Electric Chainsaws
Chain Reaction: Read this and you'll consider adding an electric chainsaw to your tool arsenal.
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 The manual oiler button on the older Makita provides a measure of control not found on the others, but you must remember to use it.
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The Tools
I set out to test only models that could deliver professional results, so I ended up with nine of the largest, most powerful units representing a pretty complete sampling of every manufacturer on the market, but not every brand. I didn't include any tools marketed under a different name if it was essentially the same model; instead, I just tested the version with the larger sales share in the U.S. This strategy saved me from testing five duplicate models (listed in parentheses) and reporting identical results.
The electric chainsaws in the test were the Craftsman 34107 (McCulloch MS1630NT–with slightly smaller motor; Troy-Bilt TBE3516NT), Craftsman 34118 (Poulan 400E–with case), Husqvarna 316 (Jonsered CS2116EL), Makita 5012B, Makita UC 4000 (Dolmar ES171–with coast-down brake), Milwaukee 6215, Remington LD3516AWB, and Stihl MSE 180 C-BQ and MSE 220.
The saws featured 16-inch bars, except for the Makita 5012B (12-inch bar) and Craftsman 34118 (18-inch bar).
Out of the Box
A few of the saws require basic assembly, and it's a good exercise to acquaint a new user with how these tools work and how they have to be kept in adjustment. A complete saw is basically a powerhead, bar, and chain. Many different bar and chain combinations can be fitted to most saws, but I tested the stock setup for each.
Accessories are few, but those that need tools for adjustments come with them. All but the Craftsman models come with a rigid plastic scabbard, although Milwaukee's is 4 inches too short. This guard is a must for safe transport and storage; the dozens of sharp teeth on a saw chain can easily shred whatever they are riding against in your truck and become dull, so you need this protection both for them and from them. Accessory scabbards should be easy to find for less than $10.
The owner's manuals go into a lot of detail about tree-felling techniques, something you probably won't need much for these electrics, but they also feature a lot of important general safety information and operation and maintenance instructions.
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