Manual chainsaw?

[Paul_B]

I'm not looking for a human powered chainsaw just a human powered way to efficiently cut through tree trunks. Nothing too big but I've got a few more down trees with bigger than expected trunks.

I've got a samurai 240 folding saw. It's amazing how quickly it cuts through branches up to surprisingly thick branches and trunks. I just need a little bit more cutting power.

I'm thinking a bow saw with a wet wood cutting blade. Not sure it'll be enough though.
A borrowed electric chainsaw i borrowed made hats with of one trunk.

 

[Erbswurst]

It depends on the thickness and amount of trees.

10 trees up to leg thick I would simply cut with a new bow saw.

For 10 larger trees, a bit less or more, I would hire somebody to fell and section it. The rest I would do myself.

If you have more trees and a fireplace and think that you will also in future make firewood, perhaps in foreign woods with permission, you should make a chain saw course and buy a quality saw.

You need to look where in your area is located a chain saw service point. You buy in the service point that is located next to you and that sells Dolmar, Stihl or Husquarna.
For you it doesn't matter which of the three brands you buy. For you is important that the service point isn't far away.
The quality of them is relatively equal.
Dont buy an electric one, buy a light fuel motor saw!
Don't mix yourself, buy the ready mixed fuel in the service point!
Afterwards you drive the tank empty and then detension the chain.


Cable saws are just for cutting wood next to your shed. High quality akku saws are expensive and mainly sensible for tree climbers and people who saw professionally in towns, also early in the morning.

You need to invest approximately 500 € into the saw. Don't take a 250 € version, they are no good quality and you can't work with them longer than half an hour.

You need something that's made for farmers. No hobby class, no forester class, but farmer class in between.

And you need special protection boots, trousers, helmet with eye and ear protection. Leather gloves too.

if we just talk about felling and sectioning a few trees it is surely cheaper and easier and also less dangerous for you to hire a specialist.

I did fell a few trees. I got payed for a few. I got payed for a few that I climbed up and cut them meter by meter with the chain saw down while I was hanging in the tree.
I helped a few moth a specialist who did that professionally since many years.

And I recently found someone who is willing to come next winter to our farm here and take away the 20 metres high 200 poplar hedge for free.
He gets the wood, we get rid of the problem.

He comes with a harvester, I will stay out of danger.

Tree felling is DANGEROUS.
I avoid unnecessary risks.

Some trees are protected, for others you need to ask official permission, hedge and tree cutting has legal seasons regarding bird protection.

A specialist also covers that all.

And if you want, he takes all the branches with him. That costs of course but just look how many branches are at your trees and imagine to have them for a decade in a corner of your garden.

I recommend to fell trees before you plant or build anything.
Felling with just 3 cuts and sectioning on the ground is far cheaper than tree climbing.

Depending on the area and situation felling and sectioning a tree like it's done in the woods may cost 100 € while a tree climber will ask for 300 to 500 € for the same tree.

There aren't so many people who are willing to hang in a tree and to cut there with a motor chain saw approximately in the height of their own neck.
The few who are doing it ask for a sensible amount of money of course.

That's the reason why it's pretty idiotic to let them grow too high in a small garden.

 

[Le Loup]

I'm not looking for a human powered chainsaw just a human powered way to efficiently cut through tree trunks. Nothing too big but I've got a few more down trees with bigger than expected trunks.

I've got a samurai 240 folding saw. It's amazing how quickly it cuts through branches up to surprisingly thick branches and trunks. I just need a little bit more cutting power.

I'm thinking a bow saw with a wet wood cutting blade. Not sure it'll be enough though.
A borrowed electric chainsaw i borrowed made hats with of one trunk.

I suggest a two person crosscut saw or a felling axe Paul. Good exercise
Regards, Keith.

 

[British Red]

I suggest a two person crosscut saw or a felling axe Paul. Good exercise
Regards, Keith.

Absolutely this. I would use a proper crosscut saw. They are still made in the UK and a 4ft is fine for any tree I would want to tackle single handed.

One Man Crosscut Saw - Great American Tooth

** Now available as a 4ft version too ** These large saws are used mostly in forestry work and the crosscutting of large logs. But in recent years, these have been bought by people aiming to cut their own fire wood etc. They are a great alternative to chain saws in both a safety and...

www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk

I have an upcoming video on gow we fell and process trees here, I am considering doing one with just hand tools

 

[Broch]

As others have said, it depends how much you have to do. I'm working in the wood a lot but still use a 24" bow saw (with green wood blade) for some cutting.

However, last year, I converted to a Makita electric chain saw and have not looked back. Much quieter, no fumes, no petrol, and no pull starting.

Unless you're actually looking for a nostalgic experience, if a bow saw can't do it, I'd use an electric (battery) chainsaw.

 

[nigelp]

I’ve had an electric chainsaw for a few years. It was a cheap one that gets used a few times a year to process wood for the fire and for cutting sleepers for garden projects. As @Broch said it’s always ready to go without much effort. I’m tempted by the battery chainsaws as an alternative to having a corded/petrol one.
That traditional cross cut saw looks a fun and active way to process wood.

 

[chimpy leon]

Depending on your workload it maybe worth investing in a decent chainsaw, as already mentioned.

I have been using my little Husqvarna 120 a lot this winter and it’s been an absolute gem. You can pick them up for £140 in some places. Also Battery technology is amazing these days, so battery saws are worth a look too. I can vouch for the Dewalt battery saws.

If you do get a chainsaw, get a quality lid with a face mesh as bare minimum and preferably boots, trousers and a CS30 ticket. Because they’re aren’t too many tools that will turn your day into a nightmare as quickly as a chainsaw if you get it wrong.

 

[Ooops]

I've heard great things about the latest battery saws, however in the past, going back quite some time, I never had much luck with battery life time & maintenance.

Has the technology changed enough to provide for an easily maintained, long life (not to be confused with run time) power cell?

 

[C_Claycomb]

Paul, you haven't said what diameter wood. I might look at a 30 or 36" bow saw, provided the logs were not too large to go through from one side. The 30 is available in variable tension frames, while the 36 is a simple lever frame. I have used a 24" lever frame for a long time and it is okay.

Big factor compared to all other suggestions is price! Sub-£30, compared to £110 for Red's cross cut and £500 for Erbswurst's the chain saw (I am not in agreement with his price/value recommendation).

Learning to saw properly is important. Most people do not know how to saw properly, and do not know they do not know. This usually results in a bent blade that cups in the cut, which is the end of that blade. I kind of knew how to saw properly, but am out of practice now. Shouldn't be a problem if you have multiple trunk's worth of practice.

Just for entertainment..."proper size saw"



All that said, I have a small petrol chainsaw (Stihl MS180, which would be about £220 ) on long term loan and it has enabled me to do things that I could not have done otherwise in the way of cleaning up fallen trees. Time being a factor in life. The use I have had from it over the years has made me see it would have been worth me buying one, but it is a bigger up-front investment when you don't know whether you will use it, not just the saw, but the safety gear which adds an easy £100, but it would be worth it for me if/when my loan has to be returned.

 

[Broch]

I've heard great things about the latest battery saws, however in the past, going back quite some time, I never had much luck with battery life time & maintenance.

Has the technology changed enough to provide for an easily maintained, long life (not to be confused with run time) power cell?

Yep; I'm sure all the good makes are much the same, but my Makita fitted with a pair of 5Ah batteries will last me a few hours - with a spare set and a fast charger that can keep me going as long as I've got the energy

 

[Broch]

Excuse my ignorance, but if you're working on your own, what is the point in having a saw longer than the stroke of your arm (plus a little lean).

 

[Ooops]

Yep; I'm sure all the good makes are much the same, but my Makita fitted with a pair of 5Ah batteries will last me a few hours - with a spare set and a fast charger that can keep me going as long as I've got the energy

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I was referring to the overall life and resilience when not in regular use i.e. where you don't need it for six or eight months?

 

[Broch]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I was referring to the overall life and resilience when not in regular use i.e. where you don't need it for six or eight months?

Ah, sorry, missed that bit

I've had one set of Makita Li batteries now for 7 years (from other tools) and they are still going strong. I haven't been able to measure any drop off in performance although there must be a little. My second set is actually a (good) third party supply and after one year of heavy use are still as good as new as far as I can tell. I've heard bad things about cheaper clones.

The original set were left idle for months in the past but they all get heavy use now.

Edit: I should add that I still use petrol chainsaws for anything near and over the 30cm mark.

 

[Ooops]

Ah, sorry, missed that bit

I've had one set of Makita Li batteries now for 7 years (from other tools) and they are still going strong. I haven't been able to measure any drop off in performance although there must be a little. My second set is actually a (good) third party supply and after one year of heavy use are still as good as new as far as I can tell. I've heard bad things about cheaper clones.

The original set were left idle for months in the past but they all get heavy use now.

Edit: I should add that I still use petrol chainsaws for anything near and over the 30cm mark.

many thanks

 

[Erbswurst]

What I really like are battery hedge scissors, because they are light and you don't have to pay attention with the cable.

I worked with a Stihl product and it was fantastic.

The pretty expensive battery can be bought separately and also works in their other tools. I guess the competition also offers such systems.

If one needs to get all garden tools new, because one did moove from an apartment in town to a house that's surely worth a thought.

But otherwise most can be done with high quality muscle driven tools too. They are easy to use, easy to store and compared with motor tools very cheap.

For professional use I prefere the Stihl battery tools and light mid price fuel chain saws.
But in my private 1000 square metres garden in Berlin I do all and everything by hand except felling and sectioning large fruit trees.

I hate the incredible and totally unneeded noise when the neighbours play around with the leave blowers. Would I be the king of Prussia, I would simply interdict them. And it's the same with most other motor garden tools. In my opinion they are not necessary for private gardens and too expensive as well.

 

[Broch]

I hate the incredible and totally unneeded noise when the neighbours play around with the leave blowers. Would I be the king of Prussia, I would simply interdict them. And it's the same with most other motor garden tools. In my opinion they are not necessary for private gardens and too expensive as well.

100% with you on that

When I lived in a village I would never operate any garden petrol driven machinery on Sunday - not because I'm religious, I just felt there should be at least one day of the week when they are banned. Of course, my neighbours didn't adhere to the rule and the worst culprit was the local church warden!

Now that I live in the middle of nowhere I still stick to the rule; there's nothing worse than the sound of a chain saw breaking the silence of the countryside.

 

[TeeDee]

Could always just get some Det Cord. Easy AND Fun!!!

 

[Kepis]

mcs by https://www.flickr.com/photos/163167411@N07/, on Flickr

 

[Erbswurst]

In my garden colony I only start the fuel lawn cutter if I hear minimum 3 others around me. Usually others join the concert too and like this it's done.

 

[scruff]

Certainly the diameter is a big factor in safety and stamina here.

The bow saw is a perfect choice for this, perhaps an axe too if you wanna make the felling cut fun.

Alternatively, the Silky Temagami is a great option for such. I have one and have used it several times, quite comfortably, up to about 20cm diameter (felling and aggressive pruning / damage limitation) .

@scruffuk on Instagram: "I was able to try out these two stunning, Christmas gifted #silkysaw this afternoon, clearing one of the local trails from some windblown branches. The #silkygenkitemagari is astonishingly quick cutting and the #silkyf180 cer

79 likes, 6 comments - scruffuk on January 9, 2018: "I was able to try out these two stunning, Christmas gifted #silkysaw this afternoon, clearing one of the local trails from some windblown branches. The #silkygenkitemagari is astonishingly quick cutting and the #silkyf180 certainly a step up...

www.instagram.com

I have a few years experience working in a woodland though, and I'd stress as others have suggested the benefit of getting a pro in.

Sent from my Armor X7 using Tapatalk