Best little pro saw to have ported?

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SawTroll said:
The smallest saw I really want to use is the 346xp - the 42/43cc saws are too close on weight for the loss in power, and the sub 40cc ones just too weak for anything but carefully tailored use.

Even though the Dolmar 401/411 is an "outdated" design from the 1980s, it may still be the best candidate for porting among the sub 40cc saws.
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You can go out all day long and swing a s25cva or da with a 16 through oak. Bury the bar, doesn't matter. Been there, done that..ain't selling mine, that's fer shure.... ;) 38CCs.

And that's stock, who knows, might have some gains ported.
 
I've ran most of the smaller saws out there, and nothing comes close to the Dolmar 420/421.:rock: Yes it's a little heavy, but it runs like it has 10 more cc than it does. On top of that a few minutes with a grinder you can delete the cat in the muffler, that also removes quite a bit of weight.
 
Andyshine77 said:
I've ran most of the smaller saws out there, and nothing comes close to the Dolmar 420/421.:rock: Yes it's a little heavy, but it runs like it has 10 more cc than it does. On top of that a few minutes with a grinder you can delete the cat in the muffler, that also removes quite a bit of weight.
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I agree that the 420 is a fantastic saw. It's probably better built than any comparable cc size saw on the market today. However, it's just too close to the size and weight of a 346, IMHO.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/88634.htm
 
blsnelling said:
I agree that the 420 is a fantastic saw. It's probably better built than any comparable cc size saw on the market today. However, it's just too close to the size and weight of a 346, IMHO.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/88634.htm
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I agree it's close in weight to a 346. However in your hands, fully fueled it's lighter than a 346, and much less expensive.

First cut out of the box.

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What about a cs 400? They take a beating and gain alittle with just a simple muffler mod. We run a 16 inch on one and it pulls it decent. Always wanted to try a 242 or gz4500 though. Only paid 50 bucks for the cs 400 though.
 
M&Rtree said:
What about a cs 400? They take a beating and gain alittle with just a simple muffler mod. We run a 16 inch on one and it pulls it decent. Always wanted to try a 242 or gz4500 though. Only paid 50 bucks for the cs 400 though.
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The 242XP never impressed me much. It didn't come close to the performance of some of these others. It was all RPMs, and nothing to back it up. Others love them though.
 
Andyshine77 said:
I agree it's close in weight to a 346. However in your hands, fully fueled it's lighter than a 346, and much less expensive
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Less expensive is something I don't care about really, as I don't buy new saws that often - however, it is the only reason I can imagine to get one of those saws.....:msp_smile:

Of course it is way out of the weight range the OP asked about, so why mention it at all? :givebeer:
 
SawTroll said:
Less expensive is something I don't care about really, as I don't buy new saws that often - however, it is the only reason I can imagine to get one of those saws.....:msp_smile:
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OK I see how it is. Maybe it has something to do with the fact, Husky has nothing that even comes close in power or quality.:msp_tongue::msp_tongue:
 
Andyshine77 said:
OK I see how it is. Maybe it has something to do with the fact, Husky has nothing that even comes close in power or quality.:msp_tongue::msp_tongue:
Click to expand...

Well, the 420 (and the 421) obviously isn't regarded as pro saws by Dolmar - if they were, they would have a four digit model number.
Also, it looks like the 421 weights the same as the 550xp, but has a way lower power output...:msp_smile:
 
blsnelling said:
The 242XP never impressed me much. It didn't come close to the performance of some of these others. It was all RPMs, and nothing to back it up. Others love them though.
Click to expand...

For a woods mod, I find they like a lot of intake timing and not much, if any, timing added to the transfers. It is already a cookie cutting and limbing machine(factory spec is 15,500 RPM WOT), so there's no need to look for more revs, just add some torque and she becomes a very usable saw for both limbing and felling. The 42 special I modded has tons more torque than stock. Just look at it buried in cherry while it's also being leaned upon. I added no timing to the transfers, I just modified the shape some and added more intake timing than maybe some other builders would be comfortable with, but didn't make the intake tract much larger at all so the velocity/charge at middle RPMs(which is 12-13,000 for a 242/42) would still be great. When you start to hog out the intake on the X42's, they lose their mid-range torque rapidly because they breathe so well from the factory.
 

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