Useful power tool for winter clean outs

[Susan Dye]

Never heard of "best reviews." Is it a web site or something? Link available?

I personally have 6 different chainsaws that I have accumulated over the years just for work around the house. But I do have 3 acres and lots of trees. My best gas chain saw is a 16 inch Stihl chainsaw and that I use only when the other saws are not up to the task. I have recently decided to get away from using the gas chainsaws because they are such a pain to maintain and keep running if you don't use them regularly. I switched to getting Tru-Fuel in a can and that stuff works much better for the chainsaw. My problem with gas chainsaws is that I only used them maybe a few times per year and the carb would get fouled up from the gas sitting in the chainsaw and getting old. The Tru-Fuel in a can is very expensive, but it has additives in it to make it last longer and help your carb stay clean. So, it's worth it.

All my other chainsaws are cordless chainsaws in the Ryobi line. I have an old 10 inch 18v Ryobi (blue) chainsaw which I never really liked and never used much. Then I bought the Ryobi 40 volt 14 inch chainsaw, which is very nice. So, I also bought the Ryobi 18v 12 inch chainsaw which I probably use more than anything around the house. I also have a Ryobi 8 inch pruning saw on the extended pole for cutting branches up in the tree. That I usually only use a few times per year, but it's better than having to get up on a ladder for that small stuff.

I suppose there are better cordless chainsaws than the ones offered by Ryobi, but I already have all the Ryobi batteries and that is the major cost of these cordless systems. For convenience, it's so much easier for me to slap in a battery and go out and cut up a fallen branch and be done with the job. No more fighting with the gas chainsaw trying to get it started, especially if it has been maybe a year since last use.

All my chainsaws are made for the home user and none are really good for serious felling trees. But you have to match your chainsaw with your expected needs and I guess I have that covered pretty well.

Just a quick story, my neighbor had a tree fall down from a windstorm. The tree was laying across the driveway blocking traffic. So I grabbed my Ryobi 18v12 inch and Ryobi 40v 14 inch chainsaws and went down to help him. He was not too impressed with my "small" chainsaws but was polite about it. Anyway, he had a larger gas chainsaw that he said he was going to take out but he would appreciate any help on cleaning up the fallen tree. So I started cutting off all the branches and chopping them up into smaller pieces while he was trying to find gas for his chainsaw, then some oil, then trying to get the thing started (it had not been used since the previous year).

By the time he finally got his chainsaw started and running, maybe 30 minutes later, I had already cut off all the limbs and cleared the driveway for him. All that was left was the major trunk at the base and for that, you needed a bigger gas chainsaw. Point is, most of the stuff I deal with around the house is branches falling down and not a whole tree. The battery chainsaws get the job done quicker than it usually takes to get my gas chainsaw up and running.

They have come a long way with battery operated tools. I bought myself an Ego 56v 21 in lawn mower last year and only once, when it was really hot, did I have to pay someone to mow my yard. My big problem with gas mowers was starting them and having to keep up with maintaining them. When I finished mowing for the year, just folded that sucker up, stood it on it's end, cleaned off the undercarriage and I was done! It's ready to go when the grass starts growing again.

 

[gtaus]

They have come a long way with battery operated tools. I bought myself an Ego 56v 21 in lawn mower last year and only once, when it was really hot, did I have to pay someone to mow my yard. My big problem with gas mowers was starting them and having to keep up with maintaining them. When I finished mowing for the year, just folded that sucker up, stood it on it's end, cleaned off the undercarriage and I was done! It's ready to go when the grass starts growing again.

Yes, I ended up getting 2 Ryobi 18v 16 inch mowers. Actually, only ordered 1 mower, but there were some issues with the order and I ended up getting a second mower for less than the cost of the batteries. So I ended up keeping both mowers. I have 3 acres of wooded property and use my riding mowers for most of the yard work, but I still needed a smaller mower for areas between trees and around the house. I got tired of fighting with my gas mower and trying to keep it running. When it failed to run one spring, I just decided to go with a Ryobi battery push mower and have never looked back.

Same thing with my old gas trimmer. I used to have to replace them every 2-3 years because the carbs would foul up and stop running right. I switched over to a Ryobi battery trimmer about 8 years ago and still use the same machine. I now also have the Ryobi 40v power head/trimmer that accepts universal attachments. Usually I just use the 40v power head for my mini tiller. But I also have a brush cutter and power broom attachments. Only takes a short minute to switch out attachments.

But I have become a big fan of battery operated machines and they just seem to get better every year.

 

[Sally PB]

Hubby loved the Dewalt cordless stuff he used at work. He got his own set and eventually got a chainsaw too. For our 30th anniversary, he got me a string trimmer. LOVE that thing!

 

[gtaus]

Hubby loved the Dewalt cordless stuff he used at work. He got his own set and eventually got a chainsaw too. For our 30th anniversary, he got me a string trimmer. LOVE that thing!

I have had good luck with DeWalt corded tools, but I don't have any of the DeWalt cordless tools because I bought into the Ryobi cordless 18v line. Anyway, you husband sounds like a very nice guy buying you a string trimmer. My Dear Wife, on the other hand, has no desire to receive any tools as a gift, but she never complains about me buying new items.

Also, we will be having our 33rd Anniversary this October. I think she has decided to keep me....

 

[Sally PB]

we will be having our 33rd Anniversary this October

Congratulations! Our 32nd will be in May. Time flies...