Est. 1998 — 28 years of woodworking knowledge
battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
JL
Two of our friends would like a small, battery powered chainsaw to share. They are single women who need something to clean up their respective yards.
Small is defined as something light enough to use - maybe 12-14"?
Re: battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
Jim Dillon
JL, ask, and you will receive, or something like that. Since the search function does not seem to be working, I remembered that a similar request had been made several months ago. Amazing, as I can't remember what I had today for breakfast! Found it by shear luck. Battery powered chain saws have come a long way for sure. Try this.
Hope this helps. Jim
Re: battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
Barry Irby
The Project Farm guy just did a test on battery chainsaws. The Dewalt won. Makita was close and had the advantage of coming with a second set of batteries.
These saws had what passes for 16" bars.
If smaller lighter ones are available, I am not aware.
The PPE question is very important. These things will chew though ordinary chaps.
Re: battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
William Duffield
I wrote a preliminary review of the Makita XCU04 soon after I got it. I should have added to the review after I had some actual time cutting up trees into firewood and bowl blanks with the Makita, but I forgot. I'll try to remedy that now. You can find my review here:
along with some comments ay others on this forum.
By now, I have used the saw quite a bit, disassembling several black locust and walnut trees and a monster bittersweet vine. I've charged the batteries several times, sharpened chains several times, used almost a half gallon of chain and bar lube, stacked up lots of firewood, and even ruined one chain.
With some work with a diamond file, even that chain could be put back in service, but I don't think it is worth the effort. I threw the chain while cutting up some downed hard maple limbs at the end of an afternoon of sawing, and pinched the bar. If I had been using it on my gas saw, I don't think I would have thrown it, because gas saws don't have as much torque.
I really like the Makita, enough that I am selling my gas powered Stihl MS271 Farm Boss and my old chaps. I already have a buyer, who has used that particular saw a lot.
I have found it to be adequate for everything I have asked it to do, including cutting the trunk of a 18" diameter locust trunk into firewood sections. The work I get out of two pairs of batteries is more than sufficient to wear me out for the remainder of the day, so you won't need more than that unless you have other Makita battery powered tools that take the same batteries, or you have younger helpers that can keep the saw running longer than I can, but I'm 72 and have never been athletic. (Just reading about how much JKJ accomplishes in a day exhausts me. 
)
I think the feature I like best about this particular saw model is the bar and chain removal and adjustment system. It is toolless - no worry about losing you scrench in the underbrush. Everything you need to do it is built into the saw. Of course, you still need a funnel to add bar oil and a compressor to clear the chips and detritus out of the saw at the end of the day, and you will still probably want to carry a spare chain or two or a file if you have a lot to saw a long way from the barn.
There's no need to say anything further about the advantages most battery powered chain saws have over their gas powered ancestors. You can find that information anywhere. I don't have experience to compare it to other battery chain saws.
Re: battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
Tom Dunlap
I’ve been an arborist for 45 years. Owned dozens of saws.
Retired. Now so my saw demands have changed
I bought a Dewalt because that’s the battery addiction I have now. I’m content with its performance but there is NO WAY that I would give it anymore than a B grade. For my expectations it’s fine though
Makita has a good rep for the price. My brother, arbo too, has had two for production work and loves them
Husky seems to be the top of most. Favorite lists.
Re: battery powered chainsaw recommendation?
John Foster
I work at a building supply, the yard guys have about 8-9 saws in use from the big Husqvarna 395's down to the battery powered Makitas . We have only used the Makitas because almost all our other cordless tools are Makita. I can't compare brands of cordless saws, but I can tell you that they love the Makitas. I predict that in a couple of years we will only have the big saws and the small ones will be replaced with cordless saws as they retire.
Thanks.
JL
Lots of good reading.