Customer Reviews

Makita DCS6401-20 Commercial Grade 20-Inch 64cc 2-Stroke Gas-Powered Chain Saw

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a very powerful saw for the weight. A comparable Stihl is about 50% heavier and when you have a lot of wood to cut the lighter weight is worth the extra money. The saw has served me well cutting up many > 30" oak, maple and ash trunks and lots of smaller trees and fallen timber. The chain oil dispenser is leaking a bit but the saw has also been used extremely hard for several seasons. I have worn out 4 or 5 chains already and I have switched to a carbide tip chain (Really worth its hefty price!)
The saw looks really beat up but still starts on the first pull and runs like a champ. Only complaint: woodchips and sawdust packs inside the safety brake housing and can interfere with smooth running so it needs to be taken apart and cleaned out regularly.
This saw is a serious tool in the class of the midsize Husqvarna and Stihl.

I did alot of research before buying a saw. I looked at alot of different modles. I chose this saw without looking at it but only from the reviews that I read(if you look long enough online you will find some). I am really glad that I went with this saw. It is well made and runs great. Just make sure you buy the right saw for your needs. This may be big for some people. if it is bigger that what you are looking for try the Makita modle a little smaller that this with the 18" Blade and 50cc's. You will not regret buying this saw. My best purchase in years.

Length:: 8:06 Mins

Video of my stock Makita 6401 cutting lumber this winter in Alaska at -18 degrees on my Logosol M5 sawmill. Very nice saw with plenty of power for cutting. I had to double the speed of the video to fit in Amazon review specs so its 2x speed. Its been a great powerhead for my sawmill, have a Stihl ms660 but prefer to use the Makita.

From the reviews that I read, I was concerned about my ability to operate this chain saw safely. When I read the owners manual, I was even more concerned. However having used it now for a few days taking down 4 large Ash trees and cutting them into 18" rounds, I am happy to say that while it certainly is a lot more saw than my old Craftsman 18" 46cc saw, it is no more difficult to handle and control. While it is not Makita's fault, I did spend a bit of time looking for fully synthetic 2 cycle oil for the 50 to 1 mix, but I was able to locate a supply nearby. Using 91 octane gas is also a new twist that caused me to buy an additional gas can. However, I think it is worth it as the saw seems to run really clean. I definitely think it was worth the money.

Well constructed, started easily, didn't leak, smart placement of everything and really cuts. The only thing holding it back from 5 stars is that I haven't used it long enough to talk about longevity (though the fact that home depot fills its rental fleets with these speaks well to their lifespan) and I though the chain loosens too easily. However, the the price, you are in the area of the big boys...

I've had the Makita 64cc saw for 2 years. It is top quality, German made (Dolmar in Hamburg). Faultless reliability, lots of power. Easily handles heavy oak and maple logs. I would not hesitate to buy this saw again.

Great saw! Took me a while to find a case for it since it would not fit the Stihl or Husky cases. I even tried the large boxy cases. I ended up getting a soft Echo case for it. There is some weirdness in the manual about using 2 different sized files for sharpening the chain but other than that it's not much different from other saws. It has a little plate that can be used to divert hot air to the carb for cold weather use. Though this is a large powerfull saw it is light and manageble. In the first tankfull I made about 30 cuts thru some really large oak logs!

I might get out there and use it again today!

As my 5th chainsaw, I must say that the Makita DCS6401-20 has been by far the best saw I have ever used. Since I purchased it, I have cut down about 30 trees of various size to include a couple large ones. Eventhough this was a little bit more expensive than the comprable Stihl, I am so glad I spent the extra money and bought this one. The Makita DCS6401-20 is a durable, powerful, professional grade saw - and not to mention it looks pretty bad***! I would recommend this saw to any homeowner in need of a saw for heavy cutting.

Very nice saw. At times takes a little practice to get it started after sitting a while, but runs and restarts great. Was disappointed that it didn't come with a carrying/storage case considering the price. My cheap saws included them. Overall, though, a great saw, very powerful.

I have just completed cutting 5-6 cords in the last month to burn this winter. Before this saw I used a 18in poulan wild thing... There is absolutly no compairison! I have been cutting 12-25in oak, poplar, hackberry, dead elm, and shag bark hickory. This saw slices through all them them literaly like a hot knife through butter... Ok maybe not that quick but it is a substantial improvement over the little $100 saw i had before.

The saw is all of 15lbs with the 20in bar on it... If you are a novice to chainsaws i would recommend a using a smaller saw first to get the handle of a chain saw before moving into something this big. This is not a small limber saw so i wouldn't recommend taking it up a ladder to trim trees either... I am 6' 3" and 250lbs and it does wear my arms out after cutting for an hour or so. Remember this is a commercial grade saw that will last 20-30 years easy if you take care of it... not a $100 wal-mart saw!

I chose this saw over a Stihl and Husquvarna because you get more power for less money (stihl ms362 $650, husky 357xp $670). It came highly recommended on several online chat rooms by professional tree fellers. It has several cylinder and piston upgrade kits on the market for $100-$140 to upgrade the saw to a 79cc or even 84cc saw. There is also a pro-grade 2 stage air cleaner kit for it (part number 957173400). This saw is made by Dolmar which is a professional saw company from Germany. Many professional tree services use Dolmar saws for their quality and price. My local Grasshopper mower dealer sells them in fact!

Now for the bad... You won't be able to find a case/box to fit it... I bought the $30 hard case from Northern Tool (Item# 190700) and used a heat gun to "soften" a few spots inside so I could mold them to fit. I used the 20in Makita sheeth that came with the bar instead of the bar cover that came with the northern tool chainsaw case. It works great and looks good! You just have to push the safty blade engage down before putting it in the case. Hopefully Dolmar will get with it and make a case for their larger saw line soon! Well that is my only complaint... the case! LOL pretty silly but i like to keep everything clean and together... Also if you do get this saw I would recomend getting a large maple syrup bottle for your bar oil. I used to put mine in a dawn dish liquid bottle so i wouldn't spill it all over the saw, but I have found it's too small for the job now. The bar oil chamber is very large (0.40L = 13.5 oz), and can drain a smaller bar oil bottle very quickly if you are out cutting for a day...

I would also recommend a depth guage, raker file, and round file so you can touch up your chain if you hit the dirt or something hard... I wasn't used to how fast this saw cuts and hit the dirt a time or two... Highly recommend for anyone who is going to be using a their chainsaw seasonally for fire wood or for a professional that cuts dayly... any parts you need can be found through dolmar under the Dolmar 6400 chainsaw since they are the same thing with a different color/name.