Productivity About to Increase

[EPS]

I do not have a huge wood pile because I'm limited in my means. For two years I've been working with a 14" electric chainsaw. Using extension cords I can go a little ways into my woods to cut smaller standing-deads, or gather up limbs and haul them back to my processing area. But I can't go very far into my two acres of woods or bring my chainsaw along as I scrounge. That all changed (or chain-ged) yesterday. I went to Lowe's to get a plumbing part but left with a new chainsaw. It's a 80v battery powered one that was on sale for $50 because it was the display model. Came with battery and charger. I had $36 on a gift card so I came home with a nice new, portable saw for $14 out of pocket.

What should I do first????

More importantly, what is the ethical/legal way to cut up and grab up wood on the side of the road which is not clearly on private property? I see it all the time but never cared because they usually don't have electrical outlets in the woods.

 

[Montanalocal]

First thing I would do is to go get a 2-pack of the battery it uses. That way you will have longer running time in the woods with 3 charged batteries. Best prices will probably be on Amazon or ebay.

 

[Hasufel]

I do not have a huge wood pile because I'm limited in my means. For two years I've been working with a 14" electric chainsaw. Using extension cords I can go a little ways into my woods to cut smaller standing-deads, or gather up limbs and haul them back to my processing area. But I can't go very far into my two acres of woods or bring my chainsaw along as I scrounge. That all changed (or chain-ged) yesterday. I went to Lowe's to get a plumbing part but left with a new chainsaw. It's a 80v battery powered one that was on sale for $50 because it was the display model. Came with battery and charger. I had $36 on a gift card so I came home with a nice new, portable saw for $14 out of pocket.

What should I do first????

More importantly, what is the ethical/legal way to cut up and grab up wood on the side of the road which is not clearly on private property? I see it all the time but never cared because they usually don't have electrical outlets in the woods.

Congrats on the new saw. I got an 80V Greenworks in 2015 and absolutely love it for day-to-day cutting. My Dolmar is for big jobs (about 20% of what I cut), the 80V is for the other 80%. Batteries are expensive but it helps to have spares because they don't last nearly as long when it's cold outside (freezing or below). When it's really cold I can get only half a dozen cuts in a 12" oak on one charge. Run time is much longer if you wait for a warm day (like tomorrow's supposed to be here).

Sorry, I can't help on the ethics question because my property supplies everything I need. Not many people around here (suburban DC) must cut their own wood because there are downed trees all over and nobody touches them. Some of them are even bucked and they just sit and rot!

 

[Oldman47]

If you find an apparently unwanted log by the road, go ask first. When things disappear from my property the thing I think of first is "who is the thief?"

 

[kennyp2339]

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[EPS]

I don't plan on going after things near or on people's property. I mean those logs that you see in what appear to be No Man's Lands--those long expanses of road between houses in rural areas. I will always ask first, but whom do I ask when no one is in sight of the wood in question?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Your better off ditching the battery operated chainsaw and extra batteries for a real chainsaw if you want to increase your productivity. I cant see how your going to get anything done charging batteries all the time.. home depot and lowes both have cheep 2 stroke saws for 100 to 150. Most people burn any where from 2 to 4 cords some even more.. i couldn't imagine doing a minimum of 2 cords with an electric or a battery powered. Insted of purchasing the wood in the other post. Take the 100 bucks buy a real saw and then you'll never have to purchase wood again. There for your ahead of the game.. if you keep using time consuming tools, you'll still be in the, i cant cut enough wood and therefore will still need to purchase moor wood cycle.

 

[Hasufel]

Your better off ditching the battery operated chainsaw and extra batteries for a real chainsaw if you want to increase your productivity. I cant see how your going to get anything done charging batteries all the time.. home depot and lowes both have cheep 2 stroke saws for 100 to 150. Most people burn any where from 2 to 4 cords some even more.. i couldn't imagine doing a minimum of 2 cords with an electric or a battery powered. Insted of purchasing the wood in the other post. Take the 100 bucks buy a real saw and then you'll never have to purchase wood again. There for your ahead of the game.. if you keep using time consuming tools, you'll still be in the, i cant cut enough wood and therefore will still need to purchase moor wood cycle.

I have both gas- and battery-powered saws and would partially agree with you on the limitations you described, but my battery saw is still my go-to saw for most things. It really depends on what your scrounging situation is. Everything I cut is close to home, so I can run through a few batteries and have them recharging while I'm hauling and splitting the rounds. You can still be efficient, it just requires a different workflow (which I actually find I enjoy more). It's true that large offsite scrounges are definitely going to be easier with a gas saw, but the situation @EPS described sounds a lot like mine where 80 volts handles most of my needs.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I have both gas- and battery-powered saws and would partially agree with you on the limitations you described, but my battery saw is still my go-to saw for most things. It really depends on what your scrounging situation is. Everything I cut is close to home, so I can run through a few batteries and have them recharging while I'm hauling and splitting the rounds. You can still be efficient, it just requires a different workflow (which I actually find I enjoy more). It's true that large offsite scrounges are definitely going to be easier with a gas saw, but the situation @EPS described sounds a lot like mine where 80 volts handles most of my needs.

My post was a reply to the OP comment. He has a 14 in electric and now a battery powered chainsaw. This person just ran out of wood and is now considering purchasing wood at 300 per cord . The advice is solid. You state that you have a gas saw and that your go to saw is your battery saw, well that is great for you and glad to here it works for you, but my advice and reply was not to you. A gas saw has way more versatility then the battery or electric option. So by telling the OP keep the battery saw you limit you options. See the pic below of last weeks score. If he happens across this with a gas saw its a major score, if all he has at the time is a 14in electric and a battery saw its a pass. You yourself stated that you need to change batteries every 6th cut on a 12 in log.. that dosent sound like solid advice or anything that i would want to be doing and seems like my options would be limited.

 

[Hasufel]

My post was a reply to the OP comment. He has a 14 in electric and now a battery powered chainsaw. This person just ran out of wood and is now considering purchasing wood at 300 per cord . The advice is solid. You state that you have a gas saw and that your go to saw is your battery saw, well that is great for you and glad to here it works for you, but my advice and reply was not to you. A gas saw has way more versatility then the battery or electric option. So by telling the OP keep the battery saw you limit you options. See the pic below of last weeks score. If he happens across this with a gas saw its a major score, if all he has at the time is a 14in electric and a battery saw its a pass. You yourself stated that you need to change batteries every 6th cut on a 12 in log.. that dosent sound like solid advice or anything that i would want to be doing and seems like my options would be limited.

I didn't think you were responding to me--I was just adding my insight as someone who uses both gas and cordless electric chainsaws, and whose situation seemed similar to that of the OP. The point I was trying to make is that the right battery-powered saw can be just as much of a "real saw" as an inexpensive gas-powered one, depending on how you plan to use it. The OP talked about gathering firewood from his two acres of woods, which I think is an ideal situation for using a cordless electric saw. I've cut and split about 4 cords of various wood over the past two winters--all harvested from my 5 acres--and by my estimate more than 3 of those were bucked with my 80V saw (I didn't need to recharge after every sixth cut--that was only an extreme cold-weather example). For major scrounging away from my property, I recognize that a gas saw has the advantage--and I agreed with you on that point--but I thought the OP would benefit from an informed discussion of the tradeoffs so that he can decide what's right for his needs.

 

[Tar12]

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I love it! what a jack wagon!

 

[coreboy83]

I love it! what a jack wagon!

that's funny. I especially liked how the "driver" knew they were in the wrong and went straight to the truck to dump it. if they would've asked,, they probably could've had it

 

[EPS]

didn't mean to start any kind of feud, I was just bragging that I got a $300 saw for a whopping $14. For that little I wouldn't care if it was solar-powered.

 

[kennyp2339]

didn't mean to start any kind of feud, I was just bragging that I got a $300 saw for a whopping $14

Well we're a compassionate bunch lol, nice hit btw, $ I'd part with 14 shekels to.

 

[Jeffm1]

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Wow. I love how the thieves call the good neighbor or land owner the "complete f-/ing ayhole". Like they think just because something is dead it becomes their right to go on private property and steal and if you object YOU are the jerk! Some people. Then the thief wants his name like he is the bad guy. I would have told him , " yeah I didn't get your name either. Would you please state it clearly for the camera so I can pass that onto the police?" Using the logic of the thieves we could all just go onto THEIR property and take any car or truck that we have observed to not be running for over a year and just help ourselves and tow it away. I wonder how they would feel about that? The more times I watch that video the more I shake my head at the loudmouth who shoots his mouth off. The driver knows he's in the wrong immediately. By their logic we could just go onto their property and start digging up their dirt with a backhoe loading it onto a dump truck and cart it off because there's no "no trespassing" sign on the dirt. Or worse yet, just walk into their living room and take their TV because "we need it as much as the next guy" and there's no "no trespassing" sign on it. I guess some people really have a difficult time with the concept of private property! That's awesome that you posted this on the Internet!

 

[kennyp2339]

Wow. I love how the theives call the good neighbor or land owner the "complete f-/ing ayhole". Like they think just because something is dead it becomes their right to go on private property and steal and if you object YOU are the jerk! Some people. Then the thief wants his name like he is the bad guy. I would have told him , " yeah I didn't get your name either. Would you please state it clearly for the camera so I can pass that onto the police?"

We live in a society were people look to be to offended so they can stand on their own soap box

 

[Jeffm1]

that's funny. I especially liked how the "driver" knew they were in the wrong and went straight to the truck to dump it. if they would've asked,, they probably could've had it

Yup. Ask first....avoid this scenario.

 

[Jeffm1]

We live in a society were people look to be to offended so they can stand on their own soap box

Yeah, I know what you mean. THEY are in the wrong and THEY become offended that you called them out on it. That jerk was probably a bully as a kid.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

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Wow, extraordinary exercise in restraint. I'd have had a big problem with his behavior, particularly in light of him being totally in the wrong. Well done diffusing the situation calmly.