Battery powered chainsaws... YIKES

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by cabmando

The good news is, my dad has a really nice electric sharpener so that shouldn't be an issue. I'm thinking I'm going to include a few chains just to make sure he has them at his disposal.

The electric sharpeners are great...I figured you guys were way ahead of the program. The tooth angles on the battery powered saws tend to be less aggressive, at least the one that came with the DW.

I bought two Oregon chains with a more aggressive "teeth".

I look forward to your consumer report!

[KFC911]

I had a long post ready to send earlier and my dawg hit something .... she helps me type .... lost it .

Vash (Cliff) Notes version: Have a few chains, hit 'em every tank (battery) and keep 'em sharp. An Oregon bench chain sharpener is the best $200 I've ever wasted if ya do get one "untrue".

Oregon makes good chains .... get the full chisel ones.

Stihl green stickered chains suck and are for novices and their lawyers.... use the yellow ones.

A short bar has significantly less teeth than a long bar .... so they do wear quicker because of that.

I have designated stump/dirt chains too for dirty work.

Happy sawing !

My dawg is pawing at the back door ..... SEND

[upsscott]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

One last thing (nice choice, btw)):

Sharp chains are, as we all know, as important as the chainsaw. With a gas powered saw I tend to cut when perhaps it is time to replace the chain - I have at least a dozen ready to go but the Wood Boss makes us all a hero.

With the battery powered saws, a sharp, maintained chain is essential. I have three for the little DW. The torque on the battery units is impressive but they will be more impacted, of course, with duller chains.

Sharpening chains is Zen to me...I have a nice little set up in the corner.

TMI!

^^^^This for sure.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[KFC911]

One thing I like about the Stihl yellow coded chains... they have a line etched on the teeth for the proper angle. Nice when yer hitting them a couple of light strokes with a round file every tank/battery. Stilh makes great chains.... and those green ones .

If yer sharpening dull chains you're doing it all wrong.... keep a fine edge on them... always... doesn't take much effort either.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Just to update: I ordered a Dewalt on Amazon (best price and none available locally) $339. It should arrive by next Wednesday. My plan is to charge the battery and go see how it cuts. I'll clean it up once I've gotten a chance to make sure it's something dad will like and then box it back up.

I'll let y'all know what I think of it. And again, thanks for all the great input! I was telling my brother that this is the kind of stuff that makes OT great. There aren't many subjects you can post about that someone here isn't going to have some sort of experience with.

Steve's thread about saws remined me that I promised to let y'all know what I think of the Dewalt. Holy smokes that thing will rip it up! Dad called me a few weeks ago asking if I'd like to come over and use the new saw with him. In the car I went!

Dad had an Ash tree that the wind had taken down. It wasn't a large tree, probably 14" at the trunk and about 30 or so fee long. We went to work on it and had it cut up into 16" pieces pretty fast. And the best part? We didn't even come off of 3 bars on the battery after we were done cutting. Something that was nice was there was no shutting off the saw, then restarting and cutting, then shutting off again. I'd highly recommend the saw and just did to Steve.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Steve's thread about saws remined me that I promised to let y'all know what I think of the Dewalt. Holy smokes that thing will rip it up! Dad called me a few weeks ago asking if I'd like to come over and use the new saw with him. In the car I went!

Dad had an Ash tree that the wind had taken down. It wasn't a large tree, probably 14" at the trunk and about 30 or so fee long. We went to work on it and had it cut up into 16" pieces pretty fast. And the best part? We didn't even come off of 3 bars on the battery after we were done cutting. Something that was nice was there was no shutting off the saw, then restarting and cutting, then shutting off again. I'd highly recommend the saw and just did to Steve.

That's impressive for sure.

[cabmandone]

My dad used it a week ago. He called me just to tell me he used and and that he was really impressed with it. I'm gonna give it a workout in a few weeks when I take it up to my hunting property to do some cleanup.

[drcoastline]

I struggle with battery anything over gas.

But for light duty stealth I do like these.

[Bill Douglas]

That would be great for an arborist up a tree. leaves one hand free to hang onto the tree. Quiet (quieter).

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

I struggle with battery anything over gas.

I was the same way... and then I used this dewalt saw. I'm not saying it's for people who do a lot of cutting, but I think with two batteries, a person could get a lot of work done with one of these saws. It's truly an impressive saw. I was afraid, when looking for a saw, I'd be disappointed or that my dad would be disappointed with it but that certainly isn't the case.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

I struggle with battery anything over gas.

But for light duty stealth I do like these.

That's pretty cool. It's so small, I wonder about it's effectiveness. I would probably use my Milwaukee hackzall with a longer wood blade.

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

That would be great for an arborist up a tree. leaves one hand free to hang onto the tree. Quiet (quieter).

I've got a Ryobi 12" 18V that looks like a regular chainsaw (but small). Most of the noise comes from the chain on the gears and bar.

Originally Posted by cabmando

I was the same way... and then I used this dewalt saw. I'm not saying it's for people who do a lot of cutting, but I think with two batteries, a person could get a lot of work done with one of these saws. It's truly an impressive saw. I was afraid, when looking for a saw, I'd be disappointed or that my dad would be disappointed with it but that certainly isn't the case.

I really wanted to get one of the battery powered, but to get a spare battery or two and the saw and charger (which would have been different from all of the other battery/electronic equipment that I have) would have been quite a bit more expensive than a gas, and would have been an unknown as far as run time, battery obsolescence, etc....

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by masraum

That's pretty cool. It's so small, I wonder about it's effectiveness. I would probably use my Milwaukee hackzall with a longer wood blade.

I've got a Ryobi 12" 18V that looks like a regular chainsaw (but small). Most of the noise comes from the chain on the gears and bar.


I really wanted to get one of the battery powered, but to get a spare battery or two and the saw and charger (which would have been different from all of the other battery/electronic equipment that I have) would have been quite a bit more expensive than a gas, and would have been an unknown as far as run time, battery obsolescence, etc....

I thought about that. It depends on how much gas you use over the life of the saw vs how many batteries you go through and cost to charge them over the course of the saw. The one we bought my dad cost $364 and came with one battery and a charger. I didn't think that was much more than a comparable gas saw depending on brand.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by masraum

I really wanted to get one of the battery powered, but to get a spare battery or two and the saw and charger (which would have been different from all of the other battery/electronic equipment that I have) would have been quite a bit more expensive than a gas, and would have been an unknown as far as run time, battery obsolescence, etc....

I think you made the right choice. If it came down to either/or, the Stihl that you bought would be my pick.

I started getting serious about battery powered tools about five years ago and have gained trust in their specific capabilities and, in some situations, advantages over gas powered stuff.

If I sell this place, the battery powered stuff is headed to South Carolina since I'll be on one acre...except the gas powered pole saw, or maybe the sprayer, etc.