Help With a New Chainsaw

[Dan Maynard]

Well done avoiding the CBE.

 

Other lesson maybe apple goes bloody hard when dry so needs splitting green. I have chucked old twisted apple away, maul just bouncing off made it impractical to split. Best to split everything green really so it dries better.

[Stere]

If any stuff isn't splitting just put it to to one side & use the chainsaw on it.

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Stere

[scbk]

9 hours ago, Muddy42 said:

I am open to the idea that one day electric chainsaws may impress me.  However to date I have always felt a sharp triangular 21' bow saw with a new blade is way better.   Ideal for path clearing and around the garden.  People talk of the advantages of electric saws as light/easy to start and quiet, well a bow saw wins on every count.  As others have said, get a petrol chainsaw for firewood, pretty much anything over 35cc. You could get a second hand 135 for £130ish.

Try a top of the range battery chainsaw and you'd be impressed, the bushman will then be left hanging on a nail in the shed.

 

Only disadvantage, is like with any chainsaw, you need to wear the trousers/boots etc

[Muddy42]

11 hours ago, scbk said:

Try a top of the range battery chainsaw and you'd be impressed, the bushman will then be left hanging on a nail in the shed.

 

Only disadvantage, is like with any chainsaw, you need to wear the trousers/boots etc

….and ear defenders according to Stihl. Yes I have tried an MSA 300. It was OK, but didnt exactly blow the lights out. I can think of lots of things I’d rather spend £700 on. I think I’ll stick to handsaws and petrol for now.

[Peter 1955]

Re the 36v Makita saws, they're not logging saws, and will eat 6amp batteries when used this way. As limbing saws, I've cleared big fallen branches on one pair of half charged batteries, just cutting them into manageable lumps. Mine is invaluable for this kind of thing, and for garden type tree pruning. The bare saw isn't overly expensive, just get the shortest bar you can get away with. 

[neiln]

On 20/02/2023 at 17:44, PC_Cambs said:

so went to local dealer this morning and bagged a Stigl MS 231. Didn't bother with the fancy CBE version as looked like more to go wrong.... that being said I'd of liked the fuel purge bulb as the Husky had one and its a bot more work on the Stihl without one but no drama at all. 

 

Spent lunchtime processing the 3 apple tress we had from a neighbour, dead standing so already very dry but none the less I was impressed with the 231s performance.

 

Big lesson I learnt today was I'd benefit from investing in a log splitter if I am going to start getting trunks directly from Tree Surgeons as using a splitting maul for that much in one sitting was a work out!

 

thanks all for the help and advice!

Don't use a maul the whole time. Take several axes to the pile, use the smallest, if that doesn't work after a couple of swings grab a bigger axe for that log then go back to the smaller one unless you are in a wood that you know always needs a bigger axe. I tend to take 3 axes to the pile with the biggest being the x27, the logs that doesn't split get put aside and when there's a dozen I'll do a short stint with the big 8lb Stihl maul. If that doesn't get them after a few swings then they get blocked up with the chainsaw.  In this way I hand split 12-15m³ a year mainly doing 45 minute stints in the summer evenings once the kids are in bed.