Oregon CS300 40V Cordless Chainsaw

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Well it definately makes nice chips!! They are the length of noodles, but see they are cross cut. Not sure l like the double rakers but the profile/shape of the cutters is very hotsaw-chainesque. Some real thought looks like its been put into that chain for not only safety but performance too! Not sure how much cutting life each cutter has as they are small, with the heels clipped (like race chain). What is the noise like with this saw?
 
What is the noise like with this saw?
The saw is louder than an electric drill, but quieter than a circular saw (Skil saw). I would say about as loud as a reciprocating saw (Sawzall).

You can run any conventional 3/8 low-profile/Picco chain on it if you prefer. I tried this with the earlier model, and found that the PowerSharp chain cut better.

Philbert
 
The saw is louder than an electric drill, but quieter than a circular saw (Skil saw). I would say about as loud as a reciprocating saw (Sawzall).

You can run any conventional 3/8 low-profile/Picco chain on it if you prefer. I tried this with the earlier model, and found that the PowerSharp chain cut better.

Philbert
Thanks for the review, Philbert. Have you had any of the cut-out issues? Does the chain stay sharp for a relatively long time?
 
Thanks for the review, Philbert. Have you had any of the cut-out issues? Does the chain stay sharp for a relatively long time?

These saws have a 'cut-out' feature, which activates if pushed too hard, to protect the motor, etc. It is not quite the same as 'overloading' the motor, since it is protective and intentional.

I have had both saws (CS250 and CS300) cut-out when pressed in heavier, wet wood. But this is resolved by releasing and re-squeezing the trigger, and letting the saw do the work.

The chain is PowerSharp, with a built-in sharpening lever, so it just gets a touch-up whenever it feels like it is slowing down a bit.

BTW, do you know if the string trimmer is using the new brushless motor?

I don't think so. They are on their 2nd generation string trimmer, and moving to their 3rd trimmer head, which uses an easy load, disc-type, line cartridge.

I have used them for trimming and edging - they work pretty well.

Since the batteries can be almost half the cost of some of these tools, it is helpful to look at them as a 'family' of OPE, unless you are certain that you will only be using one tool. Nice to be able to share/swap batteries among the different tools.

Philbert
 
These saws have a 'cut-out' feature, which activates if pushed too hard, to protect the motor, etc. It is not quite the same as 'overloading' the motor, since it is protective and intentional.

I have had both saws (CS250 and CS300) cut-out when pressed in heavier, wet wood. But this is resolved by releasing and re-squeezing the trigger, and letting the saw do the work.

The chain is PowerSharp, with a built-in sharpening lever, so it just gets a touch-up whenever it feels like it is slowing down a bit.



I don't think so. They are on their 2nd generation string trimmer, and moving to their 3rd trimmer head, which uses an easy load, disc-type, line cartridge.

I have used them for trimming and edging - they work pretty well.

Since the batteries can be almost half the cost of some of these tools, it is helpful to look at them as a 'family' of OPE, unless you are certain that you will only be using one tool. Nice to be able to share/swap batteries among the different tools.

Philbert
I think I'm going to get the saw and the trimmer. Thanks again.
 
I think I'm going to get the saw and the trimmer.
You will really appreciate having 2 batteries to share between the tools. Go with at least one 4.0 Ah battery - it makes a difference.

And please post your comments / experiences here after you have had a chance to use them, especially the saw.

Philbert
 
Battery Prices

Noticed recently that the prices for these batteries have really dropped. The 2.4Ah is going for around $80 and the 4.0Ah for about $139 (online prices). Still not pocket change, but a big drop from when they were introduced. As Martha Steward would say, 'And that is a good thing'.

Philbert
 
Sounds like they are selling off "old" stock. Usually happens before a new product line is around the corner. About time also...

7
 
They still make these Oregon CS300 version, so it must perform fairly well for the money ? I wonder how it would cut if the 16 inch bar was changed to a 14" bar and use the 40 volt - 6 AH battery ?
 
They still make these Oregon CS300 version, so it must perform fairly well for the money ? I wonder how it would cut if the 16 inch bar was changed to a 14" bar and use the 40 volt - 6 AH battery ?
The shorter bar would not make a big difference, unless you are burying the entire bar in wood. Otherwise, the small, additional amount of friction would be negligible.

The 6Ah battery just lets you cut longer than the other batteries; no additional power / torque.

Philbert
 
The shorter bar would not make a big difference, unless you are burying the entire bar in wood. Otherwise, the small, additional amount of friction would be negligible.

The 6Ah battery just lets you cut longer than the other batteries; no additional power / torque.

Philbert

Ty .. Since you have owned both the OREGON CS300 and the REDBACK 120 volt , would you say the Oregon definitely cuts faster then the Redback ? Oregon is making a 6 amp battery x 40 volts for 240 watt hours compared to the redback at 120 volts x 2 ahs for the same 240 watt hours . Of course that wont mean they get similar run times because the brushless motors in each saw may draw different amperages as the throttle is applied along with the longer bar on the Redback , different style/link chains used, etc.

Going to a 14 inch bar on the Oregon may not make a big difference, but it would allow the saw to cut with faster speed/ efficiency and get more cuts per charge ?
 
I don't think you would notice any practical difference between a 14" and 16" bar on this saw. You might notice differences between different types of chains when cutting different types of wood.

The Oregon CS250 (first version) had a 14" bar. They put a 16" bar on the CS300, which is more powerful (see first few posts for comparison). The difference between these saws is very noticeable.

Philbert
 
Been researching the EGO 56 VOLT ...looks like it cuts great and fast , BUT, the photos indicate that the drive gear for the chain, is made of plastic . Surely this cant be a good thing ? Looks like the Oregon CS300 has a all metal drive gear , and of course it has the auto sharpening feature as a added bonus.

Looks like Im gonna either purchase the Oregon 40 volt kit with 4ah battery or the REDBACK 120 volt with 2 AH battery. Both workout to be around the same price. The redback has more power/torque for big logs, but seems to cut much slower then the Oregon. Also the Redback weighs a lot more, which is a negative if cutting for several hours at a time.

Has anyone taken one of these battery packs apart, to fix them or see if they can be repaired by the owner ?
 
Looks like Im gonna either purchase the Oregon 40 volt kit with 4ah battery or the REDBACK 120 volt with 2 AH battery.
Please post your impressions, experiences, comments, etc., in the appropriate thread, whichever one you choose. The more input we get, the more it helps others. The manufacturers often monitor those threads as well, even if they don't post, so your feedback can have impact on future products as well. A sharp chain really makes a difference with all of these battery-powered saws.

Has anyone taken one of these battery packs apart, to fix them or see if they can be repaired by the owner ?

***I DO NOT ENCOURAGE YOU TO DISASSEMBLE LI-ION BATTERY PACKS***

Lithium can react nastily when contacting certain things. Like air. Or water.

There are YouTube videos where you can watch others disassemble these battery packs to see what is inside (there are YouTube videos showing all kinds of Darwinian behavior). But even our local 'Batteries+' place told me that they will not rebuild or repair Li-Ion battery packs.

Philbert
 
Please post your impressions, experiences, comments, etc., in the appropriate thread, whichever one you choose. The more input we get, the more it helps others. The manufacturers often monitor those threads as well, even if they don't post, so your feedback can have impact on future products as well. A sharp chain really makes a difference with all of these battery-powered saws.



***I DO NOT ENCOURAGE YOU TO DISASSEMBLE LI-ION BATTERY PACKS***

Lithium can react nastily when contacting certain things. Like air. Or water.

There are YouTube videos where you can watch others disassemble these battery packs to see what is inside (there are YouTube videos showing all kinds of Darwinian behavior). But even our local 'Batteries+' place told me that they will not rebuild or repair Li-Ion battery packs.

Philbert
 
Phil, I wasn't suggesting anyone to take their pack apart, I was just asking if anyone has done it, to see the internals or try to replace bad cell . FWIW, im very knowledgeable about these types of battery chemistries. Ive built 5 electric bikes and deal with LI-ION- LIPOLY , ETC all the time.

Yes, for those who do not know, these batteries can be dangerous, especially LIPOLY . Heres a photo of my latest ebike I built. It uses a 72 volt- 26 AH Li-ion battery with Samsung cells.
 

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