electric chainsaw?

[Kevin]

I bought a smoker back in April. It's almost done, maybe as soon as next week. It's a wood fired offset smoker. I'll post some pictures when I get it.

But after I bought it, I realized, I don't have any firewood. So I bought a pickup load of 1/2 Pecan, and 1/2 Oak. Then I realized the firewood is too big to fit in the smoker.

So I bought a chainsaw.

Never have I ever: Used a chainsaw. It's got a 40v battery and I wore out before the battery did. BUT! I did give it a good run for it's money. I was just outside, it's not so hot right today, I was cutting the truckload of firewood quarters in half lengthwise. I suppose on hardwood like that, the chain will get dull a whole lot faster.

But chainsaws are pretty fun. I realized the electric is the way to go. Thumb safety and trigger and it's running. Easy to stop between cuts, no fumes, no gas/oil to mix. Fairly quiet too. It's just a small 12 inch bar. For the firewood, it's plenty big enough and I didn't want anything too heavy.

Lots of work for a hamburger.

 

[RoninPA]

You really should be using a splitter to do that type of wood cutting. The chainsaw can be used but is really for going horizontal across the wood, not vertical, takes too much time, wastes the chain and battery. You can buy splitters that are very safe and easy to use. You hammer the wood into the blade with a sledge hammer so you can make just about any size pieces you want.

(https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/kindling-cracker-king-firewood-kindling-splitter-xl-size?a=2193009&szc=000&clrc=000&pm2d=CSE-SPG-15-PLA&utm_medium=PLA&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=CI&gclid=Cj0KCQjwupD4BRD4ARIsABJMmZ80gRg4syTp7YRg4_7vaVmGUnpfwLvXI8JdAnemXB7yHBaioH57iooaAgkJEALw_wcB)

I cut and split a lot of wood for the wood burner we use in the winter, I have 5 chainsaws and a 27 ton gas powered splitter. 3 of the gas chainsaws have bars of 12", 14", 18". 1 is an electric (power cord) 14" for GP stuff around the house and 1 is a new 12" DeWalt 20v battery model (I really like it and it is a real workhorse). The gas 12" is 24 years old (Homelite) and it needs some work done to it that's why I got the DeWalt. I use the 12" models for limbing the trees I fell. Once the trees are cut into billets of 16"-18" they will dry for a year before I split them. The splitter makes it so much easier. Then I take some pieces and split them again into kindling using different axes and an Eastwing Splitting Tool (https://www.estwing.com/products/fireside-friend-splitting-tool)

I have even cut 3-4" thick billets from oak, cherry and walnut that I have dried and stored to eventually make 3 legged stools and even serving trays and plates.

However, any way you do it, you'll soon learn the advantages of having a chainsaw handy.

 

[tinman]

Neighbor has a 12-14 inch corded electric saw. It works pretty well for him around the house.....but he calls me when he needs some serious cutting done. 8)

 

[Kevin]

My bad, I said lengthwise, but meant across. The firewood is 20 to 24 inches long. I need 10 to 12 inch long pieces to fit in the firebox of the smoker. Sorry for the confusion.

I've seen the splitters, but the pieces of wood are already split fairly small already.

And yes, this lightweight electric chainsaw doesn't have the guts to tackle a big project.

 

[Dave P.]

Do not touch the ground with it, it will dull the chain right now!
If the wood is clean it'll stay sharp quite a while. Don't wait till
it's making sawdust instead of chips to sharpen it.
10 minutes with the proper sized file will keep it touched up.
Oh....one more thing don't cut yourself with it, chainsaws make
real nasty cuts....basically a mini trencher!
Dave

 

[Bob Wright]

Maybe twenty, twenty-five years ago I bought a 14" corded Craftsman chainsaw. This after a nasty ice storm that left us with plenty of downed wood. Been using it for various cutting jobs ever since. Of course, when the power is out................

But a friend of mine was so taken with mine that he bought a similar one to use on his urban farm. This after cussing many gas powered ones when they got cantankerous about starting. Long extension cord required? Nope. Bought a portable generator to tow behind his pick-up, so even with or without electric power, he's good to go.


Bob Wright

 

[vito]

I rarely have need of a chainsaw but when I need one, nothing much else will do. I bought an electric one (Worx, 16 inch) for under $100 and as long as I remember to top off the chain oil it works like a charm. I've used it to trim tree limbs and even cut down some smaller trees around my home. Anything really big, like the two dead pine trees with trunks of about 18-20 inch diameters that need to come down, will have me call professional tree cutters (plus they can grind the stump, something I don't have the tools to do.) Well worth the cost for the occasional job I need to do.

 

[Jeepnik]

I needed to replace an ancient 120 V saw of questionable origin. Since I have used nothing but a Stihl gas saw since my McCullogh was stolen from our rental I decided to stick with the brand. I picked up and MSE 210. It's about middle of the road size for Stihl electric saws. But I swear if it had a longer bar it would take down the largest tree I'm ever likely to fall.

One thing I have learned about chain saws, this will sound familiar, use enough saw. A smaller saw may do the job, but you'll over work the saw and it's less safe.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for all the tips!

A smaller saw may do the job, but you'll over work the saw and it's less safe.

I can already see this. A longer chainsaw would have more teeth on the bar to do the cutting and thus would stay sharper longer.

I do have a stump to cut on, but I can see I need a jig to hold the logs in place. I can make one with some 2x4's or something easy enough.

 

[coach]

And get the proper files and learn how to sharpen the blade. It's works better if you keep up on it rather than waiting until it's dull. Plenty of information on how to do it floating around. One hint, wear leather gloves when you do it.

 

[Mobuck]

I like my saws to cackle and turn heads when they light up. Usually 4 months of the year I haul a 40CC chainsaw in the UTV. The rest of the year I take it out between needs. I've considered one of the battery powered saws but just can't see it doing the job 90% of the time. For the use described probably a good option.

 

[Achigan]

Kevin, one thing to keep in mind is the bar oil left on the wood. Most will end up in the saw dust, but what is on the wood may be unpleasant to taste.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

I bought a Craftsman 14" corded electric saw, and it may have a place in the Guinness book, because that was in the late '80s. It's been fine for "around the house" jobs and has cut a lot of wood. It's getting pretty rickety, but still works.

For the wedge and sledge work, I bought one of these when I couldn't find any wedges--probably the victims of gremlins. So far, it's only gotten a little use, but I'm impressed with what it's done to date.

https://www.estwing.com/collections/axes-outdoor/products/sure-split-wedge

Rick C

 

[bobski]

rick....my craftsman like yours, is still cutting away!

 

[blume357]

How much wood are you putting in the box? We need a picture of the smoker.... I'm thinking it would not take much wood to work and even though I have no experience with a smoker I think you put a small amount of the the wood in that has been soaked in water and let it smolder on hot colds for a long time...... Pecan is harder even than oak if I remember right....

As for splitting the wood once you've cut it down to 12" lengths.... simple way is with a good Axe and the wood on a stump.

 

[kramden]

I have a place in Florida that has afew palm trees. Palm trees I swear are partially made out of steel. They are one tough tree. Every so often I have to trim some branches off of them. Bought a manual pole saw, just about wore myself out using it and it took forever to cut thru a branch. Went to Harbor Freight and bought a corded electric chain saw. Thing works great. First electric saw I 've ever had.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

If my input counts.....
If you do need to rip, you will want a ripping chain. Sometimes called a "skip tooth" chain. They will cut lengthwise down a log easily... A regular chain.. not so much....
As for taste, of the oil. I know more than a few people who use either gas or battery operated saws to quarter up their moose etc.. They simply use vegetable oil instead of bar oil.... Avoid olive oil as it hardens in cold weather...
I heat entirely with wood and do most of my cooking in the wood stove as well. I use a chainsaw nearly every day. And a lot of day's I use them all day....
For the amount of wood you would need, and the lengths you are splitting a good axe is enough. I prefer axes made by Fiskars... They are the best I have ever used, and will slice right through a round with almost no effort.. (compared to the typical hardware store axe...)...
Stihl makes fine axes as well, but I prefer Fiskars....
Just my 2 cents... but I cut a lot of wood...

reuben "the rained out today....."

 

[lineman61]

I work for a local coop power company,they just supplied us with new Milwaukee battery powered chain saws.They have changed my mind on electric chain saws they've been great so far.
Seem to have more torque than a gas saw