Another twist to the 7900 vs 460 debate...

[John Ellison]

They are both top notch saws. If I wanted or needed a full wrap handle, I would go with the Stihl. I have three 046/460s and 1 7900. Used to only see orange and white,but now I like the 7900 best. It feels noticably smoother to me with a bit more umph.
But, I agree that if you dont have a local dealer and cant afford to wait a bit for parts in the mail (no back up saws) then Stihl might be the better choice. Then again, its not good to not have back up if you need to count on something. So the best thing is to have two 7900s instead of two 460s.

 

[sawinredneck]

Hi,

the KWF tests and the FPA/DLG approvals are objective. They have to be. Forestry equipment used by professionals here in Germany MUST have passed these tests. If it doesn't it's nothing more than an expensive saw for a homeowner. No company or pro-logger would dare to work with non-approved saws, at least not in his right mind.

Bye

I am not saying the tests are wrong, and the have there place, but the way I run a saw, and the way you run the saw, we will see different vibration levels just due to operator differences. I will hold it different than you, my stance is different. I will hold it more fimly, you will let it float a bit.
You see what I am saying? the operators will do things different and experiance that same saw differently.
Andy

 

[blis]

Hi,

the KWF tests and the FPA/DLG approvals are objective. They have to be. Forestry equipment used by professionals here in Germany MUST have passed these tests. If it doesn't it's nothing more than an expensive saw for a homeowner. No company or pro-logger would dare to work with non-approved saws, at least not in his right mind.

If a pro uses a saw that hasn't passed the tests then he has no health cover and gets no pension for injuries or disabilities caused by it! They are not consumer tests but professional tests for the industry. The official bodies behind all this aren't interested in brand names, only facts matter to those people. That in itself pretty much rules out any risk of subjectivity.


Still, thats all only relevant for pro users here in Germany. That's not a problem for the rest of the world though, so count yourselves lucky to be safely away from the Germans beaurocracy...

Bye

the heck? you can get paid for white fingers and other common lumberjacks disabbilities and such? now thats something new...

 

[MS-310]

Start here, this is a site sponser:

http://www.amickssuperstore.com/

Andy

Dam $759.00, kinda steep on price.

 

[manual]

Dam $759.00, kinda steep on price.

About the same for a 390xp with more power, less vibes and better filter system. Hmmmmm

 

[Monkeyhanger]

the heck? you can get paid for white fingers and other common lumberjacks disabbilities and such? now thats something new...

Hi,

if you look at it like that then yes. They are industrial injuries that warrant a disability pension if you get them through your work.

Other examples would be a tiler ( a tile layer?) with ruined knees from kneeling all day laying down floor tiles or a painter with a solvent induced allergy. Same thing for the ruined lungs of a coal miner.

A lot of professions have recognised potential injuries and disabilities associated with them. Thats why tests such as those from the KWF carry so much weight here in Germany. And white finger is a typical disability for chainsaw operators (and others such as miners and roadworkers if I remember rightly). If the test says "yep its a low-vibe saw, the lowest on the market" then you have less chance of the desk jockeys putting up any resistance to your claims.


@sawinredneck, you are quite right in what you say but that doesn't interest the pen pushers and the social insurance beaurocrats one bit. Use a saw here without the proper "stickers" and you could lose more than the bit of money you may have saved by buying it. Even the pro saws sold in America can't be used by pros here as they don't even have the humble, to be honest worthless, CE "sticker" on them. Even my toaster has a CE "sticker" on it!

But thats all getting a little off topic.

Bye

 

[litefoot]

They are both top notch saws. If I wanted or needed a full wrap handle, I would go with the Stihl. I have three 046/460s and 1 7900. Used to only see orange and white,but now I like the 7900 best. It feels noticably smoother to me with a bit more umph.
But, I agree that if you dont have a local dealer and cant afford to wait a bit for parts in the mail (no back up saws) then Stihl might be the better choice. Then again, its not good to not have back up if you need to count on something. So the best thing is to have two 7900s instead of two 460s.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first post from someone who outwardly claims to own and run both saws. And although he could easily be biased toward the 460, he picks the 7900 instead. Interesting.

I guess I wanted to compare these saws mano a mano without consideration of the other intangibles. I know in the real world you cannot disregard dealer support and/or parts availablility, but at least here is one post that answers the original theoretical question.

 

[Cut4fun]

Boy i am behind the times in just a few months. last I looked at a Dolmar 7900 with 20" b+c was $689. Big price increase, must mean they are selling good. Dang stihl pricing plan now, if sales good raise the price.

 

[Woodie]

That reminds me of a time I was out 4 wheeling with my cj5 and a guy yells out saying "hey thats a nice jeep" I immediately trew some mud on it and said
"Hows that"?

Ha!! Reminds me of my beloved (but now gone) TJ. In the six years I owned her, I washer her twice. Didn't feel right about it either time, never did it again.

 

[litefoot]

Boy i am behind the times in just a few months. last I looked at a Dolmar 7900 with 20" b+c was $689. Big price increase, must mean they are selling good. Dang stihl pricing plan now, if sales good raise the price.

Yeah, mine was $675 w/20" b/c out the door 2 weeks ago from a dealer in WY. I went back to Amick's later to look for accessories. Did a big when I saw their new price.

 

[SawTroll]

About the same for a 390xp with more power, less vibes and better filter system. Hmmmmm

...but also quite a bit more weight, and a qustionmark on the low end reliability.....

 

[Wilson_tree]

I'm planning to purchase one of these two saws this spring. I was leaning towards the 7900 because I like the used Makita 6401 I bought, but all this talk of dealer support and parts availability has me scared. It's hard to pass up a lighter saw with more power that costs less, so maybe I'll get over the fear and buy the 7900. And nobody has said anything negative about the 7900.

 

[Cut4fun]

You could put a 7900 top end on the 6401 for just under $200.

 

[Freakingstang]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first post from someone who outwardly claims to own and run both saws. And although he could easily be biased toward the 460, he picks the 7900 instead. Interesting.

I guess I wanted to compare these saws mano a mano without consideration of the other intangibles. I know in the real world you cannot disregard dealer support and/or parts availablility, but at least here is one post that answers the original theoretical question.

Apparently, you haven't read the 346xp vs 353 thread.

I own two 046's, one 460 and two 7900's.

The 7900's are much smoother and have more power than any of the 046's or the 460's.

But, apparently the #'s on paper don't say that. They say the 460 has less vibrations, but I feel more vibes through the 460...

 

[sawinredneck]

I'm planning to purchase one of these two saws this spring. I was leaning towards the 7900 because I like the used Makita 6401 I bought, but all this talk of dealer support and parts availability has me scared. It's hard to pass up a lighter saw with more power that costs less, so maybe I'll get over the fear and buy the 7900. And nobody has said anything negative about the 7900.

If you can get a 6401 from HD for around $200 BUY IT abd put the 7900 p/c on it!!!!!!! I think that will make you just about as happy as happy gets!!!

I am not trying to scare anyone off, I think they make a great product, I just want everyone to be aware of the potential of the dealerships failing. Maybe they will, I hope they wont. I think the big guys need a swift kick in the butt to keep them on their toes!!!!

Freak and many others speak very highly of these saws, and I know first hand what Freak can do to a saw, so I certainly trust his judgement!!!
Andy

 

[Gatsby174]

Ummm, whoever said earlier in the thread (im to lazy to go back and look) that a new 460 was $600 needs some glasses. they're 899.95 at Amick's. My 361 was 598 out the door two weeks ago! But...worth every penny!
I'd still pick the 460 over the 7900.
JC

 

[ciscoguy01]

460

Ummm, whoever said earlier in the thread (im to lazy to go back and look) that a new 460 was $600 needs some glasses. they're 899.95 at Amick's. My 361 was 598 out the door two weeks ago! But...worth every penny!
I'd still pick the 460 over the 7900.
JC

Yea dude. I called a Stihl dealer in Wilmington, NY today, it's near Whiteface mountain ski resort in the adirondacks, and the quote he gave me was $710. The MS210 was $229. $600 was what the dude was going to spend on the blown up 046... The 7900 I got quoted was at $750, and the dude was going to give me a deal on it cause he's done business with my family for years...

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I've always worked on my own saws so as lond as I can get parts, no matter what the means, dealer network isn't as important as it is to others.

Really when you get down to it you can't go wrong with either saw.

Just a matter of personal preference!!!

 

[Sprig]

Apparently, you haven't read the 346xp vs 353 thread.

I own two 046's, one 460 and two 7900's.

The 7900's are much smoother and have more power than any of the 046's or the 460's.

But, apparently the #'s on paper don't say that. They say the 460 has less vibrations, but I feel more vibes through the 460...

Ya ya, I know fftopic: and I'm not intentionally try to derail this thread so I'll make this short.
I'm trying to pin it down but many years ago I had someone explain to me that it was the long term exposure to 'high frequency' vibrations (ie. from the chain itself cutting) that do the majority of capillary damage (breaks them up like a sonic bath does kidney stones I guess), not the chuff-chuffing of the saw running vibes that people think of when thinking vibration. My thought is that the vibrations you consider 'more' are not necessarily the ones targeted by the numbers referred to. You could possibly factor in how much of a 'death-grip' you use in there too. I'm sure with todays higher revving motors there is change there as well. Much like high frequency sound damage, you don't really pay attention to it till you lose your lower end hearing, gah, something like that. I'm sure there are others that know more but until someone posts on that I'll set some time aside to do some research on it and will post any findings one way or 'tother, probably on this thread. I've used saws and power tools of various qualities on and off for many years and I'm sure that my hands would be suffering a great deal more had I not used the rubber 'webs' gloves as regular PPE for pretty much all applications, very minor white finger/circulation affection. Its not luck.
My 0.02$ worth (or -less) fer the evening.

 

[stumpjumper83]

Well, four years ago I bought a stihl 460 mag new. I have yet to do any maintence at all to it. My father has a 044 for pushing 15 years now. To date it has required only 1 spark plug, 1 vibration mount, I think its on its 4th bar. The 044 averages 35-50 cord of firewood per year, and several loads of logs.
Now I have zero experience with dolmars, but if you offered me and my father new ones in trade, even up, neither of us would budge. The other problem is that we have a local dealer that caters to loggers and their big saws, and deals in stihls. So unless someone is going to pay us to use them, sorry i'll keep my 460mag