Makita Chainsaws....

[3 Lions]

Hi everyone,

I am after a Makita chainsaw, NOT after a Stihl or Husqvarna. (have nothing against either , but for the cost of them want to stick with Makita).

Pretty much all my tools have been Makita, Makita Chainsaws are made in Germany by Dolmar.

So has anyone had/have a Makita Chainsaw and if so which model, and would you recommend them?

We are building a new home and will be having a wood heater as our primary heat source so I will be looking at cutting/collecting my own wood rather than buying all the time. (redgum is $130 a metre down here).

Look forward to hearing from somebody...:D

Col.

[bee utey]

6 years ago I bought a Makita electric chainsaw (model UC4020A, 1800W, made in China, cost $130) and it hasn't needed any maintenance whatsoever apart from a few chain sharpens. It does all our firewood duties after the tree feller went home having cut down a few big stringies. I sliced them all to 14" long rounds. It fells all the smaller trees no worries. If I need to cut anything out of range of the extension cords I can run it off the 2.5kVa genny. The saw is super light and cuts very well. Never has running problems either.:)

[rick130]

Have a modified DCS7901 which pulls up to a 30" bar in old, dead Box.
In smaller timer it would be as fast as an MS660 with far, far better AV control and a heap less fuel used and much better balance.
Husky users find the balance could be a little better, finding it a little nose heavy but much better than a comparable Stihl.
The oiler output could be better, but that goes for all modern saws.

A mate of mine who was a pro faller in old growth forests here on the east coast and now runs a mill and races saws had a play with it a few years ago and was impressed.

Brilliant saw.

[123rover50]

Just been using mine this afternoon. Still cold here. Had the fire going day and night since Easter.
Had my Makita I guess 10 years. Its a little ripper and suits our purpose.
Its about an 18" bar, cant find the model number but I have the book somewhere.Hasnt got the speed of the big ones but I reccomend it.

[rovercare]

I had a Dolmar 62cc was a good saw......till I used someones fuel that was not mixed:(, but if cutting firewood for home heating in Vic, I'd be getting something around 90+cc, it makes light work of big stuff......also a Fiskars axe, a roll of chain, splitter joiner and electric sharpener, these things will make firewood a pleasure

Oh, make sure you have a barby plate, cooker and some beer:)

[DeeJay]

Optimum firewood chainsaw is a 70cc with 20" bar

[rovercare]

Optimum firewood chainsaw is a 70cc with 20" bar

Optimum is 60ish AND 90ish cc;)

although sometimes I'd like 120ish cc, for the big logs I'm double cutting with 066

[Kevin B]

I have a Ryobi 18v Cordless from bunnings that lives in the box on front of the camper, cant fault it at all and makes short work of ironbark while away camping and it's quiet too, no noisy 2 stroke while away in the bush, not a makita as you wanted to know about but just throwing in another option/opinion.

[rovercare]

I have a Ryobi 18v Cordless from bunnings that lives in the box on front of the camper, cant fault it at all and makes short work of ironbark while away camping and it's quiet too, no noisy 2 stroke while away in the bush, not a makita as you wanted to know about but just throwing in another option/opinion.

I'm not sure I'd be using a cordless saw unless I was using it for home heating near the Equator:D

[Kevin B]

I'm not sure I'd be using a cordless saw unless I was using it for home heating near the Equator:D

Oh I was skeptical too, but very impressed with it so far, good enough to cut up a bit of wood for the campfire.

[rovercare]

Oh I was skeptical too, but very impressed with it so far, good enough to cut up a bit of wood for the campfire.

I'm not skeptical of cutting up a bit of wood for a widdle camp fire, I'm talking cutting up 20 metres of wood to heat a house:D

[Kevin B]

Where's your sense of adventure RC, couple of saws half a dozen batteries on rotation, 17 hours or so should see you with enough would for a night or 2... :D

Seriously though dad has a makita saw up the farm he has had for years, good saw he recons, it seems to get more use than his Farm Boss for everyday cutting for the fire, his tip has always been "a saw is only as good as its blade" get rid of the factory one supplied and by a decent one and keep it sharp, less stress on the saw that way.

[uninformed]

saws dont have blades, they have bars and chains. Most good saws come with fairly decent chain, all be it saftey chain (which I dont like)

You could easly ask the shop to set it up with good oregon, calton or sthil chain.

The current Dolmar saws are very good, easily as good quality wise as any Husky or Stihl.

If you are buying 50cc and up you should be getting into pro saw catagory. just find out what Dolmar saw it is under the blue and black.

I imported a Dolmar 5100s for a mate and it was/is a sweet little saw. In that size I have the Husky 346xp and both are equal in every way.

IMO only use non ethonal fuel, very good quality 2t air cooled oil, never leave fuel in the saw for more than 2 weeks unused.

Carry at least 1 spare chain (dull chains kill saws) and id even buy a little chainsaw grease gun that does the sproket tip on bar and the drum bearing on crank end.

[uninformed]

I'm not skeptical of cutting up a bit of wood for a widdle camp fire, I'm talking cutting up 20 metres of wood to heat a house:D

20m3... :o do you leave windows open???

[rovercare]

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/marketplace-alerts/203924-makita-chainsaw.html

[rovercare]

20m3... :o do you leave windows open???

Live in Victoria, climate is slightly different here;)

[crash]

A mate of mine use to have a mower / chainsaw shop. Use to sell Olemac and Solo chainsaws. Then just before he shut up shop he was selling Makita, and bought a 70cc saw for himself. His advice to me was - they make a couple of smaller "chinese" saws which you need to avoid. The 70cc and up are an all aluminium case, and have a decompression switch for easier starting and a few other unique features. This will be my next saw purchase, they appear to be of very good value.

[3 Lions]

Live in Victoria, climate is slightly different here;)

Likewise mate..

[3 Lions]

A mate of mine use to have a mower / chainsaw shop. Use to sell Olemac and Solo chainsaws. Then just before he shut up shop he was selling Makita, and bought a 70cc saw for himself. His advice to me was - they make a couple of smaller "chinese" saws which you need to avoid. The 70cc and up are an all aluminium case, and have a decompression switch for easier starting and a few other unique features. This will be my next saw purchase, they appear to be of very good value.


Thats why I like the Makita's, nothing against Stihl/Husqvarna but price wise in comparison the Makita's appear to be better value for money (unless you import Stihl/Husqvarna from the US.)

If the Makita (petrol not electric) chainsaw that I end up getting is made in Germany by Dolmar then that is good enough for me.

I am not going to start off with the biggest chainsaw you can get though :o

One other question, when it comes to Bar Oil, Is there much difference in Bar Oil?

Do I seriously need to stick to Makita Chainsaw Bar oil or is any Stihl/Husqvarna Oil okay to use?


Col

[rovercare]

Thats why I like the Makita's, nothing against Stihl/Husqvarna but price wise in comparison the Makita's appear to be better value for money (unless you import Stihl/Husqvarna from the US.)

If the Makita (petrol not electric) chainsaw that I end up getting is made in Germany by Dolmar then that is good enough for me.

I am not going to start off with the biggest chainsaw you can get though :o

One other question, when it comes to Bar Oil, Is there much difference in Bar Oil?

Do I seriously need to stick to Makita Chainsaw Bar oil or is any Stihl/Husqvarna Oil okay to use?


Col

Any bar oil will be fine, I buy 5L containers of it

Quality 2 stroke oil is a must though and non ethanol fuel......although I've never emptied my fuel tank after use and never had a problem

People that tell you that a 60cc saw is the best for firewood have never had a 90 cc saw or they are cutting piddly stuff or live where its warm:D

[Davehoos]

When went to buy a chainsaw the Makita agent had what looked like a chinese huski with a different air cleaner plastic cover. nothing like the obvious german ARTISTIC look I found online this week. I didn't buy one as it was over $980.--I bought a aldi 18V battery sawthat im happy with.


being raised with huski and dolmar I personally don't like to use a stihl and hate doing repairs and servicing, its a subjective thing. works converting over to huski saw products and stihl small items like pole saw and line trimmers.


however-it has to be said that most novice chainsaw operators don't destroy the stihl as quickly. and the oil pumps take the most abuse.


I find second hand, dregs and almost any fluid oil with out aggressive contents works fine. its not the oil products that I find in filters but sawdust-mud or desolved rubber.

[rick130]

A mate of mine use to have a mower / chainsaw shop. Use to sell Olemac and Solo chainsaws. Then just before he shut up shop he was selling Makita, and bought a 70cc saw for himself. His advice to me was - they make a couple of smaller "chinese" saws which you need to avoid. The 70cc and up are an all aluminium case, and have a decompression switch for easier starting and a few other unique features. This will be my next saw purchase, they appear to be of very good value.
All the pro Makitas saws have a mag case, the cheapy home owner spec saws use an aluminium case.
Some of the cheaper saws are assembled in China in a Makita factory but their cases, etc are made in Germany.

[rick130]

Re bar oil, Caltex is good and cheap.
Don't buy from Bunnings, et al, it's insanely expensive.
Support your local saw shop, or in the case of Caltex, buy from a distributor.
Last 20l drum cost under $70.

[460cixy]

Shhhhhhh rick don't tell every one how good the dolkita saws are or every one will want one.

[Rick1970]

What are the smaller/cheaper Makitas like?


Looking to get a small/compact saw (30-40cc) for camping. Had a 011 Stihl.....it broke.....:(

[Don 130]

A question if I may, off the original topic. I have an older Makita/Dolmar saw that needs a new barrel and piston. Can anyone recommend a reliable parts supplier?
I've also got a bigger Dolmar 6000i which I love. Heaps of grunt.
Don.

[rick130]

Don, depends on the model, some of the older saws are hard to get barrels for now.

If it only has a small amount of aluminium pickup and isn't scored badly, you can remove it (carefully) with hydrchloic acid and cotton buds.
P
Pistons for some models can still be sourced.
I used to source most of my major Dolmar parts from a supplier in the US but he doesn't do internet orders anymore apparently... :(

[malleefowl]

Hi Kev
How do you charge it when away from mains power?

[Don 130]

Thanks Rick. It was getting hot, and difficult to start after refuelling, so I took it to the local bloke who looked in to it after taking the carby off. Said it was scored and therefore stuffed. He looked extremely disappointed when I gathered up all the bits and left. I'll try you remedy. It was a handy saw.
Don.

[rick130]

What model saw Don ?

[Don 130]

Rick, it's a Makita MDE 3440, but coloured Dolmar orange.


[IMG]file:///Users/Don/Desktop/IMG_0712.JPG [ /IMG]
[IMG]file:///Users/Don/Desktop/IMG_0711.JPG [ /IMG]

Don.

[Don 130]

Rick, it's a Makita MDE 3440, but coloured Dolmar orange.
Don.

[rick130]

Don, I contacted a bloke I know that collects saws and has one identical to you and he said you'd need to pick up a P&C second hand.