Do I buy a battery powered chainsaw, or a battery powered reciprocating saw.

iana · Guru

Do I buy a battery powered chainsaw, or a battery powered reciprocating saw.

Dave1952 · Senior Member

Do I buy a battery powered cahainsaw, or a battery powered reciprocating saw.

Kebbin · Guru

It's a no brainer the chainsaw hands down unless you want to take an hour to do a 15 minute job.

yobarr · Guru

iana wrote:
Do I buy a battery powered cahainsaw, or a battery powered reciprocating saw to collect wood for a camp fire, do I just use an axe?, do people really do this, or is it just something that people just talk about. The other half has got it into her head we should buy a chainsaw. I have just sold my petrol driven chainsaw (too heavy and big to take with us) so I have the money, just waiting on your opinion.

Hi Ian....after much consideration,I decided to buy a Bosch 36v (?) chainsaw,as I didnt want to have to carry petrol,and I have plenty of power on board to recharge the batteries.Chainsaws are much better than an axe on the big stuff,but I do also have a bow saw,which is very light and very efficient.Because I like to carry a heavy hammer just because,I bought a 3kg log splitter which is also a heavy hammer if I turn it over.Bit of an overkill,but Im with your wife if you intend to free-camp.

Safe and happy travels to all.Cheers.

iana · Guru

From reading a past post, I thought both units cut at about the same speed --- slow. How many of you have a fire to sit by when free camping ? I guess cooking with a camp oven is another experience.

gandk · Senior Member

Definitely a reciprocating saw. We used one up at our caretaking job near Broome and came home and bought one - amazing. I am only 45kg hobbit of 4'11" and I can use it one handed and it saws a thickness of approx. 10cm. Great tool.

Kim

Tony Bev · Guru

I try to follow the sun when I free camp, Ian
It is normally a fire ban area, most places I visit

If it is not a fire ban area, then there are only ever a few fires, in each camp

In the winter time, I do not mind going into the state national parks, under the trees, and sitting by a fire

In my area, the state national parks, supply a fire pit, in every camping bay, and a supply of firewood, in the form of mill ends, when it is not a fire ban period

Up to now, I have had no need to cut wood, if I had wanted a fire

I have never seen anyone using a reciprocating saw to cut firewood

As others have said, it would be quicker with a bow saw

Desert Dweller · Guru

Some folk think that it's not a camp unless you have a fire going.

Ask yourself, do you really need a fire to cook on & provide warmth.

An occasional sit around the campfire experience is quite pleasant.

Save the Aussie bush & use a small axe & bush mans saw.

Good exercise too.

Mike Harding · Guru

I think I camp in more remote places than most on here but I always
have a fire, you're not camping if you don't have a fire :) And in
the winter in Victoria a fire is all but essential - it's the bush TV.

I suggest a small petrol chainsaw; if you can find one an Ozito 305mm
bar and 24cc engine at about $125 is a terrific little saw, for camp
use, I prefer it to my Stihl saw. If you're travelling in NSW then I
suggest you also purchase a small bow saw as chain saws are strictly
prohibited in Kosciuszko National Park so the pile of sawn firewood
by your chair was cut using the bow saw and the oil marks are because
the bow saw sticks a bit.

I wouldn't consider a reciprocating saw, they are for carpentry not
firewood.

iana · Guru

Thanks Tony, the reciprocating saw I am talking about is battery powered, not elbow powered. Gandk, first favorable comment so far, I can see some advantages, can be used for other jobs, can cut steel and masonary with the correct blades, no oil needed.

I have lived in fire prone areas of SA, and was quite close to the Ash Wednesday bush fires, lighting a fire dry conditions runs against my grain. How ever I do believe there is an instinctive desire in all of us to be around a fire, a throw back to the cave man days.

But the fire pits and wood provided sounds the way to go.

blaze · Guru

battery chainsaw
cheers
blaze

Tony Bev · Guru

RE: Do I buy a battery powered chainsaw, or a battery powered reciprocating saw.

Chris61 · Senior Member

I love a fire,just for warmth, not cooking. At present I am making my way north and will use my beer barrel firepot here ever possible. I have a small Stihl chainsaw and have the back of the Iveco full of firewood. I have oftened wondered about a battery chainsaw as I am carrying 18v Makita batteries with me. There is plenty of firewood on the side of the road, as long as you are sensible about where you get it. Photo is at Gunnedah tonight

Eaglemax · Guru

A few comments The last 3 chainsaws I've owned have leaked chain oil, slowly. Annoying, messy and two stroke oil needed. We travel light too due to weight restriction. If you are healthy enough then a bow saw is most efficient and a tomahawk for the smaller stuff. Tomahawk doubles for tent peg pounding and with a hook welded on the rear top can lift the peg out with little bending.

dabbler · Guru

If you have no other battery powered skins, look around and see what's on offer. In my case, I picked a DeWalt 56v chainsaw and impact drill, mainly because the drill was on special as a kit and the chainsaw skin had a bonus 2nd battery. The recripro choices were not as flexible and worked out substantially more.

Evernew98 · Member

Definitely a reciprocating saw. Have been using one for quite a few years. Just amazingly efficient. Can cut through good sized limbs of red gum with ease! I also carry a variety of blades for all sorts of jobs whilst on the road.

-- Edited by Evernew98 on Sunday 24th of June 2018 08:04:13 AM

Izabarack · Guru

I have tried petrol chainsaw, battery chainsaw, recip saw, hand saw, axe, and hachet, on the road. Now I carry a reciprocating saw and a small hand saw. I love a fire while camping and often cook over the fire but stick to small rather than bonfire size. Main disadvantage of the petrol chainsaw is size, needing petrol, and often banned in an area. Battery chainsaw has worked quite well for me but slow. Axe and/or hachet is too much work. Cheap handsaw on special at Bunnngs are very sharp and will go halfway through a 5 inch dry gum limb easy and quick. I typically only collect a milk crate full of firewood from convenient fallen timber on the way to the next site. Recip saw is easier than the hand saw and battery fits other battery tools I carry. A range of blades for the recip saw allows its use on lots of tasks.

I have Ryobi tools but notice that the latest battery chainsaw from Stihl has a narrower chain than the Ryobi and impressed during a recent tryout at a local agricultural day.

Iza

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Depends ?? If your an electrical engineer, electrical fitter , or just a good handy person ? Lol Really it depends what the Mrs wants ? Lol

Plain Truth · Guru

iana wrote:
From reading a past post, I thought both units cut at about the same speed --- slow. How many of you have a fire to sit by when free camping ? I guess cooking with a camp oven is another experience.

Thinking of upgrading to a Battery Chainsaw.All this Redgum was cut with a Ego Battery Chainsaw.

Need it for warmth, cooking and has been said a Bush TV.

Meredith · Senior Member

How much firewood do you really think you are going to cut? I would think for most people carrying a tomahawk or small axe to split a few larger logs is all you need. Please don't be like the people we have seen at some free camps cutting downs trees around the camp!

iana · Guru

Plain Truth, if I show those pictures to the Missus, I won't get any peace from now on!
Izabarack, I have the Ryobi drill, and am looking at the Ryobi series of tools so that my equipment is standard, may even get the 12v charger.
The comments have been interesting, and I appeciate the input so far.

Plain Truth · Guru

Meredith wrote:
How much firewood do you really think you are going to cut? I would think for most people carrying a tomahawk or small axe to split a few larger logs is all you need. Please don't be like the people we have seen at some free camps cutting downs trees around the camp!

That camping area is in the biggest Redgum Forest in the world,you don't have to cut trees down,they are lying down everywhere.A choice of a few tracks in of approximately 10 kms. and there is wood everywhere.

If we go along the coast we often buy wood for a fire,just adapt to the area,and would never cut down a tree for firewood.

-- Edited by Plain Truth on Sunday 24th of June 2018 11:53:41 AM

Moose2 · Senior Member

Mate I have an EGO battery chainsaw. Bloody brilliant piece of gear. Also own a few petrol powered saws but the EGO is the one that goes camping. Cuts brilliantly (14" bar), light, bugger all noise and no petrol smell. So your missus is correct - get a chainsaw.

Mike Harding · Guru

Meredith wrote:
How much firewood do you really think you are going to cut? I would think for most people carrying a tomahawk or small axe to split a few larger logs is all you need. Please don't be like the people we have seen at some free camps cutting downs trees around the camp!

Splitting logs with a small axe? I'll take a guess this is something
you have never done?

The amount of wood PT has there is quite reasonable especially when
camped in Vic or Tas. In the winter when the nights are 0C and below
(-6C is my best) one needs a fire from rising to 10am and 4pm to
bedtime. That heap of wood would do me for about three, maybe four,
days, unfortunately open fires are *very* inefficient energy wise - a
piece of old tin wrapped around 180 degrees of the fireplace saves a
lot of energy.

PT's wood is redgum and is the best common wood possible for camp
fires as its density means it burns hot and so one uses less.

Anyone who cuts a living tree down for camp firewood is an idiot. Not
only is it illegal the tree is also full of water and won't burn
worth a damn. Find your wood on the ground and don't be too lazy to
take a walk or even drive a few kilometres from the campsite. I
consider wood collection to be my main exercise of the day.

Also, keep in mind: trees grow - wood is a renewable resource and if
you have ever watched the Australian bush recover from bush fire
you'll realise just how fast they can do that.

Having a camp fire is fine, man has been doing it since the dawn of
time, just use common sense and don't light where/when it's dangerous
and don't cut living wood.

Incidentally: an excellent fire starter is a mix of 50% old engine
oil and 50% kerosene. Place a paper tissue flat on the base of the
firepit, build the kindling over that then pour on about 150ml of the
mix and light the paper tissue. This will fire even wet wood in the
Vic High Country.

Edit:
PT: When was that photo of you splitting wood taken - I note from
your profile you're 76 and I just hope I'm swinging a log splitter
through redgum when I am that age :)

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Sunday 24th of June 2018 01:28:36 PM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

STRANGE as it may seem . Burning fuel ( fallen branches) under trees prevents bush fires ., Plenty of branches can be cut up . A green tree doesnât burn well any way .

Meredith · Senior Member

Mike Harding wrote:
Meredith wrote:
How much firewood do you really think you are going to cut? I would think for most people carrying a tomahawk or small axe to split a few larger logs is all you need. Please don't be like the people we have seen at some free camps cutting downs trees around the camp!
Splitting logs with a small axe? I'll take a guess this is something
you have never done?

The amount of wood PT has there is quite reasonable especially when
camped in Vic or Tas. In the winter when the nights are 0C and below
(-6C is my best) one needs a fire from rising to 10am and 4pm to
bedtime. That heap of wood would do me for about three, maybe four,
days, unfortunately open fires are *very* inefficient energy wise - a
piece of old tin wrapped around 180 degrees of the fireplace saves a
lot of energy.

PT's wood is redgum and is the best common wood possible for camp
fires as its density means it burns hot and so one uses less.

Anyone who cuts a living tree down for camp firewood is an idiot. Not
only is it illegal the tree is also full of water and won't burn
worth a damn. Find your wood on the ground and don't be too lazy to
take a walk or even drive a few kilometres from the campsite. I
consider wood collection to be my main exercise of the day.

Also, keep in mind: trees grow - wood is a renewable resource and if
you have ever watched the Australian bush recover from bush fire
you'll realise just how fast they can do that.

Having a camp fire is fine, man has been doing it since the dawn of
time, just use common sense and don't light where/when it's dangerous
and don't cut living wood.

Incidentally: an excellent fire starter is a mix of 50% old engine
oil and 50% kerosene. Place a paper tissue flat on the base of the
firepit, build the kindling over that then pour on about 150ml of the
mix and light the paper tissue. This will fire even wet wood in the
Vic High Country.

Edit:
PT: When was that photo of you splitting wood taken - I note from
your profile you're 76 and I just hope I'm swinging a log splitter
through redgum when I am that age :)

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Sunday 24th of June 2018 01:28:36 PM

I've split plenty of wood, grew up in a house where the only heating was a wood stove. My dad cut it into big logs, but us kids had to split it. My comment wasn't related to the picture of PT's wood, but to wood in general campgrounds. And yes green wood is fairly useless for firewood, doesn't stop some idiots cutting down trees to try to use it.

Rosiebear · Newbie

Electric chainsaw. I have a Ryobi 36v chainsaw, and it is brilliant. Also have a 36v blower, uses the same battery so have 2 batteries on hand, and when the fire is down to coals throw another log on and a brief gentle blast with the blower soon brings it all to life again in double quick time. Just so quiet and light, use it in any area without disturbing anyone.

oldbloke · Guru

For a cooking fire all I use is a bow saw and a hatchet. A short walk and some exercise does the trick. It all changes if you want a bon.fire.

Landfall · Guru

We have both.

The most recent purchase was the reciprocating saw.

For smaller jobs (up to 4" dia) the reciprocating saw wins hands down.

For destroying the bush and environment (trees) the chain saw wins, but there is a small price in labor. You have to sharpen the chainsaw blade, adjust tension, and watch out for messy oil stains.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Shhhesh . If he has a chain saw doesnât mean heâs going to flatten the forest out there . People go the nark on things these days like we donât care or have any idea . Modern age . Go for it . One good thing is battery can be shared with other complianceâs . Btw Itâs STILL exercise., Enough to keep arthritis at bay it hope . Itâs all about enjoying life .