Anyone using an electric chain saw? I own two gas saws, and I'm considering an Oregon CS1500 18-inch 15 Amp Self-Sharpening Corded Electric Chainsaw.
Anyone using an electric chain saw?
- Thread starter Pigeonman
- Start date
-
- Tags
- electric chainsaw
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Yes, I do.
I have worked quite a bit with gas chainsaws (the biggest of which an MS-391). I'm not an expert though, nor a what I would call experienced tree feller.
At home, (and only) to process wood, I use a corded electric chainsaw. 18" bar. I find the difference in speed to not be sufficient to bother with the noise and stink of an (idling) gas saw. Just like with speeding on a road; yes you can go faster, but in the end shaving 2 minutes off of a half hour drive does not make sense to me. Same for the gas saw.
When bucking, the electric one is responsive, always ready, has an instantaneous chain brake when one lets go of the trigger, and if one keeps the chain sharp, it slices thru logs easily. Last week I cut 17" dia maple.
You may have to get used to it, but I see more benefits than drawbacks. It does the job. At negligible loss in speed, and significant gains in noise, stink, responsiveness, weight (lower), and readiness.
I have worked quite a bit with gas chainsaws (the biggest of which an MS-391). I'm not an expert though, nor a what I would call experienced tree feller.
At home, (and only) to process wood, I use a corded electric chainsaw. 18" bar. I find the difference in speed to not be sufficient to bother with the noise and stink of an (idling) gas saw. Just like with speeding on a road; yes you can go faster, but in the end shaving 2 minutes off of a half hour drive does not make sense to me. Same for the gas saw.
When bucking, the electric one is responsive, always ready, has an instantaneous chain brake when one lets go of the trigger, and if one keeps the chain sharp, it slices thru logs easily. Last week I cut 17" dia maple.
You may have to get used to it, but I see more benefits than drawbacks. It does the job. At negligible loss in speed, and significant gains in noise, stink, responsiveness, weight (lower), and readiness.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
The self sharpening takes a special chain. It’s pricey compared to regular chain. I have a battery EGO. It’s nice not to have to mix gas for a 10 minute job. And it will cut through big stuff. Tree blew over intolerance in my yard I started with the the ego then the 37cc Ryobi gas then the big 92 cc saw came out for the big stuff. It’s nice to options. Small electric saw keeps me from getting tired gas when the job. Is big enough speed matters. You can cut a lot of wood with an electric corded saw. Not nearly as much with a battery saw.
Thanks for the fast reply. Your reasoning reassures my needs. (and so does the Cyber Monday price!👍)
I almost went with a battery saw as a backup / rescue saw. But its not for us wood guys. There more a homeowner limbing saw. Light duty usage. I think I would find it so inferior I just wouldn't use it.
I would not do a battery saw. Corded has more power. Enough for bucking - but I do recognize that some don't want to step down from a higher performance, even if the lower performance is sufficient for the job.
Matter of taste, I presume.
Matter of taste, I presume.
Dan Freeman
Minister of Fire
I have been using a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 16" Battery Chainsaw for two years now. I think it is every bit as good as the small Stihl gas powered chainsaw I replaced with it.
Do you have issues with batteries overheating?
BIL bought one, even in temps well below freezing and 9.0ah batteries he had to constantly swap them because they'd overheat and shutdown. Impressive saws minus that.
Dan Freeman
Minister of Fire
No problem with batteries overheating. I use the HD12.0 batteries in the saw.
I have an Echo battery saw (DCS-5000). . I’ve cut quite a bit of wood with it. Over 5 cords this year. Yes the battery only lasts so long, but on mine it doesn’t overheat.
I got a more aggressive chain for it and really enjoy using that saw.
I also have a Harbor Freight corded saw. The green one. It works well too. Definitely lighter duty that the Echo saw. But still very usable.
Obviously my Husqvarna gas saw is faster cutting and more powerful than the electric saws. But it’s heavier and louder too.
I got a more aggressive chain for it and really enjoy using that saw.
I also have a Harbor Freight corded saw. The green one. It works well too. Definitely lighter duty that the Echo saw. But still very usable.
Obviously my Husqvarna gas saw is faster cutting and more powerful than the electric saws. But it’s heavier and louder too.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
Any downward pressure and mine will overheat. A really sharp chain and letting it self feed making sure the RPMs are not dropping much.
Coyyote
New Member
I have the 60v Dewalt w 18” bar and love it. Friend and I cut up a couple cords of Doug Fir, he w a gas Stijl and me w Dewalt. No doubt he was 10-15% faster but the Dewalt cut the same logs as the Stijl w/o problems (16-24” dia)..
Get the larger batteries for sure- 9aH or more
My arthritic shoulders appreciated the lighter weight saw
Dan Freeman
Minister of Fire
Just for the weight perspective: I think corded saws are lighter due to not having batteries (and I think they have more power). The limit is of course the cord length (and having to have the proper cord rating).
My saws weigh
Echo battery saw 12.7 lbs
Husqvarna (455) 16 lbs
HF corded saw 6.8 lbs.
Disclaimer. These are the weights found online. Actual weights could be +/- some.
Echo battery saw 12.7 lbs
Husqvarna (455) 16 lbs
HF corded saw 6.8 lbs.
Disclaimer. These are the weights found online. Actual weights could be +/- some.
Thanks, Coyyote. I too have arthritis just about everywhere in the 76 year old abused body. Always looking for different ways to do things that were easy years ago.
j7art2
Minister of Fire
I normally run a 562 XP as my main saw and a Homelite XL chainsaw with 12" bar as my limbing/tiny saw. After 30 years of faithful service in our family, the Homelite gave up the ghost and I decided to replace it with a P2507 Ryobi 12" High Performance 18v cordless electric since I recently replaced my old Milwalkee and DeWalt with the HP Ryobi line (Ryobi and Milwalkee have the same parent company, the HP Ryobi line and Milwaukee internals are identical in many cases). It runs off my drill batteries.
It blows my Homelite outta the heckin' water. It cuts about 15-20% faster than the Homelite. This year I harvested approximately 12 face cord of firewood and I estimate that approximately 9 of it was gathered with the Ryobi and then processed at home with the 562 on the log horse. Most of it is black ash. I think I've put about 3-4 tanks of gas through my 562 this entire year with 2 of them being slabwood on the saw horse. I've hammered the absolute crap out of this little Ryobi this year and it's been absolutely amazing for its size.
So what the heck do I like about this thing so much?
First, the fact that I just flip a thumb switch and pull the trigger and I'm cutting is awesome. No priming, no choke, no flooding, no pulling, no warming up, no nothing. Flip a switch, pull a trigger and I'm instantly cutting every single time. I set the saw down, no idle, I pick it back up, hit the trigger and thumb switch at the same time and I'm cutting again.
It's also quiet. WAY quiet.
With a gas chainsaw, everyone in the neighborhood knows I'm cutting firewood. I live in a rural area and that isn't really a problem since we're all loud and doing our own thing anyway, but I don't particularly want to announce to the world that I'm 3 miles in the woods cutting wood either, and when I'm gathering 15 face or more in a year, hearing a chainsaw run for months isn't fun no matter how far your neighbor is.
I can't quite hear someone talk over the saw, but hearing protection is not needed.
Ryobi has multiple "standard" 18v and 40v chainsaws, and I wouldn't even consider looking at them. The High Performance version cuts approximately 3x faster than their standard 12" "normal" saw. They're okay, but likely not for what we do. Mine's got a 3 or 5 year warranty and I'm not sweating it at all. I've put the saw through the paces this year and pounded it more in a year than most people will in their lifetime and Ryobi's warranty is one of the best in the industry.
I like it so much that I'm intending on getting the 40v High Performance version so I can gather faster in the woods and still not have the headache of gas, noise, etc. I'll leave the 562 XP to processing.
Not all cordless electrics are the same. There are multiple youtube videos testing every single major brand in large diameter hardwood rounds and Echo wins the cake, followed by Greenworks 60v, DeWalt's 60v version, Ego's 56v, and Ryobi's normal 40v hitting within the top 5. Greenworks and Ego's warranty are non-existant though (they don't honor it), so I'm hard passing on both for that reason and that reason alone. Being that the standard non HP Ryobi 40v did so well, I'm 100% confident in my decision to buy the HP version of this saw also, slap a full chisel Oregon EXL on it, and never regret the decision.
It's got 2.68hp claimed. Comparably speaking, my old 455 Rancher had 3.5. That's pretty impressive for only 40v, plus it gives me a reason to buy into the 40v line -- there's a lot of awesome stuff in it; anywhere from snowblowers to augers, to rear-tine rototillers, 1800w generator, etc.
I'm sold on electric saws. I won't ever own a corded one, but if the 562 XP ever dies in my lifetime, it won't be replaced with a gas, it'll be replaced with an even bigger electric than the Ryobi 40v, assuming there's something remotely comparable.
It blows my Homelite outta the heckin' water. It cuts about 15-20% faster than the Homelite. This year I harvested approximately 12 face cord of firewood and I estimate that approximately 9 of it was gathered with the Ryobi and then processed at home with the 562 on the log horse. Most of it is black ash. I think I've put about 3-4 tanks of gas through my 562 this entire year with 2 of them being slabwood on the saw horse. I've hammered the absolute crap out of this little Ryobi this year and it's been absolutely amazing for its size.
So what the heck do I like about this thing so much?
First, the fact that I just flip a thumb switch and pull the trigger and I'm cutting is awesome. No priming, no choke, no flooding, no pulling, no warming up, no nothing. Flip a switch, pull a trigger and I'm instantly cutting every single time. I set the saw down, no idle, I pick it back up, hit the trigger and thumb switch at the same time and I'm cutting again.
It's also quiet. WAY quiet.
With a gas chainsaw, everyone in the neighborhood knows I'm cutting firewood. I live in a rural area and that isn't really a problem since we're all loud and doing our own thing anyway, but I don't particularly want to announce to the world that I'm 3 miles in the woods cutting wood either, and when I'm gathering 15 face or more in a year, hearing a chainsaw run for months isn't fun no matter how far your neighbor is.
I can't quite hear someone talk over the saw, but hearing protection is not needed.
Ryobi has multiple "standard" 18v and 40v chainsaws, and I wouldn't even consider looking at them. The High Performance version cuts approximately 3x faster than their standard 12" "normal" saw. They're okay, but likely not for what we do. Mine's got a 3 or 5 year warranty and I'm not sweating it at all. I've put the saw through the paces this year and pounded it more in a year than most people will in their lifetime and Ryobi's warranty is one of the best in the industry.
I like it so much that I'm intending on getting the 40v High Performance version so I can gather faster in the woods and still not have the headache of gas, noise, etc. I'll leave the 562 XP to processing.
Not all cordless electrics are the same. There are multiple youtube videos testing every single major brand in large diameter hardwood rounds and Echo wins the cake, followed by Greenworks 60v, DeWalt's 60v version, Ego's 56v, and Ryobi's normal 40v hitting within the top 5. Greenworks and Ego's warranty are non-existant though (they don't honor it), so I'm hard passing on both for that reason and that reason alone. Being that the standard non HP Ryobi 40v did so well, I'm 100% confident in my decision to buy the HP version of this saw also, slap a full chisel Oregon EXL on it, and never regret the decision.
It's got 2.68hp claimed. Comparably speaking, my old 455 Rancher had 3.5. That's pretty impressive for only 40v, plus it gives me a reason to buy into the 40v line -- there's a lot of awesome stuff in it; anywhere from snowblowers to augers, to rear-tine rototillers, 1800w generator, etc.
I'm sold on electric saws. I won't ever own a corded one, but if the 562 XP ever dies in my lifetime, it won't be replaced with a gas, it'll be replaced with an even bigger electric than the Ryobi 40v, assuming there's something remotely comparable.
Last edited:
Stelcom66
Minister of Fire
A few days ago I bought a Greenworks 60v chainsaw. Haven't used it yet, it's pouring outside now, My Husqvarna gas chainsaw is always hard to start, especially after trying to start it after it's been run for a while. I'll see if carburetor cleaner helps, or other adjustments, but the Greenworks was on sale for half price. I do wonder why such a discount. I hope the 60v line isn't being discontinued.
Most of my cuts though are just a few in the yard to get them to the stove length before splitting, or at a neighbor's to get logs to fit (and being able to lift) into the truck. Glad I have the gas saw for larger rounds, but it'll be nice (I hope) just pressing a release and trigger and having the saw run. Time will tell.
What was surprising is the charger - when plugging it in it sounds like a network server starting up. Then the fan continues to run.
Most of my cuts though are just a few in the yard to get them to the stove length before splitting, or at a neighbor's to get logs to fit (and being able to lift) into the truck. Glad I have the gas saw for larger rounds, but it'll be nice (I hope) just pressing a release and trigger and having the saw run. Time will tell.
What was surprising is the charger - when plugging it in it sounds like a network server starting up. Then the fan continues to run.
Stihl MSE 140.
20 years with no issues. Quiet without hearing protection, saves gas and oil cutting at the pile, cuts just as fast as gas, but must keep sharp to compete with a gas saw. Very lightweight.
Milwaukee 18V pole saw.
Built a log home and started cutting and trimming window openings with gas saw. Brought generator and finished with the electric.
20 years with no issues. Quiet without hearing protection, saves gas and oil cutting at the pile, cuts just as fast as gas, but must keep sharp to compete with a gas saw. Very lightweight.
Milwaukee 18V pole saw.
Built a log home and started cutting and trimming window openings with gas saw. Brought generator and finished with the electric.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
I have an old stihl corded saw. It's great, but I want to get some full chisel chain for it and a slightly longer bar.
j7art2
Minister of Fire
I almost pulled the trigger on this exact saw -- my guess is you got it at Tractor Supply. I saw a similar deal at least and almost went after it.
Youtube video side by side speed tests shows it's a fast cutting saw, one of the faster cordless electrics on the market. Likely the reason for cheap (and ultimately why I didn't get the saw) is because if there's a warranty issue, Greenworks support, similarly to Ego, is virtually non-existant. They claim a good warranty, but getting them to deliver on it is tough if it's ever needed; at least according to reddit.
Try not to drain the battery to 0% and charge them indoors if possible and hopefully the saw and batteries will serve you a long while. Keep us updated; I'm curious to know how it works in the real world.
I like the Milwaukee M18. It runs well and less trouble than gas and oil.
Stelcom66
Minister of Fire
Yes - from Tractor Supply. The last one at my local store. As for pulling the trigger - that's what's great about it, that's all you have to do, until it's time to charge again. Used it this weekend - didn't cut a lot but so far very impressed. Just setting it down to move/set up a log for cutting without using any energy or fuel is nice, or having the gas chainsaw stall. (I know I should adjust the idle settings). I guess I better hope I don't have trouble with it due to the lack of a good warranty. It really didn't feel a heck of a lot different from my Husqvarna 18" gas saw. It felt unusual for an electric saw to have this kind of performance - I have a corded saw that performs maybe half as well, and is kind of pain to work with. Of course I'll need the gas saw for large rounds.
Noted re: draining the battery, and I would charge it indoors.
Last edited:
