lastminute
Established Member
Looking at buying one of the above....any advice, good or otherwise please!
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robgul
Barry Bucknell is my hero
I have a mini-chain saw (electric) on a long pole (it's actually an extending pole) - excellent cutting from an 8" bar/chain.
Proper DIY on YouTube has just done a couple of reviews of small electric chainsaws - they come out well.
. . . and I just hope you're not referring to one those lethal Chinese chain saw bladed angle-grinders!
Proper DIY on YouTube has just done a couple of reviews of small electric chainsaws - they come out well.
. . . and I just hope you're not referring to one those lethal Chinese chain saw bladed angle-grinders!
Superduner
Established Member
My new Worx one is due to arrive today from the big river in Germany. It gets good reviews, and was chosen because I already have a couple of Worx batteries.
It'll mainly be used for cutting firewood logs to length.
There are loads of review videos on YouTube of different models.
The main drawback of all of them is the lack of automatic chain oiling, as far as I can see.
It'll mainly be used for cutting firewood logs to length.
There are loads of review videos on YouTube of different models.
The main drawback of all of them is the lack of automatic chain oiling, as far as I can see.
pe2dave
Established Member
'Proper diy' gives (expensive) Stihl ones a very good review, as is often the case with them. For regular use probably worth it.
MikeH
Established Member
I have a ryobi standard cordless chainsaw and one of their long pole versions that Rob mentions above. We have a lot of trees in the garden. Neither are as powerful as a proper petrol version of course but they both work well for what I want and no faffing with petrol, also a lot quieter of course. I went Ryobi as I use the same batteries for most of my workshop and garden tools now.
Power is all important with these but you don't want a heavy saw either. I have the Makita with the twin 18v batteries and it hits the right balance. You get about 30 minutes out of a full charge so it's worth investing in a spare set of batteries.
Superduner
Established Member
As with all chainsaws, the sharpness of the chain determines the ease of cut. I have the Black and Decker pole saw which is only 18v. But with a new or freshly sharpened chain it works really well even at full stretch (so low cutting pressure).
Lidl did a special offer on their polesaw a few years ago. Think it's notionally 40V, 8" blade and as Superduner says, works well, if slowly, even at full extension. Came in very handy after Storm Arwen for clearing away brash that had to be removed to get at the fallen trunks.
I also have the twin 18v Makita chainsaw, it's very good.
"mini chainsaw" sounds a lot like a top-handle chainsaw, which really aren't safe for normal use. (Sorry if you already know this, but many people don't, and think they are a cheaper way into chainsaws).
"mini chainsaw" sounds a lot like a top-handle chainsaw, which really aren't safe for normal use. (Sorry if you already know this, but many people don't, and think they are a cheaper way into chainsaws).
sawtooth-9
Established Member
Wow - chain saws are an essential in the Aussie bush
If you want your tools to work for you - get the best, it's far cheaper in the long run.
I have had a petrol Stihl for over 20 years - and still going strong !
A few years ago, we bought an electric Stihl - a 140 - and it's capacity is astonishing !
The poor thing cops a real workout as we clear 8 acres - and we always have 2 chains and a chain sharpener.
I also bought a large Huskvana chain saw - which is also great _ it's a real beast !
Not cheap, but effective
Not worth buying some of the even better known brands, Get the REAL stuff that will do the job and last forever.
We have been so happy with Stihl, that we recently bought a Stihl pole saw.
If you want your tools to work for you - get the best, it's far cheaper in the long run.
I have had a petrol Stihl for over 20 years - and still going strong !
A few years ago, we bought an electric Stihl - a 140 - and it's capacity is astonishing !
The poor thing cops a real workout as we clear 8 acres - and we always have 2 chains and a chain sharpener.
I also bought a large Huskvana chain saw - which is also great _ it's a real beast !
Not cheap, but effective
Not worth buying some of the even better known brands, Get the REAL stuff that will do the job and last forever.
We have been so happy with Stihl, that we recently bought a Stihl pole saw.
pe2dave
Established Member
@sawtooth-9 I guess it's a case of needs? If you're dealing in acres, then a decent petrol job sounds right. For the odd tree tidy up every few years seems to me a smaller job would suffice.
Stevekane
Established Member
I cannot fault my Lidl Florabest mains electric chainsaw, obviously only for garden use but Ive not found a tree yet that it cannot cope with,,,a world away from the 1970s Black and Decker that seemed to be so slow,,
I use cheap chains from ebay and sharpen with a Dremel,,works well for me.
Steve.
I use cheap chains from ebay and sharpen with a Dremel,,works well for me.
Steve.
bansobaby
Accustomly titled
I have two of the Stihl top handle battery saws. I now rarely use the petrol 020/MS200T saws that sit in the workshop.
The battery saws are very, very impressive. They have a narrower chain (1/4 inch picco from memory). I have yet to go through 2 batteries in a day, and some days they do a lot of work. Obviously bigger petrol saws come out when needed but generally the peace and lack of fumes mean the battery saws get used when a petrol saw would probably be quicker.
Two things to be said as very minor down points:
You have to check the chain oil tank more regularly as it sometimes empties before the battery dies (the petrol saws always run out of fuel before chain oil as long as you fill them both at the same time.)
And it's very easy to pick up the battery saw to 'just do one quick cut'. Several times I have found myself about to use it in shorts and a T shirt without even a face shield. The whole rigmarole of fuelling and starting up a petrol saw always seems to push me to put on the full PPE, chainsaw trousers, boots etc and usually make sure someone else is around. There is starting to be anecdotal evidence of injuries when using battery saws based on this........
The battery saws are very, very impressive. They have a narrower chain (1/4 inch picco from memory). I have yet to go through 2 batteries in a day, and some days they do a lot of work. Obviously bigger petrol saws come out when needed but generally the peace and lack of fumes mean the battery saws get used when a petrol saw would probably be quicker.
Two things to be said as very minor down points:
You have to check the chain oil tank more regularly as it sometimes empties before the battery dies (the petrol saws always run out of fuel before chain oil as long as you fill them both at the same time.)
And it's very easy to pick up the battery saw to 'just do one quick cut'. Several times I have found myself about to use it in shorts and a T shirt without even a face shield. The whole rigmarole of fuelling and starting up a petrol saw always seems to push me to put on the full PPE, chainsaw trousers, boots etc and usually make sure someone else is around. There is starting to be anecdotal evidence of injuries when using battery saws based on this........
A lot of this is down to the Chinese clones of the Makitas and other saws with the “fake brake” that doesn’t actually do anything to the chain. There is also increasing numbers of head injuries as people are using them above head height with no PPE as they are very light and easy to use for anyone but are still just as dangerous.
I went with Dewalt (simply because all my tradies tools are Dewalt lol- so chargers and batteries aren't an issue) and having owned several (all petrol ones of various brands before this- another Aussie bushie here lol), I went in thinking they would be 'toys' limited to small branches and the like- couldn't have been more wrong...
I found a 'decent' quality electric (not one of those $50 chinesium ones) with auto oiler and fast charger with multiple batteries- is imho so much better that I now only use it, the petrol one hasn't been started since the last time it broke down, and I suspect never will run again...
Not only does it cut so much more controllably than the petrol ones, but at the end of the day, you feel so much better...
(they are definitely far less fatiguing to use- and this alone makes them far safer for those long jobs...)
Although yes- you DO have to avoid the trap of because they are so damn easy to use, not kitting up properly!!!!
(I consider it a 'mini' because it only has a 30cm blade, unlike the petrols I had previously, which were double the size- but it still quite capable of taking down or cutting up any tree on my property, to date the biggest was over 2 ft across, I had to take it in 'bites' but it managed it...)
I found a 'decent' quality electric (not one of those $50 chinesium ones) with auto oiler and fast charger with multiple batteries- is imho so much better that I now only use it, the petrol one hasn't been started since the last time it broke down, and I suspect never will run again...
Not only does it cut so much more controllably than the petrol ones, but at the end of the day, you feel so much better...
(they are definitely far less fatiguing to use- and this alone makes them far safer for those long jobs...)
Although yes- you DO have to avoid the trap of because they are so damn easy to use, not kitting up properly!!!!
(I consider it a 'mini' because it only has a 30cm blade, unlike the petrols I had previously, which were double the size- but it still quite capable of taking down or cutting up any tree on my property, to date the biggest was over 2 ft across, I had to take it in 'bites' but it managed it...)
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