Buying a new saw tomorrow....advice needed

[mikepinto65]

Tomorrow I am buying a new saw, i've been considering the Stihl MS 211C-BE, Husky 435, and the Dolmar PS 420.
i've narrowed it down the to Dolmar and the Husky and tend to be leaning more towards the Dolmar but was wondering what you guys thought. Fortunately I have access to all three dealers as (from what I understand) Dolmars are tough to find in the East. Also all three saws are in stock at the dealers near me.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, I was thinking i'd get a faster response here

Mike

 

[North of 60]

These saws seem a little small. Are they just for limbing? If thats the only purpose I would suggest going for the one with the least weight. P.S. Dont worry about posting in the gear room for a responce. Guys like smokin joe, firewood guy, Wet1 and the rest of the boyz will always be right on it like a ported saw on wet balsa wood. ;-)

 

[Highbeam]

How much wood will you cut per year? What size of wood? What species of wood? Is this your only saw? Is there a budget that you are trying to keep?

I have one saw for firewood cutting and it is a Stihl MS290. I wouldn't want to go much any smaller.

 

[mikepinto65]

I think the stihl is probably a bit small, but for what i'll be cutting (6-8 cords of log lengths my father and I split) I think it should do the trick. My father has an older stihl with a 16" bar, and my grandfather has always used smaller (older) saws with 16" bars and have never had any problems.
Beside the issue of rightsizeness, im looking, more so, for recomendations over brands and reputations.

Thanks

 

[mikepinto65]

How much wood will you cut per year? What size of wood? What species of wood? Is this your only saw? Is there a budget that you are trying to keep?

I have one saw for firewood cutting and it is a Stihl MS290. I wouldn't want to go much any smaller.

Log length mixed hardwood....thickness obviously verys but nothing my father and grandfathers saws couldnt handle
This is going to be my first/only saw, not really trying to spend a fortune for fall cutting.

 

[wellbuilt home]

Hi mike , those saws are just 2 small for any real work . I have 2 stihl saws i think they are 290 farm boss 1 with a 20" blade and one with a 16 " for limbing . I think the saws cost 365 + tax . Ive used the saws since 2001 . Ive changed a few bars and filters and spark plugs but i cut (allot) of wood . A larger saw will cut your cutting time buy 2/3 ds , plus the saw will last you the rest of your life. whats a couple hundred bucks over 30 years ?
bigger's better at the log pile . John

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Mike,
Have you looked into the Dolmar 5100s ? I've cut over 10 cord with mine since May2008 and it's a ripper of a saw.
It's a perfect saw for log length wood hackers. When I first got it I cut a few 12" Shagbark cookies with my 42cc Craftsman, then I cut some cookies with the 5100s (night/day difference)......
Handsdown the best investment I made to ease my cut times on grapple loads.

My dealer is getting $429.00
Dolmar 5100s
50.7 cc
3.9 hp.
11.2 lb. powerhead

WoodButcher

 

[mikepinto65]

Mike,
Have you looked into the Dolmar 5100s ? I've cut over 10 cord with mine since May2008 and it's a ripper of a saw.
It's a perfect saw for log length wood hackers. When I first got it I cut a few 12" Shagbark cookies with my 42cc Craftsman, then I cut some cookies with the 5100s (night/day difference)......
Handsdown the best investment I made to ease my cut times on grapple loads.

My dealer is getting $429.00
Dolmar 5100s
50.7 cc
3.9 hp.
11.2 lb. powerhead

WoodButcher

Good to hear, where is your dealer?

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Mike,
Have you looked into the Dolmar 5100s ? I've cut over 10 cord with mine since May2008 and it's a ripper of a saw.
It's a perfect saw for log length wood hackers. When I first got it I cut a few 12" Shagbark cookies with my 42cc Craftsman, then I cut some cookies with the 5100s (night/day difference)......
Handsdown the best investment I made to ease my cut times on grapple loads.

My dealer is getting $429.00
Dolmar 5100s
50.7 cc
3.9 hp.
11.2 lb. powerhead

WoodButcher

Good to hear, where is your dealer?

Talk to Brad Curtis
140 Providence Road (RT6)
Brooklyn, CT 06234
Phone: 860-774-1485

Website:

http://www.firstgeartrucks.com/store/product.php?productid=761&cat=4&page=1

 

[mikepinto65]

Mike,
Have you looked into the Dolmar 5100s ? I've cut over 10 cord with mine since May2008 and it's a ripper of a saw.
It's a perfect saw for log length wood hackers. When I first got it I cut a few 12" Shagbark cookies with my 42cc Craftsman, then I cut some cookies with the 5100s (night/day difference)......
Handsdown the best investment I made to ease my cut times on grapple loads.

My dealer is getting $429.00
Dolmar 5100s
50.7 cc
3.9 hp.
11.2 lb. powerhead

WoodButcher

Good to hear, where is your dealer?

Talk to Brad Curtis
140 Providence Road (RT6)
Brooklyn, CT 06234
Phone: 860-774-1485

Website:

http://www.firstgeartrucks.com/store/product.php?productid=761&cat=4&page=1

Thanks, Ill go check em out tomorrow, the 510 looks pretty tempting at 1lb heavier 1000 less rpms, and 100 bucks less ($30 more than my dealer was pricing the 420 at).

 

[wendell]

I agree on the 5100. You will be able to work faster with less effort and the saw will last you longer because you are putting less stress on it. You may be able to cut the wood with a smaller saw but you will be happier with the bigger saw.

 

[LLigetfa]

I've had a 65cc saw for going on 30 years and not once did I think that I'd want a smaller saw.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I've had a 65cc saw for going on 30 years and not once did I think that I'd want a smaller saw.

That 65-71 range seems to be the sweet spot for blocking wood all day.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I think the stihl is probably a bit small, but for what i'll be cutting (6-8 cords of log lengths my father and I split) I think it should do the trick. My father has an older stihl with a 16" bar, and my grandfather has always used smaller (older) saws with 16" bars and have never had any problems.
Beside the issue of rightsizeness, im looking, more so, for recomendations over brands and reputations.

Thanks

6-8 cord? I, Bigg Redd, wouldn't go any smaller than 50ccs and you could easily justify a 50-60ccs saw. I, Bigg Redd, would buy a used 36 or 360 or something like that before I'd buy a new but too-small saw.

 

[John_M]

Mike, Thirty or forty years ago in one of my other lives, I did a lot of cutting with a Stihl 036. A great and relieable saw. Got back into cutting again this year and thought I could easily get by with only one saw so I purchased a Stihl MS250C-BE with a 16" bar and their safety chain. The saw is terrific but see its limitations below.

As long as I am cutting wood up to 8" the saw is fine. With 10" wood it begins to bog down a little. With 12" -14" it bogs down quite a lot. All this bogging down is probably very hard on the clutch. So, I decided to purchase a larger saw. I started a thread asking for comparisons between the Stihl MS361 and the Husqvarna 357XP and received many helpful responses.

Yesterday, I had to take a break from the drenching rain so I went to my local Husqvarna dealer. I made the mistake of picking up many of their saws. They all felt great ergonomically and the Husky 346XP with 18" bar felt superior. The 346XP is about 26% stronger than my MS250 and I was planning a greater difference in the saws. I cannot be specific but the balance, top handle, trigger, and trigger handle felt more natural in my hands than my Stihl. I did not run the saw so my testing is not yet complete. The salesman knew almost nothing about the saw and was unfamiliar with full chisel chain, etc.

Admitedly, I will go to my trusted Stihl dealer and handle some of their saws again. Then start and run both brands before deciding. Right now, the 346XP has a greater edge in the competition.

My reason for this post is to suggest you look at a larger saw as a one saw user. Would also suggest you look at the 346XP as a potential competitor.

Good luck with your difficult decision.

John_M

 

[mikepinto65]

Thanks guys,
Im visiting a dealer or two today. Ill let you know how it turns out

 

[SolarAndWood]

Yesterday, I had to take a break from the drenching rain so I went to my local Husqvarna dealer. I made the mistake of picking up many of their saws. They all felt great ergonomically and the Husky 346XP with 18" bar felt superior. The 346XP is about 26% stronger than my MS250

John_M

Drenching rain yesterday is an understatement. I went from nice graded hard pack clay to up to the axles of the backhoe in less than an hour.

The 346XP is a nice weight/power point. Not sure where you are in central NY, there is a Jonsered dealer just off 81 at the Nedrow exit. You may want to look at the Jonsered version of that saw as well. I think the name of the shop is ECK.

 

[stee6043]

With David Hasselhoff on your side do you really even need a saw?

Good luck with your purchase today.....as stated above - Go BIGGER!

 

[Highbeam]

You seem to have a brand question too. Everyone likes their brand but when I decided to upgrade from my poulan wild thing which, by the way, cut many many cords of large diameter 30"+ wood I was willing to go with a Dolmar or a Stihl. Too many personal bad stories about Husky from friends and family. The Dolmar dealers are few and very far between but around every corner is a Stihl dealer. All Stihl dealers were very helpful and seemed to know a good bit about their products.

Most folks don't even know what a Dolmar is. Do you want to try and find parts for a saw like that?

It also appears that you are trying to find the lowest grade saws available from each brand. Note that those saws are not rated for a lifetime of use. 6-8 cords per year isn't light use or occasional use, that kind of production puts you into the mid range saws. Look for an orange or white handle on the Stihl, black handle means occasional use.

 

[JeffRey30747]

Six to eight cords is on par with what my father and I do together and I wouldn't want to try to do it with the class of saw you mention. It can be done, but will be a lot more work than it has to be. I have used a Husqvarna 51 for years and Dad has an older 61. My uncle's newer 61 wouldn't run due to lack of use, so I borrowed it and got it going with a sharp chain. I was amazed at the difference on larger diameter pieces. So I set about shopping for a saw a little larger than my old 51 which is still great for limbing. I was looking hard at the Makita 6401 (Dolmar 6400) at Amazon for $550 delivered and had scoped out the local Home Depot's to see if I might get a deal on a used one off rental. I ended up finding a used Husky 570 on a local trading post for $350. I looked at it, tested it on big chunk of white oak the guy had in his yard and offered him $300. He hesitated only a moment and took the offer. Now I wish I had started haggling lower. ;-) The 570 has been great. I have put a new bar and chain from Amick's but the old one was usable. The old bar will now be my spare.
The moral of the story is that you will probably be better off buying a good used larger saw than a new saw of the size you describe.

 

[Gooserider]

I don't see parts as a big problem w/ Dolmar - or almost any other modern saw for that matter - as we have this wonderful thing called the Internet, that can get any part delivered to you door in a day or two, often for less than it would cost to drive to your local dealer (who might or might not have what you need...)

Amicks definitely sells Dolmar parts, so do others...

Working on a Dolmar, or getting it fixed shouldn't be a big issue either - I've talked to dealers of the different brands, and they all say that Dolmar doesn't do anything unusual that would make them any harder or different to diagnose or service than another brand. Some of the guys on Arboristsite have said that Dolmars are slightly better to work on in the sense that they do things like using the same size Torx head screws on everything (In theory you can supposedly go all the way to the crank with just the tools they give you with the saw...

I would agree with those that like the 5100s Dolmar, it seems to be an exceptionally sweet saw. I have the 7900 and love it, but it is overkill for a lot of stuff (though limbing with it is a gas...)

Gooserider

 

[WoodMann]

Out of all this sounds like a Stihl MS 250 would be this schizzle..............

 

[mikepinto65]

Well guys the deed is done.
After much consideration and visits today to my local Stihl/Husky dealer and my local Dolmar dealer (both within 20 mins from me) I went with the Dolmar PS-420.......J/K! I purchased the PS-510.
I did not like the way the MS-290 felt, heavy and I do believe it would have been a little overkill, The husky 455 was ok, but I really had bad thoughts of the bulb primer (big turn off for some reason)and im not to cool with them being owned by Electrolux......Kelly Ripa and saws dont mix in my eyes!
Than I went to the Dolmar dealer and looked at both the 510 and the 5100. I suppose if I was really into saving 15min a day the 5100 and the extra 100 bucks would make sense but im not so I think the little power difference should be OK.
Thank you for all your help and thanks for not letting me make the mistake of gong too small.
I ended up getting the saw for $315 with 2 year parts and labor and got an extra chain thrown in too at no charge.

Mike

 

[mikepinto65]

With David Hasselhoff on your side do you really even need a saw?

Good luck with your purchase today.....as stated above - Go BIGGER!

Thats why I wanted a small saw, I was planning on just cutting with my teeth!

 

[mikepinto65]

Dolmars car ride home