Chainsaw Help

[Fmjag64]

In need of a new chainsaw for our farm. Currently, have a gas-powered unit but I am thinking of purchasing a battery-operated saw. Has anyone used a battery-operated saw on their farm? I am worried about run time and charge time slowing down our work.

I have a few of each. all Stihl. The electric saw is nice but doesnt compare or last at all for real farm work compared to the gas chainsaws. Especially if you are cutting fire wood. My light gas saw, MS194 is about the same size and weight as the electric stihl saw and i take it any day over electric. I have the Farm Boss for bigger stuff. So all that said, I wouldn't waste money on electric unless it was to use around the house. I would however highly recommend the MS194.

Edit: I do also have an electric Ryobi cheapie pole saw and it's been great for branches.

[Filletem]

Stihls are junk. The fuel line broke on mine after 20 years.

[Txtourist]

I have a Stihl ms362 , ms250 and their electric with a spare battery that I got for my 70 year old dad to keep in his truck. I don’t expect a battery saw to do fully what a gas saw does.
The electric is surprisingly good and cuts beyond expectation.
I’d equate one battery to a tank of gas on a saw. We always keep the batteries charged or they’re useless. It’s been 2 plus years and I’m still impressed.
We had a storm and lost power a few weeks ago, and the electric was great until both batteries died. If I had to pick one I’d buy gas, but everyone should own a few good saws.

[sailor]

I'm an old guy.
So, I'm slowly converting over to batteries.
Their great, around the yard. But they wouldn't replace
a gas, for heavy daily, or ranch work.
Both, have their places.

[Strummer]

I have a battery pole saw . It’s a Milwaukee. Thing works pretty good . My other chainsaw is a echo I think it’s a 620 . Have had it 20 years . Only thing I have done to it was replace the pull rope .

[texansfan]

No way batteries are as powerful
Get yourself an Echo 590 and call it well and good

[ccbrown50]

Like everyone else has said above STIHL with premix gas only.

[M16]

Stihls are junk. The fuel line broke on mine after 20 years.

That’s why I run Echos. 25 years and the fuel lines are still rocking.

[Mathewsshooter]

Buy once, cry once. Stihl ms261 with a 18" bar, premix 2-cycle and will never have an issue at "farm-use" work loads.

If you have a lot of large oak just buy the 500i fuel injected worth every dollar

[texansfan]

Premix at $20 a gallon gets pricey when going through acres of trees

I had to step down to non ethanal gas and simply mixing myself a gallon at a time

Some days I would go through 2 gallons of gas
I can't do $40 a day every day just to run my saw

[Rush2Judge]

Battery technology just flips too quickly; and they do go bad after a few years (whether you use them or not). Do you actually believe you will be able to keep buying replacement batteries? I don't. And even if you can, they are not cheap. If you only need the saw for 5 years of less, maybe electric is fine. If you want it to "last forever", then there really is no debate.

[KX500]

Pretty good marketing (I guess) to convince buyers to spend a lot to get a chainsaw & then keep spending a lot ($20-$40/gallon premix) to run it, because in spite of being the best, they won't run or last if the gas has ethanol in it.

I bought 1 Stihl (homeowner grade) & never again.

Love my Echo products and the part in the owners manual where it basically says 'Gas with Ethanol is fine'. And is sure has been for me.

[BigYoung]

Get yourself an Echo 590 and call it well and good

Yep, Timberwolf is a great saw

[xman59]

Stihls are junk. The fuel line broke on mine after 20 years.

duct tape will get you another 20 years

[ATI]

Buy a gas powered Stihl and never look back. I have a 20" Bar MS-290 Farm Boss with a bad shoulder and a bad elbow and feels like a bad back too now and every time I use it I love it even more.