wtb new saw dolmar 5100s vs stihl ms390

[567paloggger]

ok guys you probley seen this a millian times but i have 2 huskys and the price of the new huskys keep going up so im gonna try a diff brand saw i was looking at the dolmar 5100s and the stihl ms390  can anyone tell me what they think thanks guys

[tyb525]

I have a Stihl and a Husky of similar sizes and I can say I like the stihl much more. To each his own though...

I have heard the Dolmars have a good power-to-weight ratio.

[MOwoodchopper]

The 5100 is worlds above the ms390. Youll love the little dolmar its the closest thing youll find in 50cc that will cut with alot of 60cc saws. The 390 is heavy and underpowered a ms 361 is a way better saw.

[Rocky_J]

These two saws aren't really comparable since there is so much difference in weight, displacement and build quality. Perhaps if you narrow down your needs/ specifications in what you are looking for, it might be easier to help you pick the best saw for your needs. If you're just looking at price tags then I can't help you.

[MOwoodchopper]

MS 390 Is one of the ones you want to avoid IMO. Less power than a 361, more cc and more weight!
Comparing a 390 and a 5100 is like comparing a corvette to a station wagon!

[ladylake]

 On paper the 390 is listed at 4.3hp and the 361 is listed at 4.4, keep in mind thats on paper where some numbers tend to get inflated. Which ever new saw you get make it's not running to lean, a lot are thanks to the EPA and will burn up in a long hard cut.   Steve

[Engineer]

I owned, ran and sold a MS390.  I have had the opportunity to run a 5100S.  I now own a MS361.

I can tell you that, notwithstanding the "paper specs" on the 361 and 390, they are very different saws.  The 361 seems to have much more power than the 390 at it's best, and mine is so new I haven't even gotten a single tank of gas through it yet.  I run it with a 16" bar and an 8-tooth rim, and I also have a 24" bar and 7-tooth rim for the bigger stuff.  I imagine it will be even better once the saw is broken in.  It has a great sound, a wide power band, higher RPM's than the 390, it's lighter, and the anti-vibe is second to nothing else I have run, except for the 5100s. 

The only reason I didn't buy the 5100S is that I wanted a bit bigger saw as my budget doesn't allow for 2 saws at the moment.  I think the 5100s is the perfect small saw for the firewood cutter who wants to plow through anywhere up to 12-15 cords of firewood a year.  The antivibe, fuel consumption, RPM's of the 5100 are even better than the 361 as far as I'm concerned.   What it WON'T do is run a 24"+ bar without some significant complaint, and I get into some big trees and logs occasionally with my mill and the little Dolmar wouldn't have been enough.    Ideally I'd have the 5100s for 90% of my cutting and the 7900 for the big stuff and for some milling.   More than likely, though, I'll stick with the 361 since my dealer support is good, and try to find an old 064/066 or similar saw for big stuff and milling, plus I'm used to Stihls.

If it's a cost issue, and your dealer support is equally good, AND you don't need to run much more than a 20" bar, I'd take the Dolmar, absolutely no question.  If you need a bigger bar, there's a lot to be said for the Dolmar 6400/Makita 6401 which you can put up to a 32" bar on, I think.  Plus that saw can be "upgraded" to a 7900/7901 by installing different piston & engine components which are supposedly a direct swap. 

[ladylake]

 I think Stihl has a good profit margin on the 290   310  and 390 saws and they fib a bit on the hp numbers to increase sales.   Nice post Engineer.    Steve

[567paloggger]

thanks guys i went with the dolmar 5100s  and am planning on the 7900 next in a couple of months the trees near me arent that big i barely use my 395husky with 32inch bar only thing that worries me is he is the only guy that deals with dolmar in my area everythign is stihl and one husky dealer and he is in his 60s my main concern was if he stops selling and fixing saws stuff like that gonna be hard to get parts n repairs i dont mess around with my saws anymore no time to thats the only thing i was iffy about buying a dolmar

[ladylake]

 I mess with my saws, most times it's faster than taking it in to get fixed and then paying $60 a hour or so.   Steve

[567paloggger]

i ust to mess with my saws when your clear cutting 6 days a week 10 plus hours a day you dont want to be messing with saws i have 4 huskys and now this dolmar most of the trees that we are cutting we use 16 inch bars on and carry the saws all day long so we were looking for a light weight saw other than the 346 thanks guys

[ladylake]

 Kind of depends on how much you can make per hour clear cutting, if less than $60 a hour plus the time to haul it to the dealer and back I'd rather work on a saw.   Steve

[MOwoodchopper]

I would say you hit the nail on the head Engineer!
I would choose the 361 over the 5100 also for a one saw plan.
You could just wait a while and get a 5100 later, that would be a great setup for firewood.
Some will say the 361 is not big enough for your big saw but itll do anything you need to, maybe not super fast in the real big stuff but how often does that come into play anyway.
A 60cc saw for bucking and a 50cc for trimming is a real nice firewood setup IMO!

[alpo]

Well, I'm in the same boat...was looking at MS390 and saw this thread--thanks for the great info.  Now looking at MS361 vs Dolmar 5100...I have a $200 coupon towards a Stihl, so that puts both saws with 20 inch bars right at $400.  So, for $400, which saw would be best for firewood?  Weight and power are both big considerations.  Dealer support is good for both Stihl and Dolmar.

Thanks for your opinions.

[beenthere]

That is a no-brainer to me. A $600 saw for $400, or a $400 saw for $400.

But you need to make that decision on your own. I'd look at the dealer support first.

I've a Stihl MS361, and it has given me no excuse to look for anything else.

Good luck, and let us know how you decide.

[chipsfly09]

I think you will be happy with both saws-- when you get a 7900- go ahead and pick up an extra kill switch-- that is the only problem I have had with mine in approx. six years.  Also, take Steve's advice and be careful not to let them run too lean.

happy sawing

[John Mc]

Has anyone heard of problems with the smaller Dolmar Saws (5100 and smaller). The only dealer within a reasonable drive from me only stocks their bigger saws (6400 and up). He claims he's had too many problems with them breaking -- so much so that he doesn't handle them any more. (I'll get the details on the problems he claims to have had next time I'm in the area.)

It was surprising to me, since what I've heard here on the Forestry Forum is that the 5100 is a pretty solid saw. Unfortunately, this dealer will only service saws that they sold (not just models, but the specific saws... they keep track of the serial numbers). Not having the skills (or the inclination) to do anything but relatively simple repairs myself, this kind of kills the 5100 option for me and for a friend I was about to advise to look seriously at this saw..

[John Mc]

thanks guys i went with the dolmar 5100s 

How are you liking your 5100 ?

[SawTroll]

.... RPM's of the 5100 are even better than the 361 as far as I'm concerned.  ....

Not in my case - my 361 hits 14500rpm much faster than my 5100S when I allow it to (carb setting) - but then my 361 is an Euro one.....

There is absolutely no comparison in cutting speed - actually my NE346xp also beats the 5100S, both on rev-up speed and cutting speed.     

[John Mc]

Not in my case - my 361 hits 14500rpm much faster than my 5100S when I allow it to (carb setting) - but then my 361 is an Euro one.....

There is absolutely no comparison in cutting speed - actually my NE346xp also beats the 5100S, both on rev-up speed and cutting speed.     

So what makes a good comparison in the Stihl and Husky lines vs the Dolmar 5100 - as far as cutting speed goes? Stihl 270 or 280? Husky 353?

John Mc