Battery Powered Chainsaws...........Discuss

William81

Anyone have any experience with them.....getting older....shoulder issues all that good stuff....Starting one hurts me sometimes so looking for an alternative.  I do not cut down trees etc,    Mostly I need to clear fence rows and trim branches from time to time....

Yeah, I know, I may have to turn in my man card......

Rocky Raab

As luck would have it, here's a week-old video testing just that. (This guy does an amazing job testing things. His channel is worth perusing.) 

https://youtu.be/_aBZt8m1XkQ

William81

Thank you that was very helpful !!!!!!!!!!!!!

jimdeere

I have the Stihl battery chain saw. It’s great for cutting limbs and small trees. It runs a long time on one battery charge.

BobJudy

Does anyone know the battery life for any of the brands. Not cutting time but number of charges they will take before either losing capacity or going belly up. I have several other battery powered tools and the replacement batteries cost 1/2 or more the price of a new tool. Bob

firstharmonic

I know you asked about battery chainsaws but there is also a gas-powered alternative - the Stihl MS 180 C-BE easy start. Bar lengths are up to 16". To start it, you pull on the starter rope to wind up a spring similar to a clock spring. When the rope is about 80% out, there is a slight resistance and that spring kicks in, turning the chainsaw motor over. It really is an easy pull system. If you try to "horse" it like pull starting a regular saw you'll ruin the starter.

Like you, I'm getting on in years and starting a normal saw was becoming very difficult and unpleasant. This Stihl, at around $230.00, is a good light-duty solution to my situation. Just a thought.
 

RobOz

https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11227518#Comment_11227518

My late FIL had one of those. I believe it was a MS251 with a 16" bar. Ran good

BikerBob

We have a Stihl. The battery interchanges with the weed whacker, so we get more use out of the costly part.

My wife wanted one for branch cleanup as she has trouble starting the larger gas saws, some carpel tunnel and shoulder surgeries make it a bit more difficult for her. The fellow that runs the local saw shop had used the same model when he broke some ribs and liked it.

Since I don’t need to put in gas and then run it dry, I’ll use it for some smaller or quick work as well. I kid her about her ‘Barbie saw’, but it if you’re not trying to go out to cut a week’s worth of firewood it is very handy.

hillbille

for the ocassional limb and such, you can use a battery sawzall with aggressive blade, I use one to saw the roots off shrubs and such after you pull them up, you can run the blade in the dirt and not worry about dulling a chainsaw blade...

neacpa

I do not have a battery chainsaw, but I do have a battery pole saw.  I have a Lynx brand from Harbor Freight.  Yeah, I know Harbor Freight, right.  But I had researched and reviewed this thing and it actually had very good reviews.  It has been great for me trimming trees at house and on hunting land.  Battery charge lasts a very long time.  I paid $25 for the extended warranty when they told me that it would also cover the battery if it went kaput.  Have had it 4 years now, I believe.

lkannes

I have a 20volt Dewalt that is handy for small branches that come down or trimming small stuff. It doesn't work on oak over 4-5" in diameter. For the small stuff it can't be beat and it starts every time.

Beeramid

Project Farm is a great youtube channel.

Nanuq907

I like the fact I can carry enough BTUs in a 3-gallon can to work my saw as long as my hands will hold onto it.

jeffb1911

I picked up a milwaukee m12 hatchet chainsaw. Just 6" bar, they claim for up to 3" branches. Has done a lot more than I would have ever believed. Since i have several m12 tools already I have plenty of batteries. If i need more than what this will do it is time to get a gas chainsaw out.

truthful

I gave up on all 2-cycle powered devices years ago. Battery powered is the only way to go.

victorj19

You battery guys will put the oil industry workers out of business.  Think about the joblessness it will create!

chme

Picked up a 40v Greenworks, NIB at an auction for a ridiculous price.  That little saw will chew thru some serious wood.  Lithium battery, so no battery memory like Ni-Cad.  If I were doing a day's cutting would be a poor choice, but cutting up limbs, taking out saplings, does great.  In a nutshell, they do well when you need to do a little cutting now and then.  

RobOz

https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11227606#Comment_11227606

For what type of cutting? I just took down a 60ish foot standing dead Ash . You ain't doing it with a battery.

SW0320

The timing of this was perfect.  I was just going to post my experience with a husqvarna and still battery chain saws.

I used some of my gun money to buy one of each to use on my tree farm.  Both work great for doing things like limbing trees that I clear per part of my management plan.  Also they work great for clearing brush on sides of my They are both very easy to use and will run constantly for over an hour on each charge.  I like that I do not have keep a saw running while I am moving some brush.  They are lighter in weigh then my gas saws and the lack of vibration is nice.  

jltrent

Probably better get use to the battery type as before long they maybe the only option.  A gas saw if maintained properly will start everytime with three recoil pulls or less and one pull after starting if still warm.  No more strain on the shoulder than dropping one of those heavy * batteries in a small limb saw.

Junkballer

I swear by my battery operated Porter Cable sawz-all, been using it for years and have the ability to use different blades for different jobs......tree limbs, no problem 

spasmcreeksrun

been using only electric for several years now...plug it into the socket on the bucket truck boom....and just got a Bauer 10" from harbor freight with the large battery..handy one hander......the battery fits several tools including a nifty air compressor...

allen griggs

I am well up to speed on gas powered chain saws as I have a $500 Stihl, and a $600 Husqvarna.   They run great and I will continue to use them.
However,  I have a lot of lawn to mow and a lot of weedeating to be done.   And this year we switched over to electric lawn mower and weedeater.   We have the 80v  Kobalt from Lowes.   These are the top of the line and are expensive.
But they work great!   As much power as the gas powered lawn mower and weedeater.   And the battery lasts a long long time.

I think for handyman type work around the house the battery powered chain saw would work well.
In fact, if I were going to build another log cabin, and I didn't have a chain saw, I would buy the battery powered.  

grdad45

I have  a Kobalt 40 V pole saw. The battery lasts as long as I can stand it! I cleared shooting lanes at three deer stands with only one recharge while eating lunch.  Went back to Lowe's and got a string trimmer that uses the same battery. It is lighter, quieter and easier to use than a gas trimmer (Stihl lasted 10 years).