Wife wants a Cordless Chainsaw

[Billhook]

  On 13/03/2018 at 17:36, Macpherson said:

Hi, are you thinking of something like a motorcycle chain guard... if that's what your after it would be real simple to make out of a bit of flat bar and just drill a couple of holes in the bar to mount it, cheers.

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cycle chain guard might work but I am now thinking that Paul in the woods has a point about catching the saw and metal to metal is not good so perhaps a stout plastic chain guard cut in half would work

I will buy a 120 and test the kickback myself first and all this may not be necessary as some of you have pointed out, but the horizontal nature of the cut and proximity to the main trunk as well as the multiple strands of ivy are all factors which are not normal chainsawing scenarios for beginners.

[Billhook]

  On 13/03/2018 at 23:11, gobbypunk said:

What’s wrong with a carving bar you can get like 6 and 8 inch bars ideal for cutting ivy and hardly any kick back.

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Good call

[Billhook]

  On 13/03/2018 at 19:55, Paul in the woods said:

I've got the MSA 120 and use it a fair bit in the garden pruning woody stuff as well as cutting some decent sized logs. I've never noticed any kickback which I think is down to the very fine PM3 chain as well as the narrow nose, it is also less grabby that bigger toothed chains on thin material. 

 

I like the narrow nosed bar for pruning jobs, I would wonder if a guard might make someone more likely to have a problem if they catch the guard on another stem or something?

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I like the sound of that saw and chain and bar.  How long does the battery last, can you buy different sizes of battery?  Where did you buy your saw?

[Billhook]

  On 13/03/2018 at 21:11, Stubby said:

All my saws are cordless ( if you don't count the starer cord )

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Are all your guitars chordless as well??? 

[Paul in the woods]

  On 13/03/2018 at 23:16, Billhook said:

I like the sound of that saw and chain and bar.  How long does the battery last, can you buy different sizes of battery?  Where did you buy your saw?

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Battery life depends on what you're cutting, small 1-2" stuff it lasts for ages, larger stuff the life depends on how tough it is so 5" alder the battery still lasts ages, 5" ash a shorter life but still enough for several sacks of logs.

 

Mine came with a smaller battery, Stihl make a bigger battery although I've not tried it. I bought the saw from a local dealer. I would suggest getting the smaller battery and then buying a spare if the life isn't long enough.

[Stubby]

  On 13/03/2018 at 23:40, Billhook said:

Are all your guitars chordless as well??? 

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No , they can all play a D minor with a flattened 5th and a suspended 9th

[Dan Maynard]

I don't know what the chain is exactly but my Stihl Kombi pole saw has bumper links between the teeth - won't cut on the tip of the bar at all so doesn't kick back, you can't bore. That's 3/8" narrow kerf so may fit the MSA120?

[TigerTree]

An Oregon Guard Mate might be what you want...

[Baldbloke]

  On 13/03/2018 at 23:12, Billhook said:

........are all factors which are not normal chainsawing scenarios for beginners.

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Plus possibly having to cut above head level?

 

  

[Billhook]

  On 14/03/2018 at 07:42, Paul in the woods said:

Battery life depends on what you're cutting, small 1-2" stuff it lasts for ages, larger stuff the life depends on how tough it is so 5" alder the battery still lasts ages, 5" ash a shorter life but still enough for several sacks of logs.

 

Mine came with a smaller battery, Stihl make a bigger battery although I've not tried it. I bought the saw from a local dealer. I would suggest getting the smaller battery and then buying a spare if the life isn't long enough.

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Taken on most of the advice and today went off and bought a MSA 120 with two AK 20 batteries and a short bar.

It has the tiny PM3 Micro chain for which I have not managed to find a small enough grindstone for my Oregon Suresharp.  I will test it myself tomorrow in a variety of possible kickback situations and see whether I need to put any more protection on the blade as described above.