///M5

Going to drive by MN Saw next week. They carry Husky & Stihl. Ought to give me a baseline. Can't find the Dolmar or Makita in town which should be a red flag...but I won't be in a jam where I can't wait a day for parts anyways. Both my neighbors have saws, you have one... The Dolmar is always cited as having the nicest running single cylinder engine in the saw market. Really makes me want one...but shit, I also would prefer something mainstream in that the resell value will obviously be higher. Exactly why I will visit MN Saw. Want to figure out the real skinny on the carb setups available and more importantly hold each one. TONS of great press on the 50cc Husky's as well. All from a handability perspective which quite frankly is the most important thing to me. How does it wield followed by how much power can it make.

Again all statements above are for 55c and under above that the results are for the orange germans not the red

The Dolmar supposedly has the best antivibe too...but i looked in our german database and know why since they own one of our laser systems for optimizing hand,arm vibe.

When Stihl and Dolmar rate the same HP the Dolmar cuts faster. Ie they are torquier or under rated. Shocking to me there are no US brands and that it is dominated by Germany and Scandihoovia.

Only other problem is you can buy 2 echo's for the price of 1 MS 261...although if it truly is available without the Mtronic it would be my preferred saw. It also HUGELY wakes up with a simple muffler mod, cat removal and tune on the carb.

Stihl dealer told me ALL 261's are Mtronic. Hmm Btw, the 346 you see reviewed nicely is the Husky XP not the Stihl...

291 on as well for a reasonable price...but I don't want a heavy beast - or at least if I did I'd want more power.

There is a 251 that must be stolen on the local classifieds right now since it is priced too low...that or no compression, but I'll test that before taking anything home. Actually don't care if it is low as a rebuild would force me to clean up the ports anyways.

I'd love a Stihl....but the most likely is an old 026

I didnt notice the switches on the echo that my neigbor loaned me. was the little guy, but either way.

362 is a tank for the power it makes Muffler mod and restrictor removal and the 261 will dance with it.

261 is completely m-tronic. 260 not, but almost 1hp less for the same size package. Dolmar kills the 260, loses to the 261, but I am not buying a 261. 261 is also $300 more than the Dolmar.

C is easy start. M thr computer iirc. Sort of drunk though so perhaps i am wrong. Problem with atihil and husky is they gave up the small market. Only care about the big stuff.

Means when I go to use it I expect to have to clean the carbs.

I don't mean to worry you...but I am buying this as my small saw for the rest of my life. I won't upgrade/change/sell/buy as I will hardly use it.

The Dolmar/Makita do not have that nonsense, neither does the Echo. I am not overly worried, no way I am going to suffer with a technology that makes it so I can't fix/mod my own saw.

I am seriously contemplating only a 40cc...but it makes me feel inadequate

That crosses the new Stihls off my list. Echo or Dolmar/Makita if I buy new...although with both I would be fine with used. That opens it up to the pre-Mtronic units but the Stihl's in those sizes are way underpowered compared to the newer ones

Curious on the control mechanism on the stihl 261. It is a little beast. Need to find a Makita dealer now to hold the dolmar units.

Went to a husky dealer yesterday. Thr rancher is terrible. 550xp felt glorious however. Regrettably the husky implementation ia full on ecm with updatable firmware and fuel injection according to the dealer i went to. Not interested in that shit as it will tape me and get replaced over the next 20 years. He also sold echo. Cs400 or the timberwolf arre the ONLY 2 choices in that line. The rest felt like toys or had shitty balance.

The turkey vulture is awesome. Glorious birds in flight as well.

Not an ideal crossover, but can work if you are crafty. Definitely the 8ohm will be fine if not beneficial.

Sad day Miss you mang!

Ie, if a cs400 appeared for $100 i would buy it

A used echo may fly too. Then i may even downsize to a 40cc and mod the shit out of it.