My First Chainsaw

[b33133rice]

Now, I've had some experience with chainsaws is the past. For
example when I use my dad's 14 inch 33cc Homelite. He's certified
with the United States Forest Service, so we had used PPE
(personal protective equipment.)

I recently came to the decision that I want to have my own saw
for the reason that I do a lot of tree trimming, and felling of small
trees with an electric chainsaw. That would be when I do work on
my 84 year-old friend's gardens. The saw would be his.

To get to the point, for the past couple of days I have been looking
at the Ryobi ZRRY10532 18" bar 40cc chainsaw. The URL will show
the features.

http://www.toolsnow.com/ryobi-gas-chainsaw.html

This morning I had gotten a response to a text comment that I had
left on youtube:

"Whatever you do PLEASE do not buy a Ryobi, or McCulloch! Especially
if it is your first chainsaw!"

Is there any truth to that, is what I'm asking. Ryobi, and McCulloch
have both served me very well in the past 6 years.

 

[josh1981]

Stihl 180 or 211. Reliable German made easy to work on and get parts dealer on every corner.

Dolmar 5100 or 510 good too German made reliable but not as many dealers

 

[nmurph]

here is some reading for you.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=100462&highlight=ryobi

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=101591&highlight=ryobi

 

[b33133rice]

Stihl 180 or 211. Reliable German made easy to work on and get parts dealer on every corner.

Dolmar 5100 or 510 good too German made reliable but not as many dealers

Thanks! I'll look into those.

 

[josh1981]

Thanks! I'll look into those.

I have a 180 been a good saw tough little thing

I'll send you some videos tonight of it.

 

[b33133rice]

here is some reading for you.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=100462&highlight=ryobi

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=101591&highlight=ryobi

A plastic body would not bother me as long as the engine is able to
stand up to my needs. If I do get a Ryobi, any repairs will be done
by the United States Forest Service - Rincon Fire Sation (Angeles
National Forest. They've done repairs to my dad's saw just this past
weekend.

I'm not really worried, despite what I have been told. As far as Stihl
goes - I don't need an engine displacement of 50cc+. Thought the
Stihl ms 180 is 31cc, 40cc with the 18 inch chain will work well enough.
If I could find some videos that show the ZRRY10532 cutting, that would
greatly help!

I'll look around. If I can find a Stihl 180/211, or Dolmar 5100/510
(which have all been suggested) under $200 I will get one. Until
then the plan continues for the Ryobi.

 

[b33133rice]

I have a 180 been a good saw tough little thing

I'll send you some videos tonight of it.

Stihl ms 180 - about how much would one of those cost. The Ryobi I'm considering is $115.00 from Home Depot.

Apologies for the constant posts. I'm just trying to get some answers. I have gotten nothing from youtube, or from twitter.

 

[cuttinstuff]

What dealers do you have close?
There are several good brands out there ( in no particular order: Husqvarna, Jonsered, stihl, Dolmar/Makita,Shindaiwa, Redmax).
For your first saw I recommend finding a dealer you like that sells one of the above mentioned brands and go from there.
I would stay away from the mail order stuff for now, it is nice to walk in to the dealer and get your questions answered and the parts you need.

 

[mowoodchopper]

Stihl 180 or 211. Reliable German made easy to work on and get parts dealer on every corner.

Dolmar 5100 or 510 good too German made reliable but not as many dealers

I think the Ryobi is actually a better built saw than the stihls and way cheaper. Read the stuff Murph posted , looks like the ryobi is way better built, power and will actually smoke the little stihls!

Send a PM to blsnelling he will help you with the pros and cons if he is around!

 

[b33133rice]

What dealers do you have close?
There are several good brands out there ( in no particular order: Husqvarna, Jonsered, stihl, Dolmar/Makita,Shindaiwa, Redmax).
For your first saw I recommend finding a dealer you like that sells one of the above mentioned brands and go from there.
I would stay away from the mail order stuff for now, it is nice to walk in to the dealer and get your questions answered and the parts you need.

It's really between Stihl, and Dolmar. I know that I can get Stihl saws from either Home Depot, or Lowes Home Improvement. Not sure about Dolmar.

:agree2: Mail ordering a chainsaw would not be a good idea! I do confess that I had the intention of ordering one from ebay. Showing how badly I do want to own one. I'll go take a look at homedepot.com, and lowes.com to see what they have. In the phone book for dealers, also.

 

[mowoodchopper]

It's really between Stihl, and Dolmar. I know that I can get Stihl saws from either Home Depot, or Lowes Home Improvement. Not sure about Dolmar.

:agree2: Mail ordering a chainsaw would not be a good idea! I do confess that I had the intention of ordering one from ebay. Showing how badly I do want to own one. I'll go take a look at homedepot.com, and lowes.com to see what they have. In the phone book for dealers, also.

I still think you should go with the ryobi! Its built like a pro saw and cheap.
The stihls are junk IMO. If you really want a brand name saw I would get a dolmar over the stihl.

 

[b33133rice]

I think the Ryobi is actually a better built saw than the stihls and way cheaper. Read the stuff Murph posted , looks like the ryobi is way better built, power and will actually smoke the little stihls!

Send a PM to blsnelling he will help you with the pros and cons if he is around!

Do you know anything about the Ryobi ZRRY10532? As far as engine performance goes. That's the one I'm after.

It would be 2.45 cu. in. (40cc), 18 inch full skip tooth chain, 2,700 +/- 200 rpm idle engine speed, 10.4 ounce fuel cap., 7.1 ounce chain oil tank capacity, .050" chain gauge, .375" pitch, 6 tooth sprocket, 62 chain drive links. I don't know how heavy it is.

 

[b33133rice]

I still think you should go with the ryobi! Its built like a pro saw and cheap.
The stihls are junk IMO. If you really want a brand name saw I would get a dolmar over the stihl.

I'm pretty much convinced from the replies to my posts on this thread that the Ryobi will be the saw that I get. $115 from Home Depot (not by mail order.)

As was the case with my MIG welder, I don't want something too expensive for my first. As my skills increase, so will the quality of the saw. Maybe in a couple of years, I will be looking into a Dolmar.

 

[mowoodchopper]

Did you read the thread Blsnelling started about the saw you are talking about?
If not read it. From all the stuff I have read the ryobi has more power than the 180 or 200ms and also the 3800 redmax.

Brad was very impressed with the ryobi and he has had more than a couple saws apart!

 

[mowoodchopper]

I'm pretty much convinced from the replies to my posts on this thread that the Ryobi will be the saw that I get. $115 from Home Depot (not by mail order.)

As was the case with my MIG welder, I don't want something too expensive for my first. As my skills increase, so will the quality of the saw. Maybe in a couple of years, I will be looking into a Dolmar.

I would do the same. I am a Dolmar guy for the most part but after reading brads review of the ryobi I wish I would have bought one . I saw some at a tool sale and didnt even give them a second look! For 115$ It sounds like alot of saw to me. I plan on getting one for my sons first saw!

 

[b33133rice]

I would do the same. I am a Dolmar guy for the most part but after reading brads review of the ryobi I wish I would have bought one . I saw some at a tool sale and didnt even give them a second look! For 115$ It sounds like alot of saw to me. I plan on getting one for my sons first saw!

My birthday is coming up in three days, so here's hoping! I would be paying for half of it. $57.50. My mom/dad, or whoever else would be picking up the other $57.50. That doesn't include California's 9.25% tax rate. Which is the highest in the United States, I might add.

 

[spiffy1]

Stihl ms 180 - about how much would one of those cost. The Ryobi I'm considering is $115.00 from Home Depot.

Apologies for the constant posts. I'm just trying to get some answers. I have gotten nothing from youtube, or from twitter.

Likely the point, of the comment you saw, was that many of the good names have been bought out and their names stuck on cheap units - so you can't universally judge a line of equipment by old reputation.

That is one of the reasons people are adamant about Stihl and Husky [owned by Electrolux, or did that split?; regardless, Husky being among the "premium" brands in it's family]. Another of course is dealer support; which doesn't sound high on the list in this case.

However, to keep market share by selling "homeowner units" cheap enough, one must remember the "big" names also have to save cost somewhere, leaving the possibility that something with a whored out name could be as much quality as the similiar model in a big name. Buying something, whose quality defames it's name, goes against my choice for purchases; however you were looking for facts not my method of buying - and unfortunately that can take both sides out of the equation for me anyway.

One more fact: all but the biggest turds out there [the winners there is well beyond my knowledge] that litterally break upon opening the box will probably work fine for this situation.

Sooo, if it's the same unit discussed in a couple threads around here; that Ryobi [if I get my facts straight here] is assembled in China [again 3 strikes for me, but that's out of the realm of facts] from a potentially higher quality piston/cylinder made in Japan for a sister brand. I do recall, said threads noting it in dire need or a [muffler, IIRC] mod to have any potential, otherwise a much higher quality than first glance would indicate.

There are other small factors, like the materials coming in contact with fuel disintegrating over time, but again even the big names have their bouts there; so if maintenance isn't a fear - this too becomes mute.

Clear as mud on a rainy day?

For the record, I'm still impressed with the MS200, but you're not going to have that sort of saw investment sitting around just to use twice/year.

 

[spiffy1]

One more thing, again IIRC:

Doesn't that come with some pretty annoying chain, that is best swapped out before getting all disappointed in performance? Maybe that was a different saw; regardless most small saws come with chain that puts much higher emphasis on safety than cutting speed.

 

[TreePointer]

One more thing, again IIRC:

Doesn't that come with some pretty annoying chain, that is best swapped out before getting all disappointed in performance? Maybe that was a different saw; regardless most small saws come with chain that puts much higher emphasis on safety than cutting speed.

Good point. He'll have to add the cost of a new chain and possibly a smaller bar to get the performance that many talk about with that saw. Maybe the carb will need to be adjusted out of the box, too, and require the purchasing of an adjustment tool. If you want to use the saw immediately and don't like tinkering, don't forget these considerations.

 

[mowoodchopper]

I would muff mod it to!