Dan Case LR
06-14-2016, 12:17 AM
I needed an electric chainsaw for cutting turning blanks from logs in the shop. As usual, I went full-on obsessive researching all my options. After deciding to go corded instead of battery, I was 99% settled on a Makita, around $250, when I stumbled across a real-world comparison of a Makita chain saw with a $126 Oregon CS1500. It left me impressed enough to drop $126 (free shipping with Amazon Prime) and take a chance.
And based on my first hour of use, I think the gamble is paying off.
Frankly, I expected something that felt a bit cheap and cheezy in my hands. The CS1500 is anything but. Build quality and fit/finish are excellent. It's well balanced. Though it may sound a bit trite, the CS1500 feels just like a chainsaw. I should explain that my frame of reference for that judgement is the first and last chainsaw I've ever owned, a Jonsered professional model that I bought new in the late seventies and did my very best to wear out. I cut a lot of Hemlock logs with that saw (that became lumber I built a house with) and immense quantities of firewood (oh, I wish I had some of the trees I burned back then!). We lived in northwestern Pennsylvania and the only heat we had for about ten years was a woodstove.
When I picked up the CS1500, it triggered a sensory recall of hefting that old Jonsered. The same balance, the same grip, the same sense of control. It surprised me, in a pleasant way. I miss that old saw.
At the price point, I expected some serious compromises, but the list is short. The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the lack of variable speed control. The trigger has two positions -- on and off. Period. Come to think of it, most of the time I spent cutting with the old Jonsered was spent with the hammer all the way down. Maybe variable speed isn't as important as I once thought.
The real test of course requires a few substantial logs. For my initial tests, I trimmed the ends of an 8" diameter piece of Maple. The Oregon CS1500 ran through it like a hot knife through butter. From there, I tried trimming the ends of a couple 14" diameter pieces of Maple. Again, the saw chewed its way through like it should. I tried my best to stall the saw, but couldn't do it. Even ripping a log longer than the saw bar length was easy, with power to spare.
Any you've got to love the chain sharpener!
The CS-1500 is a serious saw. At an incredible price. I'm going to do my best to find its weaknesses, but so far it's about the best cut-per-buck you'll find.
More as I work with it...
D.
And based on my first hour of use, I think the gamble is paying off.
Frankly, I expected something that felt a bit cheap and cheezy in my hands. The CS1500 is anything but. Build quality and fit/finish are excellent. It's well balanced. Though it may sound a bit trite, the CS1500 feels just like a chainsaw. I should explain that my frame of reference for that judgement is the first and last chainsaw I've ever owned, a Jonsered professional model that I bought new in the late seventies and did my very best to wear out. I cut a lot of Hemlock logs with that saw (that became lumber I built a house with) and immense quantities of firewood (oh, I wish I had some of the trees I burned back then!). We lived in northwestern Pennsylvania and the only heat we had for about ten years was a woodstove.
When I picked up the CS1500, it triggered a sensory recall of hefting that old Jonsered. The same balance, the same grip, the same sense of control. It surprised me, in a pleasant way. I miss that old saw.
At the price point, I expected some serious compromises, but the list is short. The only real shortcoming I've found so far is the lack of variable speed control. The trigger has two positions -- on and off. Period. Come to think of it, most of the time I spent cutting with the old Jonsered was spent with the hammer all the way down. Maybe variable speed isn't as important as I once thought.
The real test of course requires a few substantial logs. For my initial tests, I trimmed the ends of an 8" diameter piece of Maple. The Oregon CS1500 ran through it like a hot knife through butter. From there, I tried trimming the ends of a couple 14" diameter pieces of Maple. Again, the saw chewed its way through like it should. I tried my best to stall the saw, but couldn't do it. Even ripping a log longer than the saw bar length was easy, with power to spare.
Any you've got to love the chain sharpener!
The CS-1500 is a serious saw. At an incredible price. I'm going to do my best to find its weaknesses, but so far it's about the best cut-per-buck you'll find.
More as I work with it...
D.