Sounds like it made you colour blind as well! wrong orange!
i copped a lump of 50 x 6 flat bar to the side of the head today too, on edge of all things so I sympathise with ya cause that is ringing as well.
Gotta ask the question about the dolmars are they really as good as you say? I have known a couple of guys who have had the 7900s and raved about them at first but after a while didn't seem to think that they were so hot. one now has a couple of the 81cc solos and reckons they are better.
Mate, never run a 681 but one of the local firewood fella's has one and raves about it.
They are very similar, Solo copied the Dolmar pretty closely, just stroked them 1mm and a number of bits are interchangeable. (things like the clutch are stamped with the Dolmar logo, that's how close they are, sorta like kissing cousins)
From what I've read, they are softer in the AV than the Dolmar, maybe a touch more grunt, but that may change saw to saw (just production variation) but there are quite a few reports of 681 crank breakages with heavy use, even though the Solo has slightly bigger diam. main bearings.
For what I do I'd be happy with either but the big advantage ATM with the Dolmak's is the HD air filter and it can't be adapted to the Solo AFAIK.
Again, i'd just buy a few spares (but last time I enquired the Solo ones are over A$60 each :msp_blink: ) and oil them, like i did with the Dolly before the HD filter became available.
Early 7900's sometimes ripped top AV springs but that was fixed with an overtravel limiter.
About the only 'weak' aspect of the 64/73/7900 is the oiler, which Matt reckons limits the saw to around 32" in our timber (I run up to a 30" bar) and the chain tensioner, which like the Husky 372 is in the clutch cover and not the main body like a Stihl or later Dolmars, but it isn't biggy, I've never heard of one failing, it just feels like it's harder to adjust the chain.
Serg/Husq2100 is getting a 681, so we'll have a pretty impartial Aussie take on one soonish.
{edit} the worst part with Makita saws in Oz is the backup from Makita Australia.
They provide frig all advertising and back up to their OPE dealers as far as I can make out, and will sell chainsaws to any Makita power tool retailer, which sure as hell doesn't imbue a genuine OPE dealer with confidence.
They could do so much better, but OPE seems to be the bastard, red headed child no one wants to acknowledge. Meanwhile Stihl show everyone how OPE should be done.