Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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Technology is inevitable, necessary, and mostly good. The problem is, sometimes Government gets it wrong.

I'm glad my Mustang gets 22 MPG on the Highway instead of 12, and that the 4.9 Liter Runs like an old 7 Liter. But the cars of the late 70s & 80s were horrible!

Hopefully, the new wave of chain saws will be more like the newer cars than the 80s stuff and we can have our cake and eat it too.

I won't complain about a saw that is light, strong, and fuel efficient.
 
Have been following battery tech closely (disclosure - have investments, planning more) for years, and despite what seems like a decade of promises of breakthrough/game-changing tech being just around the corner, I'm convinced the next dawn won't be a false one. What we are about to see will open up completely new possibilities for Oh.P.E and many other industries. Batteries approaching the energy density of gasoline is not a pipe dream.
 
Remember the first cordless drills? I had an 8.9 volt (couldn't quite make 9 I guess) drill 4 holes and then charge for 6 hours! Now I have an 18 volt that I can drill hole in steel with and using two batteries, they charge faster then I can wear them out. I haven't run a battery saw but I bet it would be the cats pajamas. However, I do have a love for the internal combustion engine. It's like a living breathing thing with its own personality (sometimes ignorant). Either way if they stop the sale of gas saws tomorrow, I won't have to worry about it in my lifetime.
 
Have been following battery tech closely (disclosure - have investments, planning more) for years, and despite what seems like a decade of promises of breakthrough/game-changing tech being just around the corner, I'm convinced the next dawn won't be a false one. What we are about to see will open up completely new possibilities for Oh.P.E and many other industries. Batteries approaching the energy density of gasoline is not a pipe dream.
It doesnt really matter how efficient a battery is, or how long it will run before needing rechargeing, if at the end of the day you have to plug it into the electric power grid to recharge. If the power grid is using non renewable resources, ie, coal, gas, oil, Nuclear, then its not as clean as the makers make it out to be. When you buy a battery operated anything, your concern is how long will the battery last and how much power will it provide. No one thinks about where the power actually comes from. Also no one thinks about what hazardous the chemical composites used to make the battery are to their health. How many of you dispose of your used flashlite batteries responibly, or do you just dump them in the regular trash and send them to the landfield. Worn out battery weed eater, just dump in the dumpster. Think nuclear power is clean, just ask those people in the middle east that have been bombarded with depleted nuclear waste bombs, the effects on the local population. Sure it will penetrate thru armor, but the final death count isnt limited to the actual target. Folks over there are experiencing all kinds of cancers and birth defects from the contaminations left behind from those bombs. It doesnt get any better here at home. We put that waste in barrels and bury it underground and it remains dangerous for 1000's of years. You cant get rid of the stuff. Battery powered tools are here to stay, and they will keep getting better, but dont tell me they are clean.
 
It doesnt really matter how efficient a battery is, or how long it will run before needing rechargeing, if at the end of the day you have to plug it into the electric power grid to recharge. If the power grid is using non renewable resources, ie, coal, gas, oil, Nuclear, then its not as clean as the makers make it out to be. When you buy a battery operated anything, your concern is how long will the battery last and how much power will it provide. No one thinks about where the power actually comes from. Also no one thinks about what hazardous the chemical composites used to make the battery are to their health. How many of you dispose of your used flashlite batteries responibly, or do you just dump them in the regular trash and send them to the landfield. Worn out battery weed eater, just dump in the dumpster. Think nuclear power is clean, just ask those people in the middle east that have been bombarded with depleted nuclear waste bombs, the effects on the local population. Sure it will penetrate thru armor, but the final death count isnt limited to the actual target. Folks over there are experiencing all kinds of cancers and birth defects from the contaminations left behind from those bombs. It doesnt get any better here at home. We put that waste in barrels and bury it underground and it remains dangerous for 1000's of years. You cant get rid of the stuff. Battery powered tools are here to stay, and they will keep getting better, but dont tell me they are clean.

Exactly!!! Also, the energy used to mine and create the item in the first place, often more difficult than what we currently have. People rarely look at the total picture, which is what you have to do. Also, the cost will likely be high for some time.
 
It doesnt really matter how efficient a battery is, or how long it will run before needing rechargeing, if at the end of the day you have to plug it into the electric power grid to recharge. If the power grid is using non renewable resources, ie, coal, gas, oil, Nuclear, then its not as clean as the makers make it out to be. When you buy a battery operated anything, your concern is how long will the battery last and how much power will it provide. No one thinks about where the power actually comes from. Also no one thinks about what hazardous the chemical composites used to make the battery are to their health. How many of you dispose of your used flashlite batteries responibly, or do you just dump them in the regular trash and send them to the landfield. Worn out battery weed eater, just dump in the dumpster. Think nuclear power is clean, just ask those people in the middle east that have been bombarded with depleted nuclear waste bombs, the effects on the local population. Sure it will penetrate thru armor, but the final death count isnt limited to the actual target. Folks over there are experiencing all kinds of cancers and birth defects from the contaminations left behind from those bombs. It doesnt get any better here at home. We put that waste in barrels and bury it underground and it remains dangerous for 1000's of years. You cant get rid of the stuff. Battery powered tools are here to stay, and they will keep getting better, but dont tell me they are clean.

I agree with some of that and share your frustration but your mixing a couple of points and missing a couple.

It frustrates me that politicians don't seem to understand the science, don't seem to consider whole life affects (creation and disposal, not just use) and have no idea on balancing local pollution vs worldwide impact of greenhouse gases.

with electricity generation, a power station is highly efficient and generation, transport (grid losses) and final useage is usually still more efficient than a IC engine, particularly a 2 stroke. Add to that here in the UK solar has provided over half the energy for the first time a couple of days this summer and weve had our first ever coal free day since we turned our first coal station on, renewables are growing. power stations are also cleaner , its easier to deal with a large polluter in one spot than millions of little ones

petrol is just so easy to transport though, fill a can and away you go, a big job would need a lot of batteries.
 
petrol is just so easy to transport though, fill a can and away you go, a big job would need a lot of batteries.
That's easy just plug the charger into your generator in the woods :D.
Funny, but I've done this many times, on construction sites it can be a normal thing.
It doesnt really matter how efficient a battery is, or how long it will run before needing rechargeing, if at the end of the day you have to plug it into the electric power grid to recharge. If the power grid is using non renewable resources, ie, coal, gas, oil, Nuclear, then its not as clean as the makers make it out to be. When you buy a battery operated anything, your concern is how long will the battery last and how much power will it provide. No one thinks about where the power actually comes from. Also no one thinks about what hazardous the chemical composites used to make the battery are to their health. How many of you dispose of your used flashlite batteries responibly, or do you just dump them in the regular trash and send them to the landfield. Worn out battery weed eater, just dump in the dumpster. Think nuclear power is clean, just ask those people in the middle east that have been bombarded with depleted nuclear waste bombs, the effects on the local population. Sure it will penetrate thru armor, but the final death count isnt limited to the actual target. Folks over there are experiencing all kinds of cancers and birth defects from the contaminations left behind from those bombs. It doesnt get any better here at home. We put that waste in barrels and bury it underground and it remains dangerous for 1000's of years. You cant get rid of the stuff. Battery powered tools are here to stay, and they will keep getting better, but dont tell me they are clean.
All the energy efficient light bulbs are a perfect example of this :rolleyes: :nofunny:.
I laugh heartily at folks who talk about me burning wood, it's interesting how different our perspectives are and how lopsided we can be.
Personally I feel there is to much forced on us, but I also have seen the advantages of this. One of my favorite saws to run is a 254xp, a somewhat comparable saw to it in the newer saws is the 555. The 555 has more power and is real close in handling and weight, and it will cut almost twice as much on the same gallon of fuel. I'm not a fan of all the computer crap, but it's hard to argue with those results as Mike was saying. While the learning curve on these products is not a cost that I personally want to bear, which is why I buy the beta version of almost nothing. I still believe that with all the issues the newer saws have had that for a company who is burning gallons of fuel a day the difference in the initial cost difference vs the cost of fuel savings the overall cost of ownership is less running the newer saws. For us guys burning a bit of firewood we don't see it as much.
I do still have some choice in the end as I get to choose what I buy, the bummer is if I want new they have reduced the number of choices, which is why I typically buy used :yes:.
 
Lol at the generator!

Burning wood is a similar issue, I'm sure its the local pollution that is driving saw clean up, not the overall efficiency. Air quality not global warming. Even modern stoves, run clean (on dry wood, run hot and hard) pollute a bit, and more than a mains gas powered boiler. However despite the poor air quality here in london, which causes premature deaths locally, I feel comfortable knowing I'm using a renewable instead of releasing a couple of tonnes of carbon from burning gas each winter, reducing my affect on global warming.

Anyway, saws are good things, but legislation to drive cleaner tech isn't all bad either.
 
London, I understand where you are coming from. I have done more than a little research into renewable energy. While I have no practical experience in producing grid power, My brother is one of the few people left that is qualified to operate, hydro, steam and nuclear power plants. I have sat and listened to his tales and stories. Best one is when someone ask him why the lake levels dont stay up year round. His answer is always, do your lights come on when you throw the switch. Pretty much sums it up. Everyone expects to just be able to hit the switch and lights turn on. Very little is ever thought about what it actually takes to make that happen.

I read some research paper once that claimed that a area of 10,000 acres (dont hold me to that number, may have been sqmiles)), covered in solar panels could produce all the electrcial needs of the entire US. Since the sun doesnt shine on the same spot 24 hrs a day it isnt practical without some sort of storage system, This would probably have to be some sort of battery. Now the argument can be, and has been, made that putting up 10,000 acres of solar panels would take up to much land that could otherwise be used for something else. My argument to that is, there is way over 10,000 acres of roofs on houses and factories. Take a heck of an infrastructure to tie it all together for sure.

In that same research paper, those same 10,000 acres could supply enough algae alcohol to keep every automoble in the country running, with out the need for petroleum gas or diesel. Uhm let that one sink in for a minute. Wonder how many acres are in corn production now just to make ethanol to put in our gas tanks. Algae alcohol has other extra side benefits, it can be fed with waste water raw sewage and garbage, all it needs to work is sunlite. Best part is the by products is clean water and high protein feed stock.

I have no problems with using battery powered tools and buying ethanol gas to run my car. Do it every day, but I do realize where its all coming from and have no illusions as the how little it actually does to clean up our environment.

I have also fought the fight with the govenment about installing my own hydro generator. Most folks dont know that any water that doesnt originate and terminate on your own property, the government owns it. Thats right, that spring, creek or river running thur you land isnt yours. Think that isnt so, read about the folks that have had to remove their rain catching ponds to allow the rain water to run on down the valley. even rain barrels catching runoff your gutter spouts isnt yours to catch.

You will read everywhere that the power company has to buy any excess power you can produce. Put in a solar panel and sell power back to the power companies. Well, that just isnt true. You might be able to get them to buy it from you, but they dont actually pay you anything. They give credits, They credit it on your power bill, but it isnt a even credit. They only have to credit the amount it would cost them to produce the power themself, but when you use it back, they get to charge you what they normally would charge anybody else for the same amount of power. You dont get to sell them 10,000kw of power and then take it back for what they allowed you in credit. Also, if you dont ever need the power they have given you credit for producing, well, they wont write you a check, they just keep it, they profit off your work.

Then you have the regulations you have to meet if you decide you want to put in a hydro power system and sell (give) them your excess power. They have to design the system and approve every aspect of the installation. This alone will add massive cost/fees to the your installation. I am going to built my system without the government interference. I will also be connected to the grid, but will be able to throw a switch if I need the grid power. I wont be doing the net metering thing, screw them. If they want me to pay them to do the install and wont pay me for any power I produce, they can go buy another bucket of coal.
 
IIf the power grid is using non renewable resources, ie, coal, gas, oil...dont tell me they are clean.
I wont.
No one thinks about where the power actually comes from. Also no one thinks about what hazardous the chemical composites used to make the battery are to their health.
I expect you'll be surprised at what's coming.
Exactly!!! Also, the energy used to mine and create the item in the first place, often more difficult than what we currently have. People rarely look at the total picture, which is what you have to do. Also, the cost will likely be high for some time.
Agreed, when it comes to energy generation tech of today.
 

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