Before Buying Chainsaws

As with every other thing you want to purchase, there are several questions you will have to ask yourself if you are shopping for a chainsaw.

•  What do I need it for?
•  What kind of trees will I be cutting?
•  How big and how tall are the trees I will be cutting?
•  Where will I be doing most of my cutting work?

The answers to these basic questions will go a long way into determining the type of chainsaw that you need. If you plan on using your chainsaw to cut hard wood, you will want one that packs more power. The diameter of the trees or wood you intend to work on will determine the length of the guide bar. If your work will take you to the woods you will need a gasoline-fed chainsaw.

There are three ways to power up a chainsaw: through gasoline, alternating current (AC), and direct current (DC). A gasoline-fed equipment is generally more powerful than either AC or DC power supplied. Thus, if you plan to use your chainsaw to cut oak, beech, or maple trees, you want this model. You will, however, have to mix gasoline and oil as their engines are usually of the two-stroke type. Note that even among the gasoline-fed versions, power output may still vary because of differences in engine displacement. The higher the displacement, the more power there is. Keep in mind, though, more power entails more difficulty in handling the chainsaw.

For softwood, such as pine, spruce, and hemlock, either AC- or DC-powered chainsaw will work fine. They also have the advantage of being more lightweight, quiet, and easier to handle. Starting the engine is a breeze as you will not need to jerk on a cord as you would in some gasoline-fed models. A disadvantage of the AC-powered chainsaw, however, is that its power cord limits your mobility.

The guide bar upon which the chain is mounted determines the maximum diameter your chainsaw can cut in a single pass. For a home-use chainsaw, a guide bar length of 14 to 20 inches will usually suffice. Professional users might want to go beyond 20 inches because they have to work with wood of large diameters. This increase in length, however, renders the machine more difficult to handle. Keep in mind that a guide bar can cut a log whose diameter is two times the bar’s length. A 14-inch bar, for instance, can cut a log with a 28-inch diameter if the cut is made around the log.

You might want to work on tree branches that are just barely beyond your reach. In this case, you will want a pole chainsaw. This tool has an extended handle that allows the user to extend his reach for up to 12 feet. A pole chainsaw may be gasoline-fed, AC- or DC-powered.

For those who will be doing most of their work in the forests where there are no electrical outlets to plug machines and battery chargers into, a gasoline-fed chainsaw is a must.

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website