Battery Chainsaws
- Thread starter Fabnosh
- Start date
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
What bar does that have mate?
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Felling is a very broad term, often felling is easier on the saw than logging firewood. Ringing firewood is actually quite hard on the saw as ur constantly on the throttle .
But a lot will depend on the bar size and tree size.
If ur constantly boring, cutting larger trees than the bar, it can be hard on them. But felling trees smaller than the bar is fairly easy on the saw.
I've used a fair few husky battery tools, hedge cutters, poles saw and top handled.
And have to admit very impressed for wot they are.
Pole saw is really nice to work and no warm exhaust in ur face when ur pushing its limits and waving it above ur head.
I don't think ull have any bother with matika battery stuff, it's normally very good.
Do u have any other battery power tools?
It makes sense to pick a brand and stick to it so ur batteries power multiple tools.
Personally I think with petrol or battery tools I tend to buy a decent brand.
More to go wrong and u want readability and battery life.
With corded power tools I tend to buy as cheap as possible as less to go wrong.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Personally, all my battery tools are dewalt so already have several batteries & charger.
It's either a 14" or 16".... if I had to guess a 14". I will change that if it's not when I check. My only issue with the saw is that it's fiddly when putting back on the chain and bar and tensioning it. They may have updated that now as I have had the saw for about four years.
My old husky petrol chainsaw needed replacing recently after 25 use of use, abuse and neglect. Due to now having issues with my elbows and wrists, which make pull starting and using a conventional chainsaw difficult and painful, I opted for a battery husky. To say I'm impressed would be an understatement. I can't understand why any non professional user would even consider a petrol chainsaw now that the battery technology is so good, and I even know of a few professional tree surgeons etc who've gone over to battery.
And it's such a bonus to be able to work quietly in the woods.
And it's such a bonus to be able to work quietly in the woods.
A lot of tree surgeons use battery saws, especially top-handle climber's saws, because they're lighter and safer. But the pro saws they use are very expensive and they get full use out of their investment. The home user has to weigh up costs against need.
The only reason I haven't bought one for hedge-laying is because it's a PITA to charge from my present vehicle. My truck has so many electronic systems in it working away in the background that it won't allow the ignition to stay live for more than fifteen minutes or so without the engine going to charge the battery. So if I want to charge batteries I need to leave the engine running or I have to charge directly off the battery.
If I was charging a lot of batteries I'd need an auxillary car/leisure battery really that gets charged when driving, like a caravan battery.
Turnips
Well-Known Member
I would have said a big benefit of petrol over electric is that I can field strip a carb and make adjustments to get a saw going again which I can't do with electric motors etc.
However, the new breed of Stihl for example have EFI and need a laptop to tune, so there goes that idea! I've been out of the business a while so I don't know if more brands are heading this way: but regardless of that the newer carbs with more efficient (smaller) jets and of course E10 instead of E5 and all the problems that brings mean it's harder and harder to keep small engines running right.
However, the new breed of Stihl for example have EFI and need a laptop to tune, so there goes that idea! I've been out of the business a while so I don't know if more brands are heading this way: but regardless of that the newer carbs with more efficient (smaller) jets and of course E10 instead of E5 and all the problems that brings mean it's harder and harder to keep small engines running right.
Huskys are the same now. And you can't buy auto-tune carb parts. You have to buy the whole unit for £150.
I hate auto-tune. Give me old-school analogue any day.
I own a Milwaukee M18 saw, it's got plenty of power and I'd say performs as well as a mid sized petrol saw. The 12ah battery lasts well, but it is heavier than an equivalent petrol saw. I bought it to replace a Stihl MS170 (which are tiny) for fencing and hedging jobs, and it's a lump by comparison, but will do things the 170 wouldn't like. For me it's the ability to use it on demand without either having it ticking over constantly or having to start it every time I want to make a 2 second cut. I've seen milwaukee are how doing an 18v "hatchet" tool with an 8in bar but non-conventional body, which looks interesting for smaller work and/or as an alternative to a top handle.
I have used one of those Makitas with the twin 18v batteries, but not really enough to give a strong comment (it's not mine). It's much lighter but also a fair bit less powerful than the Milwaukee. Probably a closer comparison to my old 170 for similar tasks.
Worth noting that the power tool brands are mostly now offering different "grades" of battery as well. I don't pretend to understand the technology, but Milwaukee "High Output" batteries power big tools much better than the normal ones of equivalent size.
I have used one of those Makitas with the twin 18v batteries, but not really enough to give a strong comment (it's not mine). It's much lighter but also a fair bit less powerful than the Milwaukee. Probably a closer comparison to my old 170 for similar tasks.
Worth noting that the power tool brands are mostly now offering different "grades" of battery as well. I don't pretend to understand the technology, but Milwaukee "High Output" batteries power big tools much better than the normal ones of equivalent size.
If its any help,
I picked up a hardly used Makita DUC355 36v (2x 18v batteries) on gumtree last year. the lad bought it for hacking down a hedge behind his house.
New chain and dressed the bar and it was cutting very good. I got it mainly for cutting firewood larch and sitka rounds and it was cutting through some stuff that was 14" and pretty dry.
I have used an array of huskys for years and still have them but the lack of noise and 2 stroke fug was a revelation. The cut is very narrow and as long as you keep it sharp it zings through even the knottiest of stuff. Cheap as chips to buy and have as a spare.
I have a load of Makita stuff and about 18 batteries so no problem of running out of puff. Saying that I wouldn't give it continuous use and use up all the batteries.
Marks out of 10 id give it 10
"Makita all the Way"
Cheers
I picked up a hardly used Makita DUC355 36v (2x 18v batteries) on gumtree last year. the lad bought it for hacking down a hedge behind his house.
New chain and dressed the bar and it was cutting very good. I got it mainly for cutting firewood larch and sitka rounds and it was cutting through some stuff that was 14" and pretty dry.
I have used an array of huskys for years and still have them but the lack of noise and 2 stroke fug was a revelation. The cut is very narrow and as long as you keep it sharp it zings through even the knottiest of stuff. Cheap as chips to buy and have as a spare.
I have a load of Makita stuff and about 18 batteries so no problem of running out of puff. Saying that I wouldn't give it continuous use and use up all the batteries.
Marks out of 10 id give it 10
"Makita all the Way"
Cheers
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