Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I can never seem to easily start a petrol mower or chainsaw. The time it takes for me to get the annual use of the chainsaw going for cutting logs might even rival the tree growth itself. It always ends up hurting something - my back, fingers, hand etc. My dodgy back prevents proper use of an axe for log splitting and a log splitter is a bit pricey for me. So, I've thought about an electric chainsaw. I hired one about 20 years ago for a specific job and it seemed up to the job then.Is it worth getting one in my circumstances? i.e. a power point in the barn and a need to cut say, 50 logs a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 We manage just fine with ours, but the purists are about to pounce, I suspect![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 we got one from Lil for a ridiculous low price... Perfect! The safety device stopped working after about 5 months, although it was still workng fine. We had a new one under the 3years garantee.Excellent for logs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Given they seem to sell them for less than the price of a decent replacement chain seems like money well spent. I had to recut the chain tensioning key on our petrol within three months of purchase, our electric is self tensioning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 I'm a great fan of the electric chainsaw, they're brilliant!Edit. Make sure you buy one that has an automatic chain oiler, you have to check the oil reservoir often. Use a saw horse so you're at a comfortable cutting height. Electric saws obviously dont have the same noise or emmission output as petrol ones and so are great for use indoors. Makita make an excellent saw as do Stihl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Chris,What are your views on the Ryobi brand for leccy chainsaws? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Never used one Steve but if it's got an automatic oiler I'd imagine it'll be fine. In truth I don't think you need to spend a great deal of money on an electric if it's for occasional use, although if it's going to get hammered then you pay for what you get. I like Makita motors. If anyone buys a new one, ask the dealer to change the safety chain most of them are supplied with (they're awful) for a grown up chain.For blocking out big joints they're great.[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/chrishead/DSC00137.jpg[/IMG]That's a Husky electric....which I managed to burn out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 And don't forget to put the cable over your shoulder and therefore, away from the blade, when using it................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 I never thought of that one Bugbear! Dohhhh!P.S Knives and chisels have blades, chainsaws have guide bars[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Only because I speak from personal experience with an electric plane Chris. ' Bang'!!!, and all the lights went out. Thank god for circuit breakers..................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 [quote user="Bugbear"]Only because I speak from personal experience with an electric plane Chris. ' Bang'!!!, and all the lights went out. Thank god for circuit breakers.....................................[/quote]and double insulated power tools !!!!!!![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 That pic' looks as if somebody is about to be in for a Goldfinger moment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Festool Robin? Boy you're earning too much money!Got anyone in mind Coops? Cash only you understand[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Funny true story much to my personal discomfort at the time.Ignoring the safety rules I insisted my employees worked too (!![:$]) I was "Mopping" - i.e. machine polishing with a vitrifier - a car in the main workshop, which had been brought round from the panel shop and was urgently needed by the customer.Being Winter - and very cold as the workshop doors were nearly always open - I was wearing jeans, a shirt, a roll neck and an old cardigan with nice leather buttons, with a white "Machine Shop" coat on top.Machine shop coat was flapping in the breeze.............Now a vitrifier is the same - or was then! - as a nine inch angle grinder, but with different gearing: instead of galloping away at nearly 3,000 revs, they rotated at circa 760: with the same grunt. Huge torque and thus resistance to stalling.We used foam heads to avoid "Burning" the paint.Suddenly, the foam head caught the flapping white coat, tied it in round knots, collected my cardigan with leather buttons pinging off like shrapnel all over the workshop, caught my roll-neck and my shirt, and the mains lead and thereafter, the deadly device tried its best to choke me and sort of sat there stalled, moaning with a loud 50 cycle humming noise. I knew that if I let go, the handle would rotate at speed and with immense power and smash all my teeth out as it unwound from my clothes! Or something equally dire.............Eventually, my screams for help were noticed above the general workshop noise and when they had finished laughing their socks off, someone unplugged the vitirifier!My safety pep talks were greeted with a fair level of derision for some time after that little incident.[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted December 8, 2006 Author Share Posted December 8, 2006 Well there you go ! I felt sure I was daft in suggesting an electric one - especially as nobody here seems to talk about them. I thought maybe they were perceived as weak little things for wimps. Obviously not, which is great news. Now I'm of to research them and buy one.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Enjoy your shopping nearly retired!Actually the thread has raised the question of safety clothing in my head.I personally don't wear chainsaw trousers or boots when using an electric saw, I do protect my eyes, but that's all, which is in direct contravention to my strong feelings about saw users protecting themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Chris,Why dont you ?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Because most often what I'm using the electric for is outside the area of protection of the trousers, waist or foot level for instance and the bar would tend to be used on the side so when the chain breaks free of the cut the natural sweep of the bar is taking it away from the body. The above picture is bore cutting and I had the boots on, although the risk was absolutely minimal as the chain is buried in the timber.But if ever I used an electric to cut firewood then sure I'm be kitted out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I take it back about the cheapos, I used a new model Black & Decker today, it was awful, awful, awful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 The best 'Nom de plume' on Screwfix is and was 'De Walt Disney' cheapos are the ones from, Lydll or Brico Depot where unless you have purchased a new atlas in the last three years the country does not exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Which country does not exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Which country does not exist - Somaliland does not exist according to the any standard World Atlas - it does if you are looking for an alternative government for one of the most God forsaken corners of the World. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Right - that clarifies it. Thank you. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pouyade Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Purchased a Huskie 200w 16" electric one for OH Christmas present - was used over the New Year break to render our logs small enough for the smaller of our woodburners. Excellent.I bought it from a northern company whose site name is www.chainsawspecialists.co.uk/Their presales service/advice was very good. If anyone would like details of their aftersales service then please feel free to E mail/PM me. Pouyade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I suspect you mean 2000W as 200W is just a tad little!!!!!! [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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