Trying to find the perfect chainsaw for your needs is nowhere near as simple or as straightforward as it used to be in the past.
This isn’t because there are so few top-quality chainsaws to take advantage of these days, but because there are so many! There are a lot of top-tier companies making fantastic chainsaws these days, had a variety of different price points and with intended users in mind, and that’s why you have to really know exactly what you’re getting into when you buy your new chainsaw.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you figure out how to choose a chainsaw that’s perfect for you!
How Do You Plan On Using This Chainsaw In The Future?
This is the most important question you have to ask yourself before you make this kind of purchase.
Some folks are going to be looking for a chainsaw that lets them quickly trim some light brush around their otherwise well manicured lawn, whereas others are going to be looking for a heavy-duty chainsaw that helps them clear a forested plot of land that they want to build a new house.
Until you know exactly how you plan to use your new chainsaw you’ll have a really tough time sifting through the different options to find the one that’s likely to best suit your needs right down to the ground.
Gasoline Or Electric?
The overwhelming majority of chainsaws available on the market right now worth purchasing are going to be gasoline operated, but electric chainsaws (intended for lighter duty) are getting better and better every single year.
Gasoline powered chainsaws are much more powerful and able to handle pretty heavy duty jobs, but are also a lot noisier, a lot dirtier, and require a mountain of maintenance to keep them up and running whenever you need to use them.
Electric powered chainsaws, the other hand, are always very lightweight, relatively compact, and capable of handling lightweight jobs without posing a safety risk – but they aren’t the kinds of chainsaws that you’re going to want to use on a consistent or regular basis and always have to be plugged in to a power outlet for operation.
ALWAYS Buy A Trusted Brand Name
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes time to purchase a new chainsaw is avoiding the big brand names in the industry and instead going with an inexpensive “offbrand” that most people haven’t ever heard of just to save a few dollars.
All of the big brands have industry reputations that you can verify, have track records for producing high-grade pieces of equipment, and also include high quality components and warranties that protect you as the consumer.
Sure, you might be able to save $50 bucks on a knockoff chainsaw, but at the end of the day you’re going to pay for that in the long run – and sometimes you might pay with an injury rather than with your credit card.
Hopefully these tips and tricks help you find the perfect chainsaw for you!
Here’s How To Get The Most Out Of Your Chainsaw:
There aren’t too terribly many things more “manly” than firing up a chainsaw, heading out onto a plot of land, and felling trees left and right – but that doesn’t mean that first-time operators are going to want to dive right into the mix and just kind of learn how to use their chainsaw on the fly.
These are incredibly powerful pieces of equipment that have the potential to do significant amounts of damage. You need to know exactly how to get the most out of your chainsaw in a safe and as effective away as possible, and that’s exactly what we hope to help you out with below.
Get to know your chainsaw before you fire it up
Not only are you going to want to know exactly how to fire your new chainsaw up for the first time, but you’re also going to want to know how to fuel it, how to oil and lubricate the engine and the chain/bar, and how to keep just the right amount of tension on the chain for effortless and efficient operation.
You need to know where your key safety features are, how to most comfortably use your chainsaw, and how to shut it down instantly in the event of an emergency.
All of this has to be understood before you fire your chainsaw for the first time, so make sure that you read the manual, check out YouTube for videos specific to your chainsaw model, and “dry run” using your chainsaw without actually turning it on.
Really think each chainsaw movement through
A lot of people get into some pretty hairy situations with a chainsaw because they just kind of “dive in” and let the chainsaw do all of the heavy lifting for them.
Because these are such powerful tools they are going to be able to rip and chew through pretty much anything that you throw at them, but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t going to be putting yourself, your property, or others in harms way with this kind of approach.
A much smarter way to get the most out of your chainsaw is to evaluate the project that you are looking to complete and then think of how to best approach chopping down chunks and sections of the tree or material that you are ripping through with your chainsaw to get through the project as safely and as quickly as possible.
Clear your workspace as much as you are able to, secure whatever it is you are chopping down to the best of your ability, and then move slowly, diligently, and purposefully through the actual cutting of process until you get the results that you are looking for.
It isn’t quite as “fun” or as glamorous as just heading out into the woods and chopping down trees left and right with a chainsaw in your hands, but it’s definitely going to help protect you and anyone else you have around you from having to go to a serious appointment in the emergency room.