Went gone and done it, bought a 6401

[tek9tim]

My bank account was looking a little full after a trip to New Mexico this spring, and with all of my responsibilities met, I decided to start a new little project. I picked up a brand new 6401 off ebay for $380, then bought a 7900 top end from amick's for $189, and a full wrap from Edge & Engine for $128. So, for 700 bucks, I have a full wrap green 7900. Pretty happy with it so far. Went out yesterday and cut a cord of doug fir with it and my 460, and the 460 was beating the crap out of it, but to be fair, it was the first tank of fuel through the Makita, and I did recently swap a different top end on my 460 that has a more aggressive port job done to it. Plus, it has a triple ported muffler and max flow air filter, so it's not a completely fair comparison. However, I did dual port the Makita, I just wish there was something like the max flow filter setup for it. So the pics...

My muffler mod. Made the deflector out of a flat piece of stainless I found laying around. I went with screwing it on so that I wouldn't have to paint the muffler after welding. I like the bare metal fininsh. Plus, it makes it easy to replace the screen that way.



The full wrap is a little different than the Stihls that I'm used to, but it seems pretty tolerable. I haven't gotten a chance to use it with the full wrap, it came in the mail after I got back from cutting yesterday.

So, some feedback is in order. First, the guy from ebay. Everything was just as he said. I was a little skeptical, since he had the lowest buy it now price, and he would kind of sporadically list saws, but he came through. Second, Amick's got the top end to me pretty quickly. And last, but certainly not least, Edge & Engine was great. Way faster shipping than I expected, and way faster than they said it would be.

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

nice looking saw, how are the makitas for chainsaws, their other powertools are pretty good, especially their recipro-saws. Whats the engine size of yours? and up to what length bar can ya comfortably run?

 

[Edge & Engine]

Looks awesome.
Thanks.

 

[tbuggle]

79cc

 

[tek9tim]

The Makitas are the same as the Dolmars except for the plastic color and name. They have a really good reputation. The 6400, 7300 & 7900 are identical except for the pistons/cylinders, thus you can swap top ends between them, easily changing the displacement. So I bought mine as a 64cc saw and put the 79cc top end on it.

 

[Austin1]

You have to post a few pic's when you have the full wrap on it please I really want to order a full wrap for my saw, but some of the pic's for the 7900 full wrap make it look real ugly(I know I am shallow)also be interested in how it feels to you with the wrap handle functuail wise if it is good but still ugly I will get one as I like full wraps. That's one thing Stihl got right is there wrap handles look and feel good:hmm3grin2orange:
a edit is in order here at first I couldn't see the pics!!!

 

[tek9tim]

You have to post a few pic's when you have the full wrap on it please I really want to order a full wrap for my saw, but some of the pic's for the 7900 full wrap make it look real ugly(I know I am shallow)also be interested in how it feels to you with the wrap handle functuail wise if it is good but still ugly I will get one as I like full wraps. That's one thing Stihl got right is there wrap handles look and feel good:hmm3grin2orange:

It feels pretty good. I am used to the Stihl 3/4 wrap and like it a lot, but the dolmar setup seems good. (Although I haven't tipped a tree with the full wrap on yet) Something that seemed odd at first is that the bar around the clutch side doesn't tie back into the main bar mount up front like the old stihls or the huskies, but instead it has its own spot to mount back under the clutch. It makes for really good balance when you have the saw clutch side up.

 

[Austin1]

It feels pretty good. I am used to the Stihl 3/4 wrap and like it a lot, but the dolmar setup seems good. (Although I haven't tipped a tree with the full wrap on yet) Something that seemed odd at first is that the bar around the clutch side doesn't tie back into the main bar mount up front like the old stihls or the huskies, but instead it has its own spot to mount back under the clutch. It makes for really good balance when you have the saw clutch side up.

Sounds good to me!

 

[maccall]

A 79 cc, 6.3 hp saw with a 20" 3/8 bar - and you run skip???

Because it was the only thing you had on hand, or is it by choice?

I'm about to get a 79cc-kit for my 6401 too, but I think I'll skip the full wrap. Although I've read all of Jeff's postings about why they're useful I still don't really get it... A orange 24" GB Titanium bar, and full comp chains, is already in the mail...

 

[pyromaniac guy]

looks just like mine except i don't have a full wrap on it and i have a black air filter cover. plus, i usually run a 28" on mine. it really screams through the wood...

 

[forestryworks]

that's a cool lookin' saw

do the dawgs work just as well even though they
have fewer "teeth" than the stihl dawgs?

that wrap handle looks funny

give us an update later on
along with some more pics!

safe cuttin

 

[Four Paws]

My bank account was looking a little full after a trip to New Mexico this spring, and with all of my responsibilities met, I decided to start a new little project. I picked up a brand new 6401 off ebay for $380, then bought a 7900 top end from amick's for $189, and a full wrap from Edge & Engine for $128. So, for 700 bucks, I have a full wrap green 7900. Pretty happy with it so far.

Glad to see your new saw...looks good! Will be interesting to know how it stands up to logging duty. How is the weather up your way? Damn hot down here now - over 90 today! I got out and did some cutting yesterday early - about a 1/2 cord.

 

[tek9tim]

A 79 cc, 6.3 hp saw with a 20" 3/8 bar - and you run skip???

Because it was the only thing you had on hand, or is it by choice?

Yeah, I didn't want to run the stock safety chain, and I have a roll of oregon CJ, so that's what I have on it for now. I do, however, have the adapter so I can run the long bars from my Stihls on it, but for firewood getting the 20" is the way to go.

Glad to see your new saw...looks good! Will be interesting to know how it stands up to logging duty. How is the weather up your way? Damn hot down here now - over 90 today! I got out and did some cutting yesterday early - about a 1/2 cord.

Yeah, it's hotter than two rats doing the dirty deed inside a wool sock up here. And we're at 4200 feet. Definitely over 90 here. I'm glad I'm not down your way, though...

 

[tek9tim]

that's a cool lookin' saw

do the dawgs work just as well even though they
have fewer "teeth" than the stihl dawgs?

that wrap handle looks funny

give us an update later on
along with some more pics!

safe cuttin

Yeah, the dogs seem to do fine, but they're really thin. I imagine getting bent is in the near future for them.

Wrap handle sure does look funny.

Will do with the updates and pics. No promises, could be a busy summer.

 

[VI sawguy]

I did dual port the Makita, I just wish there was something like the max flow filter setup for it. So the pics...

Dolmar is working on high-top air filter kits for the 6400/7300/7900 series of saws which should be out later this year

 

[pyromaniac guy]

Yeah, the dogs seem to do fine, but they're really thin. I imagine getting bent is in the near future for them.

Wrap handle sure does look funny.

Will do with the updates and pics. No promises, could be a busy summer.

i think the dogs hold up rather well on it...

 

[Griffbm3]

So I see you are still running the original Makita riveted bar set up. I posted a little while ago about mine not getting oil to the sprocket when I run with an 8 tooth set up. I also did the 7901 conversion and haven't looked back.

The general consensus was that the stock Makita bar oil holes didn't line up as well as some others when the 8 tooth was in place, therefore it didn't get the oil down the bar. Since talking to everyone here, I put my Forester bar back on it and haven't had a problem since. Just wanted to throw that out there in case you switch to the 8 tooth...

Nice looking saw, interesting handle.

Jason