Chainsaw advise

[Eric Schatz]

320742
I bought this the other day off of CList. It was $48 with all of the tools, a faceplate, live center, and spur center. The tools are pretty crap but they will work for a first lathe. I bought a Hurricane Bowl Gouge 3/8 that should be here today. I'm also thinking about buying a chuck. Probably goign to get the PSI chuck with the 8" cole jaws for $90. Seems like a deal.

My question is about chain saws. I don't have a band saw, which is a bummer. What kind of chain saw should I use to cut blanks from logs/limbs? Could I use a cheap electric one? Are there cheap gas saws that work well?

[Bob Bergstrom]

Poulan seem to have a pretty good rep among the cheaper gas models. I rarely use a bandsaw to trim blanks. I have a Makita electric that is best for the money, but there are Remmingtons and harbor freight that have a lot of plastic parts.

[Robert Henrickson]

My question is about chain saws. I don't have a band saw, which is a bummer. What kind of chain saw should I use to cut blanks from logs/limbs? Could I use a cheap electric one? Are there cheap gas saws that work well?

I had a cheap electric, or two. Worked adequately but they soon died. I then bought a Makita. That is still going strong at least 5 years later. I would advise skipping the cheap ones -- it is likely to be a recurring purchase with them -- and get a good quality saw, whether electric or gas.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

get a Makita or a Stihl electric saw. I've got a Stihl, but would not hesitate to own a Makita.

If you're going to go cheap - wait for a coupon and get the cheapo from Harbor Freight. You can get it for less than $50. For the price, it's not a bad saw. I've got one of those also, and for trimming blanks it works just fine.

[Steve Peterson]

I would stick to the electric models for occasional use around the house. Cheap gas chainsaws that sit around for a long time are often hard to start. At least with electric, you plug it in and it should work. You have to decide how much you are willing to pay. Either $50 for a cheapo from HF or $200+ for a good one. I have used a $350 Husqvarna at my dad's and it cut 20" green oak logs with minimal effort.

Steve

[Jason Roehl]

Poulan seem to have a pretty good rep among the cheaper gas models. I rarely use a bandsaw to trim blanks. I have a Makita electric that is best for the money, but there are Remmingtons and harbor freight that have a lot of plastic parts.

Huh? If someone gave me a low-end Poulan, I'd probably just throw it in the trash as soon as they turned around.

Stihl or Husqvarna, whichever has the better local service.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Yeah, I would avoid a cheap tool with razor sharp chain moving at high velocity. Local support is a good point as you will likely not be servicing it yourself.

[robert baccus]

Sears electric seems to be a great buy. My chainsaw repair people tell me Husquavarna is using pouland parts and are now recommending echo saws. Consumer reports says the same thing by the way.

[Rick Gibson]

I have both, the gas has more power and works much better for cutting a log lengthwise to get the pith out. Another advantage of gas is when you see a tree being taken down you talk to the people go home and get the saw and cut up what you want. After they see what you want a bowl or pepper mill dropped off often results in log pieces you would like showing up in your driveway.
My shop is in the basement so for me the main advantage of the electric is I can bring the log pieces into the shop which is heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer and cut them up, and so far until the PC crowd ruin it electricity is still cheaper than the gas.

[Thom Sturgill]

Unfortunately, not all of us can use a gas saw. I had a defibrillator installed in my chest a couple of years ago and was told not to operate small gass engines or work on running car engines. Apparently the spark plug can set one of these devices off. Luckily, my wood working tools are all OK. I've been in the market for a good electric for a while after quickly burning up a Remington that was given to me. $500 for a Stihl (my Stihl gas cost me $350) has kept me away from them so far, but the wood is piling up...

[Olaf Vogel]

I've been in the market for a good electric for a while after quickly burning up a Remington that was given to me. $500 for a Stihl (my Stihl gas cost me $350) has kept me away from them so far, but the wood is piling up...

Keep an eye out for an older Stihl E20.
great torque, really easy to use.

[John Grace]

One benefit of the electric is you can use them in or near your garage or shop. For my money it's hard to go wrong with either a Stihl or Makita product.

[Dave Fritz]

Tom, Stihl homeowners electric with a 16 inch bar is $319 here at my dealers. Have one and wished I got one sooner. Went through two Sears and a HF first. I'd have been money ahead doing the Stihl right away and been done with it.
Dave Fritz

[terry mccammon]

For what it is worth: I have a cheap electric. The gears are plastic and pot metal. That said I keep my chain as sharp as possible and use after market gear sets I get on Amazon (I have melted the teeth off the plastic planetary gear and broke one of the pot metal gears). Makes a useful, inside the shop tool for a fraction of the cost of an actual good quality tool. I use my Husqvarna outside for the normal sorts of things, but I have to drain the fuel tank when I am done as it may well be two months before I need it again.

[Blair Swing]

I got an 18" Sears on sale for around $90 with two chains and works fine for around the house and not a lot of trees in yard (I live in the city), and for the few pieces of hard pecan I have used it on for bowl making.

Slightly off topic a bit, I laughed at Brian's "Don't you hate it" when someone commented about spending time trying to fix a chain saw that wasn't broken due to the chain guard position after trying three different extension cords once before seeing that chain guard was in the wrong position....

[David Walser]

It's NOT a perfect replacement for a chainsaw, but a reciprocating saw can often be used to cut up logs into turning blanks. A reciprocating saw equipped with 12" wood-cutting blade can handle most of what can be thrown at an electric chainsaw. An electric chainsaw with a sharp chain will cut faster than a reciprocating saw. A reciprocating saw doesn't leak oil, is more reliable, and is almost as fast for most cutting operations.

[Joe Shanaphy]

I have a 16" Worx electric that has been through tree wars with me. After about two years, while cutting a WAY oversized oak log it seized on me. I called Worx customer service and they replaced the entire thing. It arrived at my door in two days and has been going strong for over a year. My Husqvarna 20" only gets about 10-20% of my cutting chores.

[david privett]

chainsaws are a wonderful tool , I personally would only buy gas and at least 50 cc and if you can buy one that uses a 3/8 x 50 chain and not low profile ,you can get them in full chisel and a rip chain if you want. But it will not be a toy with those chains.

[Geoff Whaling]

get a Makita or a Stihl electric saw. I've got a Stihl, but would not hesitate to own a Makita.

If you're going to go cheap - wait for a coupon and get the cheapo from Harbor Freight. You can get it for less than $50. For the price, it's not a bad saw. I've got one of those also, and for trimming blanks it works just fine.

Both electrics are very good saws. I own the Makita and use it most because I have a defibrillator. It is surprisingly powerful when compared to the Stihl gas chainsaws I have used in may career as a surveyor,. Gas saw are not recommended for me.