Several months ago we posted on the launch of the Diamond Products 20” Dragon Saw ring type concrete saw. However, at the time it was only available with hydraulic power. The Dragon Saw competes directly with concrete chain saws which are mostly powered by hydraulic as well, but most people don’t want to drag around a big hydraulic power pack. Good news is now the Dragon Saw GDS60 ($7999, Ohio Power Tool) uses a small gas engine comparable with a traditional Partner saw. The gas-powered dragon saw is still able to offer a full 16” depth of cut similar to a concrete chain saw.
The gas unit is powered by a Dolmar PS-6400 engine with 4.7HP of power which is pretty comparable to the hydraulic unit for this type of cutting. The big advantage the ring blade offers over the chain saw is a far cheaper cost per cut. The manufacturing process for diamond chain saws is much more involved and does not allow for as much segment material. The ring blade uses a more traditional segment so they can pack in many more diamonds, leading to much longer life.
The concrete ring saw in not a completely new concept. Husqvarna has had a 14” unit for some time, which you can see compared in the previous post. The Dragon Saw greatly improves on previous ring saw designs, but it remains a tool for professionals who have the time and patience to do it right. The Dragon saws have only been in the field for a few month, and while the overall reviews have been good so far, the consensus is more maintenance is required (replacing the wear plate with every blade, other components after 7-8 blades) than a traditional concrete chainsaw, which is pretty much idiot proof.