Electric Chain Saws

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,494]

I had a tree uprooted during a recent storm. Thankfully, it didn't land on anything of value, but did almost land on one of my sheds.

Anyways, last Saturday I go down to my shed where I keep virtually all of my gas power equipment to get my Stihl saw. I always leave it hanging from the ceiling in the shed, towards the back. But it wasn't there. I look all through my shed, to no avail. So I figured I must have loaned it out, but I asked everyone I WOULD have loan it to, and no one has it. So, that leaves theft (the thief would have to climb over everything to get to it) and why take the saw and leave the Stihl weedeater, the Snapper weedeater, the JD push mower, the Troy bilt mower, etc. But I digress here.

I

[Coadster32 793]

When you could get a really good used gas saw at the local tractor, swap meet shows cheap, I wouldn't bother going electric. The one time you need a good saw, you'll regret it. I use a Huskaverna ranger w/18inch bar, and it is truely well worth the money. Good Luck.

[Prater 75]

I have a small electric poulan on a pole for lopping off limbs. It is ok for the job it does, but I would not want to wait for it on the ground projects. I use a Makita with a 22" bar. It goes through wood like a hot knife through butter...electric is slower for some reason.

[dkopp 1]

What are you going to use when the power goes out and you have trees down, or need to use a saw away from a power outlet? Just some things to consider......

[linen beige 14]

I'm kinda in a similar boat. I need a chain saw for maybe one tree or large limb at a time, a couple times a year. Rather than mixing gas and oil only to throw most of it out I bought a Remington electric. $65 at Lowes. It has a 16 inch bar. I went with the model that is one step down from the top. I chose it because the top of the line saw requires a much larger cord to keep it from overheating due to voltage drop. It doesn't have an automatic chain oiler on it so I have to remember to pump the oil button every few cuts. In addition to cutting several downed limbs at my church grounds and my dad's house, I have used it to cut up at least one tree that was over twenty inches in diameter (The one that bent my 704.). I even used it to "slab" the trunk square so I could mill it on my bandsaw. It cuts just as fast as any comparably sized gas saw I've ever used. It is a lot lighter to carry. I can stick it in the cab of my truck or the trunk of my car without smelling gas fumes. About the only things I don't like about it are that the chain seems to not want to stay tight (It;s probably cut around four cords total so it should be done stretching.) and it not having an auto oiler.

If you only need one for a few cuts a year, close to an outlet, an electric saw isn't a bad idea.

[Jim_M 178]

I cut a lot of wood and it's hard to beat a Stihl, although I have no experience with their electric saws.

If you only use a chainsaw once or twice a year I would say go electric. It doesn't take long for 2 cycle fuel to turn bad and ruin a carburetor. You also shouldn't let a diaphram type carburetor sit dry once it's had fuel in it, the diaphrams will get hard and you'll be buying a rebuild kit.

I have a Remington electric pole saw with about a 12 or 14" bar that I use once a year sometimes every other year, it's never failed to start and I've never rebuilt the carburetor, changed the spark plug or replaced the air filter. :omg:

[W9JAB 156]

:omg: I have had good luck with my cheepie home depot electric chain saw, but you do need to keep the chain well oiled, and they do strech fast. :drool:

[Michael Bullington 5]

im thinking of trying the electric also....I rarely need one ...but sometimes a dead tree falls or just need to do some trimming.

T-Mo you go first!

Michael

[perry 82]

well a electric saw is good to cut the trunk of your christmas tree before placing it in the base . i guess it would be allright if you dont use a saw regularly like me and jim m. sorry about your stihl, thats a bummer.

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

My father in law gave me a Craftsman Electric and it works far better than I expected.

I have cut up to 5" log with it. A little slower than gas, but far better than the last electric I had used.

The only thing I don't like is the bar-oil pump - just a cheezy primer-bulb-like thing on the cap of the oil fill.

Anyway, for the price I paid I love it.

:omg:

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,494]

I had read some good reviews on Poulan Pro 400E. http://www.poulanpro.com/poulanpro/viewPro...o?productID=157

It's about $90 at Sears, has the automatic oiler and from what I can tell, the chain brake.

Also, I have read good reviews on the Sears Craftsman 18 inch, but it's about $30 more.

A Stihl would be nice, or a Milwaukee, but if I'm going to spend that much, I might look at gas again. Thanks, guys for the comments.

[can whlvr 993]

I personaly own a huskavarna gas powered,18 in bar abrand new fairly big stihl and an electric stihl that i would not trade for the world!!!.I have cut huge trees with it as long as the chain is very sharp,yes the cord is apits but the reliability of that stihl is compairable to wheelhorse quality,it is also much quieter and you just plug it in and go.My advice is buy a high end tool and buy it ONCE,and it will always treat you good!!

[Duff 206]

My brother is a professional landscaper and has a pole-mounted electric chainsaw. I'll have to call him for the brand, but I know he swears by the machine for speed, durability and reliability (I'm thinking he said it was a Stihl....). In his case, he has a portable generator he throws in the back of his pickup when he's going out on a job.

I've got a Stihl 025C gas saw and love it. Although I only use it a few times a year, I've found that fuel going stale isn't an issue. When I'm done with the saw at the end of the season or if I know I'll be putting it away for more than a month, I just turn it over and drain the fuel back into the can (with a filtered funnel, mind you!). In between, my Mantis tiller, leaf blower and weed whacker all use the same 50:1 mix, so gas doesn't have time to get too sour around my place!

Now this will probably make the motor guys cringe, but at the beginning of each winter I run any left over mixed fuel out through my snowblower (Ariens 8hp) in about a 5:1 mix with regular fuel (5 parts regular gas to 1 part mixed, very approximate) and I've not had any problem with carbon build up or gunk in the carb over the past ten years.......

Duff :omg:

[bustedglass 1]

I HAD an electric chain saw. It worked GREAT, UNTIL, I pluged it to too long of an extension cord, and fried the motor .

Buy electric, be careful, and that saw will last for a lot of years.

[wh500special 2,156]

...but if I'm going to spend that much, I might look at gas again...

If you go back to the smoke/noise machine route, I suggest Echo. I have a bunch of Echo stuff (2 trimmers, 2 saws, 2 pumps, a drill, and a hedge clipper) and they are fantasic, incredibly reliable, last forever, and start instantly.

Steve

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,494]

Just an update - I went ahead and bought another gas saw. This one:

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS170.html

Small, yes, but it will do what I need it to do. I might pick up an electric one, but for now, this one will do.

[Duff 206]

T-Mo, as I'm sure you're already finding out, Stihl makes a heck of a good saw. I've got the 024C model and I can't say enough good things about it - rugged, lightweight, dependable, easy starting, and on and on and on.....!

Enjoy yours!

Duff :thumbs2:

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,494]

Duff,

The chain saw that came up missing on me was a Stihl, a MS210. This one is smaller than that MS210, lighter and it has a 14 inch bar instead of a 16. But that's okay, I don't need to cut down a gigantic tree - or I hope I don't. I know this is not a commercial grade or professional saw, but it's what I need.