UKH

Morning all,

Im in the market for a small chainsaw. I have been sawing logs by hand for years but its getting just too difficult now, especially for some of the larger logs I get.

The use case: sawing small sections of logs mostly up to 1 foot in diameter but mainly very much under this thickness, after which I will manually split. Use will be infrequent, perhaps 3-4 m3 per annum.

Looking at this market there appears to be three options. Petrol, corded or cordless. I have no need for the power of petrol I dont think. Cordless will be the best option for flexibility but corded wouldn't be a disaster.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this and also the maintenance regime of small, basic saw. With petrol there will be the added issue of servicing but what about the chain. I will of course be sensible with PPE.

Thanks

Richard

I've got a DeWalt battery chainsaw and it's amazing. For small home use I'd definitely recommend it. It's just as powerful as a similar size petrol.

The only con is the length of time the battery lasts. To get around this I now work more in batches and as soon as the chainsaw is put down the battery is put on charge. I'll then sort out what I've chopped up.

The DeWalt battery will work in any DeWalt battery tool. I think this is the case with other brands. 

Pops for getting this far fully manual...

I'd go plug in electric -- quiet, cheap, no two-stroke fumes, no range anxiety. The only time I can think a battery electric would come into it's own is for guerilla forestry. I only have direct experience with plug-in and petrol.

Stihl cordless. Less faff with servicing than petrol.

I have up with petrol chainsaws about 15 years ago. The combination of buying relatively cheap ones and intermittent use probably contributed to my frustration with them.

Had a Bosch corded one for about 10 years which was fine for 90% of my use, a friend had got it now and it is still going strong, on its third chain.

Got a Makita cordless about 5 years ago. I already had four  3Ah batteries with a mower. It's been great, for my usage, although the batteries have now just got to the point where the second pair don't  finish charging in time for continuous use. They are about 7 years old and get used fairly heavily mower, hedge trimmer and an assortment of other power tools. 

My garden chainsaw is a Stihl MS171 (petrol). Starts without fuss, easy to use, used for approximately 30 total hours per annum and not been serviced in a decade.

If you've got an angle grinder easily convert into a chainsaw.

https://youtu.be/liGVrzQqBNI?si=d2XWSZQwLUZ_uO4O

I've got a 16" chainsaw, because it's 2-stroke there's bu**er all maintenance, I just run it dry if I think I'm going to be not using it for a while. The real faff is cleaning it and sharpening the chain regularly, which I imagine must be the same for electric.

My personal tip - I've recently bought a Handy saw horse with a built-in clamp for a chainsaw. It certainly makes sawing logs, especially as you get to the last couple of cuts, a whole lot easier and safer.

I have a couple of husky 2 stroke saws but also a titan electric corded from screwfix. £50  about ten years ago, still going strong.

I hope that's a joke, most of these attachments for using angle grinders for completely inappropriate things are outrageously dangerous and there's nothing to suggest that this one is any different.

My plug in electric has worked really well, and it feels like its less faff and maintenance than petrol. 

However I'm worried about its portability incase of zombie apocalypse.

I have a Black and Decker 30cm cordless one and have been very happy. In common with most of the battery powered ones, the chain speed is substantially slower than for mains or petrol ones. I actually think this is an advantage - it still cuts fine, but the combination of relatively short length and slow chain speed means there's practically no "kickback" even if you catch the tip of the chain on something, which makes it significantly safer. Battery life is long enough for me to cut up a barrow full of logs on one charge, which is fine for me, though recharging is slow so needs to be done overnight.

I've got a Stihl MS180 petrol which is very effective indeed for cutting up logs and occasional tree surgery in the garden. The bar is only 35cm though and cutting a 1ft diameter log is quite a big ask for it so I don't do that if I can help it - I wouldn't want a bigger one though for 95% of what I use it for.

+1 on the saw horse - makes life much easier.

I do hedge laying for a living.  I also saw all our timber for the fire.   You've got some good addvice from the others.  Here's my pennyworth.

Petrol I have a Stihl 025 which is as pretty small petrol one and cuts good enough for my use at work and home.   But for cutting at home, in our village its probably a bit noisy although no one has complained and I rarely cut for more than hour at the most.  Noise is, or should be a consideration if you have neighbours!!

Don't buy cheap (Chinese ?)stuff - I bought a lighter Mytox Saw, a couple of years ago.  The "energy saving", pull cord mechanism failed within a month and a year later one of the two threaded bolts which hold the chain bar lost its thread so couldn't be tightened.  Then the primer bulb started to leak .....

Corded chainsaws:-  I used one for quite a few years.  I think it was a Bosch one.  Its performance was well good enough for cutting firewood, and being electric it was quiet.  Needs no attention.  Yes you do have to be careful with the lead, but I always made sure it was over my shoulder.  They are also the cheapest chainsaws to buy.  ( I got mine for free when our inept neighbour in Eire was throwing stuff away before he moved home.  He said it didn't cut wood very well  and I could have it.  As I had no chainsaw then, I took it.  I later discovered she reason it wouldn't cut very well was because he'd put the chain on the wrong way around!!!!  Once that was sorted it cut fine.!!) 

Battery Chainsaws

Fed up with the noise of  my petrol one and the fag of having to start it every time I needed it at work, I decided to treat myself to a STIHL  msa 60c   with two batteries.  Battery ones are generally more expensive than other options.

Yes the batteries don't last as long,  but one battery will last me for a mornings hedgelaying provided I'm not using it all the time, but it obviously starts at the press of a trigger and is very quiet.  You won't upset any neighbours, and for cutting wood at home, it produces far less wood dust than a corded one or petrol one as they use a narrower chain. (Less sweeping up).    It is not as powerful  as my petrol one - (but you can buy ones which are). Its more than powerful enough for cutting wood around the house and for the fire, it slices through 6"  - 10" fence posts with ease but is a bit slower on very hardwood like hawthorn & oak  and its certainly not something that is an issue,  unless you are always in a hurry!  My model also runs out of oil before it runs out of battery - which means I have to make a consious effort to remember to keep checking the oil!!

If I had just the one battery I'd simply go for a coffee /tea if it ran out of power at home - they don't take long to recharge.

Verdict

I had to buy a saw  only for cutting firewood around the house I'd buy and use a corded one.  Cheapest.  Strong enough, reliable  and quiet.  Just be aware of cutting the power cord though.




 

The ideal motor for a chainsaw is an electric one with it's very flat torque curve at all revs. The worst is a two stroke petrol engine where you need to rev the nuts of it just to get it to cut. Sadly there haven't traditionally been enough 13A sockets in the forests or good enough batteries for the ideal solution so the needs of potability ensured the compromised solution of a 2 stroke had to be used.

But if you have access to a mains socket or can afford enough batteries to cover your needs, then do your neighbours (and the atmosphere) a favour and enjoy the quiet, clean, efficiency of electric.

Right, brilliant. Thanks everyone.

I think the answer for me is corded. Cheapest, most flexible in terms of power/torque and noise levels as I have a couple of close-ish neighbours. 

Now, the practicalities.

Chain - how often and how easy is it to sharpen. How often to replace. Oil replacement and filling etc. Chain tightening/tensioning - is this easy?

Usage - are they easy to use. Im sensible and practical, do I need to consider anything specific. Is training necessary. What are the main dangers.

PPE - I will get proper gloves, a log horse, eye protection. Do I need to get chaps, boots, jacket, hat for small work at home. Presumably I dont need to get ear protection as I wont be using 2-stroke (shame, as I like the smell). Getting chaps etc might render my ROI defunct. I want to spend the least possible, but dont want to lose any digits or worse.

These looks just what I'm after. Any concerns?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-UC4041A-Electric-Chainsaw-240/dp/B00LIEXSPG...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryobi-RCS2340B-2300W-40cm-Chainsaw/dp/B07P5MWTM8/r...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Chainsaw-UniversalChain-1800-Lightweight/dp/...

Decent brand corded one.

Bang for buck best value and best power to weight. 

I've several saws - petrol gets used out and about. But at home it's the corded on that gets used.

I did look at battery one when I bought a new petrol saw. But the cost was too high for what I wanted

You wouldn't impress me with that approach.

Electric chainsaws are not silent. They sound infinitely more irritating than a petrol saw and the noise goes on for longer as the workrate is slower than a petrol saw.

I still use a Husq 2 stroke burning alkylate fuel (fewer emissions), but seriously considering cordless. A couple of guys I work with use cordless, and they seem to be just as good as petrol. The best ones are Stihl or Husq, but I've already bought into the DeWalt battery system for my other tools, so will probably end up getting their cordless model.

Maintenance is easier with cordless, as long as you remove the chain and bar to clean out the oily wood dust from the drive mech regularly, as normally the case with a petrol saw. You still need to sharpen the chain periodically depending on length of time in use. If the saw touches the dirt it will make the chain dull in no time.

Stihl make a good sharpening tool, which can be used with the bar secured (not too tightly) in a vice. Brake off, so you can turn the chain by hand. Wear leather gloves, and remove the battery before sharpening! Also mark the top of the chain with a sharpie so you know which blade link you started from. Flip the saw and the tool over and do the opposing blades likewise.

Do you know about the dangers of kickback? This is when the very front of the bar inadvertently touches another log behind the one you are cutting. It can throw the saw violently backwards - potentially into your face if you are unaware of it!

This is the sharpening tool:

PPE I use: Chaps, boots with steel toe cap, hard hat with mesh visor, proper chainsaw gloves. I don't bother with a special jacket.

Usage: If you intend felling trees bigger than 6" dia, then training is absolutely essential. Not so much if you are crosscutting on a sawhorse, or on the ground for firewood. If cutting a log on the ground, cut about 2/3 of the way down (don't touch the ground with the saw!), then roll the log over 180deg to complete the cut. If you go deeper on the initial cut, there's the risk you might get the saw stuck as the cut closes down on the bar - though you can use wedges to prevent that happening.

Some chainsaws drink chain oil more than others. Check levels regularly.

Chain tightness: Tight enough so that it doesn't bind on the bar causing friction heat, and never too loose so that the chain guides sag below the bar. Like a bike chain, it will stretch over time.

It will be exclusively chopping up logs on the horse.

Also check the price of a new chain for the model you go for. Ideally find out the chain size before you buy and see if they're available from other suppliers. I have a cheapy corded electric chainsaw from Screwfix and a replacement chain costs far more from the saw manufacturer than it is from a reputable chain manufacturer.

Also don't buy chain oil in the little bottles, cheaper to get a couple of litres from your local agricultural supplier.

The only advice I’d offer is to stick to a brand with some trust and reputation. I’ve had 3 cordless chainsaws from Temu so far and they all went back because they were total rubbish. I’ve got my eye on a Screwfix corded around the £55 mark, but it’s not a main brand so I’m going to check their returns first. 
I guess it would have been ok if I’d only used it for pruning. 

There's to much detail to explain on here. Your best bet here is to check out a few youtube videos. Chain sharpening isn't that difficult, providing you have a guide and the right size file. BUT, there is a large combination of file sizes, filing angles and chains and these all need to match. You may want to avoid Amazon and head to your local garden machinery supplier. They'll be able to sort you out with the right combination. If you don't fancy doing it yourself, buy two or three spare chains and have them sharpen them for you in batches. 

A chain is replaced when the teeth have been filed down to the limit marks or its been damaged to the point it can't be resharpened. Usually when it's found a stone or metal in the log.

There's no oil to change, you simply top it up as it's used. The oil is continuously pumped onto the chain to lubricate it. 

Chain tensioning is easy too. If it's hanging off the bottom of the bar, it's to slack. If you can't pull the chain along the bar fairly easily with one hand, it's to tight. Most of this information should be in the user manual. 

If you are a practical and can handle other power tools without any problem, you'll be fine. Just remember basic workshop safety. Moving parts will cut you; Don't put your fingers anywhere you wouldn't put your dick, etc!

The main danger is kickback. That's when the moving chain catches and pushes the saw in the opposite direction, particularly at the tip of the bar. This can push the saw violently back and upwards. Modern saw have features to limit this but avoid touching or cutting anything with the tip of the saw.

Also, be careful cutting small pieces of wood, as the saw can flick these about if they aren't secured.

You don't need to go mad on ppe. If all you are doing is cutting up logs on a saw horse then that isn't really any more dangerous than using a circular saw to cut a plank of wood. (If you want to start felling/pruning trees then that's another story) Normal work gloves will be fine. Glasses or goggles to keep sawdust out of your eyes. Yes, you will need hearing protection unless you want tinnitus!  

Have you used a modern cordless? My small stihl is indistinguishable from my  (very old) 038 in terms of work rate. And it is SO much quieter

Makita upthread purchased with some PPE. Now I need decent outdoor weather.

Only very briefly with someone else's cordless but I wasn't very impressed.

It seems to be widely acknowledged that the chain speed is lower on cordless saws, which makes it hard to see how they can achieve the same work rate.

I have however spent too much time within earshot of people using electric saws and whilst they are quieter I somehow find the sound far more irritating.

I haven’t found that to be true. For example, the 40v makita saw has a faster chain speed and similar kW to the Husky 540xp. Both are intended for the same use; limbing and felling small trees etc. Both are excellent saws, it’s just the short battery life makes using the Makita away from a power source a bit of a pain. If you just need a saw for making a few cuts here and there the good quality battery versions are great. 

Surely the short battery life is likely to be a pain even when you are close to a power source if you are doing any quantity of work and given that you are using a 40V saw to achieve that chainspeed an extra battery appears to cost around £100.

It is very much down to personal preference but my main point was that we shouldnt assume that it is only the volume of noise that can cause irritation and upset.

Something like a Stihl MS170 or MS180 is cheap to buy, easy to use and will outlast most casual users.

The chain speed may be lower - I don't know, but the cutting rate is also dictated by the width of the chain 0- which on my cordless is 1/4" so much smaller than my petrol saw.  Narrow blades cut much faster than thicker ones at the same speed  - think bowsaw compared to thick bladed carpenters or other saws.

My Cordless Stihl, is  much quieter than my electric drill, angle grinder ,sander, planer and probably little in difference between it and a quiet sewing machine.

As for speed, yes my Petrol saw is faster than the cordless - but not that much and certainly not that much slower to be a bother or an issue at home, or using it hedgelaying.

Well, that'll teach me, and sharing for wider awareness.

So, bought the Makita upthread from Amazon and it came today.

Opened box and contents are - chain, bar, power tool..but, weirdly, a foot long cord with a UK plug. No 10 mtr cord as explained in the advert (see for yourselves). 

Doesnt look right, so called Makita directly. They say that they would NEVER recommend people buy their products, or any safety-important appliances from Amazon. Apparently, the configuration of having basically a foot-long cord, then attached to another extension isnt recommended and isnt what Makita sell. This is a legitimate configuration, but that these tools are bought for all kinds of markets, all over the place, changed, boxed and shipped out. Makita cant do anything about it, despite taking Amazon to court to try and prevent their products being listed. He has recommended I rebox it and return it, which I have done. Honestly, cant get my head around this.

Now, I'm left looking again and will go pick one up myself this time (I probably should have known better than buyng something like this from Amazon but the price was so good).

Ive spotted this - anyone have any thoughs. Vs the Makita its slightly longer, more power, longer cord and self sharpening.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/oregon-cs1500-2400w-230v-electric-45cm-self-shar...

As I have said above, this is by no means a professional purchase and will be used intermittently at home cutting small-medium logs for firewood to save my creaking old bones and my weak-ass tennis elbow afflicted right arm.

I've no experience of self sharpening, but going back to Ridge's point. I'd check if it needs a special chain and if so how much replacements are 

Ffx is my preferred tool supplier, usually better on price than most, and they are a real shop with good back up. 

Maybe worth trying them

Husband works with chainsaws.

You can sharpen them by hand with a file, but it's a slow job especially if they are very blunt or you have a large blade. He has an electric grinder/sharpener, it's much quicker if you have several to do, but you need to be careful l not to overheat the chain.

Local shop will sharpen but didn't actually do any better of a job than he could have done himself with a file, also we can buy generic chains from a local company for what it cost to get them sharpened. 

For him petrol is the way forward as they will run all day and don't need a power source. For home, electric will be a lot quieter/cleaner and cause less agro with neighbours.

PPE - Ear and eye protection, trousers/chaps and boots. Worth also considering having a suitable truma first aid kit on hand.

Learn to use the saw correctly and ALWAYS apply the chain brake every time before moving your feet. 

Hmm, conceptually wierd! Out the six corded chainsaws we have lying around including an Oregon and two Stihl all of them come with the usual 9" or so tail  lead. Having to climb down the tree, off a roof or walk over whatever to unplug the saw before working on it strikes me a bonkers.

Yep, and it isn't too difficult, but the saw the OP linked to was described as self sharpening. I'm know a few tree surgeons etc. but haven't come across self sharpening saws/chains. My concern for the OP is it might be an expensive gimmick 

Or to grind too much away? 

To be fair I did do this once and it came back as sharp as new. I can't quite manage that with a cheap grinder, but close enough. 

I've no experience with that saw, or the self sharpening system. However, Oregon are one of the market leaders in chainsaw consumables, like chains, bars, clutches, oils and plenty more. So I'd expect the self sharpening system to work well but I'd imagen they would cut a lot slower then a regular chain, otherwise the system would be fitted to professional grade saws. 

Interestingly, on their own website, they show that saw also with just a short lead. 

https://www.oregonproducts.com/en_gb/products/forestry/c/forestry-p  

A mate has one. Self sharpener is a bit of a gimmick, tends to be hard on the blade and the sharpening stone rapidly wears. I was thinking about this model when I mentioned chain prices. Just looked and the replacement blade and sharpener is about £40! Fortunately the chains are easily available from a variety of suppliers, and even Oregon ones are probably only about a tenner. For what you mentioned about use, it's unlikely the chain would need much sharpening one year to the next.

I borrowed it and was surprised at how well it cut branches around 30cm diameter. Has a small oil reservoir so need to keep an eye on the level when doing a lot of cutting, and you have to follow the tightening sequence correctly on the chain adjuster, which is red plastic bit with the black plastic lock ring inside it.

Advantage of an electric saw is the blade stops instantly when you let go of the trigger, and I checked the blade brake which again stops the chain instantly on kickback. I've also found Screwfix never quibble about returns if there's an issue.

Edit after flatandriches post: The one I borrowed had a long lead with plug, like you'd get on a corded strimmer.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/2846987?clickSR=slp:term:chainsaw:1:6:1

I bought this Spear & Jackson cordless a few years ago for small time log chopping and have found it ok.  runs off 2 18V batteries which last about 25mins if doing a cutting session, but I can get through quite a few small logs in that time.  It's a standard Oregon chain so if you don't have someone handy to sharpen the chain from time to time (like I do) - replacements don't cost much.

I chose cordless for cutting out and about in our copse, but if you are cutting in one place with access to power then the corded version should be ok.

I service chainsaws and other 2 stroke tools as part of my job (I also use them occasionally). I’d definitely recommend a corded electric saw for your use. If you’re not moving around with the saw then there aren’t many downsides to going corded.

Regarding sharpening, I like the Stihl file guide.  https://www.lsengineers.co.uk/stihl-filing-kit-for-1-4-3-8-picco-chain-5605...
You just need to make sure you buy the correct file and guide for your chain pitch. There’s loads of good tutorials on YouTube on how to do it. I find it quite satisfying once you get the hang of it!

Buy cheap, buy twice. My choice would be the Stihl MS170.

I've got a MS180 and a MS271 and they are excellent saws. Get yourself CS boots, trousers, facemask, googles, or a combined helmet, and keep the chain sharp. It doesn't take a lot to blunt a chain, catching it on the ground, or a hidden piece of metal and all you'll get is dust off the chain. File the depth gauge as well as the cutting edge.  Keep the chain oil reservoir topped up, the chain tension correct and also check if the rails on the bar are level with each other. If they're not, the saw may wander and not cut straight.

Above all, be careful and stay safe. 

I’ll stick my oar in. I’m a tree surgeon, so I use these tools daily.

My most used saw for “pottering” around at home is my wee husky battery offering. I’ve had stihl’s offering too (ms220) , it’s also good. battery tools are more than good enough for general cross cutting around the house. I can do small removals on one of their smaller batteries. The bigger the wood, the harder the work, so the less battery life.

2 stroke tools have their place still. I don’t use battery tools at work for example, 2 stroke is lighter is the main reason. Echo 2511 and ms261 are my go to saws for general pruning and cross cutting if I don’t need to pull a long bar.

Get boots, a lid with ear defenders and a visor, and type a chainsaw pants. Good to go.

It wasn't a joke, am seriously thinking of getting one for light duty occasional use.

I can see the circular chainsaw DISC attachment for angle grinders is lethal due to possible uncontrollable kickback and has quite rightly been banned. The same kickback would also happen if you'd try to cut with the circular tip of a regular chainsaw blade.

However I can't see any safety warnings about using a regular (non-disc) chainsaw  attachment on an angle grinder like the one in the video. There's also several YouTube videos of folk using it safely and they generally get good reviews with noone as far as I can see mentioning they consider it dangerous.

Can you give more detail about why you consider it "completely inappropriate" & "outrageously dangerous" ? Cheers.

Where does the chain break go?

If the chain comes off the bar, what stops your back hand from being destroyed?

How does the chain stop should you have to let go of the angle grinder? For example if you tripped over whilst using it.

It’s dangerous tat. Don’t buy it. 

A reciprocating saw with green wood blades might be more suitable for smaller stuff and less scary than chainsaws.

That may be the case for OP if most of the stuff is less than 12''.

I used https://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-s1531l-green-wood-reciprocating-saw-blades... but you can get longer blades.

I was removing a tree stump so better (& safer?) for soil to blunt a couple of reciprocating saw blades cutting through roots than to use a chainsaw.

NB take that with a pinch of salt as I know nothing about chainsaws.

Great thanks for info, won't be buying one.

^ This.

There's no sign of anything resembling a chain brake for kick back, and it's very easy to accidentally set the on switch of an angle grinder to keep running, even when you drop it, there's no chain catcher if the chain comes off.

If you seriously can't see all the potential safety issues with that cheap pile of sh*te, please don't even think of trying to use it.

If you haven't used a chainsaw before just be aware of kickback.

https://chainsawlarry.com/what-is-chainsaw-kickback-and-what-causes-it/