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| This battery pruning saw is incredible |
Until a couple of years ago, I had only personally owned one chainsaw -- the Husqvarna 61. It was recommended to me by a saw dealer in Thunder Bay and I have used it to cut something like 400 cords of wood over the past 40 years. It has been very durable although I have needed to have the carburetor rebuilt probably four times. My saw mechanic informed me the last time that the saw has been obsolete for about two decades and he has been using "part saws" to do the job. Unfortunately, he has now run out of those as well.
Then, last year, I experienced Christmas in July. I was about to dump our recycling items at Red Lake's transfer station when to my astonishment, there was a Husqvarna 61 in the bin. I snapped it up. So I might be able to cannibalize it for parts for a few more years.
Meanwhile, I had bought a tiny one-hand battery-electric pruning saw made by Stihl, pictured to the right. Although it is intended for cutting branches only a few inches or less in diameter, I am astounded at what else I have done with it. Since it only weighs a few pounds I routinely carry it when out for walks on my trail network here in Nolalu and have cut many windfall trees that have blocked the paths. Sometimes it takes cutting from both sides of the fallen trunk since the bar is only six inches.
It is wonderful for cutting alders, willows and small trees that pop up on the survey lines around our property. It has a lithium battery that slides into the handle and this probably lasts for an hour of solid cutting. That means I can clear about a quarter mile of bushed-in trail before needing to recharge.
Now that I am 71 I appreciate not lugging around a heavy saw. My Husqvarna 61 weighs something like 13 pounds. That gets to be a drag when I'm a half-mile from the house. This has got me looking at battery-electric chainsaws. There are some professional arborist saws now that cut as fast as gasoline-powered saws but they are pricey and they actually weigh about the same as my Husky.
My little six-inch saw has shown me I probably don't need a 16-inch or 20-inch bar saw any more. There are some 12-inch battery saws now that weigh about eight pounds, including the battery. From what I have seen, Husqvarna and Stihl might be the fastest rpm battery saws but they are on the high end of price. Tool brands like Ryobi, Dewalt, Milwaukee and yard machine companies like Greenworks and others also have chainsaws. These sell for about $350 which is nearer my price range. All of these are quiet which is another plus.
I am not quite in the market for a saw yet, but when the time comes I am certain to get an electric model.
We already have a battery-electric lawnmower at the cabin. It is a self-propelled model and has oodles of power for climbing hills while mowing.
2 comments:
You did mention that battery powered Chainsaws are quieter and lighter to carry but don't forget also there is a lot less vibration with the electric vs. the gas. Plus you don't have to buy the gas and oil mixture and carry that can with you out into the woods. Besides who needs to cut much more than an hour anyway. You still have more work to pick it up, transport, split and stack. I always figured an hour of cutting is another 2 plus of transporting, splitting and stacking. More than 3 hours and my back starts complaining. If you have help with the above, a second battery really helps.
Mike
Exactly. When clearing trails, my one hour of cutting time usually translates into several hours of work. When not running the saw I am dragging cut trees off the trail, etc.
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