Been quite a while since I've posted, but having been out working on next year's wood supply for my house heat and small scale maple boiling operation, and spent some time at a recent "chainsaw party" after the NY area storms. So I thought I should comment on the Dolmar 5100S I bought a couple years back, particularly for any other site visitors that are considering a similar upgrade.
Overall, simply awesome... well worth the $400 spent compared to the Homelite Ranger that I now use only if I do something stupid to bind the Dolmar. Having fixed a bunch of poorly maintained homeowner saws at my friend's storm cleanup party, it was a pleasure to have the Dolmar. Starts easily any time of year, and runs like a champ. It stays so much cleaner than the homelite saw which had a perpetual oil/chip mess, the vibration isolation is great, the chain tensioner is rock solid... overall just a pleasure to use in comparison.
The Homelite still works and I think I did my first three seasons of wood cutting with it (about 3-4 cords/year) but the job is much faster and pleasant with the Dolmar. It was a purchase I put off for a while, but am glad I did it and couldn't be happier with the saw. Purchased at Ketcham Power in Fishkill, NY - nice guys and they've done a great job on chains I've brought in after I've butchered them beyond my capability to bring back in spec!
Anyway, figured I'd just throw in my $0.02 as this was always a frequent thread on here and I finally feel like I have enough experience with this saw to offer a review.
-Colin
ps - great quote at my friend's storm cleanup party - "what do you mean I'm supposed to mix oil with the gas?" Amazingly, they had been using their saw occasionally for years, never adding two-cycle oil. It was amazing nobody injured themselves - not a single other person with any type of PPE... if nothing else, I scared a few into thinking about buying some.
Overall, simply awesome... well worth the $400 spent compared to the Homelite Ranger that I now use only if I do something stupid to bind the Dolmar. Having fixed a bunch of poorly maintained homeowner saws at my friend's storm cleanup party, it was a pleasure to have the Dolmar. Starts easily any time of year, and runs like a champ. It stays so much cleaner than the homelite saw which had a perpetual oil/chip mess, the vibration isolation is great, the chain tensioner is rock solid... overall just a pleasure to use in comparison.
The Homelite still works and I think I did my first three seasons of wood cutting with it (about 3-4 cords/year) but the job is much faster and pleasant with the Dolmar. It was a purchase I put off for a while, but am glad I did it and couldn't be happier with the saw. Purchased at Ketcham Power in Fishkill, NY - nice guys and they've done a great job on chains I've brought in after I've butchered them beyond my capability to bring back in spec!
Anyway, figured I'd just throw in my $0.02 as this was always a frequent thread on here and I finally feel like I have enough experience with this saw to offer a review.
-Colin
ps - great quote at my friend's storm cleanup party - "what do you mean I'm supposed to mix oil with the gas?" Amazingly, they had been using their saw occasionally for years, never adding two-cycle oil. It was amazing nobody injured themselves - not a single other person with any type of PPE... if nothing else, I scared a few into thinking about buying some.
