Thread: Electric chainsaws

Depends how much work you intend throwing at it.

In a hurry to do one of those jobs only a chainsaw would do I bought an electric Ozito 'no namer' from Bunnies three years ago and it has been a very handy power tool. Cheap as chips - $59 I recall had a 2 year warranty, 14" bar, std oregon chain, chain brake, bar protector and oil bottle.

I have had petrol Stihls and an old Husky for >35 years so know saws a bit - the cheapie has been fine. Like all chainsaws likes care and sharpening, chain should always be sharp and adjusted correctly. They are as vicious as any chainsaw so great care in use, but a handy tool and has done way more work than I expected it to and is still in fine condition (but I look after tools even cheap ones!).

So spend as little or as much as the level of work you need to use it for - quality of the cut will be no different - it's a chainsaw after all.

I've used a Makita - was around 1800w from memory - and it worked OK but with one drawback: when ripping the side-cover would fairly quickly clog and would have to be picked clean with a stick. A bit tedious.

Originally Posted by Bloss

. . . . They are as vicious as any chainsaw so great care in use, . . . .

Electrics are even more dangerous than their petrol powered cousins because they are not stopped by chaps.

Originally Posted by BobL

Electrics are even more dangerous than their petrol powered cousins because they are not stopped by chaps.

Not so - I use chaps (unlike almost every DIYer I know!) and can confirm that they do stop the chain and the suppliers say so too. In any case there is no overrun with the electric saw - when the trigger is released (and can't be hold on) the brake activates. Be hard to contemplate the user holding the trigger during a kickback or other problem. Even cheap saws use an inertia style brake and they are almost instantaneous.

But safety is a real concern - I wear chainsaw gloves, chaps, steel cap boots, hard hat with safety mask and ear muffs and do so every time. The injuries often happen when 'I'll just lop that little limb off that tree' and their limb is what gets lopped. Even watching some uses of all types of chain saws makes me wince - even the primary issue of keeping the body out of the line of the bar is too often ignored.

Why is that Bob? More torque?

Originally Posted by Bloss

Not so - I use chaps (unlike almost every DIYer I know!) and can confirm that they do stop the chain and the suppliers say so too

Is that the supplier of the saw or chaps?

Gidday Ern I'm in much the same boat as bloss with 2 petrol and an Ozito which I've had for 3 years and no problems whereas a mates ryobi [6 months younger] has died and part not available The Ozito has ample power and I have had an extra chain done for ripping [ more of a chisel profile ] Great!!! So spend what you must but I have no qualms or complaint with mine Cheers ww.wally

A couple of years back when I started turning I tried a couple of electric chain saws and took them back the same day. Admittedly they were not top of the range but one gave out after 3 slices on a 12'' log. The chain drive pulley was plastic. Bloke tried to say I should not have tried to cut so big a log so I asked why it had a 16'' bar. I still make do with the petrol one. I had a look at the makita later and it would be the only electric chainsaw I would go for. The rest will only trim light shrubs.
Regards
John

Hopefully you can't get GMC electric chainsaws anymore . To cut a long story short, I went through 3 of the useless piles of junk in less than 1 hours cutting - 2 different models even . Took me nearly 12 months to get a refund and still haven't bought another electric job yet - 3 times bitten, extremely bloody shy - but I have pondered a Makita - maybe one day

G`day it must be the luck of the draw I have had a GMC for a couple of years and it has done quite a lot of work and has only just started to die recently it`s been good value for the price.Maybe it was a wednesday saw?
Mick

back in the early 80s i worked in a saw mill for a couple of years and we had 2 electric makita chain saws that we used for docking logs to size on the log skids before running them through the breaking down bench, these saws were worked every day and we could not kill them except for the odd time the blokes on the log dump cut through the cord or once when the crane parked on top of one , if they still make them as good as they did then i dont think you could kill one with the bit of work you would be giving it .

I've heard good things about the biggest of the Stihl electric ones. I heard this from a sculptor that was sponsored by Dolmar (makita) but liked the extra grunt of the stihl (2200W if I remember correctly)

Originally Posted by Woodturnerjosh

I've heard good things about the biggest of the Stihl electric ones. I heard this from a sculptor that was sponsored by Dolmar (makita) but liked the extra grunt of the stihl (2200W if I remember correctly)

I was looking for an electric CS about 4 months ago and was interested in a Stihl of Husqvana, but could not source one, as they were out of stock at the time.
I stumbled accross the Makita (400mm bar 1650W) and got that in stead and have been very happy with it. It's quite (keeps the neighbours happy ) and does all the work I need for preparing turning blanks from pre-cut felled tree trunks received from professional tree loppers working in the area, or just found in the street on fortnightly green waste collection nights. Mind you, most timber I cut is usually less than 300mm, but I have cut up to about 500mm on a few occasions.
Cheers

Ever consider a Sawzall type saw? They have many uses that chain saws don't have and IMHO are safer.