Picking up new 7900 tomorrow...

[litefoot]

Got to clear a path to get an eqpmt trailer into a wooded site. Boss says to take a chain saw. I'm getting a 7900 for the job. It'll also serve to clear the post-winter blowdowns off the roads (trails) to other sites.

Went to 2 somewhat local dealers. One, a one-man sawshop wanted almost $60 more than anyone else I've seen and he claimed the 7900 was no more than a 4 to 4.5 bhp saw AND he wouldn't take plastic. Strange man who seems to have been in the shop all alone for a bit too long. He did have a 7900 that I got to fondle. Build quality appeared Huskyish (good,, but not like a Stihl...sorry, guys but Stihls just look more robust) and the start controls (choke, kill switch) reminded me of my little Jonny Red 2050, sort of.

The second dealer did not have one in stock, but he is ordering one for pickup tomorrow. Price: $675 w/20" bar. I'm buying this saw strictly on the advice of the AS gang. Looks like I'm going for another load of firewood after all. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[cuttinscott]

Glad to hear you will give a Dolmar a shot I'm sure you will be very happy. If I can be of any help do not be afraid to give a shout.

Scott

 

[THALL10326]

Glad to hear you will give a Dolmar a shot I'm sure you will be very happy. If I can be of any help do not be afraid to give a shout.

Scott

See there Scott, ya brother posted all those Dolmars on the Prince thread and now they are rolling. I'll send you a bill for advertising on my thread,LOL, just messing with ya. I hear the 7900 is a helluva saw. If I can get past the "West Coast Leopard" I may have to check one out myself, protect me from that monster and you can advertise all ya want on my Prince thread,LOL

 

[litefoot]

Scott,
Can you recommend a good full-coverage case for the 7900? It will ride in my truck 100% of the time and I'd like to keep it protected. The local dealer says Dolmar doesn't make one large enough.

 

[SawTroll]

... He did have a 7900 that I got to fondle. Build quality appeared Huskyish (good,, but not like a Stihl...sorry, guys but Stihls just look more robust) and the start controls (choke, kill switch) reminded me of my little Jonny Red 2050, sort of. ...

Not quite fair to Husky, I think - but you are of course entitled to your own opinion.....:biggrinbounce2:

 

[cuttinscott]

Sorry at this time there is no carry case for the 7900 saw :bang:

Scott

 

[litefoot]

Not quite fair to Husky, I think - but you are of course entitled to your own opinion.....:biggrinbounce2:

Now Mr. SawTroll, I did use the words "appeared" and "looks". I wouldn't dare pretend to say one is better built than the other. I'm sure I have about the least trigger-time of anyone else here. So I'll not judge a book by it's cover...but Huskys do look more "plasticky":hmm3grin2orange: Sorry I couldn't help myself.

P.S. My Dad always ran Huskys on the farm...great saws...I'm just yanking chains here.

 

[stckciv]

The spikes on the 7900 keep it from fitting in Husky's powerbox case.

What dealers did you go to?

 

[litefoot]

Picked up the 7900 on Wednesday. Haven't cut with it yet, but here are a few first impressions. The saw came with 20" bar, owners manual, and a tool kit (torx wrench, scrench and carb adjustment tool). The manual is pretty basic, but there a good basic teardown procedure included.

The air filter is under the plastic "bubble" cover accessed by popping out two snap clips. You need a screwdriver, but its VERY easy. The air filter looks small, but there's a lot of surface area in there to catch stuff. The sparkplug is really easy to get to.

Everything is held together by torx screws (T27, I think), so you really only need the included tool kit for just about anything.

Starting the 7900 was really easy and it makes a distinctive "POP" when it first fires with choke pulled. The saw was running a bit rich on the high side when I picked it up, so I leaned it out a bit. The idle, H, and L screws were a little hard to get to with the included screwdriver...at least harder than my 361. I'm not sure if its the screwdriver thickness or what.

Unlike some of the newer big saws that I've heard rumor of, the oiler puts out a prodigious amount of the good stuff on the bar.

So overall, I'm pretty dang happy with what I see. It looks like a well-thought out design. I can't wait to get it in some wood. I guess the reason I'm writing this is to explain that there are a lot of things to recommend about this saw other than it's killer price and pwr/weight ratio.

 

[talon1189]

I don't think it is a good idea to adjust the carb right away as the saw should smoke alittle until the rings get broken in. How did you know the saw was running rich? Was it blue smoke coming out of the saw? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Talon

 

[B_Turner]

I got to know my 7900 a little better today.

This morning was the first time I got a chance to make repeated cuts totally burying a 28 inch bar. It was fresh douglas fir with a freshly sharpened square chain. Even with the tip almost buried it blew through the log even more easily than I thought. I had bigger saws with me, but thought I'd give the 7900 a try and it worked well enough I never fired up the 395. I think the saw is about run in both by the power and the way it started running a tiny bit leaner which I sometimes find when a saw is run in.

And lesson #2: After running the saw pretty hard I went to add bar oil and the cap was stuck on pretty tight. I changed my grip on the cap (it's kind of recessed a bit) and the muffler is close enough I left some knuckle smoking there on the muffler. Like maybe only half inch clearance there, and that is something I have never done on a saw before. But it is something I will only do once.

 

[litefoot]

I don't think it is a good idea to adjust the carb right away as the saw should smoke alittle until the rings get broken in. How did you know the saw was running rich? Was it blue smoke coming out of the saw? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Talon

HeyTalon,
Thanks for your thoughts. The carb was left with tuning as it from the factory in Germany (as per the dealer). I live and work at 5300-9500' elevation. Every 2-stoke has to be leaned out up here. Even after a 1/2 turn CW on the H side, I'm still 4-stroking and another 1/4 turn away from really ramping up the rpm's, so I'm pretty sure I'm safe.

 

[Cut4fun]

7900 has a rev limiter built in and you will hear the cut out when you reached it on the high rpms.
Cant remember, but somewhere at 13,500-13,800 I think.

 

[litefoot]

7900 has a rev limiter built in and you will hear the cut out when you reached it on the high rpms.
Cant remember, but somewhere at 13,500-13,800 I think.

Good info, thank you!

 

[litefoot]

Oh, one more advantage I found with the Dolmar over my Stihl...the powerhead is longer. I got a 24" bar on my 361 which is the perfect for bucking without having to bend over. I've got nearly the same reach to the ground with a 20" bar on the 7900. Shorter bar...less weight...good! Just more fat to chew for those looking at the Dolmar.