Greetings from Downunder

[Griffdog1]

Hi guys. Just a quick note to say hi. I am not much of an arborist and to be honest I don't really need a saw beyond cutting some wood when I am camping but I have developed something of an addiction to 80/90's Dolmars. I have been into fixing cars and motorbikes all my life but I find chainsaws encompass the best of everything. I also like Honda g200 stationary engines but that is another story. Anyway I have ended up with three Dolmars. First was my old mans 115i that he handed down to me. Its is an awesome saw but just a little too big for camping and a little too small for really big wood. That led to a ps-401 for the small stuff and a new addition of a 120si - gunna need some help with that one.

I have gotten so much information already from this site and looking forward to picking up a couple more saws - 166 maybe!!

 

[jwade]

welcome griffdog, nice looking iron there.

 

[jeff taswelder]

Nice saws you have sir
you will like the 120 dolmar
I have the yellow 120s and love it
And welcome to AS

 

[stihlaficionado]

Welcome to AS.

 

[astnmacgto]

Welcome to the site! You will find that everyone here can be full of info in one aspect or another. Your true CAD will begin quicker than you hoped if you spend a lot of time on here for sure. And btw my dad has a few Dolmar's including a 120si and he loves em.
ADLM

 

[Griffdog1]

In Australia (like most places I guess) Dolmar's are very underrated. It is only older professional users that really understand or are interested in the older saws so they often come up for next to nothing. Almost every homeowner type chainsaw buyer would think they are just a junk saw and they are not aware enough to be able to understand what made in Germany full magnesium cases means - they will pay big money for any stihl or husky no mater how trashed but often a Dolmar will not even get a look in on ebay or gumtree(our version of Craig's list). The 120si I picked up for the equivalent of about 25US dollars. I like that they are very well made and all three saws are very well balanced - dolmar seemed to go for solid/functional design rather than gimmicks . I think I like this era of saw as you have some nice develops like electronic ignition but the saws had not been strangled with emission requirements. The little ps401 is a cracking small saw that was 50US. I just needed to fix the chain brake band and replace the rubber isolators and she was flying. The 115i is totally stock and used as a farm saw - it is a really nice saw - a classic all round saw. Even though the 120si is not a "muscle saw" as such, I am really looking forward to our next winter wood working bee when my mates rock up with their 50cc huskies and I pull out that sucka. Last time they thought the 115 was some sort of Chinese clone and they laughed their guts out until it blew their doors off. Its going to be fun to see the look on their faces when the mighty pre-pollution 120 roars into life.

 

[L34]

My dad has a 120si.Great saw,cuts as good as his 044.
Chris.

 

[Griffdog1]

My dad has a 120si.Great saw,cuts as good as his 044.
Chris.

I am really looking forward to ripping into this one. (I have just picked up) At the moment it is missing the starter recoil mechanism and I have not had a chance to get running but it feels like it has good compression and after a good clean up and sourcing a new starter, I think it will be a great saw for bigger jobs and just fooling around with and to be honest I recon the big Dolmars are simply worth hanging onto as a really solid powerful old saw which is modern enough to be used as a working saw on bigger wood. I am not going to cranking it up every day so once I get it running sweetly it will last me for the foreseeable future. All three of the saws I have are not really saws that are worth selling. Their quality means that they are undervalued for what you are getting, but an occasional user sees they can walk into an hardware store now and buy a new saw for next to nothing - don't know how many of those will still be running strong after 25 years though. Each of my saws has been well used but still go well. Even the 400 which is a base model saw is very well made and has the feel that you could throw it around and nothing would break. The 115 and 120 are obviously more professional saws which feel just that - tools of trade that put function over flashiness - there is something pretty cool about that in a throw away world. They feel dependable and honest.

 

[CM76]

Hello and welcome Griffdog. You have started out well with your collection of Dolmars. The early Dolmars are beautifully made machines, and their bigger saws have loads of grunt. I love using mine when I get the chance.

Chris

 

[Big Block]

Welcome

 

[Stihlman441]

Welcome there Griffdog
Sorry champ im not into Dolmars.

 

[Griffdog1]

Had a good look at the 120si last night. Its got good compression and after I whipped the plug out and kicked her over with the cordless drill (got no starter mech at the moment) I had a good spark so ignition is all good. Saw looks very clean and unmolested with under the covers - sweet. Drill does not have quite enough oomph and speed to get her started in the few goes I had but all the signs are that she is going to be a good goer once I can find a stater mech. My theory is that the starter housing was damaged at some point and the previous owner took it off to replace (put the bolts neatly back into place though - cheers!) and then trotted off to the local chainsaw place to be confronted with the reality that a) they could not get the part or b) they could get the part but it was going to cost more than the saw was worth. Armed with this knowledge that baby got parked in the shed. An hour on the internet and Griff has worked out that you will be able to get the whole mech for around 50 bucks but might have to do a bit of digging and waiting. Luckily I am not in a hurry and all roads point to this saw being a keeper.

 

[Griffdog1]

Welcome there Griffdog
Sorry champ im not into Dolmars.

Good collection of Stihls you have there! Truth be told, if my old man had of had a stihl then I wouldn't be into Dolmars. Now everywhere I bloody turn there is a cheap dolmar being sold - nice 109 came up last night......

 

[CM76]

A couple of mine

 

[astnmacgto]

A couple of mineView attachment 530696 View attachment 530697 View attachment 530698 View attachment 530699 View attachment 530700

Look at this guy flexing his muscles hahaha those are nice.
ADLM

 

[CM76]

[QUOTE Look at this guy flexing his muscles hahaha those are nice.
ADLM[/QUOTE]

Couldnt help myself! No further hijacks on the thread from now on.

 

[astnmacgto]

[QUOTE Look at this guy flexing his muscles hahaha those are nice.
ADLM

Couldnt help myself! No further hijacks on the thread from now on.[/QUOTE]
I like hijacking threads lol. I'd like to believe I was a pirate in a former life, even if no one else does.

 

[brandonstc6]

That's a good find! My 038 magnum was in the same condition as your Dolmar. Mine was in the scrap metal pile. It was missing the recoil but was otherwise in excellent condition. A used $25 recoil from eBay and carburetor kit and it was up and running. My guess is that the recoil starter broke and someone took it off and went to their dealer and either couldn't get it or it was too expensive. Then they let the saw sit and eventually sold it for scrap metal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Griffdog1]

Love the 166. My 120 is definitely a good pick up. Closing in on a starter mech - sweet!!! I am not a tight wod but I can only justify buying saws for beer money as I don't really need em. A bit of fiddling to get them going is a bonus for me.

 

[Griffdog1]

Gave the 120 a bit of a once over tonight. 100% sure she will be a strong runner. Actually looks like it has not done that much work.