Manual chainsaw?

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,886
2,137
Mercia
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?
Definitely. I run the DeWalt XR 18V system on tools (drills, drivers, angle grinder, reciprocating saw etc.). Same batteries work well on our very large hedge cutters.

As for electric chainsaws, I have a Stihl MS291 on an 18" bar and a bigger still Husqy. I often reach for a 14" bar mains electric saw. Its light, its handy, its quiet, its got enough torque for 8" diameter wood. What's not to like? I have arborist friends who love the new electric Stihl - an absolute godsend climbing compared to a running top handle saw & the pole saws are much lighter. There's still a place for a petrol saw but electric saws are great.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ooops

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,774
Berlin
I never thought about if it's really illegal on Sunday. Often it's written in contracts though.
Professionals have different rights than civilians and although we surely are the least courtois population in Europe, we are pretty correct regarding noise at midday and Sunday.
Probably we are just very lazy though.
 

FerlasDave

Full Member
Jun 18, 2008
1,857
621
Off the beaten track
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.


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

I was just about to mention the Thomas Flynn 3 footer. I have a friend who is both sizes and they’re absolute beasts! I am a huge fan of traditional cross cut saws.

I did try and start a thread on them a few years back but there aren’t many people who know enough about them around anymore. If you do a video post it in that old thread too labelled “crosscut saw fans”
 
  • Like
Reactions: British Red

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,886
2,137
Mercia
I was just about to mention the Thomas Flynn 3 footer. I have a friend who is both sizes and they’re absolute beasts! I am a huge fan of traditional cross cut saws.

I did try and start a thread on them a few years back but there aren’t many people who know enough about them around anymore. If you do a video post it in that old thread too labelled “crosscut saw fans”
I'll try to remember
 
  • Like
Reactions: FerlasDave

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,399
1,688
Cumbria
My grandad used to tell me of summer holidays in the logging areas with his dad. Something involving bunking off early. His dad, uncle and other family members too worked in logging. This was in Nicholas, USA.

He told me about how dangerous it was and hard with too with the old two man saws. He told me about the kick back that did for his uncle. Apparently the supervisor called for my great grandad to be with him as he died. Back then the camps were so far out and medical treatment at least a week or more away. If the injuries didn't kill you the journey to help certainly would.

So they just waited for you to die then carted your body home or not as decided there. Usually taken home because family was usually around to make the right decision. Anyway my great grandad waited with his brother until he was dead then went back to work. Hard times and men I reckon.

So I have a very healthy caution when cutting things down like trees. You've got you plan the fall but more importantly your escape routes and safe zone once it goes. I've not taken down large trees just 20 year old birch pioneer species such as planted to dry and recover gravel pits. They were still tall and enough to hurt you.
 

Chris71127

Tenderfoot
Jan 21, 2015
53
5
Ipswich
Having all of the above mentioned tools and a number of chainsaws it always surprises me just how easy they make the bigger jobs when you switch back from hand tools.
without knowing the diameter doing 10 trees of anything more than about 10 inches I wouldn’t even entertain anything other than a chainsaw. Especially for all the clear up afterwards. If I was forced to use something else I would go with a big silky and a good sharp axe. Crosscut saws are a thing of the past and not cheap.
Find yourself a decent Stihl ms250 or similar second hand that isn’t tired and it will cope with most small holding tasks easily. Save the hand tools for fun bushcraft tasks unless you really want to shed those lock down pounds ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robson Valley

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,399
1,688
Cumbria
Well I've had a productive afternoon courtesy of my parents coming round, part of our childcare bubble so I think ok. Got two trees down with my dad's electric chainsaw. Got previous cuttings bagged up in 280 litre sacks I bought 5 for b£28. Then I found telescopic ratchet loppers capable of cutting through branches up to wrist thick. So I spent an hour on my own reducing more cut tree branches down n for disposal.

Not a bad day considering i broke my arm earlier this week!!! I found out that I could use different body parts to push over handle against n so I could work one handed with the other safely unused in a sling.

Then I found quite a few interesting plants. Hellebores coming out. Snowdrops still out. Ransomes smelling ready for picking. Double headed daffs. Plus a whole load of other flowers and plants.

BTW how much longer should I wait before buying gooseberry and other fruit bushes / canes to plant? I want to at least get my gooseberries in. What sort of areas should I put them in? Partial shade ok for them? The most open spots are edge of trees. No completely open areas really.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris71127

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
I live at 53N x 120W. Serious winters if you ever see my pictures
Question: Is your ground frozen or not?
Correct answer: Dig your plants into unfrozen ground and water them in.

Gooseberries and currants are very forgiving. Grapes, I would wait until May and the soil is a lot warmer
 

bobnewboy

Native
Jul 2, 2014
1,318
870
West Somerset
Paul, you’re at the end of the gooseberry planting period right now, so don’t delay if you’re going to get some. Our gooseberry, raspberry and blackcurrant bushes are now sprouting strongly. Our gooseberry bushes are in a well lit, sunny area ; the rasps are in a slightly less bright section, and the blackcurrants are in a dappled sun/shade area. All seem to do well with decent pruning each year.
 

bobnewboy

Native
Jul 2, 2014
1,318
870
West Somerset
Ever thought of making gooseberry and cinnamon yoghurt? ;)
It sounds nice, but nope. Last year the gooseberries went into a couple of jars of gooseberry jelly. We only have one bush so a bit limited in quantities. I’m still making jams and jellies as necessary with the blackcurrants and raspberries we harvested last year though - thank goodness for freezers :)

We have forced our one rhubarb plant this year (only every third year or so), and some of that is going into rhubarb vodka at the end of next month. What is left will be added to the fruit strained out of the vodka and used in a crumble....I’ll never be slim!

Today we’re putting out more onions, planting on some standard and marrowfat peas that were started in the greenhouse (we need the space), and putting some climbing and dwarf beans into the raised beds. We have already put some parsnip, beetroot, and carrot seeds in too but they won’t be up for a couple of weeks yet. The hot chillis and sweet peppers are looking good in the greenhouse, and the cucumber and courgette plants are growing well there too.

This year I’ve tried propagating basil from a store-bought live plant, and the stems selected are growing hairy roots in their glasses on the windowsill. They will go into individual pots to be kept in the kitchen on the same windowsill.

We’re even trying more flowers this year. We’ve planted seeds for nicotiana, teddy bear sunflowers, pansies, lobelia and so on. We have a load of sweet peas to put out as well. The flower seeds are all free from a magazine subscription we get included as a bank account reward. We shall see......

Cheers, Bob
 
Last edited:

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE