# I Bought a Chainsaw



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I kind of wish I had done it sooner. 

Anyway, don't get all excited about the vroom vroom of a gas machine. It's battery and a whoosy little thing. 

At one time I cut and split my own firewood so I'm not unfamiliar with their operation. I haven't used a chainsaw in many years. Just no need for one. But here I needed to do something to make life easier. I didn't want gas since I probably would put it on a shelf for a year at a time which those machines hate. 

I'm using it more to cut up the 40 foot saplings I'm cutting down with the brushcutter. It's awesome. It was just the right thing. And to keep me from doing stuff maybe I shouldn't I got one that is not meant to cut down major trees.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I kind of wish I had done it sooner.
> 
> Anyway, don't get all excited about the vroom vroom of a gas machine. It's battery and a whoosy little thing.
> 
> ...


That's great, I've thought about getting a battery saw for the convenience but I have three chainsaws. Let us know how it works!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So far so good. But what I'm cutting really doesn't challenge it. Four inch cut at the most. But it zips through.

I do have a friend, her hubs has a larger one that he uses to cut down trees. I just don't know how big those trees are. I'll have to ask her.


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## Hermit's Garden (Nov 27, 2020)

robin416 said:


> ... It was just the right thing. And to keep me from doing stuff maybe I shouldn't I got one that is not meant to cut down major trees.


Wise woman, to know to leave major tree cutting alone, unless you have somebody there to help. We can get ourselves in trouble, being too independent. Ask me how I know. 
And congratulations! Sounds like you got the right tool for the job.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Or maybe not. I use my Stihl brushcutter to cut down trees that are five or six inches around at the base. But I'm watching constantly for what it's wanting to do. But it's still safer than using a chainsaw because I'm upright with my eye on it constantly.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> So far so good. But what I'm cutting really doesn't challenge it. Four inch cut at the most. But it zips through.
> 
> I do have a friend, her hubs has a larger one that he uses to cut down trees. I just don't know how big those trees are. I'll have to ask her.


It's good that your saw fits your needs well.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I asked my friend, she said the saw her hubs uses cuts about 8 inch trees. I know his has an 18 inch bar where mine is only 12.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I asked my friend, she said the saw her hubs uses cuts about 8 inch trees. I know his has an 18 inch bar where mine is only 12.


Wow a battery electric with an 18 inch bar! That's half the width of my sawmill blade. Too much heavy work at my age! I have been stumbling around checking out the tools on the new site format.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And, what do you think? You got kind of dumped on. Raised your mod status just before they jumbled the forum up.

Mine is about the smallest one you can buy. Actually I think it is the smallest. I wanted lightweight as well as diminutive size. I don't remember how long the bars were in the bigger saws.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> And, what do you think? You got kind of dumped on. Raised your mod status just before they jumbled the forum up.
> 
> Mine is about the smallest one you can buy. Actually I think it is the smallest. I wanted lightweight as well as diminutive size. I don't remember how long the bars were in the bigger saws.





robin416 said:


> And, what do you think? You got kind of dumped on. Raised your mod status just before they jumbled the forum up.
> 
> Mine is about the smallest one you can buy. Actually I think it is the smallest. I wanted lightweight as well as diminutive size. I don't remember how long the bars were in the bigger saws.


That's fine. You should get a lot of use out of your saw, I only kept my small ones, I got rid of the logging saws some years ago.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

At one time I had a smaller gas saw. At the time I was cutting and splitting my own firewood.

Hubs hated the smaller saw. "Not big enough," according to him. He goes out gets a new saw, lots bigger than the one I was using. I used it once to cut up a tree that fell across my driveway. I swore never again.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> At one time I had a smaller gas saw. At the time I was cutting and splitting my own firewood.
> 
> Hubs hated the smaller saw. "Not big enough," according to him. He goes out gets a new saw, lots bigger than the one I was using. I used it once to cut up a tree that fell across my driveway. I swore never again.


The big ones can wear you out.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It was too much saw for my size. Flat out, too big.


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## Slippy (May 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I kind of wish I had done it sooner.
> 
> Anyway, don't get all excited about the vroom vroom of a gas machine. It's battery and a whoosy little thing.
> 
> ...


 AWESOME! What brand? I'm looking for a battery powered chainsaw. 

About 15 years ago I started buying exclusively STIHL products and they are great. The problem I have is finding good gasoline to run them. Non-Ethanol is a must if you want to maintain a good working small combustion engine and we only have 1 nearby gas station that sells Ethanol Free Gas. But good equipment is necessary on my little homestead so...

Last year, I bought an Oregon Battery Powered Pole Saw and it is wonderful. No longer do I have to fight another gas powered machine; the starting, the noise, the vibration, having to keep it on while I walk my roads and driveway to cut wayward branches.etc. Finger off the trigger and it shuts down, finger back on the trigger and it fires up! And its quiet!

I've got a 20" STIHL Professional Saw its heavy and loud. Yeah, about once every year I need to cut something large but mostly I've got small deadfall and limbs to contend with. I'm leaning toward the EGO battery chainsaw. Any suggestions?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A Kobalt. Three/five year warranty. The main reason? I just could not justify laying out big bucks for a Stihl. At some point in the next few years I won't be out there doing the stuff I do. My use is probably pretty light. I'm cutting up the trees I drop with the brush cutter that are four or five inches, max. My point is, the battery seems to hold up quite well.

I've got a Stihl FS91 brush cutter, it's my second one. The other I used for over 20 years. I can justify the expense for that since it's the one thing I use to cut down all the saplings I'm cutting down. 

Yeah, that's the saw the hubs bought. You understand why it's a bit oversized for a woman to use, even ten years ago. 

Hmm, a battery run pole saw. No, I think I need to leave that one alone. Although I could use one.


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## Slippy (May 14, 2020)

Funny story sort of related; My chickens love it when I crank up the tractor and drive by their Coop/Run. They follow me as I pass by. Its pretty funny...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

LOL Yep, they know the tractor is a source of some easy to collect bugs. My Guineas would be all around my tractor in TN. I had to constantly watch so I did run one over when it would stop to grab the tasty whatever the tractor scared up.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> LOL Yep, they know the tractor is a source of some easy to collect bugs. My Guineas would be all around my tractor in TN. I had to constantly watch so I did run one over when it would stop to grab the tasty whatever the tractor scared up.


Same with the turkeys and peafowl, I couldn't keep them away yesterday. After the snow has melted, they are just tearing up the dead leaves looking for bug larvae.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

We have two electric chainsaws of different size; great little machines that do everything we'd want to do-and no pulling blasted cords to, maybe, get it started. I have a gas saw and haven't touched it in over twenty years. Having to use an extra long extension cord is a pain, but it beats wearing outselves out trying to get the gas machine to go.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I am liking the little thing. I'm so over the gas saws being so temperamental. My shoulder can't take all those repeated cord pulls.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've had a tree guy here all week working on my big trees. He's taken the limbs hanging over the house on one. I've got one that isn't quite sure it's going to live so he's topping it to see what it will do. I really want to keep the tree so fingers crossed.

Anyway, I've been watching him with his saw. He's a maestro with the thing. And while watching I learned some stuff. Even cut down two 40 foot saplings with the chainsaw today. I didn't have the nerve to try that before, I'd use my brushcutter to do that. 

He also dropped some of the beetle dead pines down so I can work safely as I get further back. I'll have him back in a few months to take down the rest of the dead pines that in another section.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I've had a tree guy here all week working on my big trees. He's taken the limbs hanging over the house on one.* I've got one that isn't quite sure it's going to live so he's topping it to see what it will do. I really want to keep the tree so fingers crossed.*
> 
> Anyway, I've been watching him with his saw. He's a maestro with the thing. And while watching I learned some stuff. Even cut down two 40 foot saplings with the chainsaw today. I didn't have the nerve to try that before, I'd use my brushcutter to do that.
> 
> He also dropped some of the beetle dead pines down so I can work safely as I get further back. I'll have him back in a few months to take down the rest of the dead pines that in another section.


*What kind of tree is it?*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A massive black Oak. It actually does a lot to shade the house during the worst of the Summer heat.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Beautiful trees and certainly worth saving when it's possible.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Pain in the neck trees frequently. They drop limbs as big as most trees. It takes the tractor to drag them out they're so big and heavy. 

Other Oaks aren't that bad about that.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*But still beautiful. One of my favorites is the weeping willow-terrible mess, but really nice to look at. The only one we have is a bonsai. I have a number of potted Lady Empress and Japane Maples that I'm hoping will grow. I'm afraid that cold snap might have killed some of my pet plants.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Ahh, weeping willows. We had one planted on the side of one of the ponds in TN. Danged deer decided to use it for a rub. The next one we put a fence around to keep them away from the tender tree. 

I hope things turn out better than you hope. Plants in pots can have a hard time during really cold periods.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Ahh, weeping willows. We had one planted on the side of one of the ponds in TN. Danged deer decided to use it for a rub. The next one we put a fence around to keep them away from the tender tree.
> 
> I hope things turn out better than you hope. Plants in pots can have a hard time during really cold periods.


I have a bunch of corkscrew willows which are very prolific but require a lot of trimming.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had to look those up. They're really unusual looking. 

One of the things I don't want to do is to have to trim trees. I had those decorative pear trees in TN, blasted things needed trimming constantly.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I had to look those up. They're really unusual looking.
> 
> One of the things I don't want to do is to have to trim trees. I had those decorative pear trees in TN, blasted things needed trimming constantly.


The willows are grown for firewood in Europe. They require trimming the first three ears or so, to shape them.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are they like crepe myrtles where they want to be a shrub and not a single trunk tree?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Are they like crepe myrtles where they want to be a shrub and not a single trunk tree?


No, they turn into pretty nice trees.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So, why do they need trimming in the early years?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> So, why do they need trimming in the early years?


Because if you want them to grow straight, you have to shape them a bit and take off extraneous branches but sometimes they grow ten feet a year. My farm is so wet, they are good for sucking up a lot of water.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Huh, the trunk could get twisty too? 

It's one of the reasons we put our willow on the edge of the pond. We figured it would be happy there.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Huh, the trunk could get twisty too?
> 
> It's one of the reasons we put our willow on the edge of the pond. We figured it would be happy there.


The trunks can be twisty when they are small, some people train them into decorative shapes and braids.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Oh, I've seen those! I had no idea what I was looking at. They are really eye catching when you see them in real life.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

We can all grow willows if the weather does this every year- yikes! 
I’ve always wanted a big willow, and now that they rerouted the drainage in our bottom I know I can get one to grow good now. But...
I think we are going sell. There’s been too much encroachment lately, and we are afraid if we continue to wait, it will get bad enough we start losing property value. What made this property good was its closeness yet it was down in a DARK quiet little hole.... not anymore. 

A sampling of the stupid stadium lights that car dealership added for no real reason... from my bedroom window. Ok, pity party done! But it is awful.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Wow, it really is encroaching on you. This is a terrible time to find a new place but you could probably sell what you have in a flash. Which doesn't help a bit. 

I'm still out far enough it's way dark at night. The 40 minute trip to the city is worth it though.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

I am a big fan of star gazing so this really breaks my heart. It wasn’t perfect, but we could see enough before... it’s insane now tho. Those are surrounding the entire lot for no reason. They already had normal bright as heck parking lot lights and lights on the building etc etc. no thefts. Nothing to prompt it. Just cause they’re inconsiderate jerks. 
It’s a rotten deal, yeah. We expect we’d probably sell, and since we do want to be our farther the property costs less, too. We expect we’d either rent for a bit while we searched or built at that point. Will see. Can’t wait forever but don’t want to rush it either.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

For some reason both here and when we lived in TN people assumed we'd put in those outside light things that the power company has. We're both, hell no. If we can't control the light no way is anything like that going in. 

How long have you lived there so far? 

Living out has its advantages, as you're finding. Living closer to town is a time saver. Six of one, etc . . .


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

My husbands parents bought the land back in 77, when the neighborhood was first being developed. He’s lived here (off and on) his whole life. It’s truly a shame.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That is sad. But if it no longer fits the lifestyle you both want then it is time to move on. 

What kind of grief did hubs get after the 911 call? You know the people there wouldn't be able to leave that alone.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Overmountain1 said:


> I am a big fan of star gazing so this really breaks my heart. It wasn’t perfect, but we could see enough before... it’s insane now tho. Those are surrounding the entire lot for no reason. They already had normal bright as heck parking lot lights and lights on the building etc etc. no thefts. Nothing to prompt it. Just cause they’re inconsiderate jerks.
> It’s a rotten deal, yeah. We expect we’d probably sell, and since we do want to be our farther the property costs less, too. We expect we’d either rent for a bit while we searched or built at that point. Will see. Can’t wait forever but don’t want to rush it either.


I'm so sorry.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Oh yeah! Hahaha no actually everyone was really great about it, they were all proud of him for knowing all the info to give them, and not blanking out or anything. Poor guy! I know he must’ve been terrified. We sent a thank you card to the sheriffs department, which they thought was sweet of him. 
And yeah, the lights suck. Idk what to do about it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And here I thought they'd razz Dad about it.

Even though I don't have lights, I do have full moons that might as well be a flood light. I've got blackout thingies hanging on my bedroom windows. 

That doesn't do anything for the aesthetics for stargazing or just standing in the darkness with no artificial light. That could be enough to keep your boys crowing all night too.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> And here I thought they'd razz Dad about it.
> 
> Even though I don't have lights, I do have full moons that might as well be a flood light. I've got blackout thingies hanging on my bedroom windows.
> 
> That doesn't do anything for the aesthetics for stargazing or just standing in the darkness with no artificial light. That could be enough to keep your boys crowing all night too.


Yes, I had all night crowing two nights ago. Even Goliath, who has decided that it's Spring now and is back out on patrol, he desperately needs the exercise.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Get him to follow you around for the day. That should work some poundage off.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Get him to follow you around for the day. That should work some poundage off.


He pays no attention to me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Teach him the word treats. That should keep his attention.


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