Stihl MS 261 VS Husqvarna 346 XP VS Dolmar PS 5105

[Oregone]

Thats all cool, but wanted to point out that I am not an Efco rep.....im just like you... a user. Im just trying to get people to notice these efco....its always between stihl and husky it seems....Ive ran them all....the efco 152 is not the fastest highest reving saw. It is faster than a 346xp in wood over 10in. Its got more torque so it doesnt drop off like the 346. I got to run one of them new 346's the other day....they are nice...no doubt....but the is efco right up there with the husky and stihl performance wise. Ive been saying this for like 6 yrs now....and until recently nobody even new what an efco was. The guy I was cutting for ran my 152 and went and bought one in Wilmington. It replaced his 029..not quite the same comparison....I know. Just thought Id throw that out there.

Slipknot,
Thanks for mentioning it...
I never tried an Efco so my judgment was purely on looks, not like yours which is based on actual use.
The first impression of the 346XP is like you say... lots of horsepower but not too much torque. A precison instrument where throttle control is everything.
I havean Infiniti G35 coupe now and had a Subaru WRX STI previously, the first one more horsepower, the turbo is torquier. I like horsepower over torque better...it's a different feel...like a train pulling inoxerably versus an explosive rush of power. One is strenght, the other is vitality.
I think the MS261 is probaly torquier also and so is the dolmar. It's a very subjective thing.

 

[THALL10326]

Slipknot,
Thanks for mentioning it...
I never tried an Efco so my judgment was purely on looks, not like yours which is based on actual use.
The first impression of the 346XP is like you say... lots of horsepower but not too much torque. A precison instrument where throttle control is everything.
I havean Infiniti G35 coupe now and had a Subaru WRX STI previously, the first one more horsepower, the turbo is torquier. I like horsepower over torque better...it's a different feel...like a train pulling inoxerably versus an explosive rush of power. One is strenght, the other is vitality.
I think the MS261 is probaly torquier also and so is the dolmar. It's a very subjective thing.

I see ya finally went and picked up your new 346xp, good on you. No need to give the Stihl, Dolmar or any other saw a second thought now, enjoy the one you got. You'll like that little saw, I can say so for sure because I like mine.

I think I like your camera better than I do any saw, that thing takes awesome pics..

 

[Oregone]

I see ya finally went and picked up your new 346xp, good on you. No need to give the Stihl, Dolmar or any other saw a second thought now, enjoy the one you got. You'll like that little saw, I can say so for sure because I like mine.

I think I like your camera better than I do any saw, that thing takes awesome pics..

Hey Thall, nice to hear from you and I like what you say. Once you have made your choice, best to forget about other options (just like with your wife...looking at other options will only make you sad unless you're a prick of course)

I spent way too much debating anyway...and it was for that very purpose of not regretting later. I don't think I will.

I tried it already and I love the weight and tight proportions of the body...one of the very big edge the 346XP has over the competition is its small space footprint (in 3Dimensions). That thing was designed with poeple cutting trees at angles and hard to reach places in mind, not for the sawhorse. It's been optimized big time.

Made like a saber that was cast in battle, not on the drawing board or in a big open field with no obstructions in the way.

Actually, not a saber, more like a Damascus samurai sword, definitely not a 50lbs. cold forged iron Goth saber. :yoyo:

 

[sunfish]

Congrats on a fine saw! I do like both of mine.

 

[SawTroll]

Hey Thall, nice to hear from you and I like what you say. Once you have made your choice, best to forget about other options (just like with your wife...looking at other options will only make you sad unless you're a prick of course)

I spent way too much debating anyway...and it was for that very purpose of not regretting later. I don't think I will.

I tried it already and I love the weight and tight proportions of the body...one of the very big edge the 346XP has over the competition is its small space footprint (in 3Dimensions). That thing was designed with poeple cutting trees at angles and hard to reach places in mind, not for the sawhorse. It's been optimized big time.

Made like a saber that was cast in battle, not on the drawing board or in a big open field with no obstructions in the way.

Actually, not a saber, more like a Damascus samurai sword, definitely not a 50lbs. cold forged iron Goth saber. :yoyo:

You got it totally right, despite the attemts to blur the picture for you - congrats!

 

[SawTroll]

....

as for ST, if he wants to get a new 261 and try it only to declare it unworthy, I will be happy to adopt it afterwards, I will even pay for the shipping


cheers.

I lost interest for the 261 at once when I found out how it was built, so that won't happen!

Despite of that, it obviously is a very good saw, just not what a 50cc saw should be!

 

[SawTroll]

I love my 346.
I never used the 20" b/c that it came with, but with a 16" it is just everything I need.
I have EVEN managed a plunge cut successfully from first attempt.
I couldn`t believe it.

......

You are doing the right thing, reserve that 20" bar for the occations where you really need it!:biggrin:

 

[The Count]

I lost interest for the 261 at once when I found out how it was built, so that won't happen!

Despite of that, it obviously is a very good saw, just not what a 50cc saw should be!

I never expected anything else my friend

You are doing the right thing, reserve that 20" bar for the occations where you really need it!:biggrin:

Honestly, I wish I had another 16" than that 20" but who knows? occasion may present itself and then i`ll not be surprised.


anyways, the 16" I can handle better for now.
boy it felt good to be able to do the boring cut !
it was yesterday, it was raining and I didn`t took pictures.
I have an old what it used to be Quercus Cerris.
My grandparents, have long cut down and 7 spruces came to live and now they are about 14" thick. I took down 4 and left a perfect symmetry.
Looking forward to see them grow. anyways. they were grown too close together and I needed them to fall away from the standing ones, so the back cut was impossible to accomplish.

 

[Oregone]

You are doing the right thing, reserve that 20" bar for the occations where you really need it!:biggrin:

Sawtroll,
I thought you'd appprove of my choice (hard guess mmmm :msp_sneaky

I have some 16" bars to try it as a mean little bugger but for limbing trees on the ground a 20" bar is actually nice when your back kills you.

 

[Oregone]

Thats all cool, but wanted to point out that I am not an Efco rep.....im just like you... a user. Im just trying to get people to notice these efco....its always between stihl and husky it seems....Ive ran them all....the efco 152 is not the fastest highest reving saw. It is faster than a 346xp in wood over 10in. Its got more torque so it doesnt drop off like the 346. I got to run one of them new 346's the other day....they are nice...no doubt....but the is efco right up there with the husky and stihl performance wise. Ive been saying this for like 6 yrs now....and until recently nobody even new what an efco was. The guy I was cutting for ran my 152 and went and bought one in Wilmington. It replaced his 029..not quite the same comparison....I know. Just thought Id throw that out there.

It's cold and rainy in Chicago today so I went to Menards to get some wood (for building furnitures, not to burn )We are remodeling the kitchen.

I Had to check the chainsaws there just by curiosity. They sell the EFCO brands, had a bunch of them too. The 51cc sells for $399. They had the 40 or 35 cc on sale for $199. Great deal. I never considered it so ignored it at the chainsaw dealer.
But after your post, I had to take a closer look at it.

From an engineer standpoint (I design machines for a living in R&D),
Efco is nothing like the 346XP in terms of fit and finish. I don't understand it. The way the plastic parts are designed and molded... I guess they have the innards down pat but in my experience, the way parts on designed on the outside, the way they fit together and look is often a reflection of the spirit in which the innards have been designed too. They say that by looking at a plane you cannot tell if it will fly if it's pretty but you know it won't fly if it's ugly. Maybe that rule do not apply to chainsaws but I can't help being prejudiced.
Sorry, not trying to break your house here but if the truth must be told, that's my two sense about it. I guess I've been listening to Sawtroll, Andymoonshine, Thall, CMW and the rest too long by now, I've become a chainsaw snob.
Watch this web site, it'll transform you into a tool prima donna in no time.

 

[SawTroll]

Sawtroll,
I thought you'd appprove of my choice (hard guess mmmm :msp_sneaky

I have some 16" bars to try it as a mean little bugger but for limbing trees on the ground a 20" bar is actually nice when your back kills you.

I usually say that 20" bars are 70cc territory, but it surely depends on the conditions! If you cut wood that a 16" bar would cut, there still is a difference in performance - but not a huge one. Personally, I don't like the idea of using a longer bar to avoid bending over at all, even though I have a very bad back.

The main issue is that a 20" bar on a light 50cc saw destroys the balance and handling of the saw. :msp_cursing:

Any good 50cc saw will easily run it, but they really are better off with 16" ones. Here, standard bar on them is 13" from most brands, but that is just old habit, and has nothing to do with what the newer/better 50cc saws perform best with.

 

[mikefunaro]

It's cold and rainy in Chicago today so I went to Menards to get some wood (for building furnitures, not to burn )We are remodeling the kitchen.

I Had to check the chainsaws there just by curiosity. They sell the EFCO brands, had a bunch of them too. The 51cc sells for $399. They had the 40 or 35 cc on sale for $199. Great deal. I never considered it so ignored it at the chainsaw dealer.
But after your post, I had to take a closer look at it.

From an engineer standpoint (I design machines for a living in R&D),
Efco is nothing like the 346XP in terms of fit and finish. I don't understand it. The way the plastic parts are designed and molded... I guess they have the innards down pat but in my experience, the way parts on designed on the outside, the way they fit together and look is often a reflection of the spirit in which the innards have been designed too. They say that by looking at a plane you cannot tell if it will fly if it's pretty but you know it won't fly if it's ugly. Maybe that rule do not apply to chainsaws but I can't help being prejudiced.
Sorry, not trying to break your house here but if the truth must be told, that's my two sense about it. I guess I've been listening to Sawtroll, Andymoonshine, Thall, CMW and the rest too long by now, I've become a chainsaw snob.
Watch this web site, it'll transform you into a tool prima donna in no time.

Ehhh...if you want to get really picky, have you ever noticed that the plastic top cover doesnt perfect mate up with the metal case around the throttle area on the 346? It's just slightly off??

 

[SawTroll]

Ehhh...if you want to get really picky, have you ever noticed that the plastic top cover doesnt perfect mate up with the metal case around the throttle area on the 346? It's just slightly off??

HUH???

I have mine right in front of me, and can't see that?

 

[Oregone]

I usually say that 20" bars are 70cc territory, but it surely depends on the conditions! If you cut wood that a 16" bar would cut, there still is a difference in performance - but not a huge one. Personally, I don't like the idea of using a longer bar to avoid bending over at all, even though I have a very bad back.

The main issue is that a 20" bar on a light 50cc saw destroys the balance and handling of the saw. :msp_cursing:

Any good 50cc saw will easily run it, but they really are better off with 16" ones. Here, standard bar on them is 13" from most brands, but that is just old habit, and has nothing to do with what the newer/better 50cc saws perform best with.

13" on a 50cc ? Shoot, I did not know Cocobolo, Kingwood, Ebony and that kind of stuff grew in Norway!
:msp_scared:
(Norvegians must be in big big hurry when they cut...that's the other option)
:wink2:

This reminds me of the first time I went surf fishing in the outerbanks North Carolina.
I bought the longest pole I could find after reading in lenght about surf casting. When I showed up with my 14 footer, I think the locals were all laughing at me, (not openly but I could just tell) Those guys had little things they could flip with impressive results.
Me, it was hit and miss, my pole was way too flexible for the weight of the lead at the end of it. All the energy was absorbed by the pole and not released in the weight. Next day, I bought a stiff 5' Shakespeare orange ugly stick tiger and it did work a lot better at throwing far but then the bait would too often flip out of the hook from too strong an acceleration. I went too far the other way. There is just the right lenght I guess...for the 346XP, it's probably 16 or 18" depending on the wood.
The longer the bar, the less control you have over it even if the reach is better, it's simple physics. I understand that and I know that a lot of pros use only as little lenght as they can.
I am not too much in a hurry and I am tired of my 16" bar. I just want something different, one I don't have to bend with all the time, even if I have to be more careful.

 

[SawTroll]

I mostly agree, but many Norwegians and Swedes will not, just because they don't really use their heads, but just do what about all the saw brands tell them to in Scandinavia........:msp_lol:

 

[Oregone]

I mostly agree, but many Norwegians and Swedes will not, just because they don't really use their heads, but just do what about all the saw brands tell them to in Scandinavia........:msp_lol:

I lied, well I did not remember too well actually.
It was a 12' and a 7'.
9' to 10' pole would probably be perfect for surf casting if you are 5'-10"
For a 50cc chainsaw, my guess is that 18" is probably optimum for a guy with good arm strenght/control and 16" for a greener guy.
Translated for me...It means I should use a 4 to 6 inch bar :msp_tongue:

"View attachment 173158View attachment 173159

 

[mikefunaro]

HUH???

I have mine right in front of me, and can't see that?

Here--the plastic on this ridge. I have checked it on multiple 346's...the plastic sits out slightly too far on the outside and doesn't fully cover the metal outcropping on the inside...

Not obsessive or anything, i swear...LOL...

 

[Oregone]

Ehhh...if you want to get really picky, have you ever noticed that the plastic top cover doesnt perfect mate up with the metal case around the throttle area on the 346? It's just slightly off??

Mike,
In term of tolerances, you have the microchip world and the wood fence construction world, I take it you are more accustomed to the large hadron collider particle beam alignment team than the 12 x 12 post in the dirt shove it team.
Just kidding...your saw has a defect.

I looked at it very carefully on mine and granted.It's not perfect, the physical world does not have percection in it. But it's miles ahead from the The Efco or the Dolmar fit and finish. Largest misalignment is 0.7 mm right next to the red stop button. (I just measured with a caliper) Everywhere else, tolerances are better than 0.2 mm. From metal casting to plastic injection molded part, I'd say, it's perfect and stunningly well controlled. Plastic shrinks and warps like crazy as it cools off the mold...they must have their QC on a tight leash if you ask me.

I am sorry to cut it to you like that but, either they improved their manufacturing process and you have an older model or someone handed you a defective or pre-production sample.

Just seen your last post so I am editing mine...yes, that's where it's the worst but do you consider less than a mm a defect?
Honestly?

 

[mikefunaro]

Mike,
In term of tolerances, you have the microchip world and the wood fence construction world, I take it you are more accustomed to the large hadron collider particle beam alignment team than the 12 x 12 post in the dirt shove it team.
Just kidding...your saw has a defect.

I looked at it very carefully on mine and granted.It's not perfect, the physical world does not have percection in it. But it's miles ahead from the The Efco or the Dolmar fit and finish. Largest misalignment is 0.7 mm right next to the red stop button. (I just measured with a caliper) Everywhere else, tolerances are better than 0.2 mm. From metal casting to plastic injection molded part, I'd say, it's perfect and stunningly well controlled. Plastic shrinks and warps like crazy as it cools off the mold...they must have their QC on a tight leash if you ask me.

I am sorry to cut it to you like that but, either they improved their manufacturing process and you have an older model or someone handed you a defective or pre-production sample.

No defect. If you don't see it then we're just not on the same page. I've looked at like 6 of them now and they all have it and none didn't.

 

[Oregone]

Here--the plastic on this ridge. I have checked it on multiple 346's...the plastic sits out slightly too far on the outside and doesn't fully cover the metal outcropping on the inside...

Not obsessive or anything, i swear...LOL...

0.7mm as the very worst fit on a large injected molded part put under pressure by 3 latches is actually quite a feat.
Remember you are looking at it larger than full scale here.
View attachment 173171