anyone have an electric chainsaw, i was thinking of getting one that i could use around the house and when i go camping at the state park, i dont know if it would work with a 1500 watt power inverter to use in the woods but i am not planning on it. i dont want to have ot haul gasoline around in my camper to use a chainsaw and i wont use it much, so i figure an electric one would be good because i wont have to worry about trying to start it, just plug it in and hit the switch, any opinions?

 

They are no bargain at the price of free IMHO not even for the ocassion user

You can get a great lower end 18" saw for under $125 all day a littlwe gas and oil plus a jug of bar oil and your all set for atleast 5 trouble free years with little maintenence

 

my suggestion; if you just plan on using the chainsaw to cut up enough sticks for a campfire when you go camping, get a REAL chainsaw. you dont NEED to carry extra gas and oil just for that little amount of cutting. one of my saws is an Echo cs300 which runs for a LONG time between fill ups, even when im up in the tree i can take down a whole tree without filling up. ( well, depending on how huge the tree is )

it costs @ 200 bucks, they last forever. a guy i know had dropped his out of the tree 4 or 5 times. i did it once lol... everytime we picked it up, and started it without any problems.

so get the saw. before you go up north, fill it. i guarrenty if youre just using it for a weekend / campfire, you wont need to bring extra gas

 

i have one and it works great as long as the tree limbs arnt to big and the blade is always charp, but they are very handy around the house. beets trying to get a 40 pound gas chain saw running to cut a twig off a tree.

 

If you keep your chain sharpened all the time, I would think it would perform fine. It sounds like you know that it would have limitations, but for limited use, I'm sure it would work for you.

 

We use them around the mill,inside the building where there is poor ventilation.they start every time.they willcut pretty good.you just cant force them.bought one on sale last year$60.we get about 1 year out of them,but that is extreme use.cutting campfire wood you would get years out of one.no exaust in your face either.

 

I have two made by Skil. They are awsome, can cut through anything a gas one can. But everybody is right they are very expensive, and will only work in the yard unless you have a generator but that kind of defeats the purpose. Although the mantinance and gas costs make up for the inital over time (gas is $0 and the only matinance is sharpening and chaincase oil) but you would have to cut alot of trees (which I do) the justify them. Oh yah mine is an industrial one you have to get them through a wholesaler. The industrial ones would kick most gas ones &(*s. I would not even consider a retail home version, may as well get the electric turkey carver out!

JJ

 

Never heard of one, and I would never buy one, EVER

 

If you have never heard of one how do you know you would never buy one?

JJ

 

I don't like electric tools of that nature
If you want to cut a twig off of a tree,
they make manual tools for that.
And if you have to take a generator, that defeats the purpose I think

 

You don't have to take a generator. I use mine strictly at home for cutting logs for a wood stove. I get whole trees and limb them out in the bush with the gas saw then bring the lengths back to the yard and cut them as I keed them. And if you think they are week and only good for twigs. I cut up my collection of old telephone poles (don't ask) and that electric saw cut through them like butter. Like I said this is an industrial model not the cheep version you find at the store. I would never buy one of those that would be worth less. The one I got would cost $1000 retail (got it for way less, I know the wholesaler).

JJ

 

What Andy said! With saws I'm just a rookie, but I can't imagine a plug-in would perform like one of these

 

I wasnt saying they were weak, Im saying if your buying it just for that reason, then id save a whole lot of money and buy a manual twig/branch cutter
As for my use, I dont use a chainsaw at home, I use it in the woods
So that'd involve a generator.

 

how much horsepower is in a cheap gas powered saw, compared to a 3.5 hp electric at the home center for $80. plus i live in a subdivision that i dont want to be disturbing the nieghbors

 

I have a 3.5 hp 16" Craftsman electric chainsaw and it works great. You've got to remember that electric motors are torque monsters -- they develop full torque even at low RPMs. It's not quiet, though -- right up there with a circular saw. I use mine in the backyard, but not after the neighbors have gone to bed.