Battery powered chainsaws experience?

[thedarkwolf]

https://www.amazon.com/Poulan-Pro-9...scsubtag=e4e212209d4e11e689bd0e12a40bd42a0INT
Just for example

I mountain bike and some times a big tree will fall way out in the woods and it is a pita to hike a heavy messy gas chainsaw way out there to cut it out. Most of the time we just build ramp over the log or re-route the trail around it but it would be nice to have a light chainsaw I could throw in a backpack and ride out there to it for those that really need cut out. All the reviews talk about cutting a bunch of 5" limbs but I carry a handsaw for smaller stuff like that. I don't need to cut twenty big trees down just maybe one or two cuts in a big tree so I can roll it out of the way. Just wondering if one of these would cut it .

 

[BudAshes]

I believe they have some small gas-powered chainsaws that don't weight much more than 10 lbs. I'd try those first.

 

[Jaepheth]

I'd go with gas powered. A battery chainsaw just sounds like a bad concept to me.

Have you considered just a ratcheting winch and straps or steel cable to move the debris off the trail?

 

[momeNt]

harbor freight sells come alongs, would work to drag it out of the way.

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-cable-winch-puller-61964.html

 

[momeNt]

Video example of one being used!

https://youtu.be/HCDzEcofaxE?t=12m23s

 

[Newbian]

Where are you biking like this?

Just make sure you are allowed to bike there first and they allow cutting of the trees like that as running a loud chainsaw may not be your best option if neither is the case.

But yea electric chainsaws are glorified bush trimmers and not something good for decent sized logs.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd use an axe or hand saw.

 

[NoTine42]

I was given a Worx Jaw Saw. It's surprisingly useful for brush and branches up to 4" (max size that fit into its mechanism) and the little 20v battery is enough for a few hours of brush cutting.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/WORX-6-Cordless-JawSaw-4-Cutting-Diameter-Bare-Tool/54930604

I'm not sure it could handle a 6"+ branch very well. Torque eventually becomes an issue.

But for seldom use, I think battery power keeps seeming more and more attractive. I'm actually contemplating getting a battery powered string trimmer.

 

[Charmonium]

The higher the voltage the better. Although realize that with more voltage you will probably get more torque and more kickback.

Honestly, you shouldn't be using a chainsaw w/o proper protection. That means at the very least a helmet and eye protection. A bicycle helmet being mostly styrofoam probably isn't going to cut it, so to speak, although I guess it's better than nothing. Probably not much better though.

You should also have steel toed shoes and special chaps that will clog the chain and gears with fibers if the bar hits your leg. But as I said, at the very least you should carry a good helmet with the saw. I mean you're already going to be lugging around at least another 15 lbs and a lot of extra bulk, may as well go the distance and throw in a helmet. Unless you're very experienced using a saw (and really, even then), you never know when a saw could kick back. You can be cutting through a trunk and hit a rock buried in the dirt or a knot in the tree itself or god knows what else and then bang, before you know it you've got 2 feet of sharp whining metal spinning into you frontal lobe.

 

[Jeeebus]

I have a greenworks chainsaw that runs I think on 20v battery. It gets the job done for occasional tree in the yard needing chopping. I wouldnt use it for a huge tree, but it works when I need it without worrying about gas going bad, etc.

 

[Jeeebus]

actually it is the 40v g-max

https://www.amazon.com/GreenWorks-20312-Cordless-Chainsaw-Included/dp/B00DRBBRQU?th=1&psc=1

 

[Elixer]

The battery powered ones also are pretty poor for hard wood, they just can't maintain the torque needed for extended periods of time with big branches or if you are trying to cut down a good sized tree.

 

[Jeeebus]

I'll be taking down a 4 year old mango tree tomorrow with the battery chainsaw. Not super huge, but big enough to be a good test for the chainsaw

 

[Ken g6]

But for seldom use, I think battery power keeps seeming more and more attractive. I'm actually contemplating getting a battery powered string trimmer.

I have one of those. It works great for 15 minutes at a time, by which time my arm is usually worn out by the vibration too. I wouldn't want a gas powered anything for occasional use either.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd just use a buck saw. Or just lift the bike over the tree and keep pedaling.

When I would go out four wheeling at camp I'd always carry a buck saw strapped to the back. Came in handy a few times.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Buck saw is a good idea. Very light and folds down into a very small package. I will look more into those. I carry a folding saw now with an 8" blade but that thing wears you out pretty quick if the log/branch is over 4" or so.

 

[Jeeebus]

Got the mango tree out today - chainsaw worked fine but getting the root ball out was not fun... at all.

This fella did not want to leave his favorite tree. He stayed on the stump just watching me and giving me the evil eye. It's a Cuban knight anole. I moved him over to a lychee tree and he seemed ok with the relocation.

 

[Rubycon]

While the idea of carrying a chainsaw on a bike is ridiculous, there are battery saws that are quite capable. Echo has a 58V (4Ah, pack comprised of twenty eight LG 18650 cells in series parallel!). Its power is comparable to a small 32 cubic inch two stroke cutter with 16" bar. They have had issues with cut outs under higher speed and loading (this affects the 58V string trimmer too I'm told) but when it works it rips.

 

[thedarkwolf]

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that is probably enough I guess.

 

[shortylickens]

I used a SunJoe plug in chainsaw. My neighbor loaned it to me.
Was not impressed with the power and dragging the cord around was a pain. Could not imagine battery operated chainsaws are worth a damn.
I'd probably stick with a gasoline model.

 

[natto fire]

No experience with a battery powered chainsaw, but I do have a battery powered circular saw and rotary hammer drill which exceeded my expectations. My biggest battery is 92 watt-hours, an 18v 5 Ah Milwaukee pack. Both of those tools have brushless motors, and do consume the battery quickly, but are also very powerful.

Not sure why torque is being brought up, as electric motors absolutely destroy combustion engines in that department. Fossil fuels also destroy current battery tech for energy density, so that is kind of a wash.

After such a great experience with my cordless power tools I use every day for work, I would not hesitate to try out a cordless chainsaw.

I have only used the gas variants myself, the workhorse is a Stihl MS362, but also use a battery Sawzall with pruning blade forl some pretty big stuff.

Also, voltage does not equate to power! A higher voltage tool can draw less current to do exactly as much work as a lower voltage tool drawing more current.


Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Red Squirrel]

That one Ruby posted looks like it performs quite well. I imagine it would not be too hard to get extra battery packs too, but for biking it would not really be needed.

Been toying with the idea of getting a wood stove for a while and I would not hesitate to try an electric chainsaw for getting wood. If it does not work out then I'd get a gas one. Electric ones are less maintenance and do better kept in storage. No mixing fuels etc... generally simpler. I imagine I'd definitely want more battery packs but if getting wood I'd probably cut logs in big sections then cut them smaller at home.

Nothing like falling a tree with just a buck saw though. But not something I'd be doing if I'm getting wood for heating.

 

[Rubycon]

Cant really compare the line powered ones to battery ones. First, most are using very long extension cords of inappropriate gauge so the motor is very undervolted. They are brush/commutator (universal) motors which unlike induction motors are quite tolerant of under voltage (voltage drop from long, puny cords) but will have limited power. Second, they have a rather limited service factor and will quickly overheat and burn out when their speed drops under load.

Battery tools use brushless motors with controllers capable of delivering very high current. (albeit with time limits which are invariably always shorter than needed! ). If stability/safety of lipo sources could be guaranteed, a really impressive array of power tools could be achieved. (Look at UAV power!) The risk of fire/burning is very real though and they would be nearly impossible to idiot-proof with current track record.

Voltage does matter as per Mister Ohm you must have more current at lower voltage to achieve the same amount of power. Higher amperage requires larger conductors. This is why electric powered vehicles run at much higher voltage than their ICE counterparts.

The two stroke engine, while ported and tuned is impressive but doesn't have that "Tim Taylor" chest pounding seal of approval. Even with beachside blenders. Time to build a gas turbine powered machine.

 

[stormkroe]

Sawzall with the biggest Ah battery you can afford and a thin keef blade. You can cut a very surprising amount of tree and is way smaller than a chainsaw.