Electric Chain Saw recommendations

[Carmen]

Hello, Sometimes the third time is the charm, sometime it's three strikes and you're out. In this case it's the latter. I'm talking about the third Craftsman electric chain saw model 34104 my husband and I have brought home, filled with the bar and chain lube and promptly had leak it all back out. Number three is sitting downstairs right now. That being the situation I never even got as far as firing any of them up, just brought them back so the two holly trees that need whacking are still out front, tall as ever. This evening Puddles #3 is going back.

Normally Craftsman is my first choice for tools, but I'm going to have to look elsewhere for a light duty chain saw. What recommendations for an electric 14" manual oiler chain saw can you give?

Thank you for your time, Carmen

[G Henslee]

As far as I'm concerned you had 3 strikes against when you:

1) bought a Sears chainsaw 2) bought an electric Sears chainsaw 3) brought home an electric Sears chainsaw.

Allthough he looks like a Sears Tools salesman maybe this guy knows of a good one

[G Henslee]

Not on your life. Like you, a disgruntled ex-customer 8-\

[Carmen]

Disgruntled ex-employee?

Ah yes, Psycho-Squiggy. Saw the story yesterday on another group. He doesn't take good care of his tools if it looked like it still had blood on it though, so his advice would be suspect. That'd cause rust. Bad Squiggy.

Carmen

[barry]

"Craftsman" makes nothing, but $ for Sears. And "the Villain."

Electric chainsaws, IMHO, fall into two categories:

1) cheap and relatively disposable 2) good quality & expensive.

I've not seen one yet with a chain-oiler comparable with that on a cheapie gas saw. But ... since the typical output power is sooo much less than a cheapie 2-stroke, you can squirt some on the chain every few minutes. Mainly, they're quiet, and start reliably for someone who'll let one sit for years and/or really doesn't have use for one.

Suggestions: Either a basic gas saw- some little Poulans are quite solidly made, and low-$, or Hand tools- pole saw with hyper-aggressive modern blade & bow-saw, or Find a neighbor you can borrow from.

HTH, J

[Luke]

I may be wrong but I believe the 34104 got a very bad review in Consumer Reports. Anyway, last year I bought a Craftsman 341161 12 Amp

3.5 HP 16 inch bar chainsaw, highly rated by CR, on sale for 80 bucks, and it's been excellent. I've used it to take down a couple fairly large trees, and a lot of branch trimming, and it handles great. Much much better than the McCulloch I had years ago, and it looked better and was less expensive than other currently available electric saws.

Craftsman aka "Crapsman" is usually my last choice for tools, but there are exceptions, e.g., name brands on sale at a better price than the Despot or Lows, and rebadged tools like one of their jigsaws which is identical to but a bit less expensive than a Bosch.

Find a CR review of saws and use that to help choose. If you're burnt on Sears, I recall there was a Poulan CR liked, though it was pricier than the Craftsman, and I couldn't find it locally.

[Buck Turgidson]

Get a Sawzall (reciprocating saw, e.g. Milwaukee or Porter-Cable) with a

9" wood cutting blade.

[Joseph Meehan]

I had a Wren(sp?) job some years ago until someone borrowed it and could never find it to return it. I have not needed it very often, but I did use it a number of times when I had it. It more than paid for itself the fist time I used it. I really hate 2cycle engines and playing around trying to start any gasoline engine that I might not need at least once a month.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Years ago, many of us said that. I won't touch one today, especially power tools.

Any of the better brands would be good. Stihl would be one of the best.

[Jeff Wisnia]

I've been quite happy with my little McCullough electric chain saw, though it does have an automatic oiler.

In between uses I hang it on the wall blade down, with a plastic scabbard over the blade, and most of the oil is still in the reservoir the next time I go to use it, though a little oil will dribble out of the scabbard if I hold it with its open end down.

I've had tye saw about 10 years now and use it a half dozen times each summer for around the yard cutting.

It's still using its original chain, which I sharpen as needed with a

3/16" diameter by 1' long cylinrical stone in a Dremel tool.

HTH,

Jeff

[Carmen]

Hello, I really appreciate all the recommendations. Buck's idea (buying a Sawzall and using it) isn't one that had occurred to me, but it makes a lot of sense. The chainsaw wouldn't get much use after the initial burst of neglect abatement (the house we bought was owned by pinheads

- the doorknocker had the name of the original owners on it for the whole 15 years they lived here!). The Sawzall would get all sorts of use. We're going to put a attic access ladder in the hallway ceiling, the 1970s one piece fiberglass tub/shower (baby blue with shell shaped shelves - truly hideous) is out of here, lots of cabinets to replace, a garage to sheetrock...it's worth getting a good one. Maybe we've been lucky, but Sears has done right by us until this chain saw. The first two returns they were great about too. We're going to return #3 this evening, see what they've got for reciprocating saws and then go check out Lowe's and the Depot and tomorrow sometime I'll have my husband stop by the PX on post and see what they carry - usually Craftsman. :-)

Thanks again for the help. Carmen

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, There are two things I don't want to have. Electric chain saw and mower. I have gas chain saw, Porter & Cable reciprocating saw. Once had electric chain saw, couldn't use for anything much except some pruning small branches. Tony

[nevermore2005]

I am not sure about the price of this saw. But I was in my local saw shop the other day and I did notice that the price of husqvarna saws had dropped dramatically!

Someone here also mentioned a Poulan gas saw. I had many of those over the years. One of them (a 50cc model) lasted me 3 years and cut over

350 cords of wood which I would cut up in a jig. I also used it for clearing brush and for demolition work. It was still running half-assed when I gave it away.

A few main things with a chainsaw is to do the simple routine maintenance. And use the manufacture's recommended grade of oil and fuel. And consider long-term storage procedures. In my husqvarna saws, I use husqvarna oil at 50:1. The saw operates at the manufacture's specifications when I do. Other oils, I have found, just don't allow that in a husky.

[RMD]

My brother brought an el-cheapo GMC (Global Machinery Corp) electric chainsaw and used it to remove three quite large trees overhanging from his neighbours place. (The tree debris filled up two house blocks.) It managed this tree demolition fine, and didn't even need sharpening, though the chain needed a slight tighten up once he was done. He thought the saw would be rubbish, being a "buy expensive for quality" sort of guy, but ended up very impressed with the saw. As did everyone who used it.

I have an electric McCulloch which works fine that I've had for 20 years. It cuts anything that a petrol (gas) saw will cut and about as fast, but a lot quieter. I can't believe anyone would compare it to a bowsaw.........

Frankly the petrol (gas) chainsaws are just a pest to start with the typical home user useage pattern, or rather home user non-useage pattern.

All my small petrol motors (chainsaw, outboards, etc) are a pest to start after long idle times.

Ross

(To get email address ROT 13) ebff [e-mail]

[DS]

Why go electric? Gas saws are much better and don't need an extension cord. ds

[nevermore2005]

It's personal preference, I guess. I have nothing against electric or gas. But for a guy who is going to just cut a few heavy items per year, get an electric saw, especially if you are unfamiliar with 2-stroke or gasoline engines in general. Often, people put them away for years at a time and then try to start them up, only to find out that the gas has gone rotten in the carb and fuel tank and it won't run. An electric, of course, will not do that.

>

[No]

I'm not sure I like the idea of using a sawzaw for cutting trees but for a small job, I'm sure its fine. I have used mine for cutting roots when digging a hole. Anyway -

Carmensrt, pay attention. ONLY get a Milwaukee sawzaw. DO NOT get a craftsman. Porter cable is OK but costs about the same as the original Milwaukee. Get the one with the metal case and higher Amps rating. Trust me, you will not regret it!

[Chris Lewis]

According to DS :

Electrics are perfect for occasional small jobs nearish to an outlet. Pruning, cutting firewood (provided that the logs aren't excessively large), and carpentry. Which most urban/suburban users would find perfectly adequate, without the hassle of gas.

Beyond those uses, you need gas. I have both. Actually three: McCullough electric, an older homelite (recently "inherited"), and a VERY old Pioneer (apparently a 40+ year old professional model capable of a 30" bar) gotten years ago from a garage sale (for $5).

Getting that Pioneer running after a long idle time is a PITA. It's completely eaten (as in, _no_ trace left) several in-tank fuel lines, and if it kicks, it'll pull your arm off. But once it goes, it'll cut through anything.

Freakin loud and heavy.

I hardly ever use the Pioneer. I'll run 200' of extension cord to the McCullough before running _that_ thing.

Haven't used the Homelite yet, other than to start it once. It'll be nice, but it still won't replace the McCullough completely. If I ever get around to building a chain mill, that's where the Pioneer will be used.

Has the OP thought of renting? Decent well tuned saw, whatever size/type you need, that you don't have to feel guilty about not doing any maintenance on ;-)

[lenny fackler]

I used a reciprocating saw on the last small tree I felled, a weed tree maybe 5 or 6 inches in diameter. It was pretty easy.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sawzall good for stump removal. Lot of cheap blades from Harbor Freight.