Looks like no more Makita Petrol Saws

[Bolt]

17 minutes ago, DCS6800i said:

 

I never said you wanted to be green. But that is why saws are being made to run cleaner, more efficient and now going towards electric... I didn't realise I was arguing - it came across as you hadn't got the point I was making that these new saws are no more environmentally friendly than the old ones...

 

I've never made any comments of how good or bad the electric saws are. As I've already said I've no axe with the technology in terms of the product. I've also no experience of them, yet, - I run older kit all bought 2nd or 3rd hand (except for my 6401 which was new). I do all my own servicing, repairs and tinkering...

None of the reasons for me buying a battery saw involved being green.

 

i don’t see why anyone heeds to get hung upon their so called green credentials.

 

Things that interested me about the technology was...

- low noise. I can talk to coworkers whilst I work.

- low vibration.  Handy if you’ve been sawing for well over 30 years and those little fingers are starting to loose their rosy glow on cold days.

- no exhaust fumes. I don’t go home stinking of 2 stroke.

- no petrol can fumes ( I fear I may be a little sensitised to petrol vapour now, but I never let on as I’m a real man).

- cool.  I never noticed how much of a pool of heat you are in whilst using a petrol saw on a scorching day.  With the battery saw, the cooling air is still cool when it exits the motor casing, and you can angle it towards yourself.
- energy independence.  If I had a PV array on my roof, I could charge using that, and the government and fuel companies could go stuff themselves.

 

I am glad we weren’t arguing.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

[Moose McAlpine]

On the subject of electric saws, i'd like one of those old Stihl 3-phase saws. What a monster, i bet the torque is unreal.

[DCS6800i]

6 minutes ago, Bolt said:

None of the reasons for me buying a battery saw involved being green.

 

i don’t see why anyone heeds to get hung upon their so called green credentials.

 

Things that interested me about the technology was...

- low noise. I can talk to coworkers whilst I work.

- low vibration.  Handy if you’ve been sawing for well over 30 years and those little fingers are starting to loose their rosy glow on cold days.

- no exhaust fumes. I don’t go home stinking of 2 stroke.

- no petrol can fumes ( I fear I may be a little sensitised to petrol vapour now, but I never let on as I’m a real man).

- cool.  I never noticed how much of a pool of heat you are in whilst using a petrol saw on a scorching day.  With the battery saw, the cooling air is still cool when it exits the motor casing, and you can angle it towards yourself.
- energy independence.  If I had a PV array on my roof, I could charge using that, and the government and fuel companies could go stuff themselves.

 

I am glad we weren’t arguing.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

 

You're points re. the technology are all good. The heat one is actually very good - I don't mind it on a frosty day but I sweat like a piggy in the summer!

 

The fact there's already talks of carbon tax and 'carbon credits' for businesses... being 'green' will be a consideration for some, potentially in the very near future. I just worry govts. have listened to the vegan types without thinking things through.

 

It will be a great shame if in 50 years it comes out this push for clean energy is actually no better than what we are/were doing already... and all these beauts of big petrol saws, v8 cars, motorbikes et all are scrapped and melted down lost forever all because new is thought of as better...

 

I do look forward to getting my Millennium Falcon though

[Stere]

Husky have 5.5kw  electric chainsaw for concrete

 

Husqvarna Power cutters K 6500 Chain

WWW.HUSQVARNACP.COM

---

K 6500 Chain is equipped with high frequency PRIME™ technology, making it a very powerful electric chain cutter...

 

[Paddy1000111]

If you want torque, try a hydraulic chainsaw run from a big diesel hydraulic pump ?. One thing they haven't covered with this battery thing an is a big concern is cold and heat. Take a battery and use it all day in the snow until it's flat then it gets freezing cold in truck or on a stump and it will kill it. Take a battery and sit it in a cold garage then cut some chunky wood so you pull a load of amps and it will damage it. Ever seen one of those batteries get hot in use then left in a hot place? They go thermonuclear... Chargers have been known to explode before too...

 

I've had a shed burn down because of a battery charging that's failed! 

[Echo]

13 minutes ago, Paddy1000111 said:

If you want torque, try a hydraulic chainsaw run from a big diesel hydraulic pump ?. One thing they haven't covered with this battery thing an is a big concern is cold and heat. Take a battery and use it all day in the snow until it's flat then it gets freezing cold in truck or on a stump and it will kill it. Take a battery and sit it in a cold garage then cut some chunky wood so you pull a load of amps and it will damage it. Ever seen one of those batteries get hot in use then left in a hot place? They go thermonuclear... Chargers have been known to explode before too...

 

I've had a shed burn down because of a battery charging that's failed! 

Not happy your shed burned down, but not surprised you dislike the idea of batteries.

But, people had / have the same problems with deep cycle the battery banks,

some even got killed, but that was their own fault, 400 or 800 amps can do that to you even with 48 volts, I would have battery storage with solar and wind in the morning, if it was financially viable, but every time I do the maths, count the cost of the batteries, the cabling, the charge controller charger inverter and a percentge for a standby generator and some fuel for it, it simply is cheaper to remain connected to the grid, if this position could be changed and it was even the same cost as current grid provided electric, then people would see it very differently.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Echo

[Paddy1000111]

I'm not adverse to batteries at all. I'm all for the idea really, less noise, more torque, ease of use, not having to go and get petrol. 

 

I just don't think we're at the point of getting rid of petrol saws in place of battery kit. The technology isn't at the point. Stihl has both which works, why cancel your petrol models for a battery only approach? 

[Echo]

1 hour ago, Paddy1000111 said:

I'm not adverse to batteries at all. I'm all for the idea really, less noise, more torque, ease of use, not having to go and get petrol. 

 

I just don't think we're at the point of getting rid of petrol saws in place of battery kit. The technology isn't at the point. Stihl has both which works, why cancel your petrol models for a battery only approach? 

Its like evreything else, unless otherwise legislated it will be a

gradual change over to the new technology, at the end of the day

as long as we get paid for our work, we can go out and get what

is available when the need comes. It would be a pleasant surprise

if Makita / Dolmar did have a battery option that was a game changer.

[Paddy1000111]

45 minutes ago, Echo said:

Its like evreything else, unless otherwise legislated it will be a

gradual change over to the new technology, at the end of the day

as long as we get paid for our work, we can go out and get what

is available when the need comes. It would be a pleasant surprise

if Makita / Dolmar did have a battery option that was a game changer.

That's the thing... no company has come out with a game changer of any sorts. The Stihl battery saw is no different to the makita battery saw except it's orange and everything is a bit more flush and sexy looking. Makita has nailed the battery thing I think, practical batteries that fit all the tools and are comparatively well priced at roughly £60 for a 5ah battery and >£30 for a charger. I appreciate they are 18v and you have to use two.

 

The problem in my opinion with battery gear at the moment is it's all very plasticy and flimsy. The batteries weigh a lot and so do the motors so they have to cut weight everywhere they can to make the swap to the battery tools more appealing. It leaves them feeling cheap and sounding cheap which when they cost almost the same as a 201T it isn't a hard choice for me. I've seen saws that have been dropped from trees and they are bruised but not irreparable most of the time. You drop a heavy chunk of plastic and it's obliterated on the ground with wires everywhere and a battery on fire...  They need to work on a way to reduce the weight of the components (lighter battery units etc) to allow the unit to be made from aluminium. Imagine a 200t but the insides are replaced with a motor and the fuel tank is replaced with a battery. Aluminium casing etc. you would think that by the time you remove the carb, the exhaust, the head, engine components etc you would save enough weight to keep an aluminium case. Aluminium casing would also help in the heat dissipation field too

 

From my experience of hobby RC the brushless motors are amazing and far exceeded the nitro stuff and I'm sure back in the day the nitro guys scoffed at having an electric heli but now look what you can buy. RC motors that go up into the 100,000rpm range. Motors that can supply over 13hp and are only 9cm long and 10cm wide and weigh 2.5kg. plus the high rpm motors sound like jet engines when they're running. the battery tools sound like a B&Q 240v saw... There's tonnes of potential for some amazing stuff to come out, I just feel like the tech is moving very fast and the saw companies are running very slow... 

Edited November 5, 2020 by Paddy1000111

[Echo]

15 minutes ago, Paddy1000111 said:

That's the thing... no company has come out with a game changer of any sorts. The Stihl battery saw is no different to the makita battery saw except it's orange and everything is a bit more flush and sexy looking. Makita has nailed the battery thing I think, practical batteries that fit all the tools and are comparatively well priced at roughly £60 for a 5ah battery and >£30 for a charger. I appreciate they are 18v and you have to use two.

 

The problem in my opinion with battery gear at the moment is it's all very plasticy and flimsy. The batteries weigh a lot and so do the motors so they have to cut weight everywhere they can to make the swap to the battery tools more appealing. It leaves them feeling cheap and sounding cheap which when they cost almost the same as a 201T it isn't a hard choice for me. I've seen saws that have been dropped from trees and they are bruised but not irreparable most of the time. You drop a heavy chunk of plastic and it's obliterated on the ground with wires everywhere and a battery on fire...  They need to work on a way to reduce the weight of the components (lighter battery units etc) to allow the unit to be made from aluminium. Imagine a 200t but the insides are replaced with a motor and the fuel tank is replaced with a battery. Aluminium casing etc. you would think that by the time you remove the carb, the exhaust, the head, engine components etc you would save enough weight to keep an aluminium case. Aluminium casing would also help in the heat dissipation field too

 

From my experience of hobby RC the brushless motors are amazing and far exceeded the nitro stuff and I'm sure back in the day the nitro guys scoffed at having an electric heli but now look what you can buy. RC motors that go up into the 100,000rpm range. Motors that can supply over 13hp and are only 9cm long and 10cm wide and weigh 2.5kg. There's tonnes of potential for some amazing stuff to come out, I just feel like the tech is moving very fast and the saw companies are running very slow... 

I have read where a guy talked with a Makita rep last year,

and it was mentioned they were developing 70 / 90 cc class

battery powered chainsaw.

Is this why they are dropping the gas/petrol ones, I sure hope so,

They still have time to surprise us before the old petrol versions are halted.

I have no idea why you think plastic is plastic and it just breaks, it will not

break as easy as Magnesium or Aluminium, it can be as high tech as needs

to be, you could run over it and it would still not break, and its way touger than the humanoid using the plastic saw. 

And as for a 2.5kg 13 hp motor, seems like we are well on our way power wise,

all we need is the battery, which can be carried on a belt or a back pack, making

way for the saw to be lighter.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Echo