seawash
New Member
I've been reading threads on this site for a couple of weeks now and think I have my selection narrowed down, but would like some feedback from the experienced folks out there.
I live in the PNW, NE of Seattle WA. Land of rain, floods, wind storms, and freak snowstorms. I'm waiting for the plague of locusts this spring.
Mostly I cut firewood and clean up from trees downed in the windstorms. Between me and my neighbor, we had 11 trees come down in December's storm. I've been using a 18 in, 40cc garage sale craftsman for the past 10 years. With some of the insurance money from the storm damage, I decided to get a real chainsaw.
Here's the list, I'm leaning toward the dolmar:
Dolmar ps5100- 1 local dealer (lawnmower shop), 20 miles away, only carries 1 model of dolmar, not the 5100.
Husky 346xp- 1 dealer 10 miles away, no saws on hand, currently in a remodel. Other local "dealers" listed on Husky website have no saws and never did.
Stihl 280- dealers everywhere, this seems to be stihl country. I'd get a 260 pro or 361 if I could get a used in the same price range as the first 3.
I would like a 20 inch bar, but have done a lot over the years with the 18inch. Can you put a 20in on the dolmar?
Most of the advice on this site seems to recommend service/parts availability over price. If that's the case it seems like I should go with stihl, but it doesn't seem to me that I get the same features on a stihl that I'd get on the dolmar for about the same price.
Based on the good reviews here, I'd like the dolmar, but with the limited service options could this be a mistake?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Seawash
PS- to you guys that climb the trees to bring them down, my hat's off to you. I had to hire a professional to bring down a 140 ft doug fir leaning toward my house from the last windstorm. 4 tree services wouldn't do it. That guy was worth every dime I paid him, tip included.
I live in the PNW, NE of Seattle WA. Land of rain, floods, wind storms, and freak snowstorms. I'm waiting for the plague of locusts this spring.
Mostly I cut firewood and clean up from trees downed in the windstorms. Between me and my neighbor, we had 11 trees come down in December's storm. I've been using a 18 in, 40cc garage sale craftsman for the past 10 years. With some of the insurance money from the storm damage, I decided to get a real chainsaw.
Here's the list, I'm leaning toward the dolmar:
Dolmar ps5100- 1 local dealer (lawnmower shop), 20 miles away, only carries 1 model of dolmar, not the 5100.
Husky 346xp- 1 dealer 10 miles away, no saws on hand, currently in a remodel. Other local "dealers" listed on Husky website have no saws and never did.
Stihl 280- dealers everywhere, this seems to be stihl country. I'd get a 260 pro or 361 if I could get a used in the same price range as the first 3.
I would like a 20 inch bar, but have done a lot over the years with the 18inch. Can you put a 20in on the dolmar?
Most of the advice on this site seems to recommend service/parts availability over price. If that's the case it seems like I should go with stihl, but it doesn't seem to me that I get the same features on a stihl that I'd get on the dolmar for about the same price.
Based on the good reviews here, I'd like the dolmar, but with the limited service options could this be a mistake?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Seawash
PS- to you guys that climb the trees to bring them down, my hat's off to you. I had to hire a professional to bring down a 140 ft doug fir leaning toward my house from the last windstorm. 4 tree services wouldn't do it. That guy was worth every dime I paid him, tip included.
