Beginner questions

[michaeladams]

I have a few trees (2 or 3 with largest one ~10” in diameter), I’d like to remove from my property and I’d like to do it myself. For the price of hiring someone, I can buy myself a reasonably nice chainsaw and just do it myself and have a chainsaw to keep in case I need to cut more trees down in the future. My questions are these: any recommendations on a chainsaw for this kind of very small job? I’m leaning electric but open to suggestions. I’d rather buy a good quality chainsaw than buy a crappy/cheap one and then have to upgrade later if I need to. Any good safety videos? This will be my first time operating a chainsaw. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[J D]

If electric start by seeing what options there are that run on batteries you already have.
You should really factor in the cost of safety equipment, sharpening tools, etc too.
Videos, tutorials, internet advice, & manuals are all well & good but I would strongly recommend having someone with experience give you guidance in person. Things can go horribly wrong very quickly where chainsaws are conserned... Battery saws are no safer either, infact in my opinion they are more dangerous as someone with no understanding of what they are diong can just press a button & have a bunch of razors tearing around at 10m/s

 

[michaeladams]

Thank you for the safety tips! I think I will find someone with experience. Many thanks.

uno online​

 

[pdqdl]

Just go down to the local mass merchant/hardware store and buy an inexpensive homeowner saw with a 16" bar. There is no point in spending a lot of money on a really good saw, as there is a better-than-fair chance you will damage it irreparably with your lack of experience. Furthermore, you may decide that you cannot tolerate the noise and the dirt and the risk of hurting something or yourself.

As with all new endeavors, buy better equipment when you have a better understanding of what you will be doing. If you are dead set on getting a better saw than the cheapo down at Home Depot, head over to the small engine dealer and check out the homeowner saws in Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, Johnsered, or whatever brand they happen to sell. If you like the dealer, then you may be better off this way, 'cause most guys don't know how to fix a saw, either. Trust me! It will need repairs.

Study a bunch of YouTube videos, especially any that demonstrate how to avoid "kickback". I had a young fellow tell me he was an expert with a chainsaw, but he didn't follow my instructions, grabbed a different saw than I told him to take, and he was in the hospital that afternoon with a pretty horrible chop across his face with a running chainsaw.

Be careful, chainsaws can hurt you.

Battery saws are great if you happen to get one that complements your other battery-operated tools. I'm inclined to think that most folks will wear out the battery too quickly, and then the saw sits around for 6 months while the battery goes bad. Most of those big batteries cost more than a whole new gas-powered saw that will outperform it too. If you use them regularly but not all day long, they are probably well-suited for some folks.

 

[computeruser]

A little gas saw of reputable manufacture from Stihl, Echo, or Husqvarna, a pair of chaps, safety toe boots (you probably already own these), a file/guide setup of some sort, and a helmet with ear pro and face screen, and you’ll be set to do what you are proposing. 35cc/14-16” will do fine and will be a handy size to have around even later when you have bigger or more expensive saws. Think Stihl MS180-181, Husqvarna 435, Echo 370-400-3510.

Drain the gas out of the saw and run out the fuel in the carb before you put it up, and you should be fine. Or don’t. I’ll confess that I rarely do and my saws still fire off with new gas and a few pulls even after sitting a year or two in the case of the bigger ones I seldom use.

Watch some good content re: falling trees and don’t be in a race when you’re dropping your first trees. Plan out your falling before you start and plan your cutting sequence once it is down and you’re limbing and bucking. Keep a good hand saw around in case you get your saw stuck when cutting the tree up on the ground. It is easy to do with branches tangled and laying on each other, and the lower power of these little saws doesn’t help. I usually carry a Silky Pocketboy with medium coarseness teeth with me in my pocket, and have a Silky Zubat in my saw pack. Similar products from Corona can be had at Home Depot and ACE and will work fine in this role.