Now don't laugh. Seriously don't. I promised to do a review of this little gem some time ago and I have finally put the thing through it's paces enough that I decided it was time.
Jamie over at My Adventures in self reliance mentioned using her's this evening which reminded me that I was suppose to write up a review and since I am going to be watching the events unfold in Ferguson tonight I figured it was a good time.
Besides the wife is baking brownies so I need something to take my mind off the gooing goodness smell wafting from the kitchen.
Ok the saw.
This thing is truly a very handy item to have around if you grow fruit trees or have fences to clear. It also is kinda nice when you find those occasional long pieces of wood in your load that you forgot to cut in the field. I have actually managed to cut through some pretty large chunks of wood with it.
What I love the most about this saw is that it is so light and handy it is the perfect tool for cutting out those pesky small Cedar trees that grow up in my fence lines. I can use this little saw one handed while pushing the fence wire back with my foot and holding the tree with the other hand. The chain moves slowly enough that you have time to react if it jumps or goes for the wire so you don't ruin your chain either. It's perfect for trimming tree limbs that have grown into stuff as well because again I can operate it one handed while holding the limb.
The down side is the battery is not Lithium so you need to drain it fully before recharging and it stops cutting long before the battery is fully drained. It also really doesn't have enough juice for a full wrk out session so I broke down and bought two extra batteries for mine.
The most annoying aspect is that it doesn't have an oil reservoir that automatically keeps the chain and bar oiled. You have to manually do it with a little squeeze bottle they supply. This is a pain IMO.
Still for light duty trimming of a spontaneous nature I have found this little saw to be very handy and worth the price. For fence line clearing I have found it to be worth it's weight in gold and I can even charge it off my solar array system which means I will still be able to use it if gasoline becomes scarce.
While maybe not an essential item for post collapse living it sure would be a handy one to have around.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
A few things I would like to add about this little saw.
ReplyDelete1. I can get about 30 minutes to an hour of work depending on what I'm cutting. That's about how long I can do heavy work with my disability.
2. If you are getting your first chainsaw or are handicapped or just intimidated by chainsaws this saw will let you practice somewhat safely on how a chainsaw works and learning to make your cuts without the full power of a larger chainsaw. It's important to respect what a tool can do, but being fearful of using it is a bad thing!
3. Don't forget safety: If you are like me you may act like a kid that just got his first pocket knife or hatchet and go a little crazy cutting stuff. Wear the proper gear and be aware of your surroundings and this chainsaw is no more dangerous than a double bit axe or circular saw. But even and axe, knife or hatchet can lop off appendages you most likely want to keep.
Thanks for the tips and review. We have been talking about getting some kind of power saw. We scored some cut limbs from the tree trimmers. I want to cut and store in our shed before the white arrives.
ReplyDeleteRob If you can afford it I would go for the newer B&D 20 volt lithium battery tools. The 18 volt ni-cad battery types are being phased out and while a great deal the battery in those just are not as good as the lithium types.
DeleteYou might check out the Earthworks brand of corded and battery powered tools. I have a corded rototiller and lawnmower that have been outstanding over 2 seasons on the lawn mower and about a season and a half with the rototiller.
Heck my Dad thought I was full of it about my electric mower and after using mine to help me out when I had a few down days, Dad went out and bought an Earthworks mower for himself.
Ya the Lithium one's are much better. I got my saw as a x-mas gift but had I bought it myself it would have been one of the lithium ones the batteries last much longer and charge faster.
DeleteWe have a corded electric chainsaw, and its an AWESOME tool. I can use it, dispite being a petite female with arthritic hands. And yup, MUCH less scary than a fullsized gas model. I have though, on SEVERAL occasions wished it was cordless, and I've found B&D to be a decent brand, so I"ll have to keep this one in mind! Though yes, I TOTALLY agree with the statement that the lithium batteries are worth it!
ReplyDeleteRuth - I have a corded electric saw that is actually my pole saw but can be removed and it works well too. When I need it out away from a plug in I take my generator with me and use it that way. Both are nice for those small jobs that always come up but the battery one is really handy as less prep work.
DeleteThanks for the comment!!!