Battery Powered Chainsaws

[Paul B]

Anyone have any input on electric chainsaws. I was thinking of picking one up to use around camp to cut down wood for the tent stove, clear downed trees on the road, etc.. I usually always have a honda generator in camp running for a couple hours at night while cooking and stuff so i figure i could recharge it then if needed. I was just thinking a electric one to have around would be nice or is gas chainsaw still the only way to go? Since i won't be using it a ton i though the electric would be quick and easy when needed. Most of my cordless hand tools are dewalt so i was leaning towards that to stay with the same battery system if possible.

 

[ChrisS]

I've got the dewalt 20v Max XR brushless saw. It's .... OK. I mostly use it around the house for zipping up a small fallen limb or trimming trees when I don't want to dig out my gas saw and mess around with fuel and oil for about 5 minutes of work. It does bind a bit because it's slow and for bucking anything bigger than say 8-in diameter, you'll work at it. It leaks bar oil like a sieve.

I was in a similar boat and had the batteries already, so it was an easy enough purchase. As an in case of emergency thing or minor work? Sure.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

have used the 60-volt Dewalt for this exact reason and one 12aH battery lasted the for 10 days of hunting, was very impressed, we had to cut up multiple 14-16" pines that had fallen over the road and it was no problem at all. I would also not hesitate to buy a Milwaukee because the rural electric co-op i work for just switched to these last fall and they work really well too.

 

[MallardSX2]

Gas chainsaw guy here. But I do have a nice Hoyman pruning saw for trimming out my deer stands. It works surprisingly well.

 

[tntrker]

I've watched my neighbor use his enough to be glad I have a gas one...

 

[Pony Soldier]

I use one on horseback. Two batteries will last half a day of cutting. They charge in an hour or so.

The smaller saws have a small kerf and can pinch if you aren't careful. In lodgepole pine they will cut quickly but as you get into the bigger firs, it will take a while.

Many I know carry the larger electrics on their 4 wheelers and are quite happy with them. I have quite assortment of chainsaws to match my needs and prefer the electric for my packing needs. If I have an area of heavy downfall, I go to one of the gas saws.

 

[Hnthrdr]

have a few gas chainsaws but was in AZ and g-pa had a 56v echo I think? I ripped through all kind of mesquite with it for about 3 hours I was impressed

 

[hh76]

My father bought a Stihl battery saw when his elbow was no longer able to put up with pull starting his gas saw.

I made fun of it a bit, until I used it. Works surprisingly well, and is extremely convenient. Nice to grab when you need just a few quick cuts. Used it to cut wood for camp two years ago. It cut up enough dead elm on one battery to get through 5 days in the wall tent.

 

[Dave_]

We have a few electric stihls at work. They are pretty awesome. lightweight, quiet, and minimal maintenance compared to the gas saws.

I have a small ryobi at home. Mostly use for cutting up fallen branches and smoker wood. I've been pretty impressed. I only bring out the gas for bigger projects.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[xsn10s]

I've considered getting one for through in the back of my jeep. When I had a truck it was no issue lugging the Stilh MS362 with me. I scout and hunt more in my jeep now so an electric chainsaw for clearing paths would be great.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I have the dewalt 20v and used it for the first time this weekend. Great for clearing the occasional tree off a forest road for sure. I found this guy's videos pretty helpful in choosing one. Ultimately stuck with dewalt since I have other dewalt power tools.

 

[Maki35]

 

[displacedtexan]

My Dad has a Miluakee cordless. We both normally use Husky gas saws, but he loves his enough for a few quick cuts that I'm pretty sure I'll be picking one up soon.

 

[Burnsie]

Unless you cut wood for heating your house or you are a lumberjack, or a tree removal company I think an electric chain saw is the ticket for the average homeowner. When I was in the market for a chain saw, I initially wanted a gas machine, but then I honestly looked at how much I really use a chain saw over the course of a year - a handful of times for downed limbs, cutting a small pile of fire wood for the fire place, cut a few Osage logs to split into staves...etc. I ended up buying an E-GO with an 18" bar. It is pretty slick, that thing will flat out bore through all but the biggest stuff, and you can cut for quite a long time with a full charge - keep an extra battery handy if you have a bigger job. I love it, no mixing gas, no loud motor belching out smoke (I don't smell like a chainsaw when I'm done working). The lack of noise would seem like a big positive in a hunting camp. For a camp saw, you would definitely want a more compact saw with a shorter bar, but for a camp scenario I think an electric saw would be the only way to go.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I used a dewalt last year to cut firewood for the wood stove. Worked fine...charged it from the plug in port in my truck. Works fine for dead wood...I did burn it up cutting green oak with a dull chain. They work well for some things not so well for others..I did pick up another one for my hunting trip this year.

 

[Dos Perros]

I bought the tiny little Stihl for car camping / feeding a Seek stove, and then sometimes taking off deer/elk legs and zipping ribs. The first time I tried to use it it was pretty cold, in the teens or so, and the battery (despite being fully charged the day before) would not power the saw. Once it warmed up back home it worked. That's an extreme use case for me, but lesson learned, don't take it when it's really cold.

 

[gbflyer]

Anyone have any input on electric chainsaws. I was thinking of picking one up to use around camp to cut down wood for the tent stove, clear downed trees on the road, etc.. I usually always have a honda generator in camp running for a couple hours at night while cooking and stuff so i figure i could recharge it then if needed. I was just thinking a electric one to have around would be nice or is gas chainsaw still the only way to go? Since i won't be using it a ton i though the electric would be quick and easy when needed. Most of my cordless hand tools are dewalt so i was leaning towards that to stay with the same battery system if possible.

It would work great for that. Keep it very sharp letting the saw do the work and the battery life is quite good.

 

[Randonee]

I've had a Milwaukee for a few years. Works well for pine and fir. 16" saw. It's what I reach for for normal cutting of fire wood. I also have a Still gas. I'm not a heavy chainsaw user though. Just a homeowner who burns some wood every now and then. So much easier to use, especially since I don't use a saw everyday and the electric is just grab and go (no starting issues).

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

If you really give a shit....the video linked for the Project Farm guy is a very thorough Head to Head test. I think the Echo won???

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I don't have an electric chain saw, but I've been very impressed with the performance of the Dewalt electric weedeater. I have the 20/60 and the regular 20 models, and both will power through brush as well as normal household trimming. Careful with the 20/60 batteries though, when mine died, I priced out replacedments and they were more expensive than a new 20v trimmer and 2 batteries on special.

Given their performance I can only imagine the electric chainsaws are pretty decent as well.

I have a wood burner and heat our 1919 farm house about 60/40 wood/propane. I have 2 Stihl gas saws, a beat up 20 year old 290 that still starts with 2 or 3 pulls that has cut hundreds of cords of wood, and a 190T that is a light saber on small stuff and still powers through hardwood up to about 8".