Chainsaw electric or petrol ???

[boggie42]

I have been given £100 of b&q vouchers for my birthday, so my purchase will have to be from there.
Firstly i do not know if i should go for petrol or electric.
I only need a chainsaw to deal with a number of trees in my parents garden, and some small trees in our garden may need chopping.

Due to back and wrist problems a bow saw or anything which i would have to use manualy is almost impossible for me to use for more than a couple of mins.
So a petrol or electric saw is what i am after, anyone on here already using one who could recomend one i'd be very grateful as i'd hate to waste my money buying something useless.............

 

[kevindgas]

unless you intend to take up tree surgery or restoration work (I have one for my canal work) I would think of something else to buy with your voucher

chainsaws are dangerous bits of kit and should really only be used by a trained person (the course is must for those using these in a professional situation)

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

I have a Bosch electric chainsaw its a good bit of kit. A lot safer than a cheap chopsaw or a lot of other junk you can get these days.

 

[contadino]

Petrol every time IMO, but buying one for so little ongoing work doesn't make sense to me. If you're cutting firewood every year then sure, get yourself a chainsaw, some training, and learn to sharpen chains. Otherwise it would be safer and more cost effective to get someone to do the job for you.

My general purpose one is a Komatsu Zenoah (http://www.zenoah.net/products_chainsaw.html?Link=&Appo=&Proc=Chainsaw&Class2=&AreaCode=FC&productid=210&Appo=on) and it's been very reliable. So much so that I also bought a specialist one for pruning (http://www.zenoah.net/products_chainsaw.html?Link=&Appo=&Proc=Chainsaw&Class2=&AreaCode=FC&productid=206&Appo=on).

They're not cheap, but I wouldn't say they cost an arm and a leg either. Whoops.

My brushcutter is also made by them and it's been faultless.

 

[kevindgas]

but I wouldn't say they cost an arm and a leg either. Whoops.

it might if you use a chainsaw without the knowledge of a good course

limbs missing is often the result!

 

[Burnerman]

You'll not get much in the way of petrol chainsaws for £100...maybe a Homelite or Electrolux, but if you can stretch the budget a bit go for Ryobi - if you can pay a bit more, go for Stihl.

 

[swbjackson]

The most important part of a chainsaw is the protective clothing followed by the knowledge and equipment to maintain it properly. As a bare minimum to use a chainsaw in a static position you need to be thinking about protective leggings, spats, gloves and forestry helmet. If you're thinking about moving about you need to dispense with the spats and get protective boots and possibly trousers. Chainsaws are deadly bits of kit, look at what it can do to a tree and imagine that's your leg or face.

With a bad back you don't want to be using a chainsaw either. It may be quicker than a hand saw but it's physically much more demanding.

Think about getting a sabre saw or something similar. Nowhere near as fast as a chain saw but nowhere near as dangerous and less physically demanding.

 

[Therms]

Nothing makes doing a job more fun than using a power tool and like most blokes I make sure I’ve a power tool for every occasion.

I have a petrol chainsaw. It’s a Stihl and is great. I’ve an open fire and get wood off a mate, so I get my money out of it. I’ve never used an electric saw, but I’d have thought power would be the issue.

I can’t agree enough with the comments of other posters about safety. Chainsaws take no prisoners. If the blade touches you it’ll grab your clothes and pull you into the saw and it’ll remove a limb in seconds… if not worse.

You have to know how to use it. You have to understand kick-back and hand position to make sure that the break is automatically applied if the blade flicks up.

I did some chainsaw courses many years ago in the Scouts, so I could work on campsites as part of a service crew. When I got the chainsaw I went to see a mate who’s an arborist for a refresher.He also services my saw for me.

 

[contadino]

With a bad back you don't want to be using a chainsaw either. It may be quicker than a hand saw but it's physically much more demanding.

Yes, that's a very good point. Using a chainsaw is the one thing (apart from lifting a field of potatoes) that makes my back ache.

 

[boggie42]

Great replies (expected nothing less from this site really)
I too am someone who has a tool for everyjob. I am quite lucky to have a pretty extensive forest behind my property, we already have a fireplace which was well used during winter just gone, and we are thinking of an AGA or a log burning stove in the near future so it would be well used.

There is a tree surgeon just up the lane from me and i have sounded him out about spending a few days with him over the coming months, so i think i will pick up the safety side of it from him.

I think ryobi are on stock in b&q for £99 ???

cheers for the solid replies though.....

 

[Burnerman]

The Ryobi is a good bit of kit, so long as you realise its really a DIY saw rather than a professional one.....find a good garden equipment store and buy a second chain for it, and see how much they charge for a sharpen (mine charges £7 irrespective of length). I use a two stoke oil called Oregon and as its bright red in colour its simple to see if its mixed - I use a 25:1 mix rather than 50:1 as mine get hired out.
Be safe! Cheers John

 

[EddieM]

To the OP I'm sure your friend will be able to supply you some tips, but he also needs to be able to supply chainsaw gloves, helmet and trousers as well. For my Money an entry range petrol Stihl bit above your budget, and with protective gear, well above your budget. Then what price your limbs?

 

[contadino]

There is a tree surgeon just up the lane from me and i have sounded him out about spending a few days with him over the coming months, so i think i will pick up the safety side of it from him.

Sound plan. He should also be able to point you to a workshop that does his repairs and either show you how to sharpen a chain, or tell you how to know it's blunt.

To be honest, with something like a chainsaw, you're much better off not getting it from a warehouse like B&Q, and instead heading for an agricultural tool shop that does repairs in-house. They tend to need more regular maintenance than other tools.

 

[EddieM]

There is a tree surgeon just up the lane from me and i have sounded him out about spending a few days with him over the coming months, so i think i will pick up the safety side of it from him.

Sound plan. He should also be able to point you to a workshop that does his repairs and either show you how to sharpen a chain, or tell you how to know it's blunt.

To be honest, with something like a chainsaw, you're much better off not getting it from a warehouse like B&Q, and instead heading for an agricultural tool shop that does repairs in-house. They tend to need more regular maintenance than other tools.

Would agree whole heartedly with this, much better to be sold a lethal bit of kit by someone who's probably experienced, rather than by a 17 year old. Plus as said better servicing, and in my area, certainly, reccomendations to attend the council run chainsaw training courses.