If you live in a rural area with self - sufficient neighbors around you , chances are you ’ll often hear the yammer drone of chainsaws in the distance , felling tree diagram and processing the timber into firewood . Perhaps you ’re interested in purchase a chain saw and harvesting your own firewood as well . But chainsaws can do even more than that around your farm .
As an almost universal homesteading tool , chainsaws can help with pruning , take down undesirable trees , help with storm cleanup and even find habit in construction projects or farm fencing . ( How else should you abbreviate a 6 - by-6 post when you ’re out in the far reaches of your property ? )
chain saw can do all of this in addition to maintaining that all - important woodpile for the parky winter even to come .
If you ’re interested in get onboard for all of the chainsaw sport , you ’ll need to do a bit of research to determine the precise eccentric of proverb you need for your tasks . We ’ll take a look at the two major classes of chainsaws ( gasoline and electric ) , as well as some other important factors when it comes to shopping for the chainsaw that will be the workhorse of your belongings for years to come .
Gas-Powered Chainsaws
This is the traditional eccentric of motorcar that everyone thinks of when they discover “ chainsaw , ” and there is a mess to be tell about them .
gas - powered chainsaws are stiff auto , up to of revving up quickly and putting out a lot of power in a precipitation . This is partly because two - stroke engines , which — pound for Sudanese pound — deliver more power in a lighter software package than four - cerebrovascular accident engines , push back them .
Two - stroke engines are n’t as fuel - effective as their larger four - stroke first cousin . But it ’s a necessary trade - off to keep the chain saw at a manageable weight .
Daniel Johnson
petrol chainsaws are a essential for professional lumberman and landscaper . And they ’re important for any squatter who possess a woodlot or processes their own firewood .
The reason is that gasoline chainsaws can truly last as long as you may — even all day if demand . As long as you have fuel on manus to keep fill the tank , your saw wo n’t let you down .
You ’ll be able-bodied to obtain a gasoline chain saw in just the correct size of it and engine power you need for the job .
Daniel Johnson
Read more : Check out this video with extra confidential information for take a chainsaw .
All thing being adequate , your gasoline chainsaw needs more sustenance than an electric chainsaw . It ’s nothing that a confident DIYer ca n’t cover . But you do require to know how to mix a proper fuel / crude oil ratio for the two - stroke locomotive engine , alter the occasional electric discharge plug , and clean the fuel and zephyr filters .
Electric chainsaw care is limited to things such as managing string tautness and acuteness .
Daniel Johnson
No interrogation , gas - powered chainsaws make a mountain of noise , and you ’ll need proper ear protection rated to the dB that your machine lay out .
A serious gasoline chain saw with the power and distance to tackle big projects is a toilsome political machine that can be fatiguing to employ after a while .
Initially , the price of a gasoline chainsaw is higher than some galvanising variation .
Electric Chainsaws
Electric chainsaws are another viable pick . While some of these model are tether with a power electric cord , the advent of strong and long - lasting Li - ion batteries have made cordless electric chainsaws a possibility as well .
electrical chainsaws have some very good confident benefits , and few downsides as well .
galvanizing chain saw do n’t emit exhaust , so they ’re a flake more environmentally well-disposed ( at least locally ) than two - stroke gas chain saw . You wo n’t see or smell chainsaw exhaust in your immediate vicinity while using an electric version .
While it ’s not particularly difficult to embark on a properly - hold gas chainsaw , galvanic chainsaws are well-heeled to start . There is no cord pulling , no primer bubble nor a choke throw . Just attach a battery ( or cord ) , and flick the permutation .
A heavy - duty gasoline chainsaw is also labored to reserve and utilize . Electric chainsaw are generally small and lighter , good for beginner or for long periods of well-fixed work .
Speaking of easy work , galvanising chainsaws are neat for pruning , trimming , issue minor log and doing light construction jobs .
Well , perhaps quiet is too strong a intelligence . “ Quieter ” might be more appropriate . But electric chainsaws emphatically make less noise than gasoline modeling . Daniel Johnson
Lithium - ion batteries are n’t cheap , so you in all likelihood wo n’t have more than a couple on hand . And when the batteries are exhausted and you do n’t have another one to swap out , you may ascertain yourself waiting on load times before you could complete the job .
cord versions can rule out this , but then you have trammel mobility .
You ’re probably not belong to be hike up to the woodlot and fell large tree with an electric chainsaw . And you wo n’t be processing a wintertime ’s worth of firewood or doing heavy construction work with an electric . There just is n’t the horsepower for those types of jobs .
take more : Do you need an electric chainsaw ? Yes — and here are 6 reasons why .
Choosing a Chainsaw
Even after you ’ve adjudicate on the type of chain saw , you still have some shopping decision to make .
The bar is the part of the chain saw that the chain rotate around . Its length dictates ( to some extent ) what jobs the chainsaw can do .
For major tasks involving felling trees and cutting through big log , search for a bar length about 16 in or longer . Professional chain saw may reach well past 20inches in distance .
For a smaller , more general - use chainsaw that can still handle the occasional tree or log , perhaps something around 12 to 14 inches will get the occupation done for you . Anything brusk than that invest you firmly in the pruning / bush category , and you might seriously reckon at an galvanic chain saw in that length .
Your chainsaw ’s bar should be at least 2 inches longer than the width of your log or Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . So to safely manage a 10 - inch logarithm , it would necessitate at least a 12 - in chainsaw . The chainsaw ’s power rating and legal profession distance tend to go deal in mitt .
The mightiness of a gasoline chainsaw is often measure by a “ cc ” valuation , which stands for “ cubic centimeters ” and refers to the volume of space the piston displaces . Generally , the high the mil rating , the more power the locomotive engine has .
For light - duty chainsaws , about 32 cc is adequate . For the middling nester , a 45 - to 55 - cubic centimeter railway locomotive may be tolerable . Pro models may have engines as high as 65 cc .
For electric chainsaw , volt and ampere are crucial factors for comparability and work in bicycle-built-for-two to see the saw ’s capacity . As with a cc military rank , “ more is adept ” surely use here .
Another primal shopping point for electric chain saw is the amp minute paygrade of the battery . This key mensuration settle the capacity of the stamp battery and how long it can run between charges .
And if you’re able to yield an galvanic chain saw with a brushless motor , go for it ! The brushless motor may serve tighten clash and give your byword an extra edge .
In the conclusion , the eccentric of chain saw you select will primarily depend on the type of work you designate to do with it . In fact , there ’s a undecomposed chance you ’ll need more than one ! For lesson , a working apparatus might include :
Understanding how the saw works is key , as is the knowledge of how tree diagram and log oppose under different circumstances — a branch under tension , a leaning Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a log laying over a hump or across a depression . You ca n’t be too careful , and you ’ll enjoy old age of fat and dependable work on your homestead with your fresh chainsaw .
More Information
Besides sustenance for the engine or shelling , all chain saw need some general care to keep their actual chains swerve like raw . You ’ll want to check the Sir Ernst Boris Chain ’s tension frequently , and sharpen or replace the chain when it becomes too dull .
If you do n’t , the machine ’s performance will begin to suffer .
attempt not to saw into the soil , as this can rapidly numb the blades ! You ’ll also necessitate to keep the chain lubricate ( this oil is in a separate substitute from the fuel ) . For pruning purposes , you might try a vegetable oil - base chain lubricant that is healthy for living tree .
Standing 8 feet high on a ladder while attempt to balance a chain saw — and yourself — is a very bad idea . Instead , prefer for a pole chainsaw for tough - to - reach branch . Daniel Johnson
Pole chainsaw are also usable in electric or gasoline models , and typically feature a jolly myopic saloon ( often less than a foot long ) . They generally do n’t have the index of a standard chainsaw , but they can get through arm for promiscuous and dependable passementerie .
Keep both pes on the ground and let the terminal take in do the heights !
This article originally appear in the September / October 2021 outcome ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
