We made mention of the First Ever 4-Stroke Saw earlier this year at the World of Concrete and since then it has been a hot topic of conversation for many user of these types of saws. Well a handful of the Makita EK7651H ($1199, Ohio Power tool) have landed at select dealers around the country and are already getting some field use. We’ve got some good things to report, some bad and nothing ugly so far!
Good News to Report!
The first thing we found when introducing this saw to folks was that folks would try to flood the engine in a variety of different ways from choking it too many times or flipping the saw upside down. In any cases the saw worked fine and do a terrific job of cutting sideways and in any direction, as you would expect. The saw also started right up even when flooded it could start within 3 pulls. The pull string also is significantly easier to pull than just about and engine we’ve ever tried to start, apparently we can thank the automatic decompression valve for that.
The saw also has a tremendous amount of power that remains very consistent under load, we were happy to hear the reviews on cutting performance we all very good. The saw is also significantly quieter than any 2-stroke engine although still plenty loud. Long term the outlook is positive with proper maintenance these 4-Stroke saws should outlast the 2-stroke saw no problem. Nationwide some folks are planning ahead and working to replace all the 2-stroke motors they can from rising concerns about the EPA, CARB & OSHA regulations. This saw looks like a very viable solution to some of those concerns.
Not All Roses…
The price is a bit on the high side as the older heavily produced 2-stroke engines have become cheaper and cheaper, newer technology as you might expect will be higher. The size of the units is also a little larger, about the same as the larger cc 16” saws, which was cause for immediate object in some cases.
The other question and possibly biggest concern we heard from the larger tool crib managers was how to track usage. To maintain properly these saws need to have the oil replaced every 50 hours of use (20 the first time). If the saw was out on a job for 2 weeks how would they know how many hours it had? With a 2 stroke it doesn’t really matter, at least not for the engine lubrication stand point. This of course isn’t a problem without a solution because these folks manage lots of other 4-stroke equipment, some which they add hour counters to track or a number of different options but it will certainly change the process if you are not the one directly using it.
Looking into Our Crystal Ball
Right… If we had one of those we’d be on a beach sippin a Mahi Tahi. We will certainly track the performance of these first units very closely and if after several months we are seeing problems will report back. Out of the gate they are all doing very well. If you have any questions about any type of concrete saws & cutting tools or specific applications give the pros at Ohio Power Tool a call 800-242-4424.
There are some fascinating points in time in this article but I don’t know if I see all of them heart to heart. There’s some validity however I’ll take maintain opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we wish more! Added to FeedBurner as effectively
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. In any case I will be subscribing on your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “One who’s our friend is fond of us one who’s fond of us isn’t necessarily our friend.” by Geoffrey F. Albert.
Wow! Thank you! I constantly needed to write on my blog something like that. Can I implement a fragment of your post to my blog?
Hello my friend! I want to say that this post is awesome, nice written and include almost all significant infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
What¦s Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely useful and it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & help other users like its aided me. Great job.
Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this site is rattling user pleasant! .
Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
Thank you, I’ve just been looking for info approximately this subject for a long time and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you positive in regards to the source?
I am glad to be one of the visitants on this outstanding web site (:, appreciate it for putting up.
good post.Ne’er knew this, appreciate it for letting me know.
I conceive this internet site holds some real superb information for everyone :D. “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
I have read several good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a great informative site.
There is noticeably a bundle to find out about this. I assume you made certain nice factors in features also.