Killed my Dolmar

[old greybeard]

Dropped a 14” ash on my Dolmar 510 today. Had 4 dead ones to drop, first 3 went great. Last was big, leaning one direction, heavy growth the other direction. New it would be fun. Always worried these Ash are going to shatter. Making my hinge cut, seemed fine, but when it started to go it felt strange, like it was twisting. Dropped the saw and ran. Thankfully had cleared escape paths. Ended up going straight down, hanging in a hemlock, a direction I never figured it would go. 50 ft of tree caught the side of the saw and buried it. Outer case broke, parts broke up inside by cord, gas tank leaking. Chain bound up. Such a good saw deserved better. Wife was just glad I was ok. She doesn’t understand men and tools. Actually I am always grateful to walk away.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

We all have those days .. Glad your ok...Time to upgrade that saw!

 

[old greybeard]

She’s toast, casing broke, carb bent, crank bound up. Parts no longer supplied. Would have bought another.
Had to cut the tree off the saw with my 20 yo poulan 260. Already miss the power and speed.
Think Im going to buy a Echo timberwolf 590 for $399 locally, seems to have good reviews for a 56cc saw, any feedback?
Also if anyone needs Dolmar parts let me know, my 510 was in good shape, sell for parts.

 

[Rearscreen]

Yeah I had a twister once, scared the crap out of me. Ran like you did. I could only think that the tree was dead on the inside and the hinge was gone.

 

[salecker]

Buy another one a keep it for parts for your use...

 

[old greybeard]

Debating. Striped it down, cylinder and carb look fine. Local shop has several with burnt up motors, all blamed on ethanol.
He figured $200 to build me a new one out of the parts and mine.
Really liked the saw, ran great, know it was maintained since new. But $349 gets me a new 50cc Echo.

 

[hedge wood]

The 510 was a good saw in its day. I had one and just wore out. I would just buy a new saw. If you wanted to spend a little more I would look at a Stihl 261. I bought one last summer and its a beast of a saw in that class.

 

[jetsam]

All of us Dolmar guys are trying to figure out who to buy saws from now.

I will probably go Echo too. I've had a little CS310 for limbing for years and it's been a solid little runner for me, so my next Dolmar will probably be an Echo too. Interested in the Autotune carbs but I will never be paying Stihl prices for parts, and Huskies leave me lukewarm.

I tried to get a new muffler for my 6400 a while back and it was $250....

 

[salecker]

All of us Dolmar guys are trying to figure out who to buy saws from now.

I will probably go Echo too. I've had a little CS310 for limbing for years and it's been a solid little runner for me, so my next Dolmar will probably be an Echo too. Interested in the Autotune carbs but I will never be paying Stihl prices for parts, and Huskies leave me lukewarm.

I tried to get a new muffler for my 6400 a while back and it was $250....

Sounds like high prices for parts aren't just a Stihl thing.
Complete new muffler for a 066 $123.99 CAD

 

[thewoodlands]

Dropped a 14” ash on my Dolmar 510 today. Had 4 dead ones to drop, first 3 went great. Last was big, leaning one direction, heavy growth the other direction. New it would be fun. Always worried these Ash are going to shatter. Making my hinge cut, seemed fine, but when it started to go it felt strange, like it was twisting. Dropped the saw and ran. Thankfully had cleared escape paths. Ended up going straight down, hanging in a hemlock, a direction I never figured it would go. 50 ft of tree caught the side of the saw and buried it. Outer case broke, parts broke up inside by cord, gas tank leaking. Chain bound up. Such a good saw deserved better. Wife was just glad I was ok. She doesn’t understand men and tools. Actually I am always grateful to walk away.
View attachment 278243

I'm glad you're okay, the saw can be fixed or replaced.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Can we see a picture of the stump and hinge?

The stump is the autopsy of felling.

 

[jetsam]

Sounds like high prices for parts aren't just a Stihl thing.
Complete new muffler for a 066 $123.99 CAD

Dolmar parts are through the roof because Makita killed Dolmar, not because they were priced like that to start with.

Saws and parts are now collectors items and the price gougers are having a field day on ebay.

 

[blades]

well thanks for the gloom and doom , me sitting here looking at my 64xxseries units and 79xx series units . on the plus side they will likely out live me. over priced parts- kinda goes along with $11.00 2"x4" x 8' studs

 

[jetsam]

well thanks for the gloom and doom , me sitting here looking at my 64xxseries units and 79xx series units . on the plus side they will likely out live me. over priced parts- kinda goes along with $11.00 2"x4" x 8' studs

Well, on the plus side, it seems you can part them out on ebay for 10x what you paid for the saws, so that's not all bad.

 

[salecker]

Figures i just get my first 166,and the price for parts goes crazy.

 

[blades]

1984 saw 118cc kinda rare, so parts are going to be costly no matter what.

 

[salecker]

1984 saw 118cc kinda rare, so parts are going to be costly no matter what.

It's complete and in great shape,
But i will be looking for another if i can find one

 

[mcdougy]

Power Equipment Direct - We Make Buying Technical Products Simple™

Get expert advice and deals for all your power equipment needs at Power Equipment Direct. The largest selection of top-rated brands for professionals and consumers. Shop generators, air compressors, lawnmowers, snowblowers, sump pumps, water pumps, chains

www.chainsawsdirect.com

Still made in the Dolmar plant

 

[mcdougy]

Couldn't edit the last post.....I should have said the gas saws are still made at the dolmar plant. The 6100 is a great saw imo.

 

[salecker]

There was actually an announcement saying Dolmar/Makita is no longer going to make gas saws.
I don't know if there is a date attached to that,but very soon if they haven't stopped yet the last gas powered saw will roll off the line.

 

[jetsam]

Go to a Makita dealer and try to get a saw or a part.

I am surprised to hear that they're still being made; that is not the message you'll get from trying the above.

Makita did schedule the death of the gas powered power equipment for March 2022, but it seems to be running a little ahead of schedule with chainsaws.

Their notice to dealers ((broken link removed to https://makitauk.com/data/pam/public/emailmarketing/2020/november/notice_of_production_discontinuation_of_engine_products_-_muk_letter.pdf)) says they'll continue to provide parts for power equipment, but as an end user, I don't know how I am supposed to get them. The obvious answers of "ask a Makita dealer" or "Google it" haven't been working out for me.

 

[blades]

The question remains why did they buy dolmar and then discontinue gas saws. I realize that the same units are available at present with just the Makita name in blue and gray but to dump the whole line- doesn't make any sense to me. course sop is buy a company bleed it dry load it up with dept and then dump it.

 

[mcdougy]

I'm going to guess that we will see the saws live on under a new name or old name.....at least that's my hope......Dolmar is the oldest chainsaw company going.

 

[salecker]

I'm going to guess that we will see the saws live on under a new name or old name.....at least that's my hope......Dolmar is the oldest chainsaw company going.

2nd oldest Stihl beat them by a year with an electric saw

 

[jetsam]

The question remains why did they buy dolmar and then discontinue gas saws. I realize that the same units are available at present with just the Makita name in blue and gray but to dump the whole line- doesn't make any sense to me. course sop is buy a company bleed it dry load it up with dept and then dump it.

I think they were getting into outdoor power equipment and realized it'd be easier to buy a smaller chainsaw company that was already making great saws than it would be to start from scratch. Back then (1991) Makita was already making electric tools but gas was almost all of the market.

Now the market is shifting to battery powered stuff. I think they hit the brakes on gas equipment a few years too early. Battery saws are an option for limbing, but no battery powered saw can currently do the job of an 89cc Dolmar (or even come close to it, as far as I know).

I am certainly not keen to buy a 24"+ bar, drill it out to fit a cheesy single stud plastic saw, hang some kind of outboard aux oiler on it, and hope the duct tape holds while I drop trees with it.

I do look forward to running an all battery fleet, but what's for sale now is nowhere near ready for the use cases we use large saws for (felling, bucking and milling).