Reciprocating saw or chainsaw for logs?

[skyblob]

I'm considering getting ~2KW electric chainsaw to cut logs for my woodburner. Last season I did the entire woodshed with a sharp bowsaw. - I'll be the first to say how good bowsaws are, but I'm thinking of taking a break from that one this time.

A relatively cheap £100 chainsaw is only about half the cost, and even with very basic safety kit and a compact saw horse, I could expect to more than double that. - Then it would all do nothing for me the rest of the season except add to the stuff clogging my garage.

But, is there an alternative? - I've never owned a reciprocating saw, (I could have done with one a number of times). I was wondering if a big recip saw (eg 1300W with a 30cm wood blade) would be any use for logging? Yes, more expensive and I would expect it to be quite a bit slower than the chainsaw, but it would be a lot safer. (And I'm sure Mrs Skyblob who's quite handy would even consider using it), - and it would also have loads of other uses which the chainsaw wouldn't.

So will a recip saw with a wood blade clog up on green logs (say up to 20cm dia) and be a frustrating waste? Will it work OK, or will I wish I'd just gone for the more dangerous option with a chainsaw?

Opinions/experience. Ta.

 

[2scoops0406]

Electric chainsaws are no good, go for a suitably powerful petrol chainsaw, but you have to add into the cost proper clothing, which is gloves, boots helmet/visor jacket and trousers. All of which will probably cost more than the saw.

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

I have a bosch chainsaw and its good for cutting anything up to two feet thick. Bigger stuff will need a petrol chainsaw. Very small stuff I use a bosch reciprocating saw.

 

[xerxes]

I have a Makita electric chainsaw which I'm very happy with. It's got plenty of power (with a sharp chain, of course) for cutting logs and lopping branches. As an occasional user, and with ready access to a power supply where I need it, I much prefer this to paying extra for a petrol-powered saw which sits idle for a long time and needs more maintenance.

A good saw horse is essential and it's easy to make one from scrap timber, probably much more robust and heavier than a cheap steel one.

On protective clothing: I read some tests of safety trousers (some years ago now) which concluded that most of them didn't work at all. No doubt things may be different now. I don't have any, and wouldn't buy them unless I was sure they were genuinely effective. I have twice had quite serious injuries cutting up firewood by hand (through tiredness and carelessness); I've not had a chainsaw injury, though of course I'd be the first to agree that they can be dangerous, and can kill.

A reciprocating saw would be very tedious to use for cutting up logs, and I'd much sooner use a bow saw. As they say, sawing firewood by hand makes you warm twice.

 

[Thermo]

i can vouch chainsaw trousers work, from experiance!

i personally do not like electric chainsaws, as they are underpowered, however if its just for small logs then you should be ok with them. Just as important as the safety gear is a chainsaw sharpening kit. A blunt chain (and they do blunt fairly quickly) is dangerous.

youll be there all winter with a recip saw.

 

[^neo^]

if you're cutting just logs (not trees which are still standing) then an electric chainsaw will be more than adequate. I used to have a small black n decker (10" bar) which was a great little saw. I'm pretty sure they do them now with a guard on them which you open like a pair of scissors to clamp round the log. Never used that type, but looks like a sensible design for the home user.
Get yourself a decent sawing horse (or make one), go in from the top and you shouldn't have any problems whatsoever.
If you want to physically chop trees down, then a petrol saw and a safety course is a must imo.

 

[Symptoms]

blob - forget the recip saw unless your logs are twig sized - the blades for green wood aren't cheap either. It's therefore got to be a chainsaw ...

Nothing wrong with lecky jobbies for your type of situation but of course a petrol one would be preferred for at least one safety reason - chain braking. I'm not aware that leckys have this feature (maybe others can correct this view) - certainly my very old (30 yr) Black & Decker (yes, I know ... but in those days there was no alternatives) doesn't have a chain brake. The old girl merrily chomped it's way through hundreds of logs no bother without me loosing head, fingers or toes 'cos basic safety precautions were taken - goggles only, a pair of leather gloves, and legs & feet positioned ALWAYS behind something solid, like a standing trunk or the saw-horse legs. Anyways, she's been retired maybe 5 years since the new petrol boy arrived on the block - much better performance, no bother to maintain.

I think the sawing horse, in a way, is more important - it needs to be of stout construction (timber) with 4 (or at least 3) log support positions to prevent the logs from tipping whilst being sawn.

As to protective (ballistic) clothing ... only pros HAVE to wear it, you don't. IMO, sensible precautions are all that are needed - the 2 main ones are keep head out-of-line of the saw, and position legs/feet behind saw-horse leg. Never attempt tree work with one of these unless you're well-practiced & confident ... leave that to the pros or use your bow-saw.

 

[Diyisfun]

I tried a recip saw...waste of time.
I bought an electric chain saw, I cut lots of logs never had a problem with it, sold it on ebay last year.
Cant remember what make it was or Kw rating. but I paif about £65 at b+q.

 

[xerxes]

Chain brakes are available on electric chainsaws as well as petrol models. I certainly wouldn't want to buy any chainsaw without one (if any are still made).

Electric saws usually have their power quoted in watts, petrol machines in horsepower. Assuming outputs relate to available power, a cheap petrol chainsaw with 2.4 hp (around £200) has about the same power as an 1800W electric machine, for around £100. I would expect an electric motor to develop its rated output consistently during its service life, and a two-stroke motor to begin to tail off as it gets worn or out of adjustment.

Of course if you need to fell trees and need a highly powered machine, you need a petrol chainsaw. But at the lower end of the scale, opting for an electric machine doesn't mean you have less power; it may mean you pay less for it.

 

[mr bean]

Sounds like electric chainsaws are perfectly suitable for cutting logs on a sawing horse but which models are best for the job?
I want to cut logs up to 250mm thick for my woodburner on a sawing horse. Homebase sell a chainsaw(Sovereign) for £50, or McCullogh/Bosch more in the £70 region.
Are these any good? Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Mr B

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

An electric chainsaw is not as dangerous as a cheap chop saw.

 

[mr bean]

Don't understand - you mean as in the ones I mentioned?

 

[Stivino]

You'll get a cheap petrol chainsaw in most of the sheds for less than £100. Petrol ones are graded by the engine size. Even a small petrol one will be more than adequate for garden use.
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/96333...Chainsaws/Ryobi-RCS-3335-Petrol-Chainsaw-35cm

 

[skyblob]

OK guys,

Thanks for all the replies. I bought a Flymo woodshark 2200 electric chainsaw from B&Q. (Their price £99 is within a couple of quid of the best available anywhere else at the moment). Got some safety gear (elsewhere) as well and read up do's, don'ts and technique.

I have a saw horse, and it's been romping through logs up to 25cm in seconds. It's quiet, and got adequate power, the hand operated chain tensioner operates very easily. I really can't fault it.

Problem is that it's so smooth and easy to use, one could easily get complacent. Need to keep regular reality checks with this thing. - Scare me some more someone!

I did take a look at the Bosch saws, but they felt rather more plasticy with lighter mouldings and stamped metal where the flymo uses castings. Much as I generally like all my other hardworking Bosch tools, my vote goes for the Flymo this time.

Rgs.

 

[oilman]

Scare me some more someone!

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