Should I buy a chainsaw

Well, if you have stuff to cut and you think you can do it, go for it.

Some reading is required. Read up about kickback and chainsaw safety, and learn to sharpen a chain.

Kickback is going to be mild on a battery powered saw with a safety chain, but you still need to understand the principle.

Proper ppe is a must in my opinion. If you end up choosing a saw add a set of chaps in with the purchase.

I say do it... at one point in our lives all of us have never used one.. by useing and watching others we all have gotten better. I say do some reading.. have someone spend some time with you and go over it.. start with a smaller saw like a 16 in bar
Have fun... cut some wood

You come to a forum like this to ask if you need a saw. Kinda like walking into a bar and asking if you should have a drink. We all have a problem here and think about burning wood, cutting wood, and all related activities way more than we probably should. My wife just rolls her eyes when we drive through town and I comment on the quality of smoke coming out of people's stacks. But to answer your question--of course you should get a saw. For what you described, one of the battery saws might fit the bill quite well. Happy cutting!

My wife has her own chain saw and has had one for the last 30 years
Some times I think she is better with it than I am . Here in Ontario there
is a chain saw course that gives you a lic. to use a saw off you own property
she has her lic. and is proud of the fact . We cut and process our fire wood together
Get your self a saw and learn how to use it safely.

YouTube is flush with help, but all will usually indicate the video is not for training purposes. I have learned so much from those videos.

Birdbrain said:

.....also get safety chaps with the saw....

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Chaps aren't all that effective with electric saws--which ironically have much higher torque than their gas counterparts. I'd probably still wear them.

Birdbrain said:

@Prof...could you explain more about your comment the chaps are not as effective with electric chainsaws?

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I was at my Stihl dealer a couple weeks ago and he mentioned this to me. Apparently, gas saws are easier to bog down, so when all of the fibers in the chaps get caught up in the chain, it stops the chain from spinning. The electric motor just keeps spinning the chain. This surprised me, since the electric saws seemed way less capable to me than most gas saws, but my subsequent google search confirmed his assertion on this matter. Someone may come along and explain it better than me, but this is my understanding. I wouldn't rule out an electric saw, but I would want you to make an informed decision.

Birdbrain said:

Well, I thought about electric because I generally am not good with pull chords and the weight. Do ant have further thoughts?

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The electrics have a definite advantage in many ways--nothing to pull, no mixing fuel, no air filter to clean, no worries about storage (with the gas saws, you always have to worry about fuel going bad and making a wreck of the saw). They are a bit pricey and don't have the run time or cutting capability that their larger gas counterparts have. Honestly, if they were able to effectively cut up the big stuff, I would have likely made the switch. I get no joy from maintaining a gas engine.

Proceed with extreme caution! But, proceed nonetheless, if you are of the mind. Dad put a chainsaw in my hands when I was 13, and looking back, I'm fortunate to have made it this far. I remain terrified of the things, 30 years in, which probably explains it. I own 7 and use them regularly. Sometimes one in each hand. Well, maybe not that last part...

Birdbrain said:

Well, hmmmm

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Safety glasses. Ear protection (maybe not for electric). Gloves. Hard leather shoes.

The chain is literally dozens of razor sharp chisels spinning toward you with very little in the way of guards. Even when you do everything right, they are still objects of mayhem. This is not hyperbole. Stay out of the way of all those little knives at all times. Just go into it knowing what you are going into. Good luck with your decision!

Birdbrain said:

A lot to think about. I saw on one thread someone uses a one person cross cut saw, said he can hear the birds sing when he cuts and doesn't need protective gear. I really do not have to accomplish much, just small stuff to help the fire along.

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Consider trying a bow saw. They use a crosscut blade, but are much smaller than a crosscut saw. You can get a decent one for under $20.

I have two chainsaws, and I still use my bow saw for small stuff sometimes.

I recommend you buy from a saw dealer. Not a big box store. They’ll be more knowledgeable and better equipped to help you choose the right saw. I’m sure they can offer you some pointers on safe operation too.

Your "I think I can do it" attitude is a good start. How about a friend or neighbor maybe that has one and they can help you with a log or two while you see if it's for you or not?

Gas or Electric...you still need to learn almost all the same basic skills both in cutting and in maintenance. Electric only means that you don't have to deal with fuel. You still have to add oil, adjust the chain, and sharpen it. And with electric, you'll either have to drag a cord around with you or charge batteries. As far as fuel goes and the little it sounds like you'll be cutting, buy fuel pre-mixed in a can and you'll have zero issues.

You can probably see that I'd lean toward a gas model, there's a certain freedom with it.
And without going down the Ford vs. Chevy road, one of my saws is a small Stihl 180 with spring assisted EZ-start feature. It really is easy and my wife can start and run that saw. They also make the 170 model and this time of year it is almost always on sale at a dealer.

Best of luck on your decision and most of all, have fun and be safe. Be careful though, cutting wood can be addicting.

1. Watch chainsaw safety & operation video from Stihl or Husqvarna. WATCH ALL OF IT.


2. Although the video covers just about everything, some newer saws may have a feature/control that's not in the video, so reading your manual also is helpful.

3. Minimum PPE = chaps, steel toe/composite toe boots, gloves, eye & ear protection. Helmet or forestry helmet system if dropping trees. WEAR IT EVERY TIME.

4. Visit dealer and pick up saws to get a feel for what weight you can handle. Larger displacement (cc's) mostly means more powerful. A good 50cc saw with a 16-18" bar can handle a lot of wood diameters. There are also some smaller diaplacement saws that are lighter and are good performers for their displacement, and this is all you may need for your smaller diameters.

I like the idea of a dealer being involved. They can show you features on newer saws that make things easier, like Stihl's Easy2Start system.

Birdbrain said:

Never used one, husband always did. I only need to cut small stuff, maybe slab wood. I want some independence from waiting for my adult children to do it for me. Bigger firewood they will help with. Someone offered me a few truckloads of fire wood...it will arrive soon. One son has a lot of dead ash and much more. So I just want to cut small stuff.

I was reading comments here about chainsaws and think I want battery to be more flexible. But I am unsure if I should use a chain saw.....I hear about things like kick back etc.

I welcome input. I think I can do it

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I have worked on and used chainsaws for over 50 years.
I can assure you that a chainsaw is one of the most dangerous hand held tools you will ever operate.
Years ago, and older gentleman gave me some great advise.
He advised me to start out and always keep your left elbow locked straight out. That way, when kickback occurs, saw will go up and not back!
Over the years, I have found a few cutting situations where the "locked elbow" seems uncomfortable but doable.
Regardless of how careful you are, kickback is likely to occur and I am in agreement that you need to understand what it is and how to avoid it.
If you choose corded electric, be sure it is GFCI protected.