Electric chain saw recommendations?

[frank81]

An electric chainsaw is lighter, quieter and can be used indoors.

And cheaper and less maintenance. It has a limited audience, but if it meets your needs then why not save the cash? I don't think its intented to be running a 200' extension into the woods to fell trees for firewood.

[Ed in Tampa]

When I was using a chain saw nearly every week and for sure every month I had a gas chain saw, it worked and was very nice.

However I moved and here I don't use a chain saw but once a year if at that. Most gas chain saws will not tolerate that lack of usage and become almost impossible to start. Work on it for a day and then make a couple dozen cuts and put it away.

I got the electric just to trim limbs and handle anything my recipocating saw would not. Then I had a huge camphor tree than had to come down. The trunk was larger than 28" and the circumference was somewhere around 6 feet. I had a choice go rent a chain saw to hit it with my electric.

I figures I would start at the top and cut it down to haul the recycle center piece and if it got too much for my saw or I burn the saw up I would rent a gas one.

It cut the whole tree like a gas saw. I hauled over 3 tons of tree to the recycle center and my neighbor took a dozen or so pieces 12 ft long and 8-12 inches in diameter. The saw never faltered or even made me work. It simply cut through the tree just like a gas saw would. I will admit the last cut at the ground line was challenging. The saw completely buried into the wood on two sides of the trunk would not fully cut the trunk. Coming in from the other two sides I had the tendency to guide the saw high or low and miss the sister cut from the other side.

My neighbor watched me and was so impressed with the saw he bought one only bigger. I took one look at what he bought and told him he would be returning it after it burned up. I was right he burned it up cutting up the logs he had gotten from me.

What was the difference between our saws? Mine was under 10 Amps and his was over 12. I used 10 guage extension and he used a 12 or 14.

To this day he swears electric chains saw are useless, and I keep on loving mine.

[heathicus]

What about this one?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Poulan-14-Ele ... w/13339653

It's 8-amp. Can typical 12 or 14 gauge extension cord be used? At 1.5 HP, is it big and strong enough to be useable?


This one is 9-amp.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Greenworks-9. ... n/19582358

I'm not an electramagician, but I do understand that the higher the amp draw the heavier extension cord should be used. And I know that length plays a big part. But, say I wanted to use my 100-ft 12 gauge extension cord. What amp rating for an electric chainsaw would I need to stay under to be OK?

[Ed in Tampa]

What about this one?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Poulan-14-Ele ... w/13339653

It's 8-amp. Can typical 12 or 14 gauge extension cord be used? At 1.5 HP, is it big and strong enough to be useable?


This one is 9-amp.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Greenworks-9. ... n/19582358

I'm not an electramagician, but I do understand that the higher the amp draw the heavier extension cord should be used. And I know that length plays a big part. But, say I wanted to use my 100-ft 12 gauge extension cord. What amp rating for an electric chainsaw would I need to stay under to be OK?

It has been my experience that if you want the Electric chain saw to last, you need to stay at 10 amps or under and use a heavy 12 gauge extension cord for under 50 feet and 10 gauge for 50-100 feet.
I'm talking twist stranded wire extension cords. Solid core conductor wire could be smaller.

I know most electricians will say that is not needed but many of them won't use electric saws because they burned one up sometime in their life.

You want to keep the saw as cool as you can and resistance increases the the amperage and amperage increases the heat.

[beeg]

These will help to confuse ya Heath.
http://www.machinetoolhelp.com/misc/too ... ngths.html

http://www.generalcable.com/NR/rdonlyre ... _Gauge.pdf

https://www.google.com/search?q=extensi ... 24&bih=600

[chuckoliver]

Home Depot no longer has the Worx brand. It is out of stock in my local store and on the internet. Any other recommendations for 16" or larger saws from satisfied users?

[Ed in Tampa]

Home Depot no longer has the Worx brand. It is out of stock in my local store and on the internet. Any other recommendations for 16" or larger saws from satisfied users?

Are you sure you need a 16"? Bigger is not always better.
I have a 14" Remington that I know will cut a 28" diameter tree.

Remember that there is no clutch and you have full torque the minute you squeeze the trigger. With a sharp blade an electric saw goes through wood like wild beast.

Beleive me I have and used many gas powered chain saws and this $49 dollar saw impressed the heck out of me.

[chuckoliver]

Lo and behold, I found the 16" Worx at Lowes for $99. I bought it and opted for the 3 year unconditional warranty for an additional $11. I have yet to get it out the box, but I'll try it out tomorrow. (I also bought a 25 ft, 12 gauge cord.) That should do, because I only plan to use it in or near my shop.