[Precision L&L]

I’m going to be doing more retaining wall and paver jobs this fall, and was wondering what kind of saw you would recommend for starting out with to use to cut pavers and wall units. Have been renting a Sthil cutoff saw but lately the cost of renting one I could have already bought one.

[Stonehenge]

I Like the Partner K950 16" for that kind of work.

[scott C]

Like many have said before buy the saw where you will get the best service. I bought a husquarvana so far I haven't had any major problems. Pull cord broke twice and a fuel line tear. These saws often take a lot of abuse with the amount of dust they create so service is very important. My husq dealer said that stihl makes one of the best cut oiff saws today even better than the husq. but I went with the best service. I know many people rave about the partner saws but I have only rented them with limited success (can't expect much from a rental shop).

I read somewhere (maybe this site) that many of the saws today are made by the same manufacturer with different colors / stickers but I don't know that for a fact.

Things to look for in a saw are cutting depth, weight and power. Also a good air filtration system is important.

[Stonehenge]

For long days cutting, you also want to consider the balance of the saw, and the vibration your hands will take.

We have a Stihl that's 8 years old and still runs well, but won't ever be used for all-day cutting, because the vibration makes the users fingers go numb for a few days. Partner has great balance and better vibe control. Stihl can get you into tighter spaces (vertical cuts next to vertical structures). Never tried a Husqi. It was likely here that you heard about the saws with the different colored plastic - Speedi-Cut, Quik-Cut, Wacker and a few others are identical saws, with different colored plastic, and different stickers.

[Bill Schwab]

All our cut off saws except one vewry old Partner are Huskies. Start in 2 pulls, have lots of power. For wall units, the only way to go is with a 20" table saw. We can saw through a 6"x 10" piece of Country Manor in less than 10 seconds with a smooth cut because it was done from one blade without flopping the bock over to meet from both sides.

It will take alot of walls to justify a 20" saw, the average job we do is a minimum of 3 semi trailers of product. The largest still on going is 23 trailers of product. The larger loads usually have less cutting involved for whatever reason.

[BJR]

The 20" table saw must be a bugger to cart around?

[Bill Schwab]

We have a set of floatation wheels on it, as well as loops for the loader forks. Got a 22hp Onan opposed engine for power. It rocks for walls!

[PSUscaper]

Partners are one of the best, but overall, I would go with the brand that offers the best dealer service. I ran partners, but have switched to stihls as they are serviced everywhere and partners are serviced 'no where'......a real shame.

And yes, many saws are exactly the same with just a different name. Wacker, makita, dolmar, maybe a few more, are all the same saw with different stickers.

By the way.........ingersoll rand has a cut-off out now......and from the pictures, it looks pretty much like a stihl ts400.....

Its strange how companies like bobcat and IR (which I guess are the same) all have their own lines of power equipment out......but when you look at them, their just other manufacturers tools painted white with a sticker stuck on the side.......

[Precision L&L]

Thanks for all of the advice it is greatly appreciated.

[Bill Schwab]

Penn:

I have noticed the same thing about equipment dealers and small hand equipment. The Cat dealer sells Wacker products. Now, I know they make thier own compactors, but the cut off saw looks like a Makita. And, for $775.00, you get the saw and a 14" diamond blade. I think what they are trying to do is play a bit of the catagory killer market like Walmart, Homer Depoit and alike. You go into the dealer to get a machine, or filters or whatever...You stand in line as you see a compactor, or saw, and a light bulb pops in your head...You need an extra one...So, whip out the plastic and you got a new tool....

Would I normally go to a Cat dealer to buy a saw? Probably not, because there are dealers that sell those types of tools exclusively. But if I was there and needed one, sure why not? That is the only thing I can make of why they do it....

Actually, it is kind of scarey. Any time a manufacturer that was king in the professional contractors market has entered the mass market, or pumped volume out of production, they have fallen on thier nose. McCoulloch was chain saw king in the 60's....They enter the chain store market, and have been bancrupt for 20 years. Homelite was king in the 70's and 80's. They entered the mass market and filed chapter 11 in 1989. By doing what they do, they alolow the bean counters to engineer how the saws were to be buiilt to meet price criteria rather than let the engineers design the saw the way it needed to be and then let the bean counters price accordingly.