Nothing will ever replace my beloved chainsaw.
I had to say that right away because I’ve always been a chainsaw kinda’ guy. Battery operated things are not chainsaws in my book. I’m flirting with the dark side just touching one of these unholy appliances! Buying one doesn’t mean I’ve gone full suburbanite.
The energy density of 50:1 two cycle mix in a well tuned Stihl can rock the world. A 20V battery makes me feel I traded my Dodge for a Prius with a flat tire!
However, a tool should match its job. Fail to do that and you’re choosing romanticism over efficiency. My real saw is a boat anchor for small time tasks. Sometimes a shovel is handier than a bulldozer. Also, it’s showing in my summertime work. I’m falling behind on clearing brush at my favorite hunting patch and I’m avoiding pruning limbs around the yard. I don’t like firing up the beast for a small job; so I’ve been avoiding small jobs.
Am I not an Adaptive Curmudgeon? Have I become too Curmudgeony? Maybe modern batteries have improved energy density? Would it be sufficient for what I need?
Time to find out. I bought all the shit you see below for $417 out the door. I think that’s a pretty decent price? Who knows? I grumbled at dropping real money on what I perceive as toys but maybe the experiment will work. I’d like to get some small stuff done that I’ve been avoiding. Also, sigh… forgive me… I’m not 19 anymore. Maybe the lighter load of a pipsqueak tool will save wear and tear on the Curmudgeon operating it?
It sure looks puny in my tractor bucket. No support stuff? No gas can? No toolbox? It feels like dark magic. I don’t like electronics derailing manly labors! If I have to type in a username and password, I’ll set the damn thing on fire!
It’s not trading out a manly tool for a pipsqueak. You’re just matching the tool to the job. You don’t use a excavator to plant a garden
I parked my Stihl on the shelf, I just got tired of two stroke maintenance. Went electric and haven’t looked back. Yeah, the cord can suck, but it always runs. I can park a small gen set in my tractor wagon and go where I need to. Of course, my homestead is only two acres. The electric pole saw is an awesome tool of mass destruction!
I haven’t used the pole saw yet. I look forward to the first test.
I have used mine, and it works great! And I agree with Mr. Boyd on gas-powered saws. Of course, my home is only on 1/4 acre and the saw gets used after hurricanes, but…
Please post a review once you’ve had a chance to Curbludgeon these tools a bit. I am looking at getting something like this kit this fall.
I’ll test them and see how they hold up. I’ll probably post an informal when I’ve had some personal results. I suspect Dewalt is in about the middle of the pack. The saw is way too small for cutting firewood and 20v is a smallish power pack… but I wanted to augment my existing saw and not replace it. I do think $400 for both saws, two chargers, and 4 batteries is reasonably inexpensive for what you get.
I picked that saw up a while ago and am surprised at how useful it is. It’s very handy for suburban/urban scavenging in particular. They’re putting a road in not too far away and I can do some covert firewood gathering with a nice quiet saw. I’d never think of firing up my Husqvarna in that situation. Now if I only I could keep the oil from leaking all over the place…
A neighbor got a battery powered Stihl 2 years ago. Being a Tree Guy of 40 years , I was skeptical. Boy was I surprised, kicks ass! You’ve got enough batteries to not worry about it letting you down. My most used saw is a small Echo, with handle on top. That is the handiest, dandiest configuration for a small, light weight, EASY to handle, high (moderate) speed, low drag little saw. You’ll still have the usual chain oiling, adjustment, sharpening stuff to do. Your pole saw could save your ass from a gravity induced, ladder related, gravity storm. You did good. Unless it’s defective, you’re gonna be real happy with it. CONVENIENT, light weight, means you’ll use it a lot. Carpenter’s have discovered those things too, there’s just some things you just can’t McGiver with a Skill saw. Hell, you’ll be looking for shit to take care of. I’m envious.
Thanks! Now I can’t wait to do some testing.
I have a DeWalt with a 60 volt battery and it is very good for a lot of stuff, particularly smaller brush when you have to frequently stop and clear what you have cut. You don’t have to leave a gas saw running while you do that. It runs a surprisingly long time on a charge and will cut stuff up to 4 inch diameter OK. For serious stuff like felling or production firewood sawing, forget it and use a real saw. Also, the electric pole saw is good. Battery tools have come a long way in the last 10 years. Get some extra batteries before China clamps down on lithium.
Our locale has a lot of thorny brush and trees. An electric pole saw has been a welcome addition to the tool pile. A standarb electric chainsaw using same battery is very convenient. A lot of work done in a short tme.
Draining one battery and dragging away the limbs from it is about my daily limit. If you have a helper or two doing the hauling, the multiple batteries is a good way to be productive. Our Greenworx 4oV pole saw stays charged for about an hour of work
I hope your impressions are good ones.
Why did I hear the voice of Ron Swansen narrating this post?
One of these months, I’ll need to fire up the ol’ gas-powered chainsaw. But…
So far, I haven’t been needing it. All the really urgent outdoor sawing has been well within the capabilities of an M18 Hackzall with a suitable wood-dismantling blade.
It’s convenient, and I find that the charge in a battery pack lasts as long as a cheap blade – the good blades last for maybe three charges. By the time the battery runs down, it’s generally time for a water break anyway.
Drawback: the recip-saw vibration does terrible things to my wrist.
I’ve had less than ideal experiences with reciprocal saws for cutting small trees and limbs. Anything too flexible and it’s a risk. Either the tree thrashes like a Tasmanian devil with a Taser in its shorts or the blade binds and I start vibrating at 60Hertz while the blade remains immobile.
So far the chainsaw has done well.
Hmmm, yeah. I have had issues with blades getting stuck, and the vibration accordingly getting ever so much worse.
Now ya got me pondering a smallish electric chainsaw for the (abundant) little jobs. Preferably something that shares batteries with the existing tools (Milwaukee M18, except for a Greenworks 40V leaf blower and a Dremel-brand Dremel). More shopping….
So I have the poor mans version being the barely functional suburbanite.
I have the Ryobi 18v 8″ bar 9ft pole saw which honestly is amazing. I used it to top a tree for the girlfriend in her suburban yard, so when we cut the trunk it wouldnt hit a fence. Worked great. I’ve also used it time and again for trimming my apple trees, cutting back branches that are too close to the house etc. Also clears shooting lanes for tree stands wonderfully without being loud or using lots of manual labor.
I also have an 18v 10″ bar Ryobi chainsaw which is great for camping/limbing and lastly a 40v 14″ bar brushless Ryobi chainsaw that has been awesome for cutting down midsize trees and cutting them up for firewood.
This set has been so good, my poor old much beloved 16″ bar 2 cycle hasn’t been started up in about 4 years as I just haven’t had a need for it.
I like the Ryobi tools, but then I have like 3 sets and 20 batteries, so I got a bunch of sunk costs. I hate (hate hate hate hate) working on small IC engines. The x got so upset when I would work on the chainsaw on the kitchen table. I mean, I’d put down 8 layers of newspaper, and I’d BUILT the damn table my own self, but Noooo. ‘Yes, sugar, I’ll mow the (2 1/2 acre) yard just as soon as I can rebuild this carborator, replace the started solenoid, swap out the belts, unbend the cutter blades, and charge the battery’.
When that 60 foot pecan in the backyard fell over, I just called up a buddy with a 24″ Stihl. He was happy to get about 3 cords of prime BBQ wood and a case of beer.
I’m with JC, I also have a Ryobi 18v system (drills, impact wrench, recip saw) with several batteries.
Needed a pole saw for limbing, so I went with the 18v Ryobi and have been pleased with it’s performance. I have the big Stihl for heavy work, so the little Ryobi is adequate for my needs,
We’ve adopted the Dewalt 20v chainsaw for our boat-based fishing trips – much faster and safer than flailing around with an axe to collect firewood when random camping. We carry it in a small gym bag with the chain bar off and heavy-duty plastic bag to collect the inevitable chain lube leak, along with a small chain oil jug, work gloves and safety glasses.
That’s my only beef with the Dewalt – it leaks bar oil, just enough to make a mess anywhere you store it (which is why ours sits in a plastic basin when not in use). I think you’ll find that these new tools will fit perfectly into “just one cut” jobs
I noticed the oil leak but then again my gas saw leaks so I guess I’m used to it.