50cc class chainsaw advice

[SawTroll]

Fatten up the low screw a bit Sawtroll. It will help that response a bit.:hmm3grin2orange:

About the first thing I did with the 5100S! :smile2:

 

[russhd1997]

Howdy long time lurker, first time poster.
Looking for a smaller saw than my 372, I had a 55 rancher but it seemed underpowered for what I'm doing. I'm not a pro by any means. I burn 4-5 cords of hardwood in the house per year and burn 5-7 cords of white pine and hemlock in the sugarhouse depending on the length of the season. Most of what I cut is between 10-30 inches. I have a pretty compressed window to cut so I do most of it in the winter when the farm isn't busy and when my real job is quiet.
I would like a saw that will run an 18" bar with a 3/8s chain. I've been looking primarily at a 357xp/2156 Jred, 346xp. But yesterday I stopped by the new Dolmar dealer and looked at a PS 5105. I don't know much about the Dolmar, but I liked the size and price.
Thanks in advance.

Alden is that you? Welcome aboard. FNG rep sent. Where is this new Dolmar Dealer? Mine are older Sachs Dolmars and they are both great saws. If you decide to get the PS 5105 you won't be disappointed. I would look at the PS 6400 as well.

 

[tallguys]

If you want more power than the 55, the NE 346xp is the only really good choise!

Just forget other brands in the 50cc class!

Do that and you are doing yourself a disservice! There are plenty of good saws available and though very good, the 346xp is not the holy grail and will not cure whatever ails you...

If you like Huskies and have a good dealer then go for it, same with Stihl. For me personally, unless you score a really good deal, my money is on the Dolmar. If it feels good in your hands, go for the PS-5105.

 

[rburg]

If you can find a member nearby that has the models you are interested in, see if you can take a test run. The 261, 5105, 346, are all good 50cc saws and it sounds like the cs500 is gaining some interest here also. If you find a dealer you like, go with what they sell.

 

[J.Walker]

In this CC range I like the idea of the Husky 353.

If you want to go larger look for the last of the Jonsered 2159, after the first of the New Year!

.

 

[Dill]

Hey Russ! Yup its me, lots of Dills sugaring in NH ya know. Its the shop by Josh's in Barrington on rt 9. Can't think of the name.
He got into Dolmars 2 years ago, and sold a couple of local loggers on them. They've been raving about the saws.

That was a lot more responses than I excepted thanks. Yes I would like to stay with the 3/8 just so I'm running all the same chain on all the saws. That's one thing that sold me on the rancher but its just too much bit for the 3.3hp that saw had. I'm a bit worried about the 346xp can it really run an 18inch bar with 3/8 chain?
What's the spring start assist on the 5105? I'm 32 and only use the decomp on my 288xp lite. I just did a big bore to my 372xp, and can usually get away with no decomp on that. I like my saws simple, will that take the abuse?
What's the JRed clone of the 346? And I assume that 2159 is a 359xp clone?
I'm not really into sthils, always ran Huskys or JReds, so I don't know the local Sthil dealers.

 

[russhd1997]

Hey Russ! Yup its me, lots of Dills sugaring in NH ya know. Its the shop by Josh's in Barrington on rt 9. Can't think of the name.
He got into Dolmars 2 years ago, and sold a couple of local loggers on them. They've been raving about the saws.

I knew that there was a Dolmar dealer in Barrington but didn't know that it was only 2 years old. I go to Belmont Hardware for Dolmar parts. They are the closest dealer to me.

I have 2 Dolmars, a 114 and a 116si. The 114 is 50cc's and the 116si is 60cc's. They are both tough dependable saws. I also have some Stihls, a Wild Thing and the closest thing to a Husky is my Jred 2036.

 

[sunfish]

That was a lot more responses than I excepted thanks. Yes I would like to stay with the 3/8 just so I'm running all the same chain on all the saws. That's one thing that sold me on the rancher but its just too much bit for the 3.3hp that saw had. I'm a bit worried about the 346xp can it really run an 18inch bar with 3/8 chain?
What's the spring start assist on the 5105? I'm 32 and only use the decomp on my 288xp lite. I just did a big bore to my 372xp, and can usually get away with no decomp on that. I like my saws simple, will that take the abuse?
What's the JRed clone of the 346? And I assume that 2159 is a 359xp clone?
I'm not really into sthils, always ran Huskys or JReds, so I don't know the local Sthil dealers.

The 346xp has a good bit more power that the rancher and will pull 18" 3/8 fine.

The Jred 346 is the 2153.

Do a search here on the Husky 555 and read a bit. :msp_wink:

 

[indiansprings]

If I were looking to run an 18" bar with 3/8" I'd forget the 346xp in stock form and follow Sunfish's advice and step up to the 555 if your a Husky guy. Mdvalee did a excellent review on the 555 and I agree with him, I don't like the power band on a stock 346xp, it's a saw that must be kept wot without the torque curve that the MS 261 has. But to pull a 18" bar with 3/8 with authority you need to look for more than a 50cc saw, the 555 reviews seems to match your needs extremely well. I run a MS 361 which is 59cc close to 4.4 hp and run it with an 18" bar and 3/8 set up and it flat rips, the 555 should do the same.
I think your asking too much out of a dead stock 346xp to run a 18" 3/8" set up, I think you would be disappointed.

 

[mt.stalker]

To each his own . Dolmar blah blah this , Stihl blah blah that . To Me (And that's all that really counts in my mind) NOTHING beats the feel or screaming rpm's of a properly tuned Xp ......Nothing...... Did I mention screaming rpm's ? :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[David (saltas)]

I bought a MS261 and I am happy with it.

I have used a ms250 that work bought and it is good enough.

I have rented a makita/dolmar and it did all that it was supposed to do.

Indian springs has a firewood business and works his MS261 all day every day with out any dramas and has bought another.

Stihlman441 has afirewood business and works his MS261 plenty too

I have limited my comments to saws I have used for more than 8 hours

 

[benp]

You can't go wrong with any of them imo. I would run any brand's 50cc saw with no hesitation.

I have a Dolmar 510 that I absolutely love.

To alot on here it's the fat kid in dodge ball.

To me it's the farm kid who's loaded concrete wheelbarrow tipped over and he's holding just the handles. (True story, I have seen this)

I have a 3/8 18" setup and it hogs through anything I put it in. It doesn't back down. Just a little torque factory.

Is it the speed demon of the others. Lol, not by a long shot.

But for an all metal saw for a good deal under 300 OTD, the skinny kids can't compete.

Good luck

 

[mt.stalker]

Under $300 OTD . That IS a good deal for a kraut saw :msp_thumbsup:

 

[tallguys]

Under $300 OTD . That IS a good deal for a kraut saw :msp_thumbsup:

So now you know why Dolmar fans love their saws! :biggrin: Quality AND value for you money.

 

[indiansprings]

To each his own . Dolmar blah blah this , Stihl blah blah that . To Me (And that's all that really counts in my mind) NOTHING beats the feel or screaming rpm's of a properly tuned Xp ......Nothing...... Did I mention screaming rpm's ? :hmm3grin2orange:

My 261's are now set at 14,200 came out of the box at 14,300. The 346 xp is an excellent saw, I''m just like Mdvalee they just are all on the top end, for what we do cutting up tops and cull logs usually 16-22" a well broke in MS261 has such a much more useful powerband for what we do, the 261 after it is broke in after 15-20 tanks just plain has balls, torquey, to me it'll clearly out perform a 310. The crew used the 346 for a year and then after the 261 was bought it just set, that's why there is the second 261. If a deal goes thru I've worked on all week and we get the bid, there will prolly be a third one bought.
It's a better fit for the work we do, I'm purposely not going to clean the air filter on this second 261 for at least two weeks, if it looks good we're going to leave it alone and check it at a month, this system is absolutely superior to anything I've ever seen on a saw. I have the upmost respect for the 346xp, but those who claim the MS261 won't hang with them dead stock just hasn't run one that is broke in. They are an absolute fuel sipper, you keep wondering when you'll ever run out. The 261 is as good as any saw as I have ever owned and that includes a bunch of brands and models.
To us it's like night and day, the 261 does an excellent job with a 18" .325, buried in hardwood and you can lean on it hard and it just keeps getting it. I've had the first one set up with 3/8 and a 16", it did an outstanding job, really couldn't tell any difference between it and the 18" .325, this next week I'll have to play around and put a 18 or 20" 3/8 set up on it , I think it will handle it just fine. The 20" may slow it down a little, but I can see it doing fine with the 18" 3/8's set up. Plus the inboard clutch, that is such a positive benefit in my book, but hell there isn't a bad saw between the 346, 5105 or 261, it comes down wto what you like, what you expect out of the saw and the dealer support you get.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

Pro-mac 10-10s!Pulls a 3/8 chain on an 18" bar just fine.Plenty fast enough and tons of torque and you can find them for under 50$.

 

[Dill]

I'm torn between the 555 and the 5105. None of the local to me husky shops had a 555 in stock today. Going to swing over to one of the bigger ones tomorrow and give one a heft. Stopped by the Dolmar shop, he's got a 5105 in stock. Is 480 a good price?

 

[J.W Younger]

I'm torn between the 555 and the 5105. None of the local to me husky shops had a 555 in stock today. Going to swing over to one of the bigger ones tomorrow and give one a heft. Stopped by the Dolmar shop, he's got a 5105 in stock. Is 480 a good price?

That may not be too bad a price, I gave 424 for my 5100 but it was close to 3 yrs ago. If its a 3/8ths chain and has the dolmar (oregon) vangaurd chain see if he will cut a decent chain for it, mine did.

 

[cambl]

If you are willing to look away from the mainstream Stihl/Husky/Dolmar saws, take a look at the Echo-Shindaiwa CS-500P. Checkout the weight, air filtration, inboard clutch, etc and save some money at the same time.

 

[SawTroll]

I'm torn between the 555 and the 5105. None of the local to me husky shops had a 555 in stock today. Going to swing over to one of the bigger ones tomorrow and give one a heft. Stopped by the Dolmar shop, he's got a 5105 in stock. Is 480 a good price?

The 555 is a good bit heavier and larger than the 346xp, despite it is light for a 60cc saw.

The 5105 is not an option in my book, but it looks good "on paper" - specially if price is a major consern.