Chainsaw alternatives.

[Phast12]

I know that Troy-bilt has an electric starter they sell to bypass the pull start for their weed eaters. works the same as a model plane starter but larger with more torque. I think they only run about $40. You maybe able to convert a chainsaw to take one of those.

 

[jbooth]

Here is a guy who uses a hydraulic saw for his wood carving. I would guess the tractor hydraulic system to be equivalent to his power pack. I didn't look to see if he has a website that gives the specs on his equipment.


YouTube - Pinske hydraulic chain saw power unit

 

[PapaPerk]

Here is a guy who uses a hydraulic saw for his wood carving. I would guess the tractor hydraulic system to be equivalent to his power pack. I didn't look to see if he has a website that gives the specs on his equipment.


YouTube - Pinske hydraulic chain saw power unit

I stand corrected! That thing looks pretty light! And very powerful!

 

[robs660]

Before you decide to spend tons of money go to your local stihl dealer and try out an EZ start saw. They are very easy, low impact and you can use either arm to pull
It's a $300 option instead of a $800+ option

 

[Ozark Hollow]

Thanks for all the replies!

Yes! That Pinske Chainsaw is the sort of thing I was thinking of. Really they are lighter than a gas saw The weight of the hoses is mostly on the ground while operating the saw. I can drag stuff all day long, the shoulders just don't want to: A) lift things above my head, and B) do anything with a sudden, jerky motion.

Even though I am still not thrilled with a gas saw the Stihl is a definite possibility, thanks TripleR! I'd honestly prefer the lighter weight, less maintenance and lower noise of the electric or hydraulic saw. I'm trying to cut way down on the number of engines I have to maintain, and I'm also trying to give up having to store both gas and diesel. That said, I will be going to the dealer this week to check it out. It's certainly the least expensive/complicated option in the short run.

I've looked at both the Limbinator and the Limbhog they were what originally gave me the idea of a hydraulic chainsaw. But I really don't need the saw mounted on a pole arm, what I need is something that will cut what is already on the ground with a bar big enough to do it.

Here is really the only other tractor mounted saw that I found.

YouTube - Gravely Chainsaw on 4-Wheel Tractor

Again though, it's on an arm attached to the tractor, which limits it's usefulness.

It's surprising to me when the tractor hydraulics are there just waiting for attachments, that someone hasn't produced any tractor powered chainsaws. I checked the GPM on a few hydraulic saws, and found a couple that would match the flow on the tractor, but I'm kind of unwilling to to experiment with $1200-$1500 saw, and even more importantly my tractor.

I'm still checking on ways to power an electric saw, including a deep cycle battery bank and inverter, or a PTO generator. The only problem with the electric, is that when I thought about it some more, I realized that sometimes I get a tree that has fallen into my creek. -.-

 

[TripleR]

Here are some options to consider:Hydraulic Chainsaws, Circular Saws, Limb Loppers & Pruners

I prefer the gas chainsaws now as my tractors won't fit in a lot of the places I use a saw, but even with them my chain saw days are almost at an end and often use a little hand held rechargeable from Northern.

 

[RalphVa]

I've bought 2 rechargable 18v chain saws this winter for cutting lower limbs of red cedar and larger vines. Here's the writeup minus the picture:

Because I got tired of pull-starting my old Stihl chain saw and have even been known to pour chain oil into the fuel tank, which doesn稚 aid starting too well, I bought two cordless chain saws for some winter pruning work. Here they are.

Theyæ±*e both Black & Decker 18v units from Home Depot. The right one is a regular chain saw with a push button oiler. That black thing to the right of the battery is the chain cover for storage/transport. The left unit is an 殿lligator lopper. It has 2 arms that open the jaws surrounding a chain saw.

Even though the alligator one has no dedicated oiler, I知 liking it better. The alligator jaws hold it in place and keep the light weight saw from bouncing as well as aligning the chain better for good cutting. The jaws also offer some protection against hitting the ground or other unwanted stuff that might dull the chain.

Oiling the alligator is done with a squirt bottle; however, I致e found that an old oil squirt can inserted into the oiler hole or directly onto the chain works better. You only have to oil every 10 minutes. This is about 6 times in the approximately one hour of running time on the battery.

I知 finally cutting a lot of dead, red cedar limbs. They look nasty and are too tough for a hand lopper. Cutting them requires too much maneuvering with a noisy gasoline-powered, chain saw. With the alligator, I can even cut with it upside down. You can稚 do that with a gasoline saw.

Anyone interested in a fairly new Craftsman chain saw? I think I put chain oil in the fuel hole twice on it. Haven稚 been able to restart it. The Stihl is used for bigger stuff. At least it restarts nicely when hot, and it has recovered from my dousing it once with chain saw oil in its 40-year life. I致e since painted the caps on both saws: red for fuel and blue for oil. Hopefully, that will forestall any future mistakes.

Lowes now has the plain 18v chain saw, and they also have a 14 pole pruner 18v chain saw.

After 5 or 6 uses, the alligator saw quit working. I ordered another one and took the old one to Home Depot in Waynesboro for a full refund. The new one is currently in use.

Ralph

 

[David_Kb7uns]

The Kubota RTV900 utility model with their tools is the simplest solution....but not cheap. They have hydraulic post pounders, augers, pruners, chainsaws, concrete chainsaws pumps breakers and alot other tools. Most are made by Stanley Hydraulics .

Stanley Hydraulic Tools > Home

David Kb7uns

 

[Coyote machine]

Thanks for all the replies!

Yes! That Pinske Chainsaw is the sort of thing I was thinking of. Really they are lighter than a gas saw The weight of the hoses is mostly on the ground while operating the saw. I can drag stuff all day long, the shoulders just don't want to: A) lift things above my head, and B) do anything with a sudden, jerky motion.

Even though I am still not thrilled with a gas saw the Stihl is a definite possibility, thanks TripleR! I'd honestly prefer the lighter weight, less maintenance and lower noise of the electric or hydraulic saw. I'm trying to cut way down on the number of engines I have to maintain, and I'm also trying to give up having to store both gas and diesel. That said, I will be going to the dealer this week to check it out. It's certainly the least expensive/complicated option in the short run.

I've looked at both the Limbinator and the Limbhog they were what originally gave me the idea of a hydraulic chainsaw. But I really don't need the saw mounted on a pole arm, what I need is something that will cut what is already on the ground with a bar big enough to do it.

Here is really the only other tractor mounted saw that I found.

YouTube - Gravely Chainsaw on 4-Wheel Tractor

Again though, it's on an arm attached to the tractor, which limits it's usefulness.

It's surprising to me when the tractor hydraulics are there just waiting for attachments, that someone hasn't produced any tractor powered chainsaws. I checked the GPM on a few hydraulic saws, and found a couple that would match the flow on the tractor, but I'm kind of unwilling to to experiment with $1200-$1500 saw, and even more importantly my tractor.

I'm still checking on ways to power an electric saw, including a deep cycle battery bank and inverter, or a PTO generator. The only problem with the electric, is that when I thought about it some more, I realized that sometimes I get a tree that has fallen into my creek. -.-

Have you considered hiring a farm hand, (kid, teenager) for occasional work on downed trees and broken limbs? I have done this recently to just speed up the process of doing odd jobs on weekend days when he's available. He does the back breaking work and I direct what I want done for a small fee/hr. It works to motivate me to get off my butt to do what I might otherwise not get to if he weren't arriving on a given morning to work on my oddball projects.
I too have rotator cuff (shoulder) issues from starting saws when I was younger and worked as a tree pro- and I just don't want to carry around a heavy saw for most of the day. AND, like you I don't really want to test my tractor's hydraulic capacity on things like a hydraulic saw that might do damage and would cost a lot of money for just occasional use. Not to say I wouldn't like yet another dangerous fun toy; but I too have more engines than I can maintain or count- and it gets frustrating what with E-10~ 15.
Simpler is best in my opinion.

 

[JoeL4330]

I have a Stihl EZ Start and the identical model w.o. EZ start (i.e., conventional pull start system) ...indeed, the EZ start reduces the need to "snap" the cord (pull it with authority). There is--for me at least--a minor downside: having pulled it once or twice it is now "spring-loaded" and can actually "start itself" after a second or two ...no problem if you are starting with the saw on the ground and foot through the handle, as approved by the safety police ...but, not so good if you are used to starting it by "dropping" it.

That said, the mechanism should be able to be modified to use a crank rather than a pull cord to "wind it up", as it were. [some old timers may remember an outboard...Evinrude, as I recall...that used a crank and release]

And, McCulloch (or Sears-Craftsman) once made an electric-start chain saw that used a battery sufficient, at least, to re-start it once warmed up. With todays Lithiums, that should be easily done. Might try E-bay

 

[newbury]

You might try on arboristsite.com,
I think I remember someone there that modified a Stihl to start with an electric drill.

 

[Pack Rat]

I run a Fairmont hydraulic saw off my JD 3320 power beyonds... I don't believe Fairmont is still producing saws ,I think Stanley is now selling them. My saw is off an old utility truck, run it with a siamesed 50' hose. It's handy having it on the tractor in the woods, but isn't comparable to a gas saw, much lower rpms although more torque. If you're cutting firewood or felling, you wouldn't want to use a hydraulic, but for a quick saw on the tractor with no gas/oil cans to drag around ...it's pretty handy.

 

[Haywire]

There are PTO driven hydraulic pumps geared toward 3PH firewood splitters. You'd need one of them and a reservoir. I'd think it would be fairly easy to adapt them to a hydraulic saw.

Ian

 

[Rollcenter]

The company I work for sell's a BUNCH of hydraulic chainsaws, enough that I stock 5-6 in my East, KY whse at all times. They are used in many underground coal mines to cut mining timbers to length instead of a hand saw.

These little things are STOUT!!!

 

[jbooth]

I think there may be some misconceptions on the power and weight of hydraulic chainsaws.

Stanley's claim on a Model CS05
6.25 lbs without bar.
4-6 GPM at 1500-2000 PSI
4 GPM at 1500PSI = 3.5 HP
6 GPM at 2000PSI = 7 HP

Stanley's claim on a Model CS06
6.25 lbs without bar
7-9 GPM at 1000-2000 PSI
7 GPM at 1000 PSI = 4 HP
9 GPM at 2000 PSI = 10 HP

That is a lot of power in a light package.

 

[Ozark Hollow]

Yes Coyote Machine, I've tried hiring people, it has generally been an complete disaster. No shows, theft, poorly done jobs, you name it. It seems like a nobrainer to just hire someone, but after the experiences I've had I'd really just rather do it myself if possible.

Jbooth, that power to weight ratio is a lot of what I find so attractive about them. I just got this email from Sunrise Equipment about the Fairmount hydraulic chainsaw.

I cant say for sure it will work on your tractor without knowing the specs of the hyd system on it. You will need to contact the company that makes it and see what the specs are. If they are above what the saw can take you can still use the saw but will need a flow and or pressure reducing valve that you can get at about any hydraulic shop locally.

I have sold numerous hyd tools to farmers to use on their tractors in the past.

This is the saw in question: Hydraulic Chain Saw By Fairmont

I'm still going to go look at the Stihl easy start later this week, but I'm very intrigued by the hydraulic possibility. I'm going to also stop at my tractor dealer and see what he thinks about the hydraulic saw and what exactly the flow rate and psi is on my tractor. Honestly, if you can hook up something like a Limbinator or Limbhog to your tractor, is there any real reason why this shouldn't work as well?

 

[TripleR]

Yes Coyote Machine, I've tried hiring people, it has generally been an complete disaster. No shows, theft, poorly done jobs, you name it. It seems like a nobrainer to just hire someone, but after the experiences I've had I'd really just rather do it myself if possible.

Jbooth, that power to weight ratio is a lot of what I find so attractive about them. I just got this email from Sunrise Equipment about the Fairmount hydraulic chainsaw.



This is the saw in question: Hydraulic Chain Saw By Fairmont

I'm still going to go look at the Stihl easy start later this week, but I'm very intrigued by the hydraulic possibility. I'm going to also stop at my tractor dealer and see what he thinks about the hydraulic saw and what exactly the flow rate and psi is on my tractor. Honestly, if you can hook up something like a Limbinator or Limbhog to your tractor, is there any real reason why this shouldn't work as well?

Interesting, but I hate to be tethered to a tractor and can only imagine the difference in fuel costs between running a gas powered saw and a diesel tractor. I would really hate putting wear and tear on my tractor to run something as small as a chainsaw.

Always open to something new, so I will be interested in what you decide on and how well it works for you.

 

[Lloyd_E]

I would find an old saw to test this.

Take the cord and handle out. Remove the cog that connects to the engine and drill a hole in the centre and pass a 1/2 bolt throughout it. Reconfigure the casing to allow the cog to be inserted and removed. Place the cog , with bolt, in a cordless drill and than position it against the engine. Give the drill a couple of good pulses with pressure against the saw engine. If the saw is in tune it should fire quickly. The key is removed the cog quickly so as not to damage it or the receiving end on the engine...

 

[Lloyd_E]

Could you not make something that would turn the chain and start the saw that way. Kinda lot kick started or jump starting the saw. Maybe an old washing machine electric motor with a wide rubber pulley attached to it. Turn on the motor and press the saw against it.

Just thinking OSTB here.