Small gas saw

[Elmore]

Where can a man find a Dolmar PS-401? I think that it has been dropped from the line-up.

 

[Elmore]

Where can a man find a Dolmar PS-401? I think that it has been dropped from the line-up.

Maybe dropped from Makita's line-up???

I like blue.

 

[nikocker]

Ok

PS-341/401 are a 20 year old magnesium pro saw design. Much like all the old Sachs/Dolmar saws were. I don't know why you said "no mag body".
I presume one bolt was considered adequate for the length of bar the saw was intended for.

I went to the Dolmar website to bone up on the 420 and 401. The 420 page stated the magnesuim casting as a feature along with a bunch of other things. the 401 page made no mention of it.
I wasn't trying to put down the Dolmars (In fact I conceded in my earlier post the 401 was a "those are good - but") I was merely trying to show from what info was available to the consumer via the website the 401 "appeared" very similar to the 435 right down to the non-adjustable oiler and single bar stud.

Al

 

[nikocker]

Maybe dropped from Makita's line-up???

I like blue.

That's probably the best reason to buy it.

Al

 

[blsnelling]

Unfortunately, both the 401 and 3800 are supposedly being dropped from the current lineup, as with many other models as 2010 approaches. The 401 is a much older and lower revving design than the 3800. I recommend the 3800 with a muffler mod.

 

[woodbooga]

Would a Stihl 180 be a good investment for a small trim saw for a homeowner of a heavly wooded acre in New Hampshire? Our would one of the cheaper McColloch/Husky's do the job for me?:greenchainsaw:

What do you mean by "trimming"?

If you're planning to simply thin out smaller trees - 6"-10" range - the 180 would be a good fit. But if you're thinking of de-snagging some larger DBH trees, you might find it insufficient.

 

[shortlid]

The 180 is a great saw and if you have a dealer close you mignt be better off than buying a dolmar if you dont have a local dealer.

taht is my issue local shop only does Stihl and Husky. I have a Olympyk and he will not touch or get parts for it. Also have a commercial Sachs-DFolmar Brusch cutter can't get parts for it as well.

 

[cuttinstuff]

The 180 is not much saw. I have one and I like it, I use it a bunch. However I think they are like $200.00 now. I also own a 420, saw and a case was $280.00. You get a whole bunch more saw for a small ( MY OPINION) amount of money. But like I said, I like my 180, good little saw for what it is.

 

[howellhandmade]

taht is my issue local shop only does Stihl and Husky. I have a Olympyk and he will not touch or get parts for it. Also have a commercial Sachs-DFolmar Brusch cutter can't get parts for it as well.

There will be online sources for parts for your equipment, and you may surprise yourself (in a good way) if you try to fix it yourself. When I visit my Stihl dealer I see equipment of all makes in the service bay. I'm sure your dealer has his reasons, but I value flexibility and helpfulness in a dealer. If this dealer is all you have and you DO want dealer support you may be stuck, but I'm not sure I'd look at refusal to work on anything but Stihl and Husky as a reason to buy from someone. Rather the opposite.

Jack

 

[ironman_gq]

The 180 is not much saw. I have one and I like it, I use it a bunch. However I think they are like $200.00 now. I also own a 420, saw and a case was $280.00. You get a whole bunch more saw for a small ( MY OPINION) amount of money. But like I said, I like my 180, good little saw for what it is.

That $80 works out to about 40% increase in cost and the 420 is much closer to the ms250 than the 180 (2.9hp vs. 2.0)

 

[FATGUY]

Dbh?

What do you mean by "trimming"?

If you're planning to simply thin out smaller trees - 6"-10" range - the 180 would be a good fit. But if you're thinking of de-snagging some larger DBH trees, you might find it insufficient.

I'm assuming the D is diameter and the B is base, but what is the H? Height?

 

[woodbooga]

I'm assuming the D is diameter and the B is base, but what is the H? Height?

breast height

 

[GrantC]

Brad I'll give you the fact the 420 might be a better built saw but I'm not seeing it in the 401. . . no mag body, no adjustable oiler, single bar mounting bolt, pretty similar to the 435.

You've already been corrected on the mag case, and I'll just point out that the Dolmar isn't the only pro-grade saw with a single mounting bolt...the Husky 339XP and the vaunted $600 Stihl MS200 both have single bolts.

So, can you tell me the reason Stihl's cheap saw has 2 bolts, but their expensive models only have 1? (See if you can find the post where Brad takes apart a Stihl clamshell saw for the answer.)

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[dougandmel]

I think a little more info is needed first. are you wanting to clear this 1 acre parcel? Or, do you just want to trim up a few trees, and have a saw to clean up fallen branches? If you want to clear the lot, and do more work outside the yard (like firewood cutting), do like has been suggested, get a good quality saw. If your answer is the second option, all you need is a $150 Home Depot/Lowes special.

 

[FATGUY]

I think a little more info is needed first. are you wanting to clear this 1 acre parcel? Or, do you just want to trim up a few trees, and have a saw to clean up fallen branches? If you want to clear the lot, and do more work outside the yard (like firewood cutting), do like has been suggested, get a good quality saw. If your answer is the second option, all you need is a $150 Home Depot/Lowes special.

I would strongly advise against that. I bought my first saw when I bought my first house. Payed $150 for the saw. Craftsman 40 cc. WHAT A MISTAKE. Pay the extra, get any of the above mentioned saws.

 

[nikocker]

I Sure have been.

You've already been corrected on the mag case, and I'll just point out that the Dolmar isn't the only pro-grade saw with a single mounting bolt...the Husky 339XP and the vaunted $600 Stihl MS200 both have single bolts.

So, can you tell me the reason Stihl's cheap saw has 2 bolts, but their expensive models only have 1? (See if you can find the post where Brad takes apart a Stihl clamshell saw for the answer.)

-=[ Grant ]=-

But nice of you to point that out. Now tell Dolmar to correct their website. . . as I was just repeating what the site said errr - - - failed to say.

As to the two-bolt cheap Stihl vs.1-bolt absurdly expensive Stihl - I don't have a clue and really don't care. Doesn't have much to do with the OP's original question.

Al

 

[Sawdustmaker]

all you need is a $150 Home Depot/Lowes special.

NNNOOO!!!! A ms170 is only $30 more and will actually work. But even more importantly is that you have a shop that will care for the 170 if you need it.

I just wrote a paper on this subject. It is in one of the threads i started....

 

[SawTroll]

If you get up to $280 wouldn't it be better to just fork out an extra $30 or so and get a ps-510?

That would add a lot of weight that he doesn't need.

 

[Sawdustmaker]

The OP originally asked for opinions about inexpensive Husky models as a possible solution to his inquiry.

Ok, So i really know NOTHING about the huskys in this range. I could not even find the homeowner line on their website. Is the 435 their smallest? It is a strato clamshell right?
Can we have some more feedback on the small huskys? What does the 435 weigh?

 

[SawTroll]

Brad I'll give you the fact the 420 might be a better built saw but I'm not seeing it in the 401. . . no mag body, no adjustable oiler, single bar mounting bolt, pretty similar to the 435. Hopefully whatever brand the OP buys he'll have a dealer get it for him.

Al

The Mag body sure is there on the 401, but it suffer from being a very old design in other ways.