vl2007
Treehouser
Any body know anything about Dolmar? Thinking of buying a 6400.
Dolmar
- Thread starter vl2007
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Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
They fall apart.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Care to elaborate? My saw wrench loves them and has good success selling them with minimal problems.
Been running a 7900 for several years. Good saw. Have an old 120si which outcuts EVERYTHING in its displacement class. I'm inclined to think that Dolmar may have some of the best designed small engines in the world. Stihl and Husqvarna have better distribution but I don't think that they are necessarily better saws.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Hey, J!
HolmenTree
Banned
I remember the 123 Sachs Dolmar from the 1970-80s, for a 70cc saw cuts like a banshee, but like others have said falls apart
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
On my work bench at this very moment I have a Dolmar 540 masquarading as a Makita .It belongs to my neighbor and it spit out a piece of main bearing which nicked the piston .
I think I can save it with a new ring and some fancy file work .In other words a half-fast fix .
Prior to the mishap it semed to have plenty of power but not really what some brag it up to be .For 54 cc though it got-er-done .
Those in the know about Dolmar of which I'm not one of say this praticular model was the last of the old school Sachs-Dolmar design ,seems well made .
I think I can save it with a new ring and some fancy file work .In other words a half-fast fix .
Prior to the mishap it semed to have plenty of power but not really what some brag it up to be .For 54 cc though it got-er-done .
Those in the know about Dolmar of which I'm not one of say this praticular model was the last of the old school Sachs-Dolmar design ,seems well made .
Tucker943
Bamboo Plantation Owner
What is there to elaborate? Any I've used (7900's) have rattled apart after demanding daily use. The same hws come out of the mouth of loggers around me as well. If you've had good luck, that's awesome, cause those are some great cutting saws.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Except for maybe the 200T, I have never seen a saw get such a positive response from users when it came out, as the 7900. Of course a lot of people talking saws aren't daily users.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Partially why I ask is that I was eyeing up a 7900 yesterday at his shop and put money down on a lightly used 346xp old edition with a gestimated 5 hours on it.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
It's probabley a Ford /Chevy thing truth be known .
Lets face it often times people comment on items they've never really had any experiance owning or operating simpley on hear/say .
I honestly have no real idea about the brand except perhaps the one on my bench or Kevins old 166's which are in a class all by themselves .Sure I've ran the brand at various GTG's but only for a few minutes and they seemed okay to me .
How they might do in a day in the woods I have no idea .
Lets face it often times people comment on items they've never really had any experiance owning or operating simpley on hear/say .
I honestly have no real idea about the brand except perhaps the one on my bench or Kevins old 166's which are in a class all by themselves .Sure I've ran the brand at various GTG's but only for a few minutes and they seemed okay to me .
How they might do in a day in the woods I have no idea .
Burnham
Woods walker
I've never set eyes on a Dolmar of any stripe.
GASoline71
'cause chicks dig scars
When they were the "Sachs Dolmar" they were friggin' awesome saws. Out of the "newer" Dolmar saws the 7900 seems to be the one that gets all the rave reviews. But as mentioned earlier... the main complaint is that they rattle themselves apart. I've used a 6400 before (friend of a friend had one while firewood cuttin'), and would take a compareable Husqvarna or Stihl over it any day. It just didn't seem smooth in the cut and felt weird to me. Plus... I have no dealer support around here for a Dolmar... period.
The 5100 and 5100S had some major lean siezure problems for quite some time. So not sure if that has been rectified or not.
Gary
The 5100 and 5100S had some major lean siezure problems for quite some time. So not sure if that has been rectified or not.
Gary
GASoline71
'cause chicks dig scars
That was my next comment stig. I have yet to see a cat use one in a daily use operation like loggin' or tree removals. But I think Rodger Dodger (rbtree) uses a Dolmar of some kind occasionally for work. But it's a modified/piped saw with some work done to it. Far from stock.
Gary
Gary
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
Well you hit it on the comment of dealer support .As I've said many times before there is no support in this area except Stihl .
What few Husqvarnas I work on and in fact that Dolmar I'm about to work on I have to internet the parts in .So in a couple hours once I get it back together I'll have to get on the net and find what parts I need .Just something you have to deal with .
What few Husqvarnas I work on and in fact that Dolmar I'm about to work on I have to internet the parts in .So in a couple hours once I get it back together I'll have to get on the net and find what parts I need .Just something you have to deal with .
Burnham
Woods walker
That's probably why I've never seen one. Zero presence in these parts.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
It's kind of odd about dealers .Those folks for example in up state New York can find just about any brand you can think of .We can't and from the sound of things the people on the west coast can't either .
GASoline71
'cause chicks dig scars
Same here... the 6400 the kid had that I used a couple years ago, was an ebay purchase. So it wasn't bought locally.
Gary
rbtree
Climbing Up
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
- Messages
- 1,924
I thought I made the first reply here, but it musta not posted...
I have had a ported 7900 for 8 or so years. Problems: leaky oil system...fixed with new improved parts
weak starter assembly--fixed with new improved parts.
Weak buffer springs....no fix..some just break a bit before their time
Filter too small, clogs easily, fixed with improved plastic filter cover, or the magnum cover and bigger filter.
Other than that and a coil or other problem that makes the saw hard to start when hot, the saw has been great. I also have two Makita 6401's that I got from Home Depot when they were selling off their rental units. (Happens often, watch or call to get a great saw for ~$200.) Both in fine shape, just needing the above fixes. For about $200, get the 7900 jug and you have a very fast saw that only needs a muffler mod to whip a similar modded 460 or 372, with ease. I also have a muffler modded 5100S. Also sometimes hard to start when warm, otherwise has never had a single problem. Nor did the ported one (by Ed heard, the first ever ported 5100) till it, along with many other saws, was stolen.
I have had a ported 7900 for 8 or so years. Problems: leaky oil system...fixed with new improved parts
weak starter assembly--fixed with new improved parts.
Weak buffer springs....no fix..some just break a bit before their time
Filter too small, clogs easily, fixed with improved plastic filter cover, or the magnum cover and bigger filter.
Other than that and a coil or other problem that makes the saw hard to start when hot, the saw has been great. I also have two Makita 6401's that I got from Home Depot when they were selling off their rental units. (Happens often, watch or call to get a great saw for ~$200.) Both in fine shape, just needing the above fixes. For about $200, get the 7900 jug and you have a very fast saw that only needs a muffler mod to whip a similar modded 460 or 372, with ease. I also have a muffler modded 5100S. Also sometimes hard to start when warm, otherwise has never had a single problem. Nor did the ported one (by Ed heard, the first ever ported 5100) till it, along with many other saws, was stolen.
G
Greenhorn
Guest
I wanna say what I used today was a 6400, buddy of mine had two new dolmars I used on a job. It seemed plenty powerful for the weight and had nice big dawgs on it. Little dolmar climbing saw I wasnt impressed with at all though.
Ax-Man
Don't make me chop you
I am glad this thread came up. I don't have a Dolmar saw and have always wanted to get a few for my collection but I think I will pass at least the newer ones anyway. This just don't sound good to me. The older ones had a good rep and I will probaly try to get one if one ever shows up around here.
