Dolmar PS-5100 S

[SteveB]

Any experince with this one?  It seems similar to the stihl 260 and Husqvarna 346xp from the specs, but want soemithing as reliable as the two popular brands.  Any compatibility issues with standard Oregon, etc. bars, chains sprockets?  Spark plugs?  They seem cheap for what you get.

[Al_Smith]

I did run one at a get together in Ohio last fall.The little rascals have a lot of zip for a little saw.I can't comment on any other thing about them,for lack of knowledge.

[Rocky_J]

they use the same bar mount as the small Huskies and the rim sprocket is standard (small spline) as well. Completely interchangeable with my Husky 346XP.

Stihl, on the other hand, has proprietary sizes on all their smaller saws. The bar mount pattern and sprocket are a different size and they don't use the same length chains either.

[EdK]

I looked at one last week. It looked decent enough and it sure scores high marks on this and other forums. The part I don't get is the pricing strategy: for a saw brand "coming from behind" as it were, and with the erratic history of distribution and dealers in the US, why would I want to pay more than Husky/Stihl for a saw that is approximately the same spec?

Here in the northeast a local dealer has the Dolmar 7900 priced above the MS460! It too is well received by those "in the know" but how in the world are they going to make any significant inroads in market share against Stihl/Husky with pricing like that?

[SteveB]

Here the price sounds prety good for them.  The Dolmar is about $250 less than a 346xp, and $100 less than a ms260.  On their website the air filter looks like it has some type of fabric or foam on it, this doesn't excite me compared to the mesh screens of the others that are easy to clean.  Again, this observation is off an internet photo, so I could definitly be wrong.  I had a Dolmar in my hand on Tuesday but forgot to "look under the hood".

[ehp]

Steve as far as power the 5100 is above any other 50cc saw out there, I have had no trouble with the 5100's that I have sold  and as far as the bars go up here in Canada  any Husky or most Stihl bars are made by oregon . I do think the chains they sell with the saw is a joke but most dealers put a good chain on them

[vgbob]

I just posted in another thread that I picked a 5100
over a Stihl 361. (and also Husky 359/357xp)
Yes a smaller saw, but from all indications a close
match. The hard part is finding a dealer that stocks
them. I had to call quite a few. But as EHP said the
one I dealt with was willing to put just want I wanted
on for a bar/chain setup. And I like the 'standard'
bar/chain/sprocket components.
It appears to be the lightest of the 4, despite being
close in power. I'm only planning to run it in softwood,
so it should be perfect.

[SteveB]

Does it have a decompression button and side chain tensioning?  Not that these are real must-haves, just intersted in finding out more.  The Dolmar site is prety sparse for details.  Does anyone know of dealers in the Ottawa-Gatineau or North Bay areas (anywhere in between)?  I know of one shop in Kemptville, but no others.  THe shop there seems good, but I'm wondering how many more are around.

[rahtreelimbs]

The 5100 doesn't have a de-compression valve. It does have a side chain tensioner though. I'll take the 5100 over a 346 anytime, it is just that more of a torquer.

Dealer location has never been an issue with me. I work on my own saws and have enough saws that a resonable parts wait isn't a concern!