Battery powered chainsaw

[ArlyA]

Our tools (power heads) do multiple jobs and found that cutting weeds and brush with large strings take the greatest amount of HP and fuel. Sawing wood doesn't take all that much with the little 12" bars our pole saws have.

 

[ultrarunner]

Noticed similar with battery pole saw and just how practical it is for trail maintenance... much more than I would have thought.

I don't have the extended length so far weight not an issue.

 

[Papa T]

I have a Craftsman 19.2 volt 10 inch that takes care of most things around the house, and a SUNJOE pole saw with an 8 inch blade that I use on the farm. It will fit across the back of the tractor seat and is really handy for trimming tree limbs in the pasture. The battery lasts long enough to wear me out....

 

[mikedodd]

who owns owns one ? Brand ?

I just bought a 16" Makita 36V (2x18V batteries) chain saw, and after only 10-12 uses, I am very impressed. I've cut through 6"-8" hardwood trunks and 5"-6" branches, no problem.

This saw replaces an 18" husqvarna gas saw whose carburetor kept gumming-up due to infrequent use, even though I added Sta-Bil to the fuel.

I need a saw I can grab on short notice without fooling around trying to get the engine started. We have 6-7 other Makita 18V tools and a dual battery charger, so having batteries ready is not an issue.

--- Mike

 

[stephenh]

Still waiting delivery of the Greenworks 80v saw...since I posted about it some posts back, yesterday the county [and others in the state] issued a "severe fire danger" alert and no more firearms, chainsaws [gas], outdoor grilling, etc. Last year, they did this and the ban lasted until December. I only have about 1/4 of this year's firewood cutting done, so like it or not I will find out just how well the battery saw works. I expect to have to limit myself to 12" or smaller diameter trees, but that will work. Fingers crossed.

I also just ordered the 80v string trimmer as I have to cut weeds, grasses around and near the house and our solar panels for wildfire mitigation. The trimmers [gas] are also banned. Do what you gotta do, I guess. At least my battery equipment will use the same batteries and chargers.

 

[dzoller]

I've thinking about buying a cheap one (Ryobi) I have a 15% off coupon at HD.
A friend has one and he really likes it. Says it has plenty of power and he can put it down, do other things and not have to pull the start rope to get the engine going, Just push the button and start cutting.

I already own 3 gasoline powered saws, and just thought this battery saw is something that would be handy to use around the farm

It is is very handy on a farm. I have a Kobalt. It's a toy, but a damn handy one. It's very light and the most useful thing in the world when I'm picking up after my self pruners (a ton of pecan trees). I also have a Kobalt battery sawzall. That is awesome for clearing a saplings and overgrowth from a fence line.

If you're looking to do some real cutting, get one heavy duty. If you're just looking for something for cleaning up some limbs after a thunderstorm, the Kobalt works great, and it was cheap enough. Under $100, if I recall.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

This has been a good thread for me as I'm in the "thinking about it" stage. My son bought into the Kobalt line of tools because he like Lowes. He's been pretty happy with the saw. I've been a Stihl user for some years, having replaced my 20 inch 034 with a 16 inch 211 a few years back (in defference to my aging body).
The other day, I helped a friend clear some storm damage. He was using a DeWalt with a 12 inch bar. Though I was reasonably impressed by the electric, the gas saw cut circles around it.
All that said, since I'm another Christmas tree farmer, the weight, start-restart, ease of use...might have one on my short list of "still need one" purchases.
Thatnks for starting the thread.

 

[Skybird12209]

who owns owns one ? Brand ?

I have a Greenworks 80volt. It lasts about as long as I do! I have extra batteries, so about the time I want a break, I need to change the battery. It charges up pretty fast. I will never go back to a gas chainsaw. Had awful experience with Stihl MS 250, it never started without a lot of coaxing!! The Greenworks starts every time!!

 

[rlipeles]

At the Christmas Tree Farm the gas saws were started hundred plus times a day...

The battery is a joy... one charge good for all day and quiet and no mix fuel.

The Christmas tree farm in the town that I live in hands you a hand powered bow saw when you walk into the field. Customers, not owners do the cutting.

 

[roadkill24]

who owns owns one ? Brand ?

I’ve got the 12” dewalt. Using 2 6ah batteries. Also the 8” pole saw. Works great.

 

[Westtrekker]

who owns owns one ? Brand ?

I picked up an Atlas 80V at Harbor Freight. Love it!
We have a lot of invasive 'Japanese Honeysuckle' choking field margins and unfarmed areas, along with a lot of "lazy trees". The Atlas cuts well and the batteries last all day. While I do have 2 batteries, I rarely need to swap out during the day.
Plus I have their Weed Whacker and Blower. Same battery. The batteries are somewhat expensive, but last a long time and have only a Harbor Freight price.

 

[Snowflakes]

We have both Stihl gas and electric saws. We used to have a small gas saw and the small Stihl saw. We found we had problems with the gas saw, it was getting old. We started to use the electric saw more and more and for more things. We never had to play around starting it. We just push the button and it goes. It cuts small stuff faster and cleaner than the gas saw.Then we had a problem with the little gas saw and decided not to go to the expense of fixing it. We still use the larger gas saw just like we did before we got the electric one. I am amazed at how well the electric saw works. We do need three batteries for long days but we needed a lot of gas for a long day too. When the big gas saw goes, maybe we will get a big electric one.

There is also a big difference from what I have seen between Stihl and Makita and the other electric chainsaw makers. Stihl knows chainsaws as does Huskvarna. After those two the others are not as well regarded when you really need it to work and cut. Batteries are similar. There are good ones and not so good ones. Stihl, now after several years, is still working with a lot of hard use. Years ago I bought electric drills from different manufacturers. Use them hard and many of them did not last. The Stihl batteries have lasted well. I have gotten good results from my DeWalt tool batteries too.

 

[PHIL850]

who owns owns one ? Brand ?

Ryobi. Short money, light weight.easy to carry on the four wheeler on trails and such. I’ve been able to dust up and limb a 40’ spruce tree no problem and still had battery life leftover. Only problem is, my wife loves it and constantly takes it for her own use. Iam a current owner of a Husky395, husky55 and a stihl 031AV. The other plus is you can cut something in the woods and none hears you. Good if it’s deer season and you need to remove a downed tree from a roadway or trail.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

Who could own just one screwdriver? This is 1/4th of the ones I have. View attachment 742404

All of a sudden my pile of drivers looks sub-standard

 

[LilTractrThatCould]

EGO 18" for 2yrs, had their leaf blower so figured why not. Great for working a med size pine or less. Bigger cuts work the battery pretty hard tho. Oil tank seems to run low when battery does. It's convenient for having around and I don't have to deal with another carburetor! I also like being able to take it in jeep or truck stink free.

 

[Diggin It]

Just used mine for the first time. Ryobi 40V 18" bar. Add bar oil, click in a battery and off to it. Took down a small dead ornamental tree in less time than it would have taken to fuel the gasser, get it started and warmed up.

 

[MHarryE]

Following my third rotator cuff surgery, I replaced my gas saw with a Milwaukee M18 with 12 AH High Output battery. Worked super cutting faster than my Stihl had until I came up against a 24" American white birch stump. I could not get it cut and needed to borrow a gas saw to get the job done. Later I discovered it was a battery failure. The Milwaukee 12 AH High Output batteries are expensive - $225 to $250. I only needed to revert to a gas saw that one time, and using the 12 AH high output battery on my 1/2" Milwaukee impact can break bolts free that won't give with the standard 6 AH battery.

 

[twowoode]

I have a Milwaukee 18 volt because I have a lot of their tools. It works great for small stuff and de limbing . I carry it on my side x side for quick cuts. It cuts a long time with the 12 amp hour battery . You have to be careful with battery operated chainsaws, they will cut through chaps, I have heard.

 

[sansbury]

I bought a property recently that required me to tool up from scratch (former country boy who moved to the city and moved back to the country 20 years later). I went with Ego and have bought most of the line--18" chainsaw, mower, blower, and weed whacker. I'm satisfied with all of them thus far.

My impression of the chainsaw is it's 100% adequate for routine homeowner use. It feels a bit plasticky and lightweight which is a mixed bag and I don't know how it would hold up to daily use. I feel like it's got a little less torque than a good gas saw so you can't push it as hard, but for most users that means you'll spend 8 minutes a day in the cut versus 3-5 minutes, so who cares? The convenience of battery power makes up for all of its shortcomings many times over. I'm not sure if Ego's system is the absolute best but I felt like their tools hit a good midpoint across performance/build quality/price. I wanted good but did not need the absolute best.

 

[Tony H]

Friend and neighbor has the $800+ Stihl battery job. It was bought the first or second year Stihl came out with it. My wife borrows it from time to time to limb what I cut with the gas saw. After 2 years, charge life is way down. Even when reading 50% charge it drops in RPM while cutting a 3" diameter limb. Give me 2 cycle power anytime. First the govt forced eco friendly oils then they decide its still not good enough.