Skip the chainsaw? I have two of them, but I haven't even fired up either of them in the 10 years or so since I bought them. You can cut up a LOT of wood with a bow saw, but if you really want to get serious about it you can buy one of those old one-man or two-man saws. I have several of them I've bought at farm auctions. Many of them are around and still in very good shape. You can still find saw sets and the other tools to maintain them. With a 32 inch bow saw I have cut down oak trees that were so thick that I couldn't cut them through from one side. I had to cut as far as I could from one side then flip the saw over and cut from the other side. It was quite an exercise program. I enjoy the quiet, and the chainsaw isn't known for its quiet running. If you are only going to use if once in a while, you'd probably spend more time maintaining the chainsaw than using it.