Opinions On Dolmar 420

[Battenkiller]

I stop by the local Redmax dealer to look at a leftover GZ3800 they had and got talking to a salesman there. He put a demo 420 in my hands and we went out to cut some wood. That little thing really screams! This one didn't have a cat, but he said the new ones with the cat are really easy to mod. Just take out the muffler, drill through the spot welds and the cat falls right out. He said the saw would open up real nice with just that.

I was really impressed with how this thing kept the revs up, even with a 16" bar buried in a large round of oak. Price is great as well. $295 for just the powerhead. I want a mid-size saw for carving and this seems like just the ticket. I can't imagine it's anything close to the 346XP I've been wanting, but this would be a more appropriate saw to use as a dedicated carver. Lighter, less bulky, great balance, ridiculously easy to start.

I'm starting to lean toward getting this saw. Any negatives out there from you folks, or better options in its price range?

 

[mkra776]

i have had one about 2 years great little saw, took the the cat out the first day it really screams and is really well balanced

 

[precaud]

I love my 420. It's perfect for the size wood we have here. It's making me wonder if I need the 5100, which I haven't used at all since I got the 420.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Battenkiller, PM "Shari"- she has a 420 and loves it. I tried to find one locally, and had no luck. For what you want to do with it, it should fit the bill quite nicely, and be a lb. less than the 346. Plus it should be alot less expensive, but not "cheaper". If I had a dealer close by, my wife would have one, plus her 011AV. Stop fartin' around, buy the 420 and use it to trim the beard. ;-P

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Battenkiller, PM "Shari"- she has a 420 and loves it. I tried to find one locally, and had no luck. For what you want to do with it, it should fit the bill quite nicely, and be a lb. less than the 346. Plus it should be alot less expensive, but not "cheaper". If I had a dealer close by, my wife would have one, plus her 011AV. Stop fartin' around, buy the 420 and use it to trim the beard. ;-P

 

[Battenkiller]

If I had a dealer close by, my wife would have one, plus her 011AV. Stop fartin' around, buy the 420 and use it to trim the beard.

Wish the wife was into them, it'd be a whole lot easier. :coolgrin: I'd get the 346 for me and the 420 for her. Then I'd use her saw all day long while she was working. :cheese:

I'm not totally sold yet. I didn't even get to try the 3800 to compare it with. I watched some YouTube vids last night that pitted them against each other. The 420 won, but not by a bunch. It's a lighter saw and a cheaper saw as well. RedMax saws supposedly have a rep for very low vibration, but I haven't tried one yet. The 420 wasn't bad, but it did seem to be a bit "buzzy" to me, and that was with a sharp 91-VX chain on it.

Any chance anybody has any experience with both the RedMax 3800 and the Dolmar 420?

 

[wendell]

I have not used a Redmax. I have briefly used a 420 and I thought it was a very nice saw.

 

[Battenkiller]

I just got a message from a pretty knowledgeable saw guy. He described the RedMax 3800 as "anemic".

Can't be carvin' with no anemic saw now, can I? How can I express my inner Michelangelo with something like that? :roll:

Now.... to find a way to convince Lady BK that I really need it. And an $80 carving bar. And a couple 91-VXL chains. :shut:

 

[timchuck]

I found a 420 on CL last spring. Can't say enough about the saw, sorry to ramble mine came with a 16" bar but being a tall guy I put an 18" on the girl and she runs great. I was cutting some with my brother a couple weeks ago, he has a 5100 so I got to compare them. I couldn't see much of a difference between the two, I found myself reaching for my little 420 over his larger saw. The saw starts on the 3rd pull or less every time as long as you follow the directions. Those German girls can be a bit regimented in their starting procedure. The only time I had trouble starting was when I did my own thing and didn't follow the procedure in the manual. The old guy at our saw shop down the road swears by them and he has sold all the brands over the years. Easy to get chains and bars, Great value, a heck of a saw.

 

[727sunset]

I was in looking at a 420 last week and could have taken it but it wore a narrow 3/8 LP chain. I like everything about the saw but my preference was a 325 chain as Dolmar will supply it either way, so we're ordering one in. In the mean time what size chains does everybody have?

 

[Battenkiller]

I had mine outfitted with a rim sprocket system. I can change the rim to run just about anything. I run .325 on a 16" bar for firewood, but I switch to a 3/8" rim and run 3/8" low-profile Stihl chisel chain for carving with a 12" narrow solid tip bar.

I have really come to love that little saw. It's finally getting broken in, so I may pull the cat out of the muffler to open her up a bit. I may then switch to an 8 pin rim to bump the chain speed up for carving since I use a 12" bar and will rarely have it buried in the wood while using it for that purpose.

 

[727sunset]

Thanks for the response Battenkiller.
Today I got a call and the saw was ready. I'm really glad to have waited. The 325 chain together with a new Oregon bar gives it the right look.
Cut one cookie at the dealers and will return it for adjustment after a few tanks of fuel.
This saw is lightweight, easy to maneuver and a dream to start.
It'll be a great limbing and "go to" saw until something larger is required.