anyone have one?). The later 8800 series was all metal and this would not have happened to that saw.

All of that from just from following off the shelf. I guess if one fell off my top shelf of 8 feet that could happen.
Does the plastic in the tank feel like the type used in the plastic tank poulans, stihls, huskys, etc?

 

[Cut4fun]

Guido Salvage get me your UT code off the homelite 540. Also I need UT because there is a newer homey called 540 too.

I know BillG had a new oem tank for 540 at one time FS.

 

[Guido Salvage]

It was on this cart and fell off when I moved it.

 

[Cut4fun]

wow, that had to be a freak hit to damage from that high.

If you want help tracking down a tank I need that UT number.

 

[Cut4fun]

Just 2 of the 8 shelves I have. To show how high up.

 

[Cut4fun]

Heck my #2 work bench is lot higher then that fall height. I made this bench to where I can stand up and work without bending over like on a normal bench #1.

 

[Guido Salvage]

wow, that had to be a freak hit to damage from that high.

If you want help tracking down a tank I need that UT number.

I was rolling the cart and it dropped on concrete handle first. The saw is in VA but the picture shows 10611.

 

[Cut4fun]

I was rolling the cart and it dropped on concrete handle first. The saw is in VA but the picture shows 10611.

I'll keep a eye out for you. I do stumble onto stuff.

Shame it wasnt a yellow tank. I put a couple 475 tanks back. One is to go on project I had bought a 2083 red tank for.

 

[Cut4fun]

Al bring the 805 to the GTG. I want to run the ole girl and see what I gave up.

 

[Al Smith]

I'll bring that one and a couple of other Macs I'm pretty sure not too many have ever seen .

The 805 is no speed demon but considering the design the old gal is a torquer but that's typical of a Mac .

Now the Poulans ,the only two I'm exactly certain about are s-25 ,the others are Craftsaman branded and I have no idea what models they are .I did fire one s-25 up tonight and true to form,faithful as an old hound the old gal lite off on 4 .Oldie but a goody .

 

[woodworkingboy]

You guys are chainsaw sick. The treatment is to buy more.

 

[Al Smith]

Well I just built more shelves in the shed to get the excess off the floor if that means anything .

 

[Cut4fun]

I thought she ran real good for a 80cc saw , Al. Thanks for bringing it so I could test her out. Mac 805 with 850 heart, JD 800V = Echo 8000 80cc , Poulan 505 82cc, Poulan 5200 85cc, Dolmar 7900 79cc all make good work saws.

She looks good in your fleet of saws at the GTG Sat and one of the newest looking saws I believe for you.

Seen some poulan S25 that flew in the cut for little ported saws.

 

[Al Smith]

Ha on those fast S25 's I found out they were running 1/4 " and most likely the Oregon I had talked about in so many posts .Full chisel,go get em ,fast chain .

I could elaborate on the stuff until the cows come home but anyone who has never saw it would not believe a little 2 cuber could cut that fast .

Perhaps this newer /old design chisel chain by Stihl will put the nuts back in the 2 cubers ,