First new saw in 33 years

[Jeff Lary]

On Thursday of last week I bought the Dolmar. I don't know another person who owns one my son said "Dad I am sure you did your research but I never heard of a Dolmar before"
My newest saw other than this is a 1984 Partner 5000 plus so this will be all new to me. I have a 70 acre woodlot that is in Tree Growth so as to help me lower my taxes some. As part of the tree growth plan you have a forester write the plan for harvest and future growth. I have since October been thinning a section of my woodlot ( a sugar bush)and will continue into other areas as have finished up here just after Thanks Giving day.
I had a bad spell the other day with one of my partners, she just refused to restart after running it for a 1/2 hour or so. At that point I said enough is enough I need something that I can run , set it down for ten minutes then pick it up and restart it and go again. I love the old partners but I seem to be spending a lot of time tinkering when I should be cutting ha ha.
This saw is supposed to be very close in power to the 5000 time will tell I guess. I have not run it yet but I will beginning next Saturday. I am taking 2 weeks off to work in the woods I am in a Beach grove now I will be removing red maple, fir, gray birch, some white birch and anything else that is not Beach, Yellow Birch or Rock Maple. Every thing in the photo with tax included, came to $432.95.
He gave me a loop of this tri link chain because I really had no interest in the "safety" chain that came on the saw. I will at some point grind down the "bumper" links and after that I am sure it will be useable. He only asked that I provide him some honest feed back on the Tri Link so I guess I can do that. This dealer has been selling Dolmar for 28 years.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

Congratulations! Great saw.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Thanks, I hope it be a good one, but I guess if it is not I am not out too much. I will just try again with a different brand if I need to, lets just hope that's not the case.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

I have Maruyama MCV 51, made by Dolmar, same saw, different colors. Very solid saw.

 

[Chris-PA]

Looks like a nice saw! My neighbor has a 510 that he likes quite a bit, and it will only be nicer with a bit more power from the 5105. I have a loop of that TriLink 0.325 on my Poulan and I like it.

 

[Ikeholt]

You made a great choice Jeff. I think it would be interesting for you to time it in a few cuts against the old Partner.

 

[burnses]

how bout a pict. of the 5000...nice new saw....good way to be productive!

 

[jltrent]

Nice saw and I noticed on Ebay under $400 with a 20" bar. You want buy a Stihl or Husky for that in the 50cc pro line. Chain speed on these are unreal. If it was mine I would probably add just a little extra 2-cycle oil for extra lub.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAKITA-DOL...026175?hash=item4d69a6e17f:g:1MwAAOSwfVhaMAgA

http://www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/productcatalog/chain_saws_gasoline/ps-5105/index.html

 

[Jeff Lary]

Thank you all for the positive comments, I will have to try timing it sometime. I can get a partner shot for you sure ,nothing special just an old saw but they have done everything I have asked for a very long time. The dealer said that the 510 would be like the partner 500 and the 5105 would be more like the 5000.
This company has been around forever they used to sell Pioneer - Poulan then Partner and now Dolmar. I honestly don't expect to end up back over there for service but you never know. I asked one time for advice for a saw for my son here on AS and boy what a great response. I went through that thread a week or so ago and totaled up the different recommendations Dolmar was not on the top for sure. I thought of buying a Husky 562 or 555 but both were a little more money than I wanted to spend . After all the whole reason for the Tree Growth plan was to try to save a little money.
But, I got to thinking of a visit to that same dealer I made about 15 years ago to look for Partner parts. He did not have any parts left but he did have a wall full of new Sachs Dolmar. I knew about them but I had never seen one before. What I did remember from that visit was the Dolmar on/off toggle switch. I remember thinking ," there now that is a simple rugged way to shut off a saw" what a strange think to think I know but because of that I always remembered that dealer and those saws.

 

[cuinrearview]

I need another 51xx Dolmar in my fleet. Great saws. Not the lightest or most nimble, they don't scream on the high end like a 346, but the powerband is so wide and the AV is so smooth. I ran a 16" 3/8 on my 5100 and it cut like a light saber through any wood type. My dad runs a 70DL 3/8 on his 5105 and the power is more than adequate. The easy start feature works great, they're priced great(especially the deal OP got!). Obviously I'm a fan of this platform

 

[Brian72]

Thank you all for the positive comments, I will have to try timing it sometime. I can get a partner shot for you sure ,nothing special just an old saw but they have done everything I have asked for a very long time. The dealer said that the 510 would be like the partner 500 and the 5105 would be more like the 5000.
This company has been around forever they used to sell Pioneer - Poulan then Partner and now Dolmar. I honestly don't expect to end up back over there for service but you never know. I asked one time for advice for a saw for my son here on AS and boy what a great response. I went through that thread a week or so ago and totaled up the different recommendations Dolmar was not on the top for sure. I thought of buying a Husky 562 or 555 but both were a little more money than I wanted to spend . After all the whole reason for the Tree Growth plan was to try to save a little money.
But, I got to thinking of a visit to that same dealer I made about 15 years ago to look for Partner parts. He did not have any parts left but he did have a wall full of new Sachs Dolmar. I knew about them but I had never seen one before. What I did remember from that visit was the Dolmar on/off toggle switch. I remember thinking ," there now that is a simple rugged way to shut off a saw" what a strange think to think I know but because of that I always remembered that dealer and those saws.

I think the only reason we don't hear more Dolmar support is they just don't have the dealer presence in most areas like Stihl and Husky. Certainly not a quality issue.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[Cope1024]

I think the only reason we don't hear more Dolmar support is they just don't have the dealer presence in most areas like Stihl and Husky. Certainly not a quality issue.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

I agree. When we get past brand loyalty, all the top brands are good saws. Each makes some that are better than others, but when we talk weight and power, the differences are slight. My local dealers carry Stihl and Echo, so those are the brands I look for. If a Makita or Husky dealer was close, I might have a different opinion.

 

[svk]

Great saw and great price!

 

[Jeff Lary]

Thanks all,
The saw alone sold new was $369.95 then I bought the cutters helmet as mine is past it. The ear muffs are cracked and pinch my tender little ears...so I needed new.
I do have to say that in the last 2 hours I have told 2 co-works about the saw and they both had a look of puzzlement. Neither of them had any prior knowledge of the Dolmar line. Like I may have said earlier it is either Husky Jonsered or Stihl for the most part in my area.
I changed the safety chain out on Sunday for the new Tri-Link. I must confess man that was one easy change out to do. The side adjuster is new to me, and I really like it. I also like that I can see where the adjustment pin is in relation to the bar adjustment hole.
I am thinking that maybe I should buy a square file and turn the safety chain into a square filed chain? I can easily lower the bumper links on one of my grinders then it would just be a matter of figuring out how to square file a chain.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If it was my saw the first thing I'd do is remove that catalytic converter and put a regular muffler on it. You can tell which is a muffler by noticing the front which is rather smooth. The ones that I rebuild always have rings that appear to lose their tension, it appears to be because of the heat. I have one in the shop right now that needs nothing but a new piston ring. I'm gonna try to find a muffler for it also if I can. The saw pictured is mine which I already changed over.
Apparently there are subtle differences between the 510, 5100S and 5105, probably the cylinder but really I can't tell the difference between them when cutting...they are good saws.

 

[svk]

Thanks all,
The saw alone sold new was $369.95 then I bought the cutters helmet as mine is past it. The ear muffs are cracked and pinch my tender little ears...so I needed new.
I do have to say that in the last 2 hours I have told 2 co-works about the saw and they both had a look of puzzlement. Neither of them had any prior knowledge of the Dolmar line. Like I may have said earlier it is either Husky Jonsered or Stihl for the most part in my area.
I changed the safety chain out on Sunday for the new Tri-Link. I must confess man that was one easy change out to do. The side adjuster is new to me, and I really like it. I also like that I can see where the adjustment pin is in relation to the bar adjustment hole.
I am thinking that maybe I should buy a square file and turn the safety chain into a square filed chain? I can easily lower the bumper links on one of my grinders then it would just be a matter of figuring out how to square file a chain.

I would probably just run the chain as is and buy a new, non bumper DL chain to convert to square. Probably the easiest way is to have someone with a square sharpener convert it for you.

 

[Jeff Lary]

As far as the muffler goes I was thinking that was as well but I have also read posts here by a respected member that the muffler as is, is still pretty open even with the cat inside. I don't know if they sell a not cat muffler for my saw do they?
As far as the chain goes, yes you are probably right. I was just thinking out loud sort of. I would really like to try square grind myself, I have no idea where I would ever find someone with a square grind wheel though. I think maybe if I do that I will do it with 3/8 chain on a 20" bar. My wood is mostly very clean so a sharp chain should last awhile. I try to cut the tree length wood that requires skidding to a yard during the winter on snow covered frozen ground. I spent Saturday for about 5hours with my Stihl pole saw cutting limbs off the sides of my main woods roads. Then when I had run out 2 tanks of gas ( man I was beat too) I took the Ranger and packed down my main roads so they could stiffen up some. I have this Friday off so I may give her a whirl to see how she runs. I will post some photos of my first area thinned if there is any interest. The first area I thinned was about 5 acres the main goal was the "release" of Rock (sugar) Maples and improve the sunlight to the ground as well as more air flow.

 

[blsnelling]

If it was my saw the first thing I'd do is remove that catalytic converter and put a regular muffler on it.

THIS! You will need to tune the carb.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Some pictures of the Sugar bush before and after thinning. I will go back into this area in the early summer and mark more trees for removal for the following fall. But for now it is done for this year. Some photos have text imbedded in them as I am trying to create a record for the future for my son and for the next Forester to see. I forgot to say all blue marked trees stay all orange marked trees will go.
Photos 226, 1186, are before 1234, 1229 are after of the same area.
Photos 225, 227, 1186 are before on the opposite side 1228, is after on that same side.
Photo 1198 is the small wood cut to 8' lengths on its way to the " limb wood / biscuit wood pile
Photo 1219 is the limb wood pile and a crap ( low quality) wood pile
Photo 1222 is the nice / quality wood pile.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

On Thursday of last week I bought the Dolmar. I don't know another person who owns one my son said "Dad I am sure you did your research but I never heard of a Dolmar before"
My newest saw other than this is a 1984 Partner 5000 plus so this will be all new to me. I have a 70 acre woodlot that is in Tree Growth so as to help me lower my taxes some. As part of the tree growth plan you have a forester write the plan for harvest and future growth. I have since October been thinning a section of my woodlot ( a sugar bush)and will continue into other areas as have finished up here just after Thanks Giving day.
I had a bad spell the other day with one of my partners, she just refused to restart after running it for a 1/2 hour or so. At that point I said enough is enough I need something that I can run , set it down for ten minutes then pick it up and restart it and go again. I love the old partners but I seem to be spending a lot of time tinkering when I should be cutting ha ha.
This saw is supposed to be very close in power to the 5000 time will tell I guess. I have not run it yet but I will beginning next Saturday. I am taking 2 weeks off to work in the woods I am in a Beach grove now I will be removing red maple, fir, gray birch, some white birch and anything else that is not Beach, Yellow Birch or Rock Maple. Every thing in the photo with tax included, came to $432.95.
He gave me a loop of this tri link chain because I really had no interest in the "safety" chain that came on the saw. I will at some point grind down the "bumper" links and after that I am sure it will be useable. He only asked that I provide him some honest feed back on the Tri Link so I guess I can do that. This dealer has been selling Dolmar for 28 years.View attachment 619304 View attachment 619305 View attachment 619306 View attachment 619307 View attachment 619308 View attachment 619309

Your son is right. That's a crappy off-brand saw. Send it to me for proper disposal.

That "after" picture... that's going to be a nice deer and turkey hunting area.