Dolmar chainsaw equivalent

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I've owned just about every manufacturer of chainsaws with the exception of the above named. The reason was that no one around here sold them. So now a rental shop has gotten a Dolmar franchise near by and I have a desire to own one. I'd be looking for something along the lines of a limbing saw. I doubt anything would match the 346 Husky but there might be a Dolmar saw that may even be lighter and not too far behind as speed is more important when limbing than grunt.. As I have little familiarity with this brand and what quirks might be inherent from model to model, which # would be a good choice for the above described usage? The saws I currently own are all Husky being an older 346, a 353, 257 and 357 and a 372. Looking for a Dolmar that is light and fast and mix up my ownership a bit. 40 to 45cc should be plenty but do not know if Dolmars are fast in this range without having to jump to a higher cc.

 

[Wolfy]

My brother has a Dolmar 5100. Its kind of in the middle of a 346 and 353 I guess. Nice little saw. I like the Husky ignition switch setup better myself.

 

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My brother has a Dolmar 5100. Its kind of in the middle of a 346 and 353 I guess. Nice little saw. I like the Husky ignition switch setup better myself.

Thanks Wolfie
From what I can gather, the Dolmar 420 looks promising. Should be almost on par with the 346 for way less money. Looks like the Husky 353 isn't going to stay long in the stable but I do like it better than the 346 for its torque. 420 could very well replace it.

 

[LD1]

Unless you know how to work on and tune a chainsaw, I would advise that you stay away from the 5100 dolmar. They had a run of bad luck with them being tuned TOO lean to spin 14000rpm and burning up.

But dont let that scare you. They solved the issues with the 5105. They are no longer making the 5100.

And on paper, the 5100 is a DIRECT competetor to the 346xp.

The dolmar is 0.2lbs heavier (about 3 ounces:confused2 and has 0.1HP more. So there would be almost NO noticable difference in power OR weight. They are both excellent saws. But dont let the 346 fool you. IT IS NOT a 46cc saw. It is a 50cc saw like the dolmar, and should be compaired as such.

If you want to drop down a tad in size, The dolmar 350 and dolmar 420 are both excellent saws. They are built on the EXACT same frame/platform. The 420 is 42cc and the 350 is 35cc's. And thats only because of a slightly larger piston and jug. But everything else is identical. (except a tad more power on the 420 of-course).

But I have to tell you, the 350/420 may not be the fastest limbing saw in the world, but they are IMO one of the smoothest. You feel almost NO vibrations. You really have to run one to understand.

This dealer you speak of, if they are a good dealer and you are a serious buyer, they should have no problems at all letting you take the above mentioned saws out back and let you try them on a log. Since you already have experience with the husky saws in this size range, I suggest you do this to get a feel for the dolmars. Because BOTH are excellent saws, its just a matter of personal preference. What I like, may not be what someone else likes:thumbsup:

 

[Wolfy]

LD1, I have a Husky 346. What I have found is, (running side by side with the 5100) the 346 is better for limbing arm size branches. Its very fast but does not have the torque of the 5100, which seems a little slower. They both are good for small trees. As you say its user preference.

 

[LD1]

LD1, I have a Husky 346. What I have found is, (running side by side with the 5100) the 346 is better for limbing arm size branches. Its very fast but does not have the torque of the 5100, which seems a little slower. They both are good for small trees. As you say its user preference.

Yes, they are both excellent saws. I have ran both, allthough not side by side. There are things I like and dislike about both, but to say I like one over the other...I cannot. They are both great "small-stuff" saws and you cant really go wrong with either.

User preference and ergonomics that the user likes best is the only way to decide between the two. And dont forget about dealer support as well. If it all comes down to a tie on which saw you want, go with the dealer you trust the most:thumbsup:

 

[Wolfy]

No doubt. Dealer support is everything.

 

[xyz123]

They updated the 5100S with the 5105 and fixed the running hot issues with updates to the new saw. Only thing I heard bad was they put a catalytic muffler on the 5105. Cool thing is the non-epa 5100S muffler is a direct bolt on for the 5105. Hint hint

 

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LD1, I have a Husky 346. What I have found is, (running side by side with the 5100) the 346 is better for limbing arm size branches. Its very fast but does not have the torque of the 5100, which seems a little slower. They both are good for small trees. As you say its user preference.

Thanks to all for their input. Wolfie, for the reasons you mention, I like my 353 better than my 346 as a limber even if the 346 is a tad faster. On a 22" tree, some of the crown branches are quite thick so on larger trees, I only need to tote the 353 and 257 or 357 to get it processed. Since I possess a morbid curiosity of chainsaws, I am anxoius to own the Dolmar as I never have had one.

 

[RandyT]

I think you will like any dolmar saw that you purchase. Even though I am a dolmar dealer I work on all brands and consider the Dolmar one of the best saws on the market. Seen too many huskies fail because of a minor scratch in the cylinder wall and way too many fuel line problems as well as flooding problems on the Stihls for me to be confident in the longevity of either brand at this time.