Thoughts on battery operated chainsaws.

[yotebuster]

56 minutes ago, Outdoor Writer said:

I had an 18" gas-powered McCulloch that I had acquired in the 1970s to cut firewood in Colo. It went belly up sometime in the 1990s. I didn't replace it until the big orange tree in my backyard died. Knowing I wouldn't have much other use for it, I bought a cheap electric one at Harbor Frieght. It worked great, and I used it to trim larger branches on my two Chinese elms until as recently  a year ago.

RE: batteries

I chuckled when I read what you said. Over the years, I've bought many Harbor Freight 18V portable drills when they were on sale, generally for less than $20. The drills themselves never wore out, but the batteries did. The replacements, if not completely discontinued, cost just as much or more than a complete new drill, however. So I just toss the old one(s) and buy new one(s). The last two I bought came with drill, LED flashlight, charger and battery for $16.95 each.  

The old NiCad batteries and today’s lithium’s are two completely different subjects.  They occasionally fail and yes they’re expensive but so is everything.  The amount of power in a good brand name lithium ion drill battery is insane.  I mow my office lawn with a dewalt lawn mower now.  Love it.  No more storing gas and oil in the storage closet of the building.  

[Big Tub]

7 minutes ago, n2horns said:

I have seen some large trees down across the road/trail after storms.  Would a battery saw cut, limb and buck tree with bowls in the 10 to 15 imch size? As well as making a vehicle size cleanout.

Nice thing about gas saws, the fuel can be used for starting camp fires.

 

"Nice thing about gas saws, the fuel can be used for starting camp fires."  -- brings back horrible memories of a motorcycle (trailbike) trip where we had no matches.  Plug the plug and used it to start a paper towel soaked with gas.  Fortunately did not set the bike on fire but looking back, WOW was that stupid!  HOW did we all survive our youth?  

I found batteries plus to be pretty expensive.  On another note, for my LED flashlights, they are all battery powered -- gets hard to lug around that generator!

 

[Outdoor Writer]

5 minutes ago, yotebuster said:

The old NiCad batteries and today’s lithium’s are two completely different subjects.  They occasionally fail and yes they’re expensive but so is everything.  The amount of power in a good brand name lithium ion drill battery is insane.  I mow my office lawn with a dewalt lawn mower now.  Love it.  No more storing gas and oil in the storage closet of the building.  

Yeah, I know. The two latest drills I bought 2 years ago have lithiums and are still going strong. I was able to rejuvenate a couple of the older nicads that had been discontinued by using the "shock" them method, but the charge didn't last near as long as it did when the batteries were newer. So I just bit the bullet and tossed them and the drills. 

[knothead]

Not wanting to hi-jack this thread but it has seemed to come to an end on its own.  My question is who makes the best battery operated equipment and batteries?  Is it Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt or another brand in the same general price range?  Or is this a Chevy vs Ford vs Dodge thing?  It is time to upgrade from my old Ryobi set.

[yotebuster]

15 minutes ago, knothead said:

Not wanting to hi-jack this thread but it has seemed to come to an end on its own.  My question is who makes the best battery operated equipment and batteries?  Is it Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt or another brand in the same general price range?  Or is this a Chevy vs Ford vs Dodge thing?  It is time to upgrade from my old Ryobi set.

I have all Dewalt,  but that’s just because it’s what I got started on and I’m too stubborn to quit.  The Milwaukee stuff seems to be what the contractors I know are all moving too.  I would say they make better tools but dewalt has a much wider range of gadgets.  I had some makita stuff before my dewalt and the batteries all took a crap, about 1 a year for 4 years till they were all gone.  Wasn’t impressed.   That was the 18v Li ion stuff.  

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I know im old school but even thinking about a battery saw makes me want to shoot a 6.5 CM and have a manbun

[AzDiamondHeat]

I say we all chip in and get Houston an battery chainsaw for Christmas.....

[Hoss50]

If Milwaukee makes one, it is probably good. There battery powered stuff has become the top of the line stuff IMO for cordless. That hurts to say because i am an old school Dewalt guy. 

[CatfishKev]

2 hours ago, knothead said:

Not wanting to hi-jack this thread but it has seemed to come to an end on its own.  My question is who makes the best battery operated equipment and batteries?  Is it Makita, Milwaukee, Dewalt or another brand in the same general price range?  Or is this a Chevy vs Ford vs Dodge thing?  It is time to upgrade from my old Ryobi set.

Probably a toss up between the good brands.  I'm not sure if any other manufacturers do this but rigid has a free batteries for life program.

[rcdinaz]

Milwaukee is owned by TTI who also owns Ryobi and Rigid.  Most of the development (electronics) is all done via Ryobi just as Dewalt is Stanley Black and Decker and SBD does all the technical R&D for their brands.  Milwaukee and Dewalt are the top-line brands with better warranty and mechanical components. The battery and brushless DC motor technology are largely the same across the brands, big improvements over the last few years.  I think we are down to less than 10 major power tool companies worldwide even with all the seemingly endles Chinese brands, which come from the same company.  

I switched to Dewalt a few years back when upgrading to the brushless DC/Li drills.  I am eyeing the 20v chain saw to keep in the trailer.  All of the Old Milwaukee NiCad stuff I have still runs great but as the batteries go they will be retired.