(Dis)Advantages to using battery powered chainsaws

[gtaus]

Come to think of it, I don't have any other m-12 tools. I may consider another line.
I always used Makita when I was in business, (HVAC control contractor) and I was very pleased with it. I was at one of the Pawn Shops today and they had 'new' Makita circular saws, 7 3/4" w/ 2 batteries, charger and bag for $200.
I'm glad you said something about the standard blades, I hadn't considered that.
As long as I can slice through a 2X4" I'm good.

I am a big fan of the Ryobi 18v One+ tool line for the DIYer/Homeowner. They work fine for me. I have never had a tool fail within the warranty period, but I have worn out some of the tools after 15 years. I think they are great value for my use. Also, they have something like 300 different tools that run on the same 18v stem battery format. All my Ryobi tools from 15+ years ago work fine with new batteries I purchased this year.

If you are looking at pawn shops for good used battery tools, make sure that the battery platform is still supported by the tool company. Lots of people bought into a tool line only to find out the tool company switched over to different battery platforms afew years later. You don't want to buy an orphaned line of tools - even the high-quality name brand tools - because without batteries, you have paperweights.

Even my smallest 5-1/2 inch circular saw will cut through 2X4's. The larger 7-1/4 inch saw just is much faster and has more cutting power. My local tool shops have rows full of 7-1/4 inch blades, but only small sections for the 6-1/2 and 5-1/2 blades.

 

[gtaus]

I have a 12" Stihl battery powered chain saw that I've had for years. It's still going strong and I've never had to replace the batteries or the charger so far (knock on wood). Does a pretty good job, can't complain.

I also have a Ryobi 18v 12-inch chainsaw. It's the chainsaw I pick up for most of the small projects I have around the house. But it's not big enough to cut down the trees I usually have on my property. The Ryobi 40v chainsaw has more power and cuts faster. With a longer 18- or 20-inch bar, it should be good to cut down just about anything on my property.

But yeah, no complaints about my Ryboi 12-inch chainsaw, either.

 

[DLA]

I also have a Ryobi 18v 12-inch chainsaw. It's the chainsaw I pick up for most of the small projects I have around the house. But it's not big enough to cut down the trees I usually have on my property. The Ryobi 40v chainsaw has more power and cuts faster. With a longer 18- or 20-inch bar, it should be good to cut down just anything on my property.

But yeah, no complaints about my Ryboi 12-inch chainsaw, either.

I would get a bigger one for larger trees but I'm to old and arthritic to now to cut anything bigger than my 12" can handle anyways. LOL.

 

[gtaus]

Speaking of battery powered tools, I have been in the Ryobi line of 18v One+ tools for over 15 years. In that time, I have purchased many different tools and kits and amassed a quantity of batteries. So much so, that I had to come up with a system that helps me rotate my batteries ensuring that they all get used and recharged periodically. I built a couple of small pallet wood shelves for my workbench that hold the batteries. Last count, I had 43 working batteries that need to be rotated. Here is the shelf I came up with for the job...

I simply pick the batteries in order, starting on the top left to right, then down to the next shelf. I use a scrap piece of wood as a place holder to indicate which battery is next. The recharged batteries go back on the shelf, in order, left to right and then down to the next shelf.

There are different models of Ryobi batteries within the 18v One+ system. One of the big advantages to this open shelf system is that I can quickly pick the next small 1.5Ah battery if that is what I need, leaving all the other larger 4Ah batteries in order on the shelf. Or, if I need to grab an HP battery for extra power for a brushless tool, I can look down the line and grab the first one for that job.

This system has been very good for me. Previously, I just had all my batteries stored in 4 tool bags, and basically rummaged through the batteries. There was no way of accounting which batteries had been used recently or maybe which batteries never got used.

I have heard that worst thing you can do to a tool battery is to never use it. Over months and months, it can self-discharge to a level below its recharge point. When you finally put that battery on a charger, the charger will report the battery as defective and not even attempt to charge it. I hope to avoid that situation with this battery shelf rotating system. So far, it's the best system I have used and all my batteries are getting used pretty much in order.

 

[aart]

I had 43 working batteries that need to be rotated.

Geeezzz!!! How much building stuff do you do to use and maintain all those batteries?
....or do you just have a battery/tool math problem

 

[Sally PB]

I am jealous of your batteries! And the shelf.

Hubby has the DeWalt line of cordless tools, and we have been very pleased with them. Yes, he has to share them with me! I tell him it's ok to buy any tool he wants, but he then has to show me how to use it.

A few years ago, he got me a DeWalt string trimmer for our anniversary. Coo coo, honey I love you, coo coo, gushes wifey (me). He said he wanted it for a second battery to run his chainsaw.

Actually, since they recharge quickly, we seldom run out of battery power. Plus, he has me to remember to put them on the charger.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

A few years ago, he got me a DeWalt string trimmer for our anniversary. Coo coo, honey I love you, coo coo, gushes wifey (me). He said he wanted it for a second battery to run his chainsaw.

You may have hit on the key to happiness. Gush over your spouse's purchases. (Tools, clothes, guns, chickens.) I told DW about a deal on a rifle I found but it was a .30-30, a caliber I didn't have. She said "Well, that's a good reason to get one."

 

[gtaus]

Geeezzz!!! How much building stuff do you do to use and maintain all those batteries?
....or do you just have a battery/tool math problem

The amazing thing is that I have never actually bought a Ryobi tool battery by itself!

If you are familiar with Ryobi, they made a big promise about 25 years ago to keep their battery format of their 18v line of tools forever. This was at a time when lots of companies were switching battery formats leaving customers with orphaned tools. I myself got fed up with buying a power tool and a year or two later find out the tool company no longer supported that battery format. So, I switched to buying Ryobi 18v One+ tools almost 20 years ago.

Ryobi, like other tool companies, want to keep you in their line of tools. What Ryobi does is give you batteries packed in their tool kits. Then, they have Ryobi Days sales where if you buy a tool, you get a free battery, or if you buy a battery pack, then you get a free tool. Either way, over time, you end up with a lot of batteries which pretty much keeps you in their tool line - because you have so many batteries that would cost a lot to replace in another line of tools.

So, for the past almost 20 years, I have been buying all kinds of Ryobi tools and getting "free batteries" with the purchase. But my Ryobi batteries are used in everything from small flashlights and radios, to chainsaws, cultivators, and mini tillers. There are about 300 different tools that run on the Ryobi 18v One+ battery.

BTW, you can never have too many tools. There is no such thing as a tool math problem, unless, of course, you don't have enough.

 

[Sally PB]

BTW, you can never have too many tools. There is no such thing as a tool math problem, unless, of course, you don't have enough.

AMEN! Unlike subraction with chickens, the math with tools is addition, addition, addition.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

Ryobi, like other tool companies, want to keep you in their line of tools. What Ryobi does is give you batteries packed in their tool kits. Then, they have Ryobi Days sales where if you buy a tool, you get a free battery, or if you buy a battery pack, then you get a free tool. Either way, over time, you end up with a lot of batteries which pretty much keeps you in their tool line - because you have so many batteries that would cost a lot to replace in another line of tools.

Actually, based on what y'all are saying, I may have to consider them.