Ryobi RCS2040G

Great saw for the suburbs – Bought this saw about 10 yrs ago after burning out various other brands in about a season and a half....each. Each time I purchased an electric corded that had a bigger motor than the previous in the expectation that the motor would not burn out. Ryobi had the largest unit @ 2000w. I was hoping for something bigger at the time as I had been… Read more ·  3

reduced to cutting wood with a 2400w angle grinder with a rip saw. Not the safest way to cut wood, but boy, put me in the woodcutting comp at the country fair and I would have downed the first schooner by the time the second placegetter had finished! The corded Ryobi replaced my "goto" 54cc petrol Ryobi, no #1 lightweight chainsaw in my opinion with heavy gauge chain, long bar and and two stage carb, but it was returned to me in pieces after I loaned it to someone. Electric made more sense even though the petrol would always start on the second pull as I often am cutting up pallets for firewood after dark when I get home (winter) so you don't need the noise of a petrol chainsaw after hours to aggravate the neighbours. Still makes a bit of chain and gear noise so I always wear hearing peotection. A lot of safety interlocks on this machine which for an experienced user is superfluous. A 2kw motor with 21" - 23"bar has not kicked up on me in 10 yrs. I ended up removing all those safety lockouts after a major rebuild to weld the clutch that was slipping and so that the saw could be used single handed up a ladder. It now starts on a hair trigger. Speaking of which, still has original switch. Those heavy duty contacts will outlast the motor. Still a bit long and heavy for one haded tree lopping up a ladder though. A smaller electric Ryobi would be the go for this. Nonetheless, for someone who has solar power, this saw is a winner. Cut your wood on the weekend when power is freeeee! I love that word. A few comments on maintenance. In spite of what everyone says, you cannot run enough oil through a chainsaw. This is what protects the chain from penetration by dirt in either logs or when you are cutting down palm trees to ground level. I accidentally shortened the spring on the chain oiler whilst welding a head onto the oiler piston (it had worn) with the result it pumps probably double the dosage but I don't care! I use old engine oil and the saw can't keep up. My chains last ages and don't stretch much and gears never wear out. However, oil consumption can cause an accumulation of sawdust impregnated with oil in the finning below the motor. You will need to hose this with compressed air from time to time or else make the modification I did and cut those fins off with a small angle grinder. What a difference! Blows air like a leaf blower now and motor has never even started to smell like it's getting hot. As I've had the unit long after its built in obsolescence date I have had to make one or two other mods. First was welding the gears. A time will come when the motor runs but clutch will not engage. Weld the gears and no more problem. Second mod is install a greaser for the gearbox. You have to fully disassemble the unit to grease the gears if you don't. A flexible grease hose installed where the lockout rod blocks the gears is probably the easiest approach. If you don't lube gears, saw gets noisy. When the bar wears, turn it over to extend life. Oil filling is an art as it does surge when tank is nearly full - just have a chux handy. Single nut chain lock setup is a pain. Every other saw has two nuts to prevent torque from tilting the bar, even the petrol Ryobi. On the plus side, the chain tensioner is the best I've used. You just need to have a 15" shifting spanner on hand to tighten that "thumb lock" or the bar is going to shift. Yes, it will vibrate loose. My only real gripe about this saw actually. Other than the observation that everyone else made about the lead unplugging itself during operation. A 1 metre extension lead plugged and tied in a knot solved that problem! I don't mind the weight as it makes it slower to kick back but two nuts on the bar to lock it in place like other Ryobi models and it would have got 10 stars. I'm sorry I welded the clutch to extend the life of the saw now. The newer model has even more grunt than mine and I don't have an excuse to purchase it as the old one just won't die! I buy my chains and bars online but a word of caution - the bars for this saw come in different lengths. I ended up having to weld part of the old bar into the new to make up the required length. An $80 electric saw sharpener and a good set of ear muffs highly recommended. Maybe some protective eyewear too - resin impregnated pine chips do sting a bit.