Electric Chainsaw- worth it?

[Zak33]

Well good people, the answer is a big fat YES :-)
After landing myself with a large supply of "tree" when a relative had one cut down and i wanted it for my stove it all arrived by the boot load . . . Very big.
I've got a roughneck splitting maul (think sledge hammer with wedge head and 8lb weight) i still needed to shorten the lengths to fit my stove.
About to buy one from screwfix or machine mart i checked argos and found a Bosch 14" 1700 watt electric with goggles and gloves for £80. Just needs chain oil. I thought "i risk trying that" and man am i pleased :-)
fraction of the noise of a petrol and i can use it in the garage (dry and easy to clean up) it does a superb job. Powerful fast and is making mince meat out of 10" logs.
With £6 for litre of chain oil from screw fix (argos don't sell it !) it's doing the biz :-)

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

[Stephen C]

I would of gone for one of these

[Lucio]

All round to Zak's come the zombie apocolypse (or next riots)

[peterb]

Hmm battle of the bansaws!

[mmh]

All round to Zak's come the zombie apocolypse (or next riots)

chainsaws in zombie apocalypses never end well!

ever seen Dawn of the Dead (remake)

[peterb]

HEXUS chainsaw massacre??

[Stephen C]

[Dareos]

just make sure you get an extra long extension lead mate, and hope that the zombies dont learn to pull the plug out

[jon bda]

Got a slighty larger version of yours here Zak, got it for about a tenner from a boot sale. Just the job...

[Behemoth]

We've got an electric one too, flaming scared of the darned thing, old man thankfully won't let me loose with it as I know what will happen, will end up chopping my arm off, I am not all very good with any DIY task.

[Zak33]

oh this thing ROCKS.

it ROCKS.

I was genuinely worried it wasn't a proper "mans" version as it was electric... but with the exception of not being able to chase Zombies any further than my longest extension lead...

it's a monster.

It's got proper instant stop like a petrol one, so as soon as the power trigged it released, although the motor spools down slowly, the chain stop's in a split second. And MAN can it cut logs? Oh YEAH

felt all empowered so spent the day building a new log store and it'll be finished by next weekend.

[peterb]

oh this thing ROCKS.

<---snip

I was genuinely worried it wasn't a proper "mans" version as it was electric... but with the exception of not being able to chase Zombies any further than my longest extension lead...

Oh yes - 1800 watts is about 2.5Hp - by comparison a 34cc 2 stroke petrol engine is about 1.9 - so yes, it is a full blown chainsaw, and will take your leg off just as easily as a petrol engined one. It is probably a bit lighter though so easier to control. The real advantage of a petrol engine chain saw is its portability. (not many power plugs in the forest, and trailing leads would be a bit of a liability )

So - DON'T under-estimate it - it is just as unforgiving as its petrol engined cousins.

It's got proper instant stop like a petrol one, so as soon as the power trigged it released, although the motor spools down slowly, the chain stop's in a split second. And MAN can it cut logs? Oh YEAH

felt all empowered so spent the day building a new log store and it'll be finished by next weekend.

I think it is a legal requirement to have a chain brake - and as you have found, it cuts! Don't forget maintenance though - in particular chain sharpening. Like all cutting tools, it works best when the cutters are in good condition, and they do go blunt quite quickly. You can use a round file with an angle guide to sharpen it (if you bought it from a specialist shop, they will advise) or if you have a Dremel, you can get a sharpening attachment for it.

As well as goggles, you should really have a helmet with a visor (to protect your face if it should kick back) and safety leggings which usually have Kevlar or similar material woven into the fabric that, in the event of an accident, clogs the blade before it does too much damage to you.

so - please, treat it with respect (we don't want to lose you!) and make sure it is never left unattended, either plugged in or otherwise) - and again better to work with an adult in the vicinity (just in case) and always make sure children are well away (because if they are around, you will be worrying about them, and not concentrating on the job!)

Good luck wit the wood store - green wood takes at least a year (preferably 2) to dry out under cover before it is good firewood. Burn it too soon and a lot of the energy is wasted converting the residual moisture to steam and it doesn't burn as hot. And so less efficient.

But that apart - enjoy - and soon you'll be one of an elite brigade! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg

[Brucelles]

I have both petrol and electric. Horses for courses really. I use the petrol one on my land for getting the trees down and chunked up to 1.2m so they fit in my car boot (it's a BMW 740I, so it's quite capacious) then I take them back home for drying, and I usually cut them down to 40cm and split them in my 'workshop' before stacking.

I have a Husqvarna 316E which is a beast (2.2 hp), but used properly no more dangerous than any other chainsaw. I also have a Stihl Petrol model for which I have forgotten the model designation. To be honest, with the rock-solid reliability I would prefer to use the electric one any day, but obviously the limited range makes it impractical for use on my land, which is 5 minutes from the house.

Just to echo peterb's 'be careful'; Be Careful. I taught my 16 year-old, 50Kg daughter to use a proper 2.4Kg axe to split beech logs when she was 16. She used an angle grinder when I made the gate to my courtyard, but I have never let her use my chainsaws, because I know what they will do to flesh, even in a fraction of a second, and my daughter's too precious to maim. If you can get it, some places offer a quick lesson in chainsaw use. Take it. I could tell you horror stories, but I know you get it.

One note to anyone thinking of getting a petrol chainsaw, avoid the Ryobi models. They are really well-built, and well-specced, but they have a dreadful habit of breaking at the wrong time. My last one had a chain brake that contracted after a while and was permanently on unless I pushed the hand guard forward while using it, which is far too dangerous in real life. With electric models the reliability is close to 100%, but with petrol models you are best advised to read the reviews and buy a good one from a good name.

[Zak33]

OK guys.. all good advice.

I'm chainsawing in a manner that will be as safe as it can be, but I admit to NOT doing it in proximity to another adult so next time I use it I'll get my missus to stand by.. it's only short use so she'll not get bored.