new pony in the stable

buckwheat · Oct 17, 2003

Well with all this Dolmar/Makita hype around here lately, I started noticing some "execellent condition" Makita 6401's going off on eBay. They had been selling in the $325-$350 range, but they made the mistake of listing four at the same time, so I jumped and picked one up for $240. It arrived in two days time and I got to play with it yesterday.
It appears to have been a rental unit, about two years old and well maintained. Very clean and the piston looks good. 20" bar with a brand new chain, although its the safety link type.
First impression: solid and over-built. Everything from the controls to the vibration mounts to even the chainstop is bigger compared to a Stihl or Husky. The muffler is huge. Started on the third pull and felt very smooth.
In the cut, what can I say, its just a powerful saw. 20" bar in a round of walnut was not really a challenge for it.
I have an adapter plate coming from Walkers that will let me swap out my 25" Stihl bar from the 044, which is going up for sale, and I'll be opening up the muffler to get a little extra punch. I've contacted Dan to get pricing on a 7900 top end which bolts right on, plus toying with the idea of putting a PP in front of it, but the budget is tight right now.
The only drawback I can see is that 13 lbs is a tad heavy for a 64cc saw, but if I opt for the new top end, its pretty light for a 79cc. Still, I only need a bigger saw about 10% of the time, and for $240, I can live with the weight issue.
If anyone is interested, the seller is Champion Brokers out of Baltimore, going by "champ5509" on eBay. Highly recommended.

TonyM · Oct 17, 2003

I noticed those saws as well. Thought about bidding on one, but I was unsure if the 7900 top end was a simple bolt on. There is no difference in the crank? Let me know how it works out for cost, as I see many of those saws on ebay, and may want to do the same thing.

buckwheat · Oct 17, 2003

I just downloaded the manuals and parts schematics, plus got a message from Dan. It looks like the 6400, 7300, and 7900 are all on the same platform with just different jugs and pistons. The crank is the same.
Dan is headed to Gypoland, eh, but will get back to me with prices.

buckwheat · Oct 26, 2003

I got the little adapter shim from Walkers that lets you put a Stihl bar on a Husky mount. It lines up well with the bar studs and the slot on the bar, but the hole that mounts the adapter to the saw itself is off. I think it has to do with the fact that its a 25" bar and chain because it mounts properly one way, but then the bar won't extend enough to keep the chain snug. If I reverse it, it works fine, but then the mounting hole is not lined up. I can either take a link out of each chain, or I can probably figure out a way to drill a new mounting hole - doesn't look too complicated.
Anyway, that little $10 adapter probably saved me $50 with not having to buy new bars.
btw: Its interesting the way the chain tensioner is engineered on these saws. Its a corkscrew mechanism mounted in the cover, rather than in the case. That means you have to fiddle with the bar to make sure the guide hole and the bar studs are all lined up together before seating the cover. Not a big deal, but just a tad inconvenient.

django · Oct 26, 2003

Great buy. Great saw. My S-D 119 is my biggest saw, (60cc)I love it, but it's 20yrs. old. And HEAVY. I really have no need whatsoever for another 60cc saw. None. My wife would kill me.
Just not practical. Did you say $240? Champion Brokers huh?

buckwheat · Nov 12, 2003

woohoo!

Finally got into some big wood this weekend and pulled out the new toy. We were taking down several dead or dying apple and cherry trees on a property that was formerly an orchard. because they had not been pruned in decades, most of these trees had 20-24" trunks going up 6'.

Two things stick out: for a 64cc saw, it has plenty of grunt. With the 25" bar, sometimes buried in the stump, it just kept on going with no bogging whatsoever. I can't really say that about my 044. Second, its just so smooth compared to my Stihls. I can't really put my finger on it, but for taking down and bucking trunks and then cleaning up the stumps, my arms just didn't feel spent like they usually would, and its certainly not a matter of me being in any better shape.

I love my Walkerized 026, but if Makita/Dolmar comes out with something comparable in this weight class that follows the design of their bigger saws, they can count on at least one sale.