Cordless Chainsaw Suggestions

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  • jsx1043

    Master
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    Apr 9, 2008
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    Napghanistan
    Howdy all! I’m looking to purchase a cordless (battery powered) chainsaw. (And yes, I’m aware that gas powered chainsaws are in fact “cordless,” but the nomenclature dictates otherwise.)

    I’m not dropping whole trees, just chopping fallen branches and taking down saplings. I’ve been looking at 12”-14” blades, and anywhere between 20v-60v batteries. (I’ve been waiting on Menards to release a Masterforce saw since I have their 20v cordless tools - then they did and it has a proprietary 80v battery and charger.)

    Anybody have any suggestions and firsthand experiences?
     

    Butch627

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    Since I already have Milwaukee M18 I went with their saw. It does fine but I wish it was built like a trim saw.
     

    Restroyer

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    May 13, 2015
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    I have 3 of these Black & Decker chainsaws. I recommend having a few extra batteries for each chainsaw. But since my weed eaters, drill, pole saw and hedge trimmers take the same batteries I happen to have a lot of extra batteries. I have cut some really large trees with these up in our woods. My sons and I use them to clear our hiking and hunting trails or to cut down fallen trees that need to get removed around our shooting ranges. Not as fast as my gas powered Stihl but very lightweight for hiking or using on Trails or Camp Sites.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OC9WSDC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
     

    Okimar

    Plinker
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    May 9, 2020
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    Tampa
    Great point. It doesn't matter what brand or voltage. YOU WILL NEED PLENTY OF BATTERIES UNLESS YOU HAVE MANY DAYS TO DO ANYTHING WITH A CORDLESS CHAINSAW. :)
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
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    Nov 20, 2011
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    I love my RYOBI.
    40 v.

    The battery pack can be used on a small leaf blower, weed whip, hedge trimmer, chain saw, and maybe something else.
    So, every time I bought a tool, I got another battery.
    I've run a battery down. By the time the 2nd battery is run down, the 1st battery is charged. If not, I have a couple more batteries sitting there.

    One word of warning though.
    If you leave the batteries on a shelf for a LONG time, they can show up as "damaged" when you put them in the charger.
    It's because the battery voltage has drifted down to where the charger thinks the battery is damaged.
    If this happens, there are ways to bring the voltage up enough for the charger to work.
    Also, you can rotate the batteries onto the charger every once in a while.
     

    actaeon277

    Grandmaster
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    Also, remember to check the lubricating oil. I loaned mine out to someone that didn't.
    I had to replace the draw bar and the chain.
     

    jsx1043

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    Thanks for all the suggestions.

    Over the course of time, I’ve built up my cordless tool fleet with Menards Masterforce 20v items: impact, drill, reciprocating saw, sander, leaf blower and gas trimmer. I’ve been waiting patiently for them to add a small chainsaw to the line so that I can continue to use the batteries.

    Lo and behold, they released a battery powered chainsaw! However it’s a full size saw, 18” blade with an 80v battery. Not that I couldn’t use a full size saw, but I’m only cleaning up fence lines with saplings and chopping smaller fallen branches LOL.

    I’ve thought about getting the 20v DeWalt saw since batteries are such a necessity with cordless units, and 20v DeWalt batteries can be had fairly inexpensively. It would also give me the ability to replace my tool fleet with DeWalt if I decided to (and as time and money permitted.)

    I’ve been pretty pleased with my Masterforce tools; I don’t make a living with them but they've certainly built numerous dog kennels, decks, chicken coops and goat pens without issue, so I don’t necessarily feel like I need to replace them.

    Maybe I follow IndyJohn’s advice and go big or go home LOL
     

    Fargo

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    Mar 11, 2009
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    In a state of acute Pork-i-docis
    Since I already have Milwaukee M18 I went with their saw. It does fine but I wish it was built like a trim saw.

    I was already invested in the M18’s to, but made the debatable decision to get into the Dewalt simply because the Milwaukee saw was way bigger than what I wanted. The Dewalt is almost a top handle saw and I was wanting something I could one hand up in the tree.

    I’ve since picked up a Dewalt string trimmer and leaf blower so I have a couple of batteries now. The saw will run for quite a while on a five amp hour battery.
     

    Butch627

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    Milwaukees use standard bars and chains. I bought a shorter bar and matching chain and it makes it a lot handier . I think that bars as short as 8 inches are readily available. I scoffed at a battery chain saw at first owning 4 gas and a corded but the battery gets far and away the most use.
     

    Fargo

    Grandmaster
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    Mar 11, 2009
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    In a state of acute Pork-i-docis
    Milwaukees use standard bars and chains. I bought a shorter bar and matching chain and it makes it a lot handier . I think that bars as short as 8 inches are readily available. I scoffed at a battery chain saw at first owning 4 gas and a corded but the battery gets far and away the most use.

    That is good to know, for some reason I was thinking it used a proprietary chain and bar. I probably would’ve looked at the Milwaukee much harder had I known that.
     

    Sigblitz

    Grandmaster
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    Aug 25, 2018
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    I'm happy with my little Black and Decker. I was hanging over the ladder yesterday clearing the fence. Light and easy to use with one hand. I had to cut stuff out of the way to get up to the power pole and disconnect the old tv cable going over my yard.
     

    Thor

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    Could be anywhere
    I picked up a Husqvarna pole saw 115iPT4 last year it is everything I wanted...and not made by the ChiComs. If you find one make sure you order the kit (which I did) if you want the battery and charger included. I ordered it online at saffordequipment.com as they were almost impossible to find locally.
     

    Nathanaf8388

    Plinker
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    May 5, 2020
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    Montezuma
    Since you have the master force stuff already you ever think about just getting good blades for a saws all? That will cut up a lot and does lots when it comes to limbing and you’ll be able to get new blades at any hardware store.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
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    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    Since you have the master force stuff already you ever think about just getting good blades for a saws all? That will cut up a lot and does lots when it comes to limbing and you’ll be able to get new blades at any hardware store.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    I use my Dewalt recip saw for a few things, but they are nowhere near as capable or efficient on battery as the cordless chainsaws. What the cordless recip saws with cheap blades are useful for is when what I am cutting through will eat a chainsaw chain. I use them a lot for cutting stump roots or the like. It's great to be able to plunge the blade into the dirt and cut around a small tree or the like, and when I am taking out a larger stump and am digging out underneath I use the recip saw to cut root sections to get to dig other areas.
     

    jsx1043

    Master
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    Apr 9, 2008
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    Napghanistan
    Since you have the master force stuff already you ever think about just getting good blades for a saws all? That will cut up a lot and does lots when it comes to limbing and you’ll be able to get new blades at any hardware store.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    It’s funny you mention that... that’s what got this whole ball rolling in the first place. Since I’m not really doing “arborist” work and just clearing saplings and small fallen limbs, I figured the sawzall would be ideal. Shibumi absolutely hit the nail on the head with the battery comment. I could only do a few saplings on one battery and they were DIFFICULT to cut. I mean, seriously, “is this wet bamboo?” tough. I had to push inordinately hard to get the saw through a 1.5” sapling. I attributed it to most likely poor motor construction from the Chinese product. It was almost like the reciprocating arm could not move fast enough to work effectively with the blade. And the blade shouldn’t have been the problem, I was using Lenox wood blades.
     
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