N/A Chainsaw question

Pi1otguy

Pi1otguy

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Aside from the mobility issues, does anyone have an PIREPs on electric chainsaws? I'd like to avoid gas since there loud, I don't want to hold too many flammable liquids in the garage, & I couldn't stand the irony of burning gas so I can burn firewood.

I intend to use it to cut chunks of wood I might gather down to an appropriate "firewood size" a bit bigger than a large man's forearm.

So far I have a few chunks of wood that are obviously too big that I need to cut into firewood sized pieces. I've never had to cut a chunk of wood (~1 ft diameter) and so far I haven't had any real luck. At first I swung a small axe, but after getting in an inch or 2 i made no more progress. Apparently old trees are hard in the middle. Next I tried a bow saw and figured it'd be a little workout. I sawed and sawed til the blade got hot but made no progress past an inch or so. My last failed attempt was to split it with a 3lb wood splitter & a sledge hammer. At this point I'll admit defeat and cheat with a chainsaw.

Right now I'm think something with a 12"-16" bar, 9-12 amps, for under $75.

Edit: Added pic of a piece I have for perspective.
 

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Sounds like you're chopping oak. I have an electric chainsaw- it did the job on oak, but a gas one was better. I used a Remington, 16" bar (12" was too short), it claims it will draw 11.5 A.

It did the job, and I haven't used it much, so I guess it's fine for me.
 
I bought a 026 Stihl 18" 15 years ago and I cut 5-7 cords a year with plus trim and cut storm damaged limbs from roads and rentals. It is a very useful tool and it saves me a ton of money on heating bills. Never had to touch the engine, but have had to replace the bar 3 times and too many chains to count. I sharpen my own chains.

Buy the best chain saw you can afford and do it once. Stihl.
 
I guess it just depends upon whether you'll be cutting infrequently or often. If infrequently then an electic might serve your needs. If often then I think you need a real chainsaw. i.e. gas. And if it's gas it's Stihl. There are no others.

I have an 044 w/ a 20" bar that I use for the heavy work and an 017 w/ a 14" bar for trimming and clean up. Both are a dozen or more years old and I haven't had either back to the shop for service of any kind.

I also have an 11.5 HP log splitter and a 50 HP case skid steer with a grapple rake but that's besides the point. :)

But I cut at least 4 cords a year, this year there's six or more stacked out next to the barn.

Regarding your comment about burning gas to cut wood...

This year I burned no more than 10 gallons of gas & diesel (very conservatively...it may be closer to 5 gallons) cutting 6 cords of wood. That means (at 10 gallons) that I expended about 1.2 million BTUs of fossil fuel to harvest about 160 million BTUs of wood. Even at an estimated 50% efficiency of a fireplace/wood stove, it's a bargain (some claim 70 to 80% efficiency but I think they're FOS).

And it helps to keep my fat a$$ in shape!

EDIT: oh, wait, I see you're in CA. Can you even buy a gas chain saw out there? I'm not being a smart a$$...seriously asking. I know my log splitter (about 4 years old) has a big label that says it can't be sold in CA
 
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I have a cheap electric chainsaw. Works for me, but I probably only get it out once a year or less.
 
timwinters said:
I guess it just depends upon whether you'll be cutting infrequently or often. If infrequently then an electic might serve your needs. If often then I think you need a real chainsaw. i.e. gas. And if it's gas it's Stihl. There are no others.
Click to expand...

I don't see myself cutting more than a dozen pieces 1 or 2 times a month. I've just started cooking over wood so I'll probably end up cutting a cord or so a year if that.

Regarding your comment about burning gas to cut wood...
Click to expand...

I had no idea. Somehow I thought all powered garden equipment was inefficient.

EDIT: oh, wait, I see you're in CA. Can you even buy a gas chain saw out there? I'm not being a smart a$$...seriously asking. I know my log splitter (about 4 years old) has a big label that says it can't be sold in CA
Click to expand...

Technically yes, though it has to meet emission standards, have a sealed tank, "employ measures ... to discourage adjustments by owners" (mixture, etc) plus have approval from the EPA and Air Resources Board.

Having grown up in a time when downtown LA had a brown cloud at 800'-900' and the smog forecast given almost greater importance than the weather I understand how our trend started. Supposedly 2 hrs of chainsaw creates the same smog as a 1995 model year car driving 2500 miles.
 
Pi1otguy said:
I don't see myself cutting more than a dozen pieces 1 or 2 times a month. I've just started cooking over wood so I'll probably end up cutting a cord or so a year if that.



I had no idea. Somehow I thought all powered garden equipment was inefficient.



Technically yes, though it has to meet emission standards, have a sealed tank, "employ measures ... to discourage adjustments by owners" (mixture, etc) plus have approval from the EPA and Air Resources Board.

Having grown up in a time when downtown LA had a brown cloud at 800'-900' and the smog forecast given almost greater importance than the weather I understand how our trend started. Supposedly 2 hrs of chainsaw creates the same smog as a 1995 model year car driving 2500 miles.
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That's why ya need to get out of LA basin
 
Pretty sure your plan is flawed.

You'll be burning coal, natural gas if during peak times, or even relying on a big scary nuclear plant to cut your firewood if you switch to electric. ;)

Better yet, just grab a hacksaw. All that work sawing and sharpening will certainly keep you plenty warm. :rofl:

If you're cutting down trees you might need one of those two-person saws. A way to get the whole family involved! Quality time?

:popcorn:

"The new green coal-fired Toyota Prius, at a dealership near you!"
 
I have a electric chainsaw on a stick (but you can detach it from the pole if needed). The only real problem is that the bar is only 12" or so. Other than that it seems to work as well as my larger gas powered one. I can tell you that the $80 home center specials are junk. I burned one of those up in short order and bought a little nicer one that has lasted me many years now.
 
I have yet to find an powered yard tool that runs on electricity that works better than a gasoline model. I've tried lawnmowers, chain saws, wood splitters, hedge trimmers, and blowers. They are simply underpowered and don't have much in the way of torque compared to gas. IME.

They also have that pesky cord, which is a real problem with a cutting tool. For chain saws, cutting anything of reasonable size means that you run the risk of tripping on the cord getting out of the way if it starts to fall wrong... (nah, it can never fall the wrong way)...

Electric might be OK for removing a hedgerow, it's passable in a "chainsaw on a stick" for branch trimming, but I find them to not be useful for anything much larger.

My favorite brand? Stihl.
 
Pi1otguy said:
Having grown up in a time when downtown LA had a brown cloud at 800'-900' and the smog forecast given almost greater importance than the weather I understand how our trend started.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure when you grew up but I lived in Irvine for about 18 months in the early/mid '80s when I was involved with building the Embassy Suites there and, yeah, the pollution was quite interesting. Made for some beautiful sunsets though.:wink2:

Pi1otguy said:
Supposedly 2 hrs of chainsaw creates the same smog as a 1995 model year car driving 2500 miles.
Click to expand...

One hears stuff like this tossed around frequently but I'd have to see that data. I've never actually measured it but I'd estimate that I can run my 044 Stihl (which is a BIG saw) for two hours on less than 1/4 gallon of gas. Yeah, I know two strokes are kinda messy (combustion wise), yeah I know it doesn't have a catalytic converter but that '95 model car will burn 125 gallons of gas assuming 20mpg. I'm not sure I can buy that my chainsaw could produce more smog using 1/4 gallon of gas than a car using 125 gallons but I guess anything is possible.

By the way, the new chain saws (Stihl anyway) are 4 strokes. You still use premix but they're 4 strokes. I assume this results in a much cleaner exhaust.
 
timwinters said:
One hears stuff like this tossed around frequently but I'd have to see that data. I've never actually measured it but I'd estimate that I can run my 044 Stihl (which is a BIG saw) for two hours on less than 1/4 gallon of gas. Yeah, I know two strokes are kinda messy (combustion wise), yeah I know it doesn't have a catalytic converter but that '95 model car will burn 125 gallons of gas assuming 20mpg. I'm not sure I can buy that my chainsaw could produce more smog using 1/4 gallon of gas than a car using 125 gallons but I guess anything is possible.
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Buy it.

Emissions (unburned hydrocarbons, oxides of Nitrogen, Carbon Monoxide) for automobiles meeting the current California standards are less than 0.1% of the emissions from an unregulated automobile engine.

Frequently, when testing vehicles in an emsission test labratory, the concentrations of the above emissions coming out the tailpipe are lower than the concentrations in the ambient air for much of the test cycle. I would expect the same on a L.A. freeway.
 
Pi1otguy said:
Aside from the mobility issues, does anyone have an PIREPs on electric chainsaws? I'd like to avoid gas since there loud, I don't want to hold too many flammable liquids in the garage, & I couldn't stand the irony of burning gas so I can burn firewood.
Click to expand...

Electric chainsaws are also loud.

A friend has a nice electric chainsaw. But it was useless in clearing downed branches, etc from the yard. They were without power for several days.
 
Bob Noel said:
Electric chainsaws are also loud.

A friend has a nice electric chainsaw. But it was useless in clearing downed branches, etc from the yard. They were without power for several days.
Click to expand...

What's that noise?
 
Bob Noel said:
Electric chainsaws are also loud.

A friend has a nice electric chainsaw. But it was useless in clearing downed branches, etc from the yard. They were without power for several days.
Click to expand...

I'm a little confused, I thought that was why we had generators.
 
flyingron said:
What's that noise?
Click to expand...

The sparks that fly and that are accompanied by that "zap" sound and the humming of the breakers in your panelboard...all when you cut the cord in half.

And that doesn't even include the noise of the cussing. Electric saws can be real noisy.:rolleyes:
 
I've owned both. Aside from the cutting your own cord (I generally keep a long loop tucked into a belt loop in back), and not being able to use it during a power outage (think hurricanes in 2004 - I live in Orlando, FL), it was a great tool until the case broke. They tend to be underpowered, but for cutting occasional firewood, limbs etc. mine worked fine. The big advantage for me was I used it rarely and both of the gas ones I had didn't start after sitting for 12-18 months. I know you _can_ use Stabil and properly set them up to be stored, but it was a pain. For light use on a infrequent basis I really liked electric.

That said, Stihl makes a very good chainsaw, but the best I ever used was a Husquvarna (sp?). I don't know if they're still in the business or available in the states any more, but that was a _great_ saw.

John
 
Pi1otguy said:
Aside from the mobility issues, does anyone have an PIREPs on electric chainsaws? I'd like to avoid gas since there loud, I don't want to hold too many flammable liquids in the garage, & I couldn't stand the irony of burning gas so I can burn firewood.

I intend to use it to cut chunks of wood I might gather down to an appropriate "firewood size" a bit bigger than a large man's forearm.

So far I have a few chunks of wood that are obviously too big that I need to cut into firewood sized pieces. I've never had to cut a chunk of wood (~1 ft diameter) and so far I haven't had any real luck. At first I swung a small axe, but after getting in an inch or 2 i made no more progress. Apparently old trees are hard in the middle. Next I tried a bow saw and figured it'd be a little workout. I sawed and sawed til the blade got hot but made no progress past an inch or so. My last failed attempt was to split it with a 3lb wood splitter & a sledge hammer. At this point I'll admit defeat and cheat with a chainsaw.

Right now I'm think something with a 12"-16" bar, 9-12 amps, for under $75.

Edit: Added pic of a piece I have for perspective.
Click to expand...

I have a Remington Pole Saw (which can be removed from the extension handle for normal use) that has been quite satisfactory for occasional homeowner use. I don't find running an extension cord out to where I am working to be that much of a bother - but suppose it would be if I used it a lot. On the other hand I also have a gas saw - with the usual problems of seldom-used engines.

Dave
 
Well, I bought a cheap 10 amp electric saw and so far so good. It goes through the wood I've collected like butter. Only thing is that I learned that using a chainsaw is an acquired skill and I now wish I went a bit longer than 14". It also occurred to me that I need maul to split the wood once it's cut to length.

As luck would have it I've come into a huge windfall of free wood. A few weeks ago a massive wind storm knocked down almost 20% of the trees in a nearby city. It'll take into at least mid January for the city to pick it all up, but in the mean time there are literally piles of cut up trees along most of the roads in that city.

Also, I just bought a maul and learned that I absolutely suck at splitting green wood. At least I'm getting a good workout picking and working all this wood. Since it's free I'll spend the $5 worth of gas driving back and forth to pickup $40+ of wood. I suppose I'd have picked more per trip, but unknown to me, fresh wood is pretty darn heavy before it dries.
 

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:D Sorry... Electric yard tools are for Girls.. Ask Tim (the Tool-Man) Taylor.

If its not in a work shop, it needs gas!
 
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Last Q. Do you guys actually wear all the safety gear when sawing away?

I just wear goggles, gloves, pants, & shoes plus the wood is still green. The Prop 65 warning in the manual says I should wear an "mask that filters microscopic particles". (According to CA wood causes cancer.)
 
Goggles, ear protection, and long pants and sleeves. Depending on what I'm doing I might wear steel toes too.
 
wsuffa said:
I have yet to find an powered yard tool that runs on electricity that works better than a gasoline model. I've tried lawnmowers, chain saws, wood splitters, hedge trimmers, and blowers. They are simply underpowered and don't have much in the way of torque compared to gas. IME.
Click to expand...

The typical 15-amp circuit, at 110 volts, gives a max of 1650 watts. At 746 watts per horsepower, that's 2.2 hp. It's no wonder that even feeble gas mowers will outperform the electrics.

And that doesn't even account for the losses in that long extension cord. Some of the power is lost to heating the cord, reducing the voltage at the tool.

Dan
 
Pi1otguy said:
I just wear goggles, gloves, pants, & shoes plus the wood is still green. The Prop 65 warning in the manual says I should wear an "mask that filters microscopic particles". (According to CA wood causes cancer.)
Click to expand...

LIFE causes cancer.

There are some fine hardwood dusts (as created during sanding) that can cause a problem if inhaled for decades by someone like a cabinet or musical instrument maker.

I have seen what a chainsaw can do to your thigh. In addition to eye protection, kevlar chaps are probably more important than anything else, they are 60bucks or so new.
 
jsstevens said:
That said, Stihl makes a very good chainsaw, but the best I ever used was a Husquvarna (sp?). I don't know if they're still in the business or available in the states any more, but that was a _great_ saw.

John
Click to expand...

Husqvarna most certainly still exists and makes a better electric than the $79 cheapie. In a lifetime of working with tools I will let you in on a personal observation of mine: Cheap, underpowered/undersized tools are more likely to lead to injury using them.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/homeowner/products/chainsaws/316e-electric/
 
Pi1otguy said:
The Prop 65 warning in the manual says I should wear an "mask that filters microscopic particles". (According to CA wood causes cancer.)
Click to expand...

According to CA, everything causes cancer. Light causes cancer, dark causes cancer, gravity causes cancer, lack of gravity causes cancer. They'd have oxygen banned if they could remove it from the atmosphere because, you guessed it, oxygen causes cancer. You're obviously far safer and healthier without oxygen. I can't take them seriously. I think CA itself is the actual cause of cancer. They. Are. Fruitcakes.

Microscopic particles causing death? I'm more skiddish about the huge chunks that hit you in the face occasionally. Good fitting gloves to maintain control, jeans (not real protection) shirt, eye protection, ear plugs, keep your mouth closed while cutting, don't do anything stupid with any tools - especially powered ones or ones that store energy.
 
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