Sell Gas and Buy Battery Chainsaw?

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Battery of 36v on the MSA-120 Stihl lasts 50 minutes of constant cutting. Batteries on our B&D 18v chain saws last about half that if constant cutting.

The Makita saws take x2 18v batteries so they are considered 36v

Edit: they have a 2 battery and a single battery arborist saw. I was interested in the 36v version.

 

[crazyal]

Do you have Makita batteries? If so and you don't mind spending the money I would do it. For how little you are using your saw now keeping mixed gas is kind of a pain. I cut about 5 cords a year of wood and usually get two gallons of gas each year. I've had gas go bad simply because I don't use it all so now I only mix up 1 gallon and every 3 months I dump it into the side by side (which has a 10 gallon tank) when I fill it up. Sure the gas will last up to a year but once you have a storm pass through and need your saw only to spend an hour draining out the bad gas you just put in it (and getting it out of the carb and engine) you'll think twice about pushing it. With a battery saw all you need to do is make sure your batteries are charged up. I have two go to saws, a 357xp and a PS7900. I can see myself putting the 357xp on a shelf and replacing it with a Milwaukee (since that's the battery system I have) cordless.

 

[cqaigy2]

I'm just going to pile on here.

I have gas stihl and electric worx, not battery, chainsaw. I last used the stihl, 3 years ago, i'll have to use it this year or next to cut up a large tree that's sitting on a fence. I looked at the gas mix i had for the stih and it smelled like varnish. I'm not advocating buy an electric worx chainsaw, but it was only $80 16" bar, 14 usable, but it cuts surprisingly fast. There's a bunch of things i don't like about it, one being tied to a cord, but for cutting up 12" or less stuff, it buzzes right thru it. If i were more wealthy, i'd for sure look at that makita, especially since you have batteries already, and it's pretty nice not to have to mix up a bit of gas and oil, just to cut a few things and less smelly and loud.

Now the stihl is from 85 so kinda old, and it's been using corn gas it's whole life and i've never had a problem with it, though now that i've put that in this post, i may have jinxed myself. It came with a 14" bar and when it got a little worn, put 16" and a second one, numerous chains, couple sprockets and clutch or two. At one time i had a lot of use for it, but not so much now.

 

[ovrszd]

You've said nothing in this thread that would warrant spending ANY money on another saw. Nothing.

What happened to getting out of debt?

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

You've said nothing in this thread that would warrant spending ANY money on another saw. Nothing.

What happened to getting out of debt?

Not interested in adding another saw, more replacing the arborist saw I have now, out of pocket would be minimal on that kinda trade. I didn’t buy one, that’s why I was asking about it. I have never used a cordless electric saw before, the idea of clicking on a few batteries (I already own) and cutting what I need was attractive vs fetching fresh fuel and mixing it each time etc. at this point I’m leaning on keeping my saw, I think my only advantage would be a Makita pole saw (which I have been wanting a pole saw for trimming trees off the house last few years) but priced it and it was like $700, I gasped at that price lol.

I’m still working on the debt, currently refinancing the house to a 10 year at 2.75%, will knock 4 years off my mortgage and lower my interest, I pay extra each month so will be done in 8-9 years. I paid off the wheel weights and cutter bar already and they haven’t even shipped yet. So debt is down to this new tractor I bought and the house, everything else is paid off.

I appreciate holding me accountable on that though. Day to day, I keep to my budget and spend very little. I’m always on the lookout to condense what I have or readjust based on my current needs after 5+ years of home ownership.

 

[Rustyiron]

Good for you John, I was wondering the same, but didn't have the nerve.
Figured a saw "trade" was better than you running out and buying "20's" and underbody neon lights for your truck. :laughing:
Every working dog need a bone now and then.

 

[crazyal]

For years I would budget money for what I felt I needed and for what I wanted separately. The "wants" almost never happened. Even now I debate buying expensive stuff. However I have come to accept that time is the one thing we can never get back and never have enough of. So now I still debate my purchases but I do place a higher value on my time. I like cutting with the chainsaw but don't like when I have to fiddle with it because of a problem. I want to just do routine maintenance and it be ready to cut. Only you can decide if it makes sense. As for a pole saw. If it's close to your house then I would get a corded one for well under $100.

 

[ovrszd]

You have two saws now. You only use them rarely. You plan to sell one. Do so and make a tractor payment with the money.

When it comes to being out of debt. One golden rule always applies. If you purchase a non essential item for cash, and you have debt, you just financed that non essential and are paying finance charges on it. You simply cannot escape that.

Same rule applies when we say we are debt free. Then add the caveat of except for house payment, tractor payment, etc. That simply is not debt free. So every time we spend money on non essentials it's financed.

There are members here that are your Dad's age and still haven't figured that out.

 

[sixdogs]

Keep your 2 saws! They are fine saws and like moss said, dump the fuel and run it dry.
...
..

20 years ago I ran a small Sachs-Dolmar limbing saw out of gas, took the bar off and packed everything on the original box for a move. Last fall, I opened the box, assembled everything, added some no-ethanol blend and it started right up. It was like a running a time capsule and no adjustments needed. I alway run saws dry with some fogging oil before winter and never a problem.

Now, as it was running out of gas 20 years ago, I added some fogging oil to the gas and let it run out with that gas mixture. I believed that helped keep things in good storage order.

 

[sixdogs]

You have two saws now. You only use them rarely. You plan to sell one. Do so and make a tractor payment with the money.

When it comes to being out of debt. One golden rule always applies. If you purchase a non essential item for cash, and you have debt, you just financed that non essential and are paying finance charges on it. You simply cannot escape that.

Same rule applies when we say we are debt free. Then add the caveat of except for house payment, tractor payment, etc. That simply is not debt free. So every time we spend money on non essentials it's financed.

There are members here that are your Dad's age and still haven't figured that out.

Half the country hasn't figured that out--yet. History has a way of repeating so stay tuned. Another golden rule is "Rich man down, poor man up, they are still not equal". We're not talking money here.