Electric chainsaws

Submitted: Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 11:17
ThreadID: 21877 Views:12538 Replies:10 FollowUps:12
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Just got the Bunnings catalogue, and it has a number of electric chainsaws.
Ryobi 356 mm 1800w $143.50
McCulloch 350 mm 1500w $149 (same one $129 at WA Salvage)
GMC 400 mm 1800w $99
GMC 355 mm 1780w $99
Catalogue doesn't give weights. We want light weight, and it will only be for emergency/occasional use, but of course want reliability.
Will the Honda 20i genny be adequate?
Feedback of any experience with them welcomed.
We don't need any more toys - but handsawing branches off the road is no fun when their is an easier alternative.
Thanks guys, Motherhen
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 11:25

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 11:25
Had one, it lasted 1 tree and burnt out...
took it back, the dude said that it was common.

I bought a petrol one, never looked back.
theres a reason that they are $100.00
AnswerID: 105714

Follow Up By: motherhen - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 13:16

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 13:16
Hi Truckster - What brand did you get? We ordered the Mac from WA Salvage before we got the Bunnings catalogue, but thought Ryobi might be OK if not too heavy - we've found their power tools very good.
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Follow Up By: motherhen - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 17:04

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 17:04
Ouch - and we expect Ryobi to be good!
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Reply By: Boo - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 12:20

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 12:20
Have used a small electric around the yard several times.. their great for small prunning etc , but wouldn't bother taking one bush, your too limited as for the distance you can use it from the vehicle etc unless you have a hell of a long extension lead. Another problem being the size of the genny your running, dont know what size of your Honda but it will need to be at least an 1800watt generator to run the chainsaw effectivly. Personaly I bought a cheap small petrol chainsaw which I use when going bush, its great for collecting firewood and clearing trees etc from the track. I only bought a cheap one for just under $200 as I dont have much use for it, if you have a reasonable amount of use I'd suggest a small Stihl or something similar (a bit pricy though for the accational use but great little saws, I had a 12" stihl untill some @#$#@mungral pintched it off the back of my truck).
AnswerID: 105722

Follow Up By: motherhen - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 13:12

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 13:12
We need an electric as we will be carrying it in the caravan storage under the bed, and don't want smell of petrol, oil etc. Just to trim small stuff to avoid damaging caravan. I also got a small cheap hand pruning saw.
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Follow Up By: Boo - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 14:12

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 14:12
Fair enough reason... just make sure that the genny has enough watts to run it. Could be an expensive paperweight otherwise. Have you concidered putting a small tool box across the drawbar... just a thought.

Good camping...
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Follow Up By: motherhen - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 16:09

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 16:09
Yes Boo - the genny is mounted on a slide, in a well locked chequerplate aluminium (cost a mint) box of the draw bar, with a separate section for the fuel cans. That way we can open up, slide it out, and run it there. I think the Honda 20i should run 1800w - but am seeking anyone's personal experience. It is a good genny because it is the one everyone uses for caravan air conditioners - even if specifications say they require larger.
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 12:46

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 12:46
it was a Ryobi...
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Reply By: Bros - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 14:26

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 14:26
motherhen,
One of our party to Bathurst Bay two years ago had one. We used a petrol one for gathering firewood. On our way out there was a large tree across the road and the bloke with the electric chain saw was leading. He cranked up the 2 or 2.5 KVA genny in his boat and cleared it away no problem at all with the electric. (GMC)
Fairly large tree. The 20i should be enough.
Cheers,
Bros.
Work is the curse of the down and out bludger.

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AnswerID: 105732

Follow Up By: motherhen - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 16:10

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 16:10
Thanks Bros. Motherhen
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Reply By: Member - Ed. C.- Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 19:53

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 19:53
G'day motherhen,
You want reliability?? How's this...
Approx. 27yrs ago I bought a Hitachi elect. chainsaw w/- 12in. (300mm) bar... originally purchased to prune a rather overgrown "hedge" where I was living at the time...
Well, that thing has performed w-a-y over & above the call of duty, cutting things for which it was never intended (like fence posts, e.g.)... As long as the chain is kept sharp, it'll cut dry hardwood to the full length of the bar...
I still have it, I've lost count of the no. chains & cutterbars I've worn out, & it "keeps on keeping on", though I don't use it much anymore, as I have a couple of Stihl (petrol) saws for my "serious" wood-getting...

I'm a big fan of Hitachi power tools generally, and being something of a "tinkerer", & woodwork being my "full-time hobby", I have quite a few of them.. some of which (like the aforementioned chainsaw) I've had for over 20yrs... All see regular use, & the only failure has been the speed control on a variable-speed router (replaced under warranty)....

Not one of the brands you were asking about, but food for thought nonetheless...

Regards, Ed. C.
Confucius say.....
"He who lie underneath automobile with tool in hand,
....Not necessarily mechanic!!"

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AnswerID: 105776

Follow Up By: motherhen - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 21:57

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 21:57
Yes, we have found Hitachi products to be long lasting and reliable. Motherhen
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Reply By: Member - Jimbo (VIC) - Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 21:34

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 21:34
Motherhen,

We've had a Black and Decker eldctric chainsaw in the family for about 25 years. It has worked a treat in that time. I thought I'd use it in the bush from my inverter. Bugger, it wouldn't work. Pity because it would have been quiet.

I bit the bullet big time and lashed out $160 LOL on a Talon petrol chainsaw (two year warranty). The little thing cuts firewood in less time than I could crack a beer and has cleared logs on tracks.

I just go for a drive to cut firewood so I don't upset anyone. Some people are sensitive to noise. I respect that rather than creating issues.

Cheers,

Jim.
AnswerID: 105796

Reply By: Mark- Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 23:07

Friday, Apr 08, 2005 at 23:07
The better electric chainsaws use steel gears (chain drive is geared down from the electric motor). Cheaper ones use plastic/nylon gears.

I know an old timer who has given up on petrol saws and now uses a decent electric saw and a genny for all the work around his farm. I can see some arguments in favour of this but my petrol saw is reliable enough, if not heavy (and loud)
AnswerID: 105809

Reply By: muzzgit (WA) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 01:47

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 01:47
A good place to start is to ask HONDA if they they think your gennie will do the job.

As for the chainsaw, I always say... Good thing no cheap, cheap thing no good.

Cheers,

Muzz
AnswerID: 105824

Reply By: Member - iMusty (VIC) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 07:45

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 07:45
Johnsored?

Is that how it spelt. Probly not.

They "say" they are made by Huskvana. But there made "in" Huskvana.

It has been reliable. It it 2stroke petrol.

Why dont you buy petrol?

Most people dont cause there hard to start. When you know how they are not.

The KEY to ALL small petrol / small carburetta jobbies is fresh fuel.
AnswerID: 105835

Follow Up By: motherhen - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 12:13

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 12:13
Hi iMusty Poet Extraordinaire

We won't take a petrol one, as we will be storing it in the cargo area under the bed. The box on the drawbar holds the genny and the petrol, but no more room and can't have any more weight there. Will only be used if we have to trim small branches to avoid damaging the caravan, and only if they are big enough that it would be too time (and energy!) consuming to use a small hand saw.

And this little chick hates noisy chainsaws and swearing husbands when they don't work!

Motherhen
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Reply By: Shane (QLD) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 12:43

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 12:43
I have a Ryobi electric chain saw with the 16" bar and to now it is approx 17 years old. In that time it has done that much work from cutting down trees, stumps & railway sleepers that I can't believe it still goes. The only thing that has stopped working is the chain oiler, so I carry a oil can with me. I have gone through 4 chains in this period. It has never stopped under the toughest load,(plenty of power) with the exception of the chain coming off. They are a good unit, but then again so is the Makita electric hedge trimmer which is the same age. You can't go wrong with the above chain saw.
AnswerID: 105878

Follow Up By: motherhen - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 13:26

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 13:26
Wow - that's a good recommendation! Of course they may have made them better 17 years ago, but we would rather go for a known reliable brand than a known cheap GMC. We want to get to look at the Ryobi; from the pic in the catalogue it looks like it might be heavier than the others, and we need to keep weight down. Thanks, Motherhen
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Follow Up By: Member - iMusty (VIC) - Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 13:55

Saturday, Apr 09, 2005 at 13:55
D'you know?

I think you can buy from Kmart and they will xchange australia wide.

We bought a 2 burner stove in melb and xchanged it in Qld. Might b worth checking their aust wide xchange policy.

I sippos eyou wont b going often near town with Kmart, but it would b nice to know that you can swap it 3000K's from home if need be.
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Reply By: madCrow - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 03:41

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 03:41
Hi motherhen,
my experience with an electric chainsaw comes from the last few weekend clearing trees from around the fence line. A neighbour loaned me his electric chainsaw a McCulloch which is 305mm 1200w model. A friend who is commercial gardener & was helping me had a go using it (he's used to a petrol Stihl chainsaw) was so impressed with the McCulloch he's going to put one into his arsenal of gardening impliments.
I've been using it extensively & all i can say about this McCulloch is that it's brilliant, I've been cutting through timber 20->25cm thick with no hick ups (this is not a brand new machine it's been used alot before & works great).
So I can recommend a McCulloch to you.
Anyway enough rambling just when you use a chain saw wear protective glasses (you know this already but a friend who didn't lost the sight in an eye from a chip of wood so I'm a little parnoid over this).
Also if you have a printed ad for the product you want from another place cheaper than Bunnings, Bunnings will equal that price & then go 15% lower in the price, which is excellent I know, cause I've done it.
AnswerID: 105963

Follow Up By: motherhen - Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 17:03

Sunday, Apr 10, 2005 at 17:03
Thanks - that's a great recommendation. Our Bunnings advertise they'll beat someone's advertised price on the same item by 10%. Don't know if they can wriggle out of it when this chainsaw is cheaper at WA Salvage which the same company owns.

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