New to Chainsaws - which one?

[Kersh]

Hi,

I'm based in the UK and need a chainsaw for light work chopping wood for the fire, prining trees, cutting down small trees etc. Having used a bow saw for this work in the past, I want to buy a chainsaw to make my life easier. I work for a company that use chainsaws but that is pretty much the limit of my knowledge. As a result, i'm faily apprehensive about buying one!

I need some advice. It appears from my limited research that electric chainsaws seam to be less powerful, safer, easier to maintain and quieter. I will only be using the saw occasionally so this sounds like a good option right?

I assume I will pay more for things like more power, better quality saw, etc. etc. What should I be looking for.

What is the minimum protective equipment I would need? Gloves, eye protection & trousers?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

[nixon]

I guess that I'll start the ball rolling by asking  a few  questions .
How much do You have budgeted  for a saw ?  How much wood ,and how often will You be cutting ? Are You comfortable maintaining fuel powered equipment ?

[WDH]

You need a safety helmet with a wire mesh faceshield and fold down earmuffs.  You need chainsaw chaps.  I have an electric Makita chainsaw for light use around the sawmill.  It is small and light and could handle wood up to 8" or so in diameter.  But, you are confined to the distance you can use it from the power outlet.  That is a major disadvantage.

[nixon]

You need a safety helmet with a wire mesh faceshield and fold down earmuffs.  You need chainsaw chaps.  I have an electric Makita chainsaw for light use around the sawmill.  It is small and light and could handle wood up to 8" or so in diameter.  But, you are confined to the distance you can use it from the power outlet.  That is a major disadvantage.

Darn , You use an electric chain saw and wear all that ?  I'll bet You wrap yourself up in bubble wrap before riding a bicycle 

[bandmiller2]

Kersh,if you can live with the cord restrictions of an electric,it is by far the least hassel.You can judge the quality of an electric quite well by price,I would stick to a name brand for parts availability.I use a Milwaukee electric with a 20" bar around my mill very handy and it starts easy.You must become adept at sharpening as electrics are not over powered.Frank C.

[John Mc]

You need a safety helmet with a wire mesh faceshield and fold down earmuffs.  You need chainsaw chaps. 

Darn , You use an electric chain saw and wear all that ?  I'll bet You wrap yourself up in bubble wrap before riding a bicycle 

About the only safety equipment I might leave out of WDH's list is the ear muffs. I'm guessing an electric is quiet enough that hearing protection is not necessary. (I might have the muffs on just out of habit.) Everything else is something I'd use for any chainsaw.

One thing about electric motors: if they bog down in the cut, they won't lose torque like a gas saw will. They will still be trying to horse that chain around the bar. Don't think you can treat them like a toy just because they are not gas-powered.

[maple flats]

A long time ago I had an electric chainsaw. I don't remember the make for sure but I think it was either Remington or maybe a Makita. It was very slow in the cut, the bar oiler was just a reservoir with a small hole over the chain, when you pushed on the cap it worked like an oil can and dripped on the surface of the chain if the saw was upright. The saw was not good enough to cut much of anything. The bar was about 12" but it was real slow if you had anything over about 6" hardwood, maybe 7 or 8" soft. I also had to keep the chain fully sharp or it would not cut at all.
I hope the electrics are better now if you are considering one.

[WDH]

Darn , You use an electric chain saw and wear all that ?  I'll bet You wrap yourself up in bubble wrap before riding a bicycle 

My comment was to meant to apply to chainsaws in general, especially gas powered ones.

[nixon]

My comment was to meant to apply to chainsaws in general, especially gas powered ones.

I know that . It's just that My inner dork got the best of Me  
No offense meant to You ,and if there   was , accept My apology .
I wear PPE as well when I cut .

[WDH]

None taken.  Your description about riding the bike created a visual picture and I smiled as I thought about being wrapped in bubble wrap.  Too kinky for me :D.

[Kersh]

Thanks for all the advice.

Nixon, to answer a couple of your questions, i'm probably going to be using this saw for between 2 and 3 days in the summer, maybe a day in the winter but other than that, not much. Although i'm in the UK, I have an apartment in Austria with a wood burning stove and trees around me that require some cutting back. I've used bow saws in the past but hey, i'm on holiday and want spend more time walking and climbing rather than getting blisters on my hands choping limbs off trees!

I'm looking to spend between about £100 to £150. What's the Husqvarna 317el 14" or the Husqvarna 321el 16" like? Anyone got one? They seam pretty good saws. Someone has also recommended to me that I have a spare, sharpe chain too - is that necessary if i'm only using it occasionally?

About the protective clothing, I think i'll buy at least trousers, boots, gloves and eye protection. I wasn't going to bother with ear protection if using a electric saw.

Do I seam to be heading in the right direction?

Thanks

[chevytaHOE5674]

Keep in mind that most saw chaps or trousers DO NOT offer protection against electric chainsaws. Chaps work by having the fibers clog up the clutch and stop the chain. Electric saws have no clutch and will cut right through most chaps and pants without batting an eye (seen it first hand).

[Kersh]

chevytaHOE5674, thanks for the pointer!!! There must be some protective trousers you can wear though?

[Kersh]

Ok, i've just had a look at the spec of the Husqvarna 317el 14" and the features include a Inertia-activated chain brake and a Chain catcher stud. Like I said, i'm a complete beginner here ... would the trousers stop the chain with these features?

Thanks again.

[chevytaHOE5674]

would the trousers stop the chain with these features?

Probably not, the electric motors just have so much torque that they will cut right through all the chaps I've seen. Many manufactures state right on their chaps that they will not stop an electric saw. They may give you an extra second before your leg is amputated but nothing like a gas saw and chaps. 

WARNING FOR ELECTRIC CHAIN SAW USERS!
The fibers will not stop the sprocket on most electric chain saws because of their constant high torque.

Note: These chain saw chaps cannot be used with an electric chain saw. An electric chain saw has too much torque.

[JHBC]

Hi Kersh,

I don't know what prices are for saws in the UK, but if you're only using it a few days a year, buy a good used saw.  A smaller pro saw with a 20" would do fine. A Husky 346 or Stihl 361, both great.  Stick with a good quality unit, try the used market, and buy a few chains, until you get used to keeping them razor sharp.  More powerful saws with bigger bars are great, but you probably wont justify the cost.  Cheap saws just suck, and will drive you nuts with frustration.  Use what the pros use, just think smaller, and used.

[Cut4fun]

Oops my bad I posted info in wrong thread  :-[. So I will cut and paste

[JHBC]

Hi again

My recommendation for the ms361, 346xp saws, was because I have used dozens of saws: 080's, I have a 3120, a couple of mid sized saws too.  And have owned lots of others small, big, expensive, cheap.  I know that buying an underpowered, or problem plagued saw is worse than not even owning one.  P.S. Get some fallers pants, and a get face/hearing protection unit.  It might seem a bit much, but when that idling chain nicks your Kevlar, you'll be glad you didn't buy those couple of dinners out.  Money can be replaced.

I like Cut4Fun's saw choices.  If you like large saws, and have the cash. By all means a 395 is tons of fun.

[SawTroll]

Keep in mind that most saw chaps or trousers DO NOT offer protection against electric chainsaws. Chaps work by having the fibers clog up the clutch and stop the chain. Electric saws have no clutch and will cut right through most chaps and pants without batting an eye (seen it first hand).

At least they are harder to stop than gas saws - more fibres need to be pulled into the sprocket area before they stop.

[SawTroll]

Ok, i've just had a look at the spec of the Husqvarna 317el 14" and the features include a Inertia-activated chain brake and a Chain catcher stud. Like I said, i'm a complete beginner here ... would the trousers stop the chain with these features?

Thanks again.

Sorry, those features have nothing to do with how well protective garment works!

[John Mc]

Ok, i've just had a look at the spec of the Husqvarna 317el 14" and the features include a Inertia-activated chain brake and a Chain catcher stud. Like I said, i'm a complete beginner here ... would the trousers stop the chain with these features?

Inertia activated chainbrake helps stop the saw if you have kickback (or some other sudden move).

If the chain breaks or jumps off the bar, the chain catcher stud helps to keep the end of the chain from acting like a nasty steel-barbed whip. It catches the chain as it starts to fly off, limiting how much the loop of chain will fly around.

Both are nice features to have, and probably exist in one form or another on just about every saw sold in the US in recent times. As noted, neither will have any effect on whether a running chain saw cuts through your chaps.

What chaps do is load up the sprocket area of the saw with loads of long fibers. The fibers tangle in the saw, jamming it, and ideally stalling the saw or jamming the clutch. This works well on a gas-powered saw, since gas engines tend to lose power as they bog down. Electric motors generally still have a lot of torque even when at a stand still. They don't "bog down" like a gas motor does.

Basically, you've got to be careful with any chainsaw. I would still wear chaps with an electric saw, since it's better protection than my blue jeans. I just wouldn't expect the chaps to work as well.

John Mc