Best electric chainsaw?

[Macpherson]

13 minutes ago, bens said:

 

 

The vibration is triaxial and can be measured using an accelerometer

 

You can also get tool tags which you stick on the tool then plug into a computer at the end of the shift and they give you an exposure readout. But you have to pay the tag maker for the software license and unless you have several operators its a bit of an outlay.

 

The manufacturers tool instruction books should give two ratings in m/s squared - one is the vibration of a new saw in factory conditions and the other is the 'k' factor which is the inaccuracy in measurement.

 

If you are interested in the H&S bit then to get the recommended maximum use time you are supposed to add both figures together and put them in the reckoner spreadsheet which gives you a guide use time to include in a risk assessment. People often overestimate use time which only really counts when you are cutting and getting feedback through your hands as this is when the capilleries and nerves in your fingers are being shaken. But if you use several tools a day all of them supposed to be factored in to the vibration calculation.

 

The HSE book on vibration requires employers to not expose operatives over the upper limit level, several Councils and housing associations have been prosecuted for exposing their workers to high levels for years made the workers disabled. HAVS when diagnosed is also a RIDDOR reportable.

 

The only exception in their book called L140 tends to be reactive emergency clearance work but then you would need to offset the over-exposure on that day by not working the following day(s) and it should not be regular event etc.

 

Its a bit of a minefield for employers to be honest and even safety professionals find it difficult

 

Vibration levels increase as blades get blunt, moving parts get worn and springs get worn out too so a year old saw will have higher vibration which the instruction book value doesn't really consider.

 

Having measured people using tools other factors make a huge difference a death gripped tool with locked wrists will cause the user higher exposure and risk damage to upper arms / carpal tunnel etc. I have noticed technique between people on the same tool change the reading by 3.5ms.

 

The weather and & the effects of cold also make a difference as the blood will retreat making the capilleries and nerves more easily damaged esp. with cumulative exposures. The type of wood being cut can also make a difference to the reading.

 

Despite their marketing anti-vibration gloves tend to be seen as a bit of a con in H&S and operators feel over protected then end up with a worse exposure than if they didn't use them

 

In my limited experience good employers often do some form of time management for tools considering the ones in use and conditions and get health surveillance checks for their workers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The full picture is complicated for sure and there are many H&S conundrums regarding tool usage👍

 

[bmp01]

39 minutes ago, Macpherson said:

 

Yep, that's what I thought initially.. I have a cheap Chinese  battery saw branded Greenworks that I bought years ago and it has such a slow chain speed that it does exactly that on small stuff, but what the m/s2 measurement is referring to on electric powered tools is the very slight vibe you can feel on any of them by just holding on and pulling the trigger.

 

What's measured is the m/s2 acceleration after the change of direction of any oscillation no matter  how small.. so I guess that's how the afore mentioned Makita saw can have a greater vibe value than some petrol saws albeit with a tiny amplitude when compared to an IC engine.

I'm still of the view that the vibration of an electric motor spinning by itself is insignificant to almost every thing else in the real life cutting wood situation.

I think the chain and vibration due to cutting is the key to it. When you consider the guide bar is isolated on the petrol chainsaw (it being mounted to the engine which itself is av mounted to handle) where as the guide bar is directly mounted to the handle on an electric saw.  In this case only the flexibility of the plastic handle can dampen the vibration. There isnt much weight in the handle to help either.

 

As an aside, I witnessed a sharp chain with uneven tooth lengths gave a good deal of vibration at the handle, which disappeared once tooth lengths were evened up (MS201T, sensible high chain speeds,  wire spring av).

 

 

[Macpherson]

8 minutes ago, bmp01 said:

I'm still of the view that the vibration of an electric motor spinning by itself is insignificant to almost every thing else in the real life cutting wood situation.

Yeah, I agree with you but I am confused as to the manufactures vibe figures.. as they couldn't take any of the cutting info into consideration as that endlessly varies.

So it's a kind of useless bit of info as most electric motors don't vibrate with enough amplitude to cause any problem... anyway enough of this, cheers👍

[rodp]

I wouldn't mind betting that we got more vibes going to and from work on a British bike in the seventies than all day on any chainsaw nowadays

[Stere]

My karcher pressure washer is high vibes, I don't use it that long/ often though. The high pressure water going though the pipe causes it...

 

I have a mower that is worse than most modern chainsaws.

 

Vibes coming from an engine, would a 4 stroke like a mower,not be  smoother than a 2 stroke machine?

 

All cheapo tools seem alot worse than pro/expensive ones generally. Ok  as long as not used for too long.

 

I think the vibes on a chainsaw comes primary from the chain cutting  but I might be wrong. Ive noticed more if you lower the rakers too much or the chain is not as sharp etc....

 

Recip saws have loads of vibes also some electric sheep shears do.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by Stere

[peatff]

10 hours ago, bmp01 said:

I'm still of the view that the vibration of an electric motor spinning by itself is insignificant to almost every thing else in the real life cutting wood situation.

Irrelevant of what they are doing, cutting wood or grinding metal electric motors cause problems with vibration and resonance, lots of people who have used angle grinders in their work now suffer from vibration white finger and circulation problems.

[bmp01]

1 hour ago, peatff said:

Irrelevant of what they are doing, cutting wood or grinding metal electric motors cause problems with vibration and resonance, lots of people who have used angle grinders in their work now suffer from vibration white finger and circulation problems.

 

More likely its the thing the electric motor is attached to and the job its doing.

I mean - I dont imagine these people just switched on their electric motors and just sat there holding 'em all day 😃 (maybe some did...)

 

Macpherson got it right - manufacturers cant quantify vibration in use, too many variables. 

[topchippyles]

2 hours ago, Stere said:

 electric sheep shears do.

 

 

Most of us do not shear sheep 🤭

[rodp]

Well, I tried the Titan electric chainsaw out today and have to admit I was very impressed. It seems very well built for a cheap electric chainsaw, nice and solid. For the job I was doing it was equally as quick as either the Stihl or Husky petrol ones, but to be fair it's obviously got a brand new chain on, and a lot quieter. I made sure I ran the oil through first before cutting as someone pointed out, and that did take several minutes from new.

  So, thanks gents for the input, very helpful and much appreciated.

[topchippyles]

4 minutes ago, rodp said:

Well, I tried the Titan electric chainsaw out today and have to admit I was very impressed. It seems very well built for a cheap electric chainsaw, nice and solid. For the job I was doing it was equally as quick as either the Stihl or Husky petrol ones, but to be fair it's obviously got a brand new chain on, and a lot quieter. I made sure I ran the oil through first before cutting as someone pointed out, and that did take several minutes from new.

  So, thanks gents for the input, very helpful and much appreciated.

Excellent value for the money.