Thread: show us your chainsaws

That's basically good advice for any smaller saw - not just battery jobbies. Keep the chain sharp however you prefer to sharpen them haha and the rakers at spec and they'll cut like little troopers. Also a good comment about the chain tension on the smaller bars - they definitely do not like being as tight as the bigger 3/8 gear.

The biggest disadvantage in my guesstimate from petrol to the battery saws is the little battery jobbies are heavier and the balance is just different. But then if you've used an electric saw the same comment applies - balance is just different to the petrol equivalent. With a good, freshly charged battery the battery saws are bloody good - but if you grab it after a few months and the battery isn't holding it's charge yeesh what a pain in the arse. Again though with petrol you have to be careful with storage life and having to fart about mixing fuel - no free lunches.

Slightly looser chains on small saws makes sense as a lot of them are quite slim top to bottom at the bar tip (tight corner ahead) plus some don't have rollertips.
If you want to see loose chains look at the Youtube guys Is_woko running super loose chains on their 395 and 881. Annoys the hell out of me.

I haven't had any balance troubles except when I pick up and arborists saw. I don't own any like that though.

My battery Stihl is a year old and the battery is used on both the chainsaw and the weedeater (wife's). Have had no issues yet with a stored battery having lost charge (in theory it should happen) but always throw the battery on the charger in prep for work. Sometimes it doesn't even top up. Maybe as it gets older.

Because my chainsaw petrol does sit a while I dose it with STA-BIL. I probably wouldn't bother to do this except I bought the STA-BIL to treat my fuel in my Honda generator. It can sit for months without being run. I always shut the fuel off and run it out but some fuel may remain in the system.

Originally Posted by zimmer

.. I bought the STA-BIL to treat my fuel in my Honda generator. It can sit for months without being run. ..

Same. Every 8-12 months, I use that fuel up in the ride-on and replace it in the genny with fresh stuff.

Six months is generally fine with 96 or non-ethanol 98 treated with stabilizer, I normally drain the bowl on engines where you can get to it without having to run them out. Two stroke usually has a stabilizer of some form in the oil, but I normally don't store it and drain the fuel when I'm finished with the tool...

You're doing better than me - but batteries do work better if you use the tool, have a short period for the cells in the battery to re-equalise and then use it again. This is the cordless grinder thing, it shuts down and give it 5 mins and you can get another 5-10mins out of it. Start it straight up again and it'll turn straight off again.

My best effort on a cordless saw is using a battery, plugging in the second and then having to grab lunch while I wait for the first to charge. But that is literally continuous cutting only stopping to fill the bar oil and tickle the chain, on Avo prunings piled up ready to go for bucking. In that scenario, a petrol saw is better simply because you can 'recharge' it quicker over the course of the job (although it takes less time to swap a battery). Avo is a little unique in that it's usually soft enough that it doesn't dull chains much at all. I can (or could before I did the ribs) do about 8m3 of avo in half a day bucked, it takes a lot longer on the splitter though. Quicker to put the saw through some bits than split them, knotty crap in the crutches.

FYI. Stihl runs the usual 15% off special, code OWNERS15
not sure how they know but discount doesn't apply to stuff that I like or want.

I have a T435 here

Quite good saws but a rear handle is better for firewood

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

I have a T435 here

Quite good saws but a rear handle is better for firewood

Miles and miles of tracks. Never missed a beat. Easily the best saw I have ever had.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Miles and miles of tracks. Never missed a beat. Easily the best saw I have ever had.

muffler modded mine straight out as the original was shockingly restrictive

16inch bar and full chisel chain

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

muffler modded mine straight out as the original was shockingly restrictive

16inch bar and full chisel chain

Attachment 224441

You've been watching too many buckin billy ray videos!

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

muffler modded mine straight out as the original was shockingly restrictive

16inch bar and full chisel chain

Attachment 224441

Ours has cut some big wood. Mods like that are beyond me. Skill set.

I've used top handles, do their job but don't feel as nice and balanced in the cut as the normal saw designs. That Stihl model that came out with the chain brake activated by releasing the rear handle was weird as well.

Originally Posted by No.3

I've used top handles, do their job but don't feel as nice and balanced in the cut as the normal saw designs. That Stihl model that came out with the chain brake activated by releasing the rear handle was weird as well.

I have that in mid sized saw...its a great feature..if shit hits fan and for what ever reason you let go..chain stops...takes a bit to get used to closeing it to move chain for sharpening..but overall a good thing,especially for a training/teaching saw.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I have that in mid sized saw...its a great feature..if shit hits fan and for what ever reason you let go..chain stops...takes a bit to get used to closeing it to move chain for sharpening..but overall a good thing,especially for a training/teaching saw.

Ahhh I thought someone had one on here - yours would be the third one I've seen in nz along with one other parts saw... One got sold on tm a while back, if it was cheaper I would have got it out of curiosity!

I don't have that issue for sharpening, I built a doohickey to tension the chain with the powerhead off the bar. Fitting it up basically saves enough time by not working around the powerhead that it's worth doing.

Come on guys you do not need big saws