Has the chainsaw technology finally arrived?

Edited to give links
This video could show the chainsaw that each homestead needs.  I am not saying to replace your trusty chainsaw, but that this is minimum but adequate to do everything.  

Video links without login
https://youtube.com/shorts/17Y3bgXZ_fk?si=-k1yQVs6PI7jzIM8

https://youtube.com/shorts/079NrXK-aEI?si=SV0xt8M6ZFuXOgMS

Showdown between three saws, he cuts a bit too big with the tiny one and stops
https://youtube.com/shorts/mtDscYFf4xU?si=1y69oPij4NBVUtrJ  


Echo 56volt dhs 3006

I was skeptical until I watched the video, and I apologize that it seems only on Facebook, couldn’t find on YouTube.

He tackles branches with ease, but really impressed me when he started cutting large pieces of trunk.

This seems powerful enough with enough battery to finally have technology that seems reasonable for someone who doesn’t want the hassle of a full unit.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Axy5jVK8b/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Yes, they have arrived.

I bought a cheap one from Amazon (2 batteries, tool kit, a charger and minisaw with oiler) for $79.00.

I used it quite a bit. When I worked at a hydroelectric dam where we had to cut brush for FERC regulations, I used that a lot. With the fast-charge battery, by the time one battery was worn out, another had charged so I could keep cutting. It was amazing what I could cut in a day and these were saplings on dangerously steep slopes.

At home I use it a lot. Not so much for fine woodworking, but if I need to whack a plank off, out it comes and I get the board small and shorter so I don't have to lug so much of it around. The same for lobbing a sheet of plywood in half. This type of saw was quick and easy. For branches, small trees, even girdling bigger trees, it worked well. You can cut with a reciprocating saw but often the blade jams and it just shakes your arm instead of cutting the tree. A mini chainsaw does not do that.

This is coming from a guy who logged for years with 72 cc chainsaws. Will it replace my big saw for felling? No, but it would have made limbing a lot easier, and much safer.

I am am happy to see a major company produce this product, but the $260.00 price I found is a little exciting.

Yes! I’ve been using one for more than a year, and totally love it!

Definitely not “permaculture” from the standpoint of needing batteries and charging, but it’s so convenient and easy to use. My hands are on the small side and I always struggle with heavy tools.

These are easy to grip and not heavy at all.

Plus, I really really don’t like gas powered tools that just don’t start when you need them to☹️.

This is coming from a person that used to think hand saw was the only way to cut small branches.

My husband also has the heavier version - the one I assume every tool brand has, that is in the range of a few hundred bucks, and he uses that a lot. For bigger logs/branches. And then, of course, the regular gas powered chainsaw for big logs.

For those of us don't have access to Facebook?   What is it?

A one handed battery operated pruning saw with what looks like a 6” chain “blade”.   The big issue, for me, is this is put out by a company that has a decent reputation with chainsaws …. And the price shows it.

Oh.
We have a couple of those.  Different makes.  All work about the same.  A real bleep to get the chain back on, but not something that happens often.

It's quite handy for small jobs or when you don't need the 20 nearest farms to hear you bucking branches.  I like the one on a stick for pruning fruit trees if the branch is more than 2 inchea.  Anything less it leaves a rough edge and it's better to use regular pruning tools.

We got an off brand one on clearance for under $30. Hunny felled a couple 10 inch diameter trees and declared it paid for itself! This one sounds like a toy. A toy on its last gasp. I'm sure we'll kill it with another few hours of use.

Dissenting voice here -- battery recip saws with the correct blades will do the same jobs and require zero maintenance.

Not that I mind new toys.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Dissenting voice here -- battery recip saws with the correct blades will do the same jobs and require zero maintenance.

Not that I mind new toys.

Not really...

As I said in my earlier post, a reciprocating saw often jams the blade and then it only shakes the living crap out of your arms instead of cutting through the branch. To cut, it has to slice back and forth. With these saws, it cuts off the branch's and saplings much easier because the chain is cutting on a continuous loop. It sucks branch/sapling/board down to its base and cuts through. Not only is it faster, it is safer and easier.

For those wanting to girdle trees for proper forestry, it also works good.

This is coming from a person that used to think hand saw was the only way to cut small branches.  

Same here, but we've got one of this, and it's really a game changer to do maintenance on the garden.

Cutting wood with this is bliss! You can cut easily soft wood branches  up to 20 cm, 15 if it's hard wood.  

John F Dean wrote:I am am happy to see a major company produce this product, but the $260.00 price I found is a little exciting.

Ouch that is quite the hefty price tag.  At least we will get some decent generics

Liv Smith wrote:Yes! I’ve been using one for more than a year, and totally love it!

Definitely not “permaculture” from the standpoint of needing batteries and charging, but it’s so convenient and easy to use. My hands are on the small side and I always struggle with heavy tools.

These are easy to grip and not heavy at all.

Plus, I really really don’t like gas powered tools that just don’t start when you need them to☹️.

This is coming from a person that used to think hand saw was the only way to cut small branches.

My husband also has the heavier version - the one I assume every tool brand has, that is in the range of a few hundred bucks, and he uses that a lot. For bigger logs/branches. And then, of course, the regular gas powered chainsaw for big logs.

One might argue the ability to charge battery powered devices is a permies thing, especially being able to cut up some wood for a stove without burning through gasoline.  I viewed it as an off grid tool that isn’t going to take up much space

r ransom wrote:For those of us don't have access to Facebook?   What is it?

Found it ransom!!! Sorry different username on YouTube took me a bit to find, but will show his second video as well that’s a good one, and third is head to head which I haven’t viewed yet

https://youtube.com/shorts/17Y3bgXZ_fk?si=-k1yQVs6PI7jzIM8

https://youtube.com/shorts/079NrXK-aEI?si=SV0xt8M6ZFuXOgMS

Showdown between three saws, he cuts a bit too big with the tiny one and stops
https://youtube.com/shorts/mtDscYFf4xU?si=1y69oPij4NBVUtrJ  


Echo 56volt dhs 3006 I think is what it’s called.  

I’ve seen these pruners before, but never one reliable enough to go through substantial trunks of trees.  The versions that I have seen just seem to lack the reliability and strength.  

Still can’t find the video outside of Facebook, but the guy who puts the videos out seems to be a professional tree service guy

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:We got an off brand one on clearance for under $30. Hunny felled a couple 10 inch diameter trees and declared it paid for itself! This one sounds like a toy. A toy on its last gasp. I'm sure we'll kill it with another few hours of use.

You’ve kind of hit the point of this thread.  It does seem to be less of a toy and more a tool in this expensive iteration!  

If this is dependable, this type of technology could become a choice for people who don’t need a full chainsaw.  This technology seems to take pruner technology that has been around for years, and makes it more like a chainsaw.  

We might not be “there” with this technology, but I think that we are headed that way

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Dissenting voice here -- battery recip saws with the correct blades will do the same jobs and require zero maintenance.

Not that I mind new toys. :-)

I don't know if ours are different.  My recip saw does smaller branches than the mini chainsaw. It also leaves a different edge when pruning live trees that is more likely to die back.  I don't know the mechaics, but 100% prefer my mini chain saw fo pruning.  Also, chainsaw has a 12 foot stick for high reach.

Where the recip saw excells is dead and aged wood like trimming fence posts and building projects.  Hands down favorit for that.

I'm glad everyone likes their mini chainsaws. Apologies if my post came off as harsh or dismissive.

I just haven't had the problems mentioned, and I do a lot of work with brushing and occasionally cutting up large trees. With different blades for pruning, demolition, etc. my battery recip saws are my go-to. I do have a full size chainsaw for some jobs.

Plus, I'm happier with a limited tool and battery ecosystem.

To each his or her own.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I'm glad everyone likes their mini chainsaws. Apologies if my post came off as harsh or dismissive.

I just haven't had the problems mentioned, and I do a lot of work with brushing and occasionally cutting up large trees. With different blades for pruning, demolition, etc. my battery recip saws are my go-to. I do have a full size chainsaw for some jobs.

Plus, I'm happier with a limited tool and battery ecosystem.

To each his or her own.

Didn’t upset me Douglas, and I personally love people who describe their apprehensions.  As per pruning saws, they have sucked in the past.  This makes it realistic for someone to think that they suck! No worries here bud.  

I haven’t used one of these, but only the old cruddy ones that felt a bit dangerous.  

Recip saws are a bit more dangerous when up on a ladder and it starts to shake you instead of the branch, but I am just similarly hesitant to recip as you are to pruning.  Nobody is upset at you (at least that I have seen), and I would still enjoy a beer after a hard day of work with you

An initial digression that hopefully may find a good fix recommendation here:  20V Dewalt 12" chainsaw recently not delivering oil to the chain.  It has a rather well-known problem of leaking oil when set in the upright position and have remedied this somewhat by storing it on its side....others recommend draining the oil after each use.  But the problem at hand to be addressed is a lack of oil delivery to the bar/chain itself.  With cover and chain remove, I can observe the oil delivery hole when running the motor....no appreciable oil exiting the hole.  Some say use a wire and/or WD40 to remove any debris in the delivery tube...tried the wire to no apparent avail.  Have not yet tried WD40.  Other opinions?  Thanks!..... (and now back to our regularly scheduled program).

Just this week added the Dewalt 60V flex battery version chainsaw to the collection.....seems fantastic. I had a discussion with a Stihl sales rep at a local store who still uses Stihl gas/mix saw for big work, but also has an electric for quick short projects.  While it's possible that gas version might be needed in the future, for us and our particular location, few trees have a circumference larger than 16".  Big contrast not only to the Doug Firs of Oregon in past years there, but also to the maple and oak stands just east of us into more north-central Minnesota.  So the electrics have been just fine for 95% of our recent projects and I suspect will only get better.  The real impetus for the new purchase was trying to get my Stihl gas saw started in the cold weather.  Something is amiss....vapor lock of sorts?....since I can barely pull the starting cord due to high compression.  (If I remove the spark plug, it pulls just fine and you can hear the piston and valve noises within.)  At the same time, I've been curious about the flex-volt batteries as they not only will give 60V to this saw and other Dewalt 60V tools, but the same batteries revert to 20V when placed into a 20V tool.  At any rate, very impressed with power of new saw.  As a side note, the saw comes most often with an 18" blade.  But due to the smaller size of our trees and the availability of both the 16 and 18" versions at the retailer, I opted for the shorter blade....even wife is excited to use it and uses the 20V/12" unit all the time.  She won't touch the gas saw.  

Last note:  I use a Dewalt recip saw as well, but only when I need to cut up trees and firewood that had been protected by fencing and ended up growing around the metal fence material.  Here I use a long demolition blade which will cut through wood and metal alike.  I could go on and on about our electric farmyard vehicles and have in other threads.  Really hoping before my days are over to have an electric commuting car and even better....electric tractor.  Battery tech is just improving so much it appears.  Petrol has its place, but so glad to be around when batteries finally came to the forefront.

I had never used a chainsaw before last autumn, when I bought a very low-priced Chinese model with a 12" bar. It's excellent! Lightweight, cuts well, and I run out of energy well before the batteries do! I made sure to buy one that uses the same batteries as the surprisingly good cheapo weed whacker, so I always have spare batteries ready to go.

I detest my way more expensive branded battery reciprocating saw! Maybe the blades are the problem, but it shakes me to bits without cutting anything much.

One thing that might be worth discussing is the maintenance of these mini chainsaws. Sharpening the chain and managing bar wear? Is it possible to lay in a fistful of extra chains? Are they cheap enough to be considered disposable?

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:One thing that might be worth discussing is the maintenance of these mini chainsaws. Sharpening the chain and managing bar wear? Is it possible to lay in a fistful of extra chains? Are they cheap enough to be considered disposable?

Probably on the high end, but just bought an OEM chain for the Dewalt 12" for $24 USD.  The last few times I brought saws in for sharpening locally, it was $12 USD each.  That said, I've seen online that Dremel makes a kit for chainsaw sharpening and my wife already has a Dremel for craft and other uses.....may go that route in the future.

I use a chainsaw all the time but rarely use my gas one anymore.  My 40v electric (and not an ideal one by a significant margin) is just so handy, cuts so well, and as long as the chain is sharp, will slice right through wood I previously assumed would only fall to a gas saw.

I am using a 40v 12inch trim saw and it performs far beyond expectations.


Eric

I couldn't be happier with the battery Husqvarna I got last year.  I am not connected with the company in any way.  It was the one that was promoted as running the longest time on the battery, and I figured if anybody knew how to build it, they would.  It has done really well.   It doesn't even take long to charge it back up.  

It is expensive, but as I've mentioned in these forums in the past, I used to buy middle-of-the-road quality tools only to have them have a problem or give out in a couple years, which made me buy the expensive one in the end.  Ever since I have gotten quality equipment I haven't had to replace any of them, and that goes for the generator, a walk-behind tractor, field mower, mini circular saw, (which I freakin' love, BTW,) etc.

My tree came down on the barbed wire fence property line in a storm.  The neighbor had cows so I had to get the fence back up ASAP.  It was so steep getting to it I had to throw my backpack and chainsaw and bar oil up ahead of me and climb up on all fours.  Luckily I did not have to bring gas with me, that is a real upside to these things.

The lightness of the chainsaw was a real help.  It's quieter than a gas chainsaw.  I'm not breathing fumes.   It cut everything that needed cutting on a 16" tree trunk, and did a great job.  

It doesn't have the longest bar that is sometimes needed for bigger work, so I won't get rid of the gas chainsaw with the longer bar.  But I use the battery chainsaw all the time.

I've also got a battery driven pole saw with an 8" bar for clearing brush.  It makes the workload much easier because the only real effort is in throwing the cut pieces into a pile, so that effort is cut in half when I don't have to use even a very good handsaw to cut the brush with.   That is a real help on a hot day.  That battery gives out just about when I do, and that's okay with me.

When working remotely I used to have to bring a little generator with me to run some electrical tools.  Now I don't have to do that unless it's a big project.   I can just grab the tool and go, which is important if it's an emergency or at times of the year when the sun sets early and you've got limited time to get something done.

The batteries are good at holding a charge.  On sunny days I make sure everything that needs charging is charged up.  I don't store the batteries connected to the tool in case there is a small drain from it being in place.  

I do a lot of hiking and have notice the maintenance crews, typically high schoolers working as interns for the summer; have an easier time of it. Years ago they had to tote in heavy chainsaws with only the people with specialized training allowed to use them putting heavy work on a few people. But now they tote in battery saws with a backpack of batteries. Considering these younger people are often smaller in size, and their stamina is different due to the whole idea that is trail work internship work, I am so glad they got things easier now.

Everyone benefits. They are not dismayed by grueling work with dangerous, loud chainsaws, and for us hikers they get more hiking trails improved in a summer.