Compact tree cutting tool recommendations?

[2StepsAhead]

I have some decent sized fallen trees on my trail that I want to remove, some of them around probably around a foot thick give or take...I usually carry a corona handsaw but these are just too much for me to deal with by hand lol.

I have an m12 hackzall, but I feel like itll take forever to cut...

I started looking into smaller electric chainsaws, even debated the milwaukee hatchet and making pie cuts if I have to due to it being so easy to carry...

Id prefer something as compact as possible since I dont want to be lugging equipment "that" far into the trail (when I do, I dont plan to carry it all the time...itll be planned when I find tree fall and Ill go back and get it), plus I figure Ill only have to cut 3 maybe 4 a year so I dont want to go overkill and buy a larger chainsaw.

 

[KnurledNut]

Silky Katanaboy 650

 

[johninct]

12" get a small chainsaw and be done with it.

 

[driftpin]

Look at this Stihl: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/in-tree-saws/ms194t/

Compact, easy to use, light, and durable. I use my Dremel rotary tool to sharpen the chain. The saw does a good job.

 

[nbpt100]

It is hard to tell how big you need but a 2 cycle chain saw will make short time of it. If you need to do a foot thick trunk maxiumum then get a 14" bar. If this is one time event look on FB for a used Echo or stihl saw. You will pay more than the cheapos(Poulan, Ryobi etc.) but they are far less prone to give you a head ache. They have much better resale value too.

 

[acer66]

I am pretty happy with my Dewalt 12” saw but do you already have a 18v platform or any outdoor battery brand going?

 

[jpaw]

IMHO for $200 a Stihl ms-170 can't be beat. I have 4 saws and 2 pole saws, the 170 is the most used one.
If you want a corded one any of the cheap ones work ok with a good chain, just make sure it has an auto oiler and a common size chain.

I just picked up a new pole saw on the cheap and found it was missing the chain. Long story short, I'm converting it to a more readily available chain size and will break even after buying 2 chains.

 

[jpaw]

One quick note: Out in the woods I find battery powered saws too limiting. When your batteries are done so are you.

I'm sure someone will argue this but you sound like you want to be one and done.

 

[f121]

Check out a backpack designed to carry a chainsaw, like a dakine builder or evoc trail builder. Then attach a medium sized battery saw with whatever batteries you have already.

I use a makita top handle saw (I had it already rather than any desire for top handle), with 4 batteries I can do over an hour of cutting, enough time to clear a decent sized oak off a trail.

 

[dchawk81]

It was $300 locally but tiny.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have an m12 hackzall, but I feel like itll take forever to cut...

I started looking into smaller electric chainsaws, even debated the milwaukee hatchet ...

You can get a 10" bar and chain for the M12 Hatchet. It has a "skip tooth" chain to not overload the motor so it cuts slow. You need a couple of the largest size M12 batteries you can buy !

I figure Ill only have to cut 3 maybe 4 a year ...

A "genuine" Japanese pull saw might be the answer ! Make sure it has a low tooth count (less teeth per inch). You do not need a Katanaboy 650. I have a Gyokucho RAZOR 250 Multitask 812 (Amazon) and it is AMAZING ! You would have to cut from both sides, but it would get the job done without killing you. Remember. It cuts on the "pull" stoke and let the saw do the work.

FYI - This a great "all round" for anything non-metalic. Cut PVC like butter.

 

[rancherbill]

Get some pruning blades. My chainsaw died and I tried these blades and I am very impressed. I cut up to 10 or 11 inch stuff. YMMV

 

[Dig Doug]

Just get a cordless Sawzaw with some HP like an M18 fuel with that UGLY saw blade, shown above. You might need an extra long blade to cut thru the middle so buy or bring a few extras w/ you. If needed you could probably rent the Sawzaw & 2 batterie.

start the cut at the bottom, and cut up about a 1/3 of the way up, then switch to the top side of the log. This should avoid the pinching of the blade.

 

[tyyost]

It was $300 locally but tiny.

I have a Echo CS-2511T as my small saw and love it. It is a $459.00 saw but it eats whatever you throw at it. It is light, will built, and very packable.

That said, if your use is really intermittent I‘d buy whatever cheap lightweight chainsaw you can find, electric cordless or gas from somewhere you can get support. This is garage journal so buying the most overkill option is the norm. The regular cordless saws out there will fit your needs, Makita, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Ego, Greenworks, etc.

I would NOT consider a sawzall as an alternative, even with a pruning blade. Trimming limbs, small stuff, maybe. But deadfall trees is an exercise in futility once you go beyond the 4” range. And good cordless sawzalls aren’t much lighter with a good battery.

 

[mike93lx]

One quick note: Out in the woods I find battery powered saws too limiting. When your batteries are done so are you.

I'm sure someone will argue this but you sound like you want to be one and done.

When you run out of gas, you are done too.

Planning goes a long way

 

[brownbagg]

deleted

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Silky Katanaboy 650

Yep.

Pick a Silky saw and enjoy how awesome they are.

 

[Monza Harry]

nbpt100 & driftpin recommended some good brands, pro/semi-pro equipment that will deliver value and performance with excellent longevity. I have had very comparable results with "Homelite" not quite the same level but still pretty good stuff from my experience. For what you described I would just rent a saw twice a year as needed no maintenance, no storage, low upfront cost. Harry

 

[Sumboodie]

nbpt100 & driftpin recommended some good brands, pro/semi-pro equipment that will deliver value and performance with excellent longevity. I have had very comparable results with "Homelite" not quite the same level but still pretty good stuff from my experience. For what you described I would just rent a saw twice a year as needed no maintenance, no storage, low upfront cost. Harry

Homelite hasn't been decent since the mid 90s.... and even then they were going to poo. About the same time as Poulan, Partner, McCulloch as well.

 

[rancherbill]

Homelite hasn't been decent since the mid 90s.... and even then they were going to poo. About the same time as Poulan, Partner, McCulloch as well.

Add Husqvarna to the list, I have two chainsaws that are not worth fixing. Unless you buy the commercial ones they are all shabby.

For the money for a chainsaw, I could get 4 5ah batteries. I honestly cannot work faster than I can charge my 4ah batteries.

 

[jpaw]

When you run out of gas, you are done too.

Planning goes a long way

See, no surprise that someone would have to make a useless comment.

Dude you can only carry so many batteries...

I can walk into the woods with a gallon or 2 of gas in one hand my saw in the other and anything else I might need in my pockets and be good for the day.

Sorry you're not doing that with a battery powered saw.

 

[Monza Harry]

Well I guess if I think about it my Homelite's were all used when I got them [for free], back n the mid-90's, but they rocked until forced to death [sort of, weed Wacker stopped after three years of zero maintenance, by then I could then afford a new one, but I gave the Homey away to my nephew and my brother and he got it going again (for a bicycle where he broke the casting), sold the one saw and still have the other around here somewhere, just getting a little finicky, but at ~30 years to be expected] with recapturing an unkept property, everything has it's limits. Sad to here of their not yet realized end. Poulan has always irritated me! Harry

 

[mike93lx]

See, no surprise that someone would have to make a useless comment.

Dude you can only carry so many batteries...

I can walk into the woods with a gallon or 2 of gas in one hand my saw in the other and anything else I might need in my pockets and be good for the day.

Sorry you're not doing that with a battery powered saw.

So you can carry as much gas as you want but not as many batteries as you want?

No one is suggesting battery for an entire day of felling in a remote location. Your response is the same as saying a BEV is stupid because you need to tow 20k all day and drive 1k miles.

 

[mogandave]

Free firewood sign

 

[f121]

See, no surprise that someone would have to make a useless comment.

Dude you can only carry so many batteries...

I can walk into the woods with a gallon or 2 of gas in one hand my saw in the other and anything else I might need in my pockets and be good for the day.

Sorry you're not doing that with a battery powered saw.

Depends how much you need to do.

For a single tree on a trail a few miles in, I’d far rather throw a battery saw in my pack with a couple of spare batteries, than walk for miles with a saw in one hand.

For a day felling in the woods, then sure…although Id personally leave the gas in the truck, tractor or side-by-side rather than walk miles with a can in my hand.

Use a battery saw for a while, for home owners and arb use, you’ll be surprised. Don’t see the loggers switching for a while yet.

 

[Lasu]

25-40cc compact chainsaw, used or new ( 5-9lbs pho)

 

[oldmachinenut]

I bought a Ryobi 40 volt pole saw to trim a tree then eventually completely limb in prep to cutting it down. The saw actually amazed me, I cut some
4” to 5” branches with it easily. The battery life was very good and it had plenty of power. I think it was $90.00 shipped from HD. I already had the 40 volt trimmer and blower so I only needed the bare tool. I had gotten a estimate of $700.00 from a friend to do the job, it only took me part of a day to do it.

 

[Wolley]

Get a nice felling ax from council tool. Or a 572xp husqvarna.

 

[mike93lx]

Get a nice felling ax from council tool. Or a 572xp husqvarna.

Nice. A $1200 20" chainsaw is about the perfect suggestion for someone looking for a m12 hackzall alternative

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I have a chain saw but if its a long walk to cut 1 or 2 dead trees that fell across a trail I'd just carry an axe (and maybe a file) in.

 

[dchawk81]

I have a chain saw but if its a long walk to cut 1 or 2 dead trees that fell across a trail I'd just carry an axe (and maybe a file) in.

Not me I'd have a road constructed so I could drive to it.

 

[PCustoms]

Do folding buck saws still exist?

 

[Renegade1LI]

I was a little skeptical but I got a ryobi chain saw free at hd when I bought a battery package. Figured it might be ok for light trimming, well I was surprised at how well it works. Light weight, decent power and very quiet, already carried it into the woods to clear a trail. I am thinking of making a mount to keep it on the tractor or s x s, just a thought.

RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V Brushless 10 in. Cordless Battery Chainsaw (Tool Only) P2502BTL - The Home Depot

The RYOBI 10 in. 18V ONE+ HP Chainsaw is the perfect combination of power and convenience. The lightweight and compact design makes operation and transportation easy. While the push button oiler keeps

www.homedepot.com

 

[Pexto]

If you're only going to cut 3-4 12" diameter trees a year, I'd suggest a handsaw. Either a 24" bowsaw, or preferably, one of the larger Japanese pull saws.

If you really want something powered, I don't think your M12 Hackzall is quite up to it. But a pruning blade for a recip is pretty cheap ($10 or so) so you might want to try it and see if it will work for you. I've used my Dewalt 20V recip with a 12" blade to cut a few 8-10" trees that had fallen across a trail and it worked OK. But I wanted something a little better and picked up the 12" Dewalt 20V chainsaw which is a pretty handy little tool and can cut larger trees much faster than the recip. This little saw is quieter and cleaner and far easier to carry into the woods than any gas saw. For these reasons I use the little electric saw for trail work; if I'm cutting firewood than of course the gas saw comes out. For the limited amount of cutting you want to do a small electric chainsaw seems like the way to go.

 

[jives]

I used a Makita cordless (18V, 5Ah batts) recip saw with a 12" carbide Diablo pruning blade to cut down hundreds of buckthorn trees at ground level, ranging from 2" - 8" in diameter. Used it to cut down some wind damaged poplars, about 8-10" diameter. Here is my take on cutting up 12" hardwoods. On hardwoods that size it can be done, but you will go through batteries in a hurry, and you will need an additional tool to finish off the tree. On larger buckthorns I resorted to dragging out my portable generator and electric Remington chain saw.

My suggestion would be to rent a chainsaw for a day and be done with it.

 

[Pexto]

I used a Makita cordless (18V, 5Ah batts) recip saw with a 12" carbide Diablo pruning blade to cut down hundreds of buckthorn trees at ground level, ranging from 2" - 8" in diameter. Used it to cut down some wind damaged poplars, about 8-10" diameter. Here is my take on cutting up 12" hardwoods. On hardwoods that size it can be done, but you will go through batteries in a hurry, and you will need an additional tool to finish off the tree. On larger buckthorns I resorted to dragging out my portable generator and electric Remington chain saw.

My suggestion would be to rent a chainsaw for a day and be done with it.

Jives makes a really good point about the carbide pruning blades. You can use them to cut stuff off at ground level without ruining the blade. Do that with a chainsaw and you'll spend a lot of time sharpening your chain.

 

[JradM]

At this point I'm repeating what's been said, but I think it's worth reiterating that you aren't describing that much cutting.

I would choose a medium-size Silky, or a larger one if I had the budget (but that's getting expensive for how many cuts you plan to make). The advantage is portability and lack of maintenance. Those saws cut fast - like surprisingly fast.



If I wanted a chainsaw - especially if I thought I'd use it for other things if it were available - then a gas saw is a much better value. You don't need a Stihl, Echo or Husqvarna for the amount of cutting you are doing, but those are better quality saws that will last longer and have parts available for repair.

BUT, if you're cutting relatively infrequently, you might consider the math of a $100 vs. $300 saw and go with a budget brand. I used a Poulan Pro for a decade before the engine seized - and I did a lot more cutting than what you're describing. While shopping for a better saw I recall reading over and over on forums and reviews how anything besides the budget offerings from a pro brand was garbage. However, the garbage is cheap and still lasts a good long while - it just isn't worth fixing up when it breaks.

The electric chainsaws are pretty nice. I have a Flexvolt now. Hard to justify it from a value standpoint though - it's all about convenience.

 

[dchawk81]

Doing anything by hand is ridiculous. Every one of you who suggested it should be banned.

 

[zendriver]

Doing anything by hand is ridiculous. Every one of you who suggested it should be banned.

The wood is only 12" thick.

Since this is GJ, the proper solution is a battery powered chainsaw and a $25,000 Polaris UTV.

Battery dies - no problem a leisurely trip back to the charger for some juice and refreshments.

 

[dchawk81]

The wood is only 12" thick.

Since this is GJ, the proper solution is a battery powered chainsaw and a $25,000 Polaris UTV.

Battery dies - no problem a leisurely trip back to the charger for some juice and refreshments.

12 inches is a whole foot. Way more than a hand. Good to see you're catching on.