Truck chainsaw?

[Boarmaster]

I’m buying a electric chainsaw to ride in my SXS this year. I’ve used one of my buddies he bought a few years back and that thing is just what I need. Very convenient and quick to use. I sort of looked down my nose at when he showed it to me. I had to eat a little crow when I seen how well it worked.

 

[CBar]

Like others here I run a battery powered saw - Milwaukee 16” (b/c it matches all my other battery tools) with a 12A battery, burns through most of what Wyoming throws at you with ease. Quiet, clean, easy, no need for a bigger gas powered saw 95% of the time.

FWIW It takes little space and makes a world of difference to pack an axe with a few wedges too.

 

[Pdzoller]

I’m an Arborist and use just about every saw imaginable. That said, it really depends on where you live and how much experience you have. Probably the best saws for most people are going to be any professional grade top handle arborist saw with a maximum bar length of 16”. My favorites are Stihl for the gas powered models. The absolute best electric saw and the only one I would personally buy is a Husqvarna.

Some have made good points about having a contingency. If I have a saw I also have rope, wedges, a file, tools and an axe in my truck too.

 

[Watrdawg]

I'm in NC and our main issue is during hurricane season. I've had to take back roads because the major highways have been shut down before and have definitely brought a chainsaw along. More than once I've had to cut downed trees off of the road. I'll also bring along a saw during hunting season to remove trees from my trails to and from stands. Typically I'm bringing a Stihl 025 saw with me. I've had it for almost 30 years now and it has been a great little saw.

 

[TaperPin]

Some folks that aren’t used to a saw don’t realize how much they leak - primarily bar oil, but sometimes fuel in the heat of the day. Cheap leak more than expensive, but regardless a saw case protects the contents of your truck more than it protects the saw. If you are a clean freak, or it gets stored in a camper or back of a Suburban/Expedition, top quality battery saws would be worth it. You can also drain all the gas and oil so it can’t leak, and simply fill it when needed, but it will still stink inside. The aluminum Sigg bottles designed for white gas are mostly leak free and great for storing small amounts of bar oil and gas if your temps aren’t crazy high. A qt of gas and pt of oil goes a long way with a small saw.

Super sharp arborist hand saws cut faster than most people realize. I remember going Christmas tree hunting and the other family laughed at my little saw, until it cut much faster than their big bow saw.

Also, don’t discount a big cordless sawzall for quick small jobs - 10,000 cat converter thieves can’t be wrong. An eight inch pine log would cut fairly quick, but I wouldn’t want to buck an entire tree with it - just like a good handsaw.

Every boy in America dreams of one day having a chain saw. Just remember three things: the tip of the bar can quickly kick the bar and spinning chain up into your skull, whatever body part you place a moving chain on will get cut with 100 sharp little knives, and trees are deceptively heavy and even small ones can break your legs as you try to run away from a bad cut. Being self taught is sort of like turning a kid loose with a 22 and telling them to not shoot themselves - it’s better to have someone walk you through the does and don’t, and still, some kids will shoot something they shouldn’t. Lol

A friend of mine shot himself in the leg with a 22 and had 11 bullet fragments left in there, until a chainsaw accident after which there were only 9 fragments. Lol

 

[NRA4LIFE]

My MS170 (16") goes everywhere with me.

 

[Legend]

Is it common gear for some of you to bring a chainsaw in your truck.

I have never actually owned one, but I am looking to buy one for some projects in the cue. I have run into some downed trees over the years and have been lucky to negotiate around them. Figure a saw in the truck could be nice insurance.

Good idea, or waste is space.

If so, what size saw? I am looking at something with a 18” bar but open to feedback! I am starting at “0” for chainsaws other than a few hours with my neighbors old Stihl with a 16” bar.

Thanks,
Phil


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Buy a silky katanaboy in 500mm or 650mm. You will be surprised!!

The USFS backcountry crews carry these on their horse. I have watched them remove a 20 inch tree in the time it would take to start a chainsaw.

 

[TaperPin]

Every new chainsaw owner should go to google images and simply type in chainsaw accident. Don’t do whatever all those people did.

 

[buckbull]

I keep a stihl 025 with me. I really like the combo can husky has. Gas, oil, room for files, scrench, wedges, etc. Keeps everything together and organized. Only downside is price.

 

[antaresproper]

Just a note about batteries I haven't seen: lithium batteries are better that other types in the cold but are still impacted. Cold will decrease performance and efficiency. Not a reason to go with traditional but something to be aware of.

 

[Archerichards]

I carry a cable choker and a saw. I’ve went to a 40volt battery powered chainsaw. 16”bar I think. For clearing a tree or three it works great. One cut, use choker hooked to truck to drag it to the side. Have to carry some bar oil, but no 2 stroke gas mix. Use vegetable oil in the bar and can put on a clean chain to split an elk too.

Yep. Cable choker and an electric chainsaw.

 

[David]

I carry my Makita battery-powered saw in the truck. It's not big or powerful enough to do serious tree felling, but it's compact, not dirty, quiet, and perfect for camp or clearing most trees in the road.

 

[180ls1]

A hand saw and come-a-long winch are cheap, reliable, and easy to use. They are also light and take up minimal space. That's where I would start.

 

[Shraggs]

Can’t say enough about stihl msa 220 cb a battery version. The equal if the 31cc motors in work, 30-40 minutes constant use.

It does see use on deer lease but wouldn’t take it west unless had an extended camp. Love the quite and no gas to stink things up.

Also love the silky katana boy…

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Stihl 290 "farm boss" is the best power tool i ever bought. More than 20 years old and 3 pulls to start to this day. I downgraded to an 18" bar for weight and higher RPM and its a beast.

Stihl 194T arborist saw is a light saber and punches way above its weight. It can be operated with one hand and is light an nimble. This is probably my favorite power tool.

I have't tried to battery powered ones yet, but given the feedback in this thread I just might. I love my battery DeWalt string trimmers. One thing about the electric chain saws, standard chainsaw chaps aren't recommended.

 

[Grundy53]

I usually have a chain saw with me. I'm going to get a Milwaukee just for my truck. We use them at work. They are pretty handy.

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[6.5x284]

Yup, I keep a Stihl 362 in the truck. It's been used more than once to get back down when wind or snow fell a tree across the road while I was out hunting. I forgot it one time and had to turn around when snow dropped a clump of trees across the road and was pissed all day. I've also had success pulling or winching them sideways with a recovery strap before I had a saw in my earlier days depending on the tree size.

 

[Pro953]

Thanks for all of the feedback. I do keep a saw/ax and assorted pull straps in the truck. I was looking at the saw for some other small wood milling I do for another hobby. Sometimes I get logs that will not fit on the band saw and a chainsaw would be helpful.

All said it sounds like I may need to take a hard look at some of the electric saws. I would only use it once a month at best and it would be nice not to have more gas/oil in the back of the truck as I have a cap on it and sleep in the back at times.

Decisions, decisions….


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[redchinviking]

We do a lot of trail work and run the husqvarnas in about 3 different sizes and are great saws with a little maintenance. But loud messy and smelly of course. Bought the Milwaukee to run off the moto a few years ago with the large capacity battery and have been continually impressed by what it can do. I have cut a truck full of firewood with one battery and can’t believe sometimes how much torque that little 16” bar can produce. Running them on motos for trail work is so handy just on and off without dealing with gas, quiet, and put away quickly. I also love how the chain stops when you let off the trigger which is nice for lots of downfall work when your constantly trying to keep your bar from touching dirt/rocks. I still run our big huskies for big days in the woods but For a project saw and a back of the truck backcountry saw you can’t go wrong for the money. Just make sure you get the big boy battery. My dad only got the small one and it won’t cut it. No pun intended;-)

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Some folks that aren’t used to a saw don’t realize how much they leak - primarily bar oil, but sometimes fuel in the heat of the day. Cheap leak more than expensive, but regardless a saw case protects the contents of your truck more than it protects the saw. If you are a clean freak, or it gets stored in a camper or back of a Suburban/Expedition, top quality battery saws would be worth it. You can also drain all the gas and oil so it can’t leak, and simply fill it when needed, but it will still stink inside. The aluminum Sigg bottles designed for white gas are mostly leak free and great for storing small amounts of bar oil and gas if your temps aren’t crazy high. A qt of gas and pt of oil goes a long way with a small saw.

Super sharp arborist hand saws cut faster than most people realize. I remember going Christmas tree hunting and the other family laughed at my little saw, until it cut much faster than their big bow saw.

Also, don’t discount a big cordless sawzall for quick small jobs - 10,000 cat converter thieves can’t be wrong. An eight inch pine log would cut fairly quick, but I wouldn’t want to buck an entire tree with it - just like a good handsaw.

Every boy in America dreams of one day having a chain saw. Just remember three things: the tip of the bar can quickly kick the bar and spinning chain up into your skull, whatever body part you place a moving chain on will get cut with 100 sharp little knives, and trees are deceptively heavy and even small ones can break your legs as you try to run away from a bad cut. Being self taught is sort of like turning a kid loose with a 22 and telling them to not shoot themselves - it’s better to have someone walk you through the does and don’t, and still, some kids will shoot something they shouldn’t. Lol

A friend of mine shot himself in the leg with a 22 and had 11 bullet fragments left in there, until a chainsaw accident after which there were only 9 fragments. Lol

Good post. As Dudes...we are "automatically" all that is Man. A Chainsaw is a great Humble(er). My InstaGram reels are 50% teenage broads with huge jugs....and the other 50% are BuckinBillyRay, TimberJill and random arborists doing amazing things dropping trees.

I've had some semi professional Falling instruction. And I can still very quickly F up dropping a small tree or pinching a saw. I left the WORST standing timber snag, half totem pole, woood origami, got 3 saws simultaneously stuck on my property when I sold it to my buddy. It was a humbling, "Hand back your Man Card" failure.

Lots to know with powersaws if you weren't born in the Timber or a Saw Shop.