Greenworks Garden tools?

[Lusi83]

Vaguely looking for an extending hedge trimmer and maybe a cordless electric chainsaw.
Have come across Greenworks 40v tools - they use interchangeable batteries/chargers...
Don't want petrol (never used before and seem a bit of a faff) and cordless would be handy for a chainsaw (if I get brave enough to buy one ...bit scared of them to be honest) -
and have solar panels so could charge battery for free...

Wondering if anyone has any experience of Greenworks?

(Sold on Amazon and reviews seem ok - but then most reviews seem to have been written within weeks of purchase- not a year down the line)

 

[Burnerman]

I've never used these tools but frankly I would think that battery gear for jobs like this would be right on their power limit......the hedge cutter would be ok for privet but not much else, and the chainsaw likewise. I do think you'd be a bit disappointed! Mains stuff is much better and petrol stuff better again.
John

 

[Lusi83]

I have a corded hedge trimmer (Bosch) - so this would be just to do the tops. Last time I had an extension lead with the hedge trimmer and electric saw plugged in and a ladder (platform wouldn't work because of steps) and it was a pain plugging and unplugging to move down the garden, with the cords wrapping around each other etc ... so cordless just to do the tops seems a lot less hassle...
Maybe I should go for petrol - but I believe they are heavy to use and I'd have to learn about mixing etc... and the expense
The attraction with these was that the batteries being interchangeable and most of the expense seems to be the battery ...and they weren't really really expensive (and I don't intend to use too much)
A cordless chain saw (or reciprocating saw) would be handy for occasional gathering wood for my woodburner ...(eg I scrounged a couple of nice sized branches /trunks from someone I noticed was tidying their garden into a skip - but I needed to cut them up a bit to fit in my trailer. After watching me struggling with a bow saw for a while ...they cut them for me with their chainsaw - made me feel a bit cheeky - asking a stranger for the wood didn't though )
I know that battery things won't have the same power as corded - but 40v/ 36v shouldn't be that underpowered should they?

 

[Burnerman]

Certainly, that is one of the highest voltages used by battery tools.....however, its the amp/hour rating that is also important.....a low a/h battery wont last too long!
Sure these tools should be ok for privet hedges and the like, but I have my doubts about much else.....it wouldn't like leylandii for example.
Another point is, NiCad batteries don't last too long anyway - especially being laid up for months at a time - Li Ion batteries are much better (I don't know which battery the tool uses though).
John

 

[catlad]

Bosch make cordless hedge trimmers and I feel confident they will do something like a chainsaw.

 

[cajar]

Make sure you buy the safety gear and use it, unlike the girl in the advert, using the chainsaw with a pair of gardening gloves and safety glasses! They can be nasty tools and kickback on you.

 

[Lusi83]

Will look at bosch - but sure that is going to be more than ideally I want to spend...seeing as I want them for 'occasional use'
I am scared of chainsaws - the guy who chopped my branches for me was using one like a toy ...I stood well back! I do intend to get the gloves and helmet - maybe even the trousers? Spend as much on safety gear as the chainsaw - and look at getting training....
I have looked at those Worx Jawsaw or B&D Alligator Loppers - chainsaws with integral guards but seems like you can only get corded in the uk....which defeats the purpose of me getting one!

 

[Burnerman]

If you are getting into serious logging, there's no replacement for a chainsaw but if its a bit of pruning you'll be doing, and then maybe cutting up the brash then a reciprocating saw could well be better. For this one, a mains saw is needed (including a safety cut out switch that plugs into the mains socket!)
John

 

[Mursal]

Did you consider a petrol strimmer with the attachments, it will be better value for money, if you don't mind the petrol engine?

Just one example
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/PETROL-GRASS...arden_GardenPowerTools_CA&hash=item2c79621f31

 

[muggles]

You're concerned about the expense of petrol but looking at the Greenworks 40v kit? That sounds like a contradiction to me. The Greenworks Long Reach Hedgetrimmer with two batteries and a charger is circa £360

Have a look at the Efco Multimate system, similarly priced but petrol so you can 're-charge' it instantly and likely to be more powerful, there's no batteries to degrade over time or be flat when you come to use them, also AFAIK it carries a five year warranty, and they're a well-known established company. There's a long-reach pole pruner attachment that allows you to stand on the ground and prune your trees with a chainsaw that is well away from your face, so you won't need to buy chainsaw trousers or go on expensive training either, and there's no reason why you couldn't use it to cut stuff up on the ground as well

As far as fuel mixing goes, there isn't really anything to learn - pretty much everything is 50:1. Buy the Stihl one-shot cartridges and you can't go wrong, simply pour one into a five litre fuel can, fill it to the top with fuel, shake to make sure it's mixed, and crack on. Simples

 

[Lusi83]

The Greenworks is £115 for a battery & charger and the hedge trimmer is £75 - so £190.
I was looking at cordless, extending hedge trimmers - most of them have less powerful batteries and I know a downside of cordless is the lack of power ...so 40v (or 36v) seems a really good idea ...but then £190 for a hedge trimmer is a lot ..... Then I noticed the chainsaw - would only cost me £60 more (only need one battery cos I don't intend to use them at the same time)...so £250 for both.
Bosch is £330 for a 36v cordless chainsaw (£250 for just the chainsaw) and £280 for Ryobi one with battery...(neither seem to do 36v extending hedge trimmers)
a greenworks pole pruner (chainsaw) would be £90... so I could go for that instead and like you say use it at long reach so safer...
and the tools all seem to have a 2 yr warranty ...

Apart from knowing nothing about how to set up petrol tools aren't they noisy and smelly? Need a yearly service - read things about spark plugs...and go . The Efco motor would be £200 - then the two attachments another £100 each - so £400!
Also If I went for a battery chainsaw I would be tempted to keep it in my car boot ...for those opportunities that arrive when you are out and about! (see wood everywhere at the moment - especially after the storms..) - whereas petrol I'd be less comfortable- something about something flammable in the boot I don't like (even though I know the car has a petrol tank too!)
If I do get a chainsaw and get used to it I might also get a corded one for cutting my logs - have a corded reciprocating saw with a pruning blade at the moment -which is fine but I know if I got over my fear a chainsaw would be quicker and easier...

 

[muggles]

Surprised you can get a battery and charger for £115, not that I've really looked around, I just went with MowDirect.co.uk's prices which were £130 for a single 4AH battery. You'll want two batteries at least anyway or you'll forever be frustrated by running out of power half way through your work and having to wait two hours for it to re-charge again (the quoted run times are almost certainly 'no load' run times and in reality you'll get much less time than that out of a charge). Don't go near the 2AH batteries, for the tools you want to run 4AH is the only sensible option

What 'setting up' do you imagine you need to do with a petrol tool that you won't need to with a cordless battery machine? It's the same...add fuel (either petrol or battery), start motor (pull cord or press switch), use tool. There's naff all to do for the servicing, no oil to change, it'll probably cost about £30 at your local small machinery centre if you don't want to do it yourself. They aren't smelly, and won't be much louder than a battery one - much of the noise will come from the chainsaw grinding the wood or the hedgetrimmer blades moving and chopping, and that applies whichever fuel you use

How many sources of ignition do you keep in your boot that might cause a petrol machine to go up in flames? I would suggest probably none, and these things don't just spontaneously combust, you'd have to take the fuel cap off and shove a match in there to make it catch fire. You can't just go around stealing other people's wood anyway, the fallen trees belong to the landowner so you need their permission, and in all likelihood if you go and ask them they'll tell you to p!ss off

 

[Lusi83]

I'll look more at petrol - it just always seems more hard work than plugging something in...but maybe not ...in that case might be better getting two separate tools. (Downside of my plan is if the battery fails I can't operate two tools - same true for a single petrol motor)
Battery & charger was on Amazon - it probably is the 2Ah one - (smaller -but then won't that be lighter to handle?) Like I said only want it for the tops of hedges- I have a decent corded trimmer for the sides...
Petrol in boot - I know is a bit irrational - I have a petrol can in my boot so if I run out I have something to go and get petrol with ... my dad can't understand why I don't keep some petrol in there - but I just can't!
I'm not stealing wood! What I mean is eg after the last storm I saw three houses that had small trees/big branches down in their gardens. I'm sure if I knocked on the door offering to clear it away for them they probably would have been grateful! (Unless they have wood burners/fires themselves) Which is what I would have done if I had something to chop it up to fit in my trailer with! A bit like the people who were clearing their garden...
I made a woodstore out of pallets taken from skips - I didn't just take them - I asked the owners and no-one said no!