# Are electric chainsaws worth having?



## loiblb (Jul 6, 2015)

Are electric chainsaws worth having?
My luck with Gas-Powered chain saws trimmers and blowers has been dismal.
Lot of dollars spent on tune-ups and repairs could be buying a nice lathe.


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## rick1955 (Jun 26, 2014)

They certainly are. Battery powered ones have come a long way too. 
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/reviews/g1649/which-battery-powered-chainsaw-should-you-buy/?slide=4


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

I own the following:

a husquevarna 55 rancher gas powered chain saw

a plug-in electric chain saw

a GreenWorks 40v Lithium batter powered electric chain saw
(I also have the long-handled tree trimmer "chain saw on a pole" from GreenWorks)

For the past year I have used one and only one of these chainsaws…the GreenWorks one. Why? Because for most of its life, the Husqvarna has been in various states of non-starting. Currently it is in pieces in a plastic crate waiting for me to try to rebuild the carb and get it working again…for another few weeks or months…before it craps out again.

I seem to be genetically inferior. I own a 4X4 Diesel dually truck and a skid steer, but last year they took away my "man card" because I can't start a chain saw to save myself. Same deal with generators and lawn-mowers 

The GreenWorks starts instantly every time I need it. It never takes a day (or a season) off because it isn't feeling well. I have cut down ash and hickory trees (yes, the stuff they make baseball bats out of) a foot in diameter and the GreenWorks looked back at me and said "is that all you got? How about that 100 year old oak tree over there?"

In short, I am patiently awaiting that beautiful day when the only gasoline engines that exist on this planet are in museums. Gas engines suck. Electricity is where it's at baby!


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I have a Poulan 16" gas chainsaw … always hard to start and hasn't been used years.

I have decided to buy a electric so I can cut bowl blanks in my storage room, and tune the Poulan up for harvesting wood in the boonies.

An informal poll of turners in my area indicates the saw of choice is the 16" Makita (UC4051A) Electric Chain Saw … available on Amazon for about $250.

I have read a boat load of reviews on electric chainsaws. The lower price saws take some big hits for plastic gears and poor (or non-existent) customer service.


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

Gentlemen, two words. STARTER FLUID. It is ether in an aerosol can. One, half second squirt into the carb. One pull and you are running. 
Sorry OP, I have a corded electric chain saw. It came with a 15 foot pole that you control from the handle. The chainsaw detached easily and is a workhorse. Now I don't use it to cut firewood for the winter, but for yard clean up and putting a little round on bowl blanks it can't be beat.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I have a Poulan electric and it cuts every bit as well as a gas saw. My neighbor has a 16" gas and we spent a day cutting up a tree and the Poulan impressed us both.


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## Picken5 (Jan 12, 2011)

I also have an electric chainsaw (McColloch 14"). Works great!


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## NTCook (Jan 19, 2016)

Just stop using gas with ethanol for anything but your car. If it sits for any length of time it glazes up and clogs the bowl in the carb, probably 95% of the time that is the issue. Boat, blower, chipper, chainsaw and lawnmower all kept having this issue so I switched to ethanol free and TruFuel. Those exact same tools now no longer need carbs cleaned at the beginning of the season of use.

Otherwise, to answer the original question, I have owned an electric for 3 years and as long as I can cut it with the 14 incher and there is access to an outlet that is what I will reach for first. Very quiet compared to my gas chainsaw and don't have to leave it running or restart it as needed between cuts.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I have a 25+ year old *14" McCulloch corded electric chainsaw* which "has taken a liking and is still ticking".
I bought it when I lived in Illinois, over 20 years ago, and had a lot of trees to maintain: 2 apple, a plum, a cherry, a pear, birch, an oak, a Russian olive, and a large amount of bushes. 
I replaced the chain twice. The only issue I had with this saw was cutting a Yucca as the water logged chips built up in the chain reciever.
I bought this McCulloch electric chainsaw because I didn't want to be bothered with gas/oil but I doubt this model is still avaiable but I am willing to bet there are much better models avaiable today.


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## conifur (Apr 1, 2015)

> I own the following:
> 
> a husquevarna 55 rancher gas powered chain saw
> 
> ...


Do ya think maybe its you?????


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

I have an electric start V8 it works a treat
Made in Australia too!

Australian V8 Chainsaw made by Whitlands Engineering …





But sadly not really mine I have a smaller V1 38 cc and agree with jumbojack
The australian product is called start ya bastard works every time










Enough Frivolity !


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I have the Makita (paid $65 for it at the pawn shop), and am quite impressed with it. Haven't done any heavy logging with it though.


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## jesinfla (Apr 15, 2015)

I've had an electric for going on 11 years (mine needs to be plugged in extension cord) - I don't use it that much nor do I do that much heavy cutting with it.

However, I find it to be very useful - much more so than if I had a gas powered one. I have one of the ryobi modular trimmers etc (where you can swap out attachments) which is gas powered and I hardly ever use it.

Having to keep gas and oil on hand to use it is a real pain for me.

Just my 2 cents worth


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## RobertJenkins (Apr 11, 2016)

I have an electric chainsaw that I use on my jobs…...very handy and most importantly RELIABLE!


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I have a handful of decent gas chainsaws from Makita and Husqvarna, they all start and run great when I take care of them and they start and run like crap when E10 is left in them too long. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this case. More expensive saws or older saws do tend to have better carburetors that are easier to work on and clean as well, they deal with junk gas (E10) better than some of the less expensive saws engineered more by the EPA than the manufacturers. I have a Milwaukee electric plug in chainsaw that I use in the shop for trimming up smaller logs before milling and it is convenient only having to get out a cord & check the bar oil before starting to cut. The reduced noise & emissions are why I bought it, not nearly as powerful as a gas saw, but quite often more convenient.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

I have this electric chain saw and old Husqvarna 18" gas CS. Had an gas 18" Poulan CS before the Husqvarna I plum wore out cutting cords of fire wood too.

Electric chain saws are for light duty use due to plastic parts. Prior this chain saw had a Remington for more than ten years before it wore out. Could not keep the chain tensioned unless stopped to adjust frequently. Could be wrong but think plastic parts biggest drawback no matter how much you spend for one.

Like already mention got to use high test or premium gas or add octane booster to regular gas to keep them running smoothly.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_300247-54602-WG303.1___?productId=3200313&pl=1&Ntt=electric+chain+saws


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## mrg (Mar 10, 2010)

The key to small engines is to use premium gas Do not use E10, it causes rust and condensation. If not using these engines for a while put stabil in the fuel. I have not had any issues with lawn tractor, tiller , mower etc following this rule.

As for electric chainsaws, for home use they are great. They are quiet, light weight and you can run them early in the morning and not upset the neighbors.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

I spent almost 7 years working in the tool rental dept at the big orange box. We rented the Makita 16" electric
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.
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These things were almost bullet proof. Well, except when people would rent them to try and clear cut a forest full of trees ! But we really didn't have many issues with these electrics. When the weather was good all 3 of our electrics were usually out. I used one more than once and if it weren't for the price, I probably would have bought one. The big orange box keeps their renal tools for 3 years and then sells them, and our chainsaws (both the Makita 20" gas and the electrics) went fast whenever they were up for sale. I started keeping a list of peoples phone numbers and which tool they wanted when they came up for sale and the chainsaws were always high on the "wish lists".

I'd buy a Makita electric in a heartbeat if I was in the market for one.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I have a Stihl MS250 with a 16 inch bar. You have to understand how to start a chainsaw without flooding it WHICH IS VERY EASY - pull out the plug and pull it few times, blow off the plug ad try again. Also if the air filter is clogged she won't start. I had a Jonsered previous to the Stihl that I had a horrible time with.

I also have a Craftsman (Remington) electric that is great for cutting wood close to an outlet. I had one issue where it died and I had to resolder a wire that came loose by the motor. If I were to buy another electric today I would buy the Makita. Electrics have WAY more torque than gas saws so respect them and get a pair of chainsaw chaps.


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## jkinoh (Mar 16, 2013)

I've had a Stihl for about 25 years. It's never failed to start and run like new. I run a wood boiler in winter here in Ohio, so I cut a fair amount of wood. In the last month, I purchased an electric "pole" saw. It's a Remington (MTD), 10" bar and the pole extends (according to the specs) 10' to 15'. The saw detaches easily, which was the plus for me. I can reach out and saw off a limb with ease. No way could I hold the Stihl out with one hand. I bought on Amazon and signed up for Visa card ($50 reward), so total cost to door was less than $60. So far so good!


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Well, since the thread expanded to encompass gas chain saws, I have to pay homage to my old Homelite 20", an XL12, if I remember the model correctly. I bought it at least 40 years ago from an old guy who serviced and sold them. This one had been used to cut alder poles for stirring the pots of molten aluminum at the nearby Intalco smelter. I have been told that they still do it this way. Anyhow, it had seen plenty of use by the time I got it. It still has "Intalco tool crib" etched on the aluminum.

I used it for the next 15 to 20 years to cut my annual supply of firewood-we heated at least 95% with wood in those days. So it cut many cords of wood, mostly soft maple, alder, birch, and wild cherry.

After having not used if for maybe 10 years, I went to start it up, and of course, nada. Not surprising. Then I saw that the little rubber hose from the tank to the carb had turned into black sludge-rotted clean off. Put in a new fuel line, and it started right up. I also cleaned the carb, if I remember correctly.

At one time, I tried to cut up an enormous white poplar stump that dwarfed our Volkswagen. It was so full of rocks that I went entirely through a brand new chain in 2 days. My neighbor loaded up the chunk that remained in his utility wagon and dumped it into the void off the edge of his property.

That was the only 2 cycle engine I've ever had that endured huge abuse and never gave me a moment's trouble.


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## simmo (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi I have a bosch electric saw and providing the chain is sharp they are excellent saws, I have used mine for bowl blank prep , planking a walnut trunk,cutting railway sleepers aka ties to you yanks, and best of all they can be used in the shop without gassing yourself , mine has a 14 ins bar which in practice will allow the cutting of up to about 24 in lumps, all of the safety precautions apply. HTH


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## mudflap4869 (May 28, 2014)

With a converter plugged into my truck I can use my elctric saw just about anywhere I need to. 100' cable is not near as much hassle to store as gas and oil cans. My wife liked it so well that I got her one of her own for a birthday present. She collects tools, NOT jewelry. I have a gas powered saw that I bought several years ago and started it once. After it shook my hands off sat it down, and it would never start again. Went back to electric. Arthritis is a booger when using power tools. Somewhere in the shed is a brand new several year old chain saw.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Back to the original question, there is one place where they are indispensable…....Indoors!

I once had to remove about fifty ribs from the inside of a cabin cruiser. The only way to get at them was a small chainsaw and there was no way it could be gas in that confined space. The little electric one I bought worked so well I was almost disappointed when the job was done.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I bought the Makita 14" several years ago. I've used it to cut twenty inch walnut logs, to cut a cord of apple and cherry, to deal with the sixty foot pine, which came down in my yard, and a host of other projects you'd call on a chainsaw to handle. I'm still a happy camper.

My saw starts every time (okay, no big surprise).

This thing weighs a lot, just as a worm drive circular saw ways more than a homeowner toy. With the chain sharp, it powers through anything a gas would. Of course, that's the nature of things when you put electric up against gas. Look at what little battery operated cars do to our beloved gas driven monsters, for example. Electric isn't as portable, but if you can reach it with a cord, I think it'll trump gas every time.

The only noise you hear is the chain. As to oiling, remember to swap the chain oil for cheap motor oil, when storing long periods. Some chain oils harden. Too, keep a paint brush, with the bristles cut back to stiffen it, around to knock the debris off that might, otherwise, get in the tank.

__

On gas units, if you do have a gas unit and it starts to run back, put a teaspoon of lacquer thinner in the gas. My twelve horse Honda washer was running rough, even though I run it out of gas every time I store it. A few minutes of running with the lacquer in the gas and it smoothed out.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

On mine, the bar oil will leak out if stored flat so I made a wall hook too keep it blade up and the bar oil stays in the saw.


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