A good chainsaw for the home will help get rid of old trees, prepare firewood for the winter or trim the tops of shrubs. To buy the right tool, you need to focus on the following recommendations.
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Types of Chainsaws
The choice of a chainsaw for the home largely depends on the tasks that are posed to the tool. All existing models can be divided into household, professional and semi-professional. Chainsaws differ in a number of technical characteristics and are suitable for a different front of work.
Household Chainsaws
These devices are suitable for single or periodic short-term work in the garden. The power of such models usually does not exceed 2 kW, weight about 2-5 kg. Household chainsaws have a limited service life - about 60 minutes a day. Since their power is small, in terms of performance, these units will be inferior to professional options.
Household chainsaws are not designed for felling centuries-old trees. They are suitable for harvesting firewood, help to remove an old tree or to cut up uprooted stumps into pieces.
Semi-Professional Chainsaws
In terms of their characteristics, these devices are closer to professional models, however, in terms of their allowable working life, they went not far from household units. Semi-professional chainsaws are equipped with an engine up to 60 m3 with a capacity of 2-3 kW. They are able to work continuously for 8 hours a day with only one stop. The weight of such devices is about 5-7 kg.
Semi-professional chainsaws (sometimes called farm chainsaws) are suitable for medium-intensity work. With their help, you can put a chicken coop, restore the bath, clear new areas from trees for planting.
Professional Chainsaws
These devices are designed for continuous, systematic use. A professional tool has an increased work resource (up to 2 thousand hours) and can work up to 16 hours a day. The power of such chainsaws is also significantly higher in comparison with farm or household ones - about 5-6 kW, which significantly increases their productivity. True, such devices weigh heavier - 10-15 kg. Professional models have a good level of vibration protection, they are perfectly balanced and ergonomic.
Such chainsaws are suitable for long, long and heavy work, are used on logging, in the construction of houses, in the professional activities of loggers.
Basic selection options
Regardless of the type of tool (household, professional, semi-professional), chainsaws are chosen, focusing on a number of technical characteristics.
Tire length
The tire in the chainsaw is designed to maintain, lubricate and guide the chain. Depth of cut depends on its length. Manufacturers produce models with tires from 20 to 150 cm. Household options are equipped with 30-40 cm canvases - this is enough to dump a small tree or cut a couple of logs. And managing a small tool is much easier. Installing a long blade on a low power model is impractical, it will adversely affect the durability of the engine.
Semi-professional chainsaws are equipped with 50-60 cm tires. Such models are suitable for sawing logs of medium diameter.
The length of the tires of professional devices ranges from 60-150 cm. Such a blade will allow cutting a large tree in one pass, which will significantly speed up work productivity.However, do not forget that working with a saw with a tire about a meter will require considerable physical effort from the operator.
Power
To choose a good chainsaw for home and garden you need to pay attention to the power of the tool. This indicator can be indicated in two quantities - kW or l. from. Power characterizes the performance of the tool and its ability to cope with solid material. Depending on the purpose of the chainsaw, this indicator can range from 0.6–6.4 kW (or 0.33–8.7 hp). Choosing a powerful model, do not forget about the load that it exerts on the network.
Power directly depends on a parameter such as engine displacement. The larger it is, the more productive the instrument will be, the greater will be its weight and dimensions. In different models, engine displacement ranges from 23–122 cm3. As a rule, in household power saws with a power of 2 kW, this figure does not exceed 50 cm3.
All types of chainsaws are equipped with the same type of power plant. To drive the chain, single-cylinder carburetor two-stroke engines are used. There is no gearbox, single-stage transmission transmits torque.
Groove pitch
The pitch of the groove is the distance between the centers of the three adjacent rivets. The higher this indicator, the deeper the link can cut into the wood. The smallest possible size is ¼ inch, the maximum possible is ¾ inch. There are several other intermediate values, such as 3/8 or 0.325.
The pitch of the groove directly affects the productivity of the tool. If you install a circuit with a minimum step on a professional model, the performance of the device will drop sharply, and the load on the engine will increase. And vice versa, installing the chain with the maximum step on a weak model will complicate the work of the tool, which simply does not have enough power to crank the teeth.
It is worth considering that a large step reduces the accuracy of the cut and increases the likelihood of a rebound when sawing is done with the tip of the tool.
Thus, it is possible to consider the distance between the links 0.325 optimal for household models, 3/8 - for semi-professional devices. Tires with a pitch of 3/8 inch or more are suitable for professional chainsaws.
Weight and dimensions
These parameters largely depend on the type of device and its purpose. The minimum weight of the tool starts from 2 kg, the maximum is 23 kg.
Heavy models with long tires are used by lumberjacks in professional activities. Small and light are applicable in everyday life. It is worth considering that without special preparation it will not be easy to operate a massive tool for several hours in a row, so for one-time work it is worth taking a compact, small model that can be easily managed.
Fuel tank
Its volume affects the ability to work with a saw without being distracted by refueling. It should be borne in mind that a large fuel tank will add weight to the tool. Depending on the model, the tank capacity can range from 0.16 liters to 1.6 liters.
In addition to the fuel tank, gasoline models are equipped with an oil tank. Its volume may also limit the maximum duration of continuous operation.
Handle location
Classic chainsaws have two handles. The first is located at the back of the tool. It houses the start and protection buttons against accidental switching on. The second has an arcuate shape, located in the upper part of the body. Holding on to it, the operator sets the direction of movement.
In addition to the classic two-handed models, there are one-handed ones suitable for trimming crowns and caring for shrubs. For such saws, the handle is located exactly in the center of gravity of the device, in the upper part of the body. This arrangement allows you to work the tool with one hand (right), including in a vertical position.
Chainsaw handles should be ergonomic and covered with rubberized material, providing a secure grip.
Type of saw set
There are three types of headsets:
- Narrow Used in household models, reduces the likelihood of a rebound at the first contact of the chain with wood.
- Lightweight. Designed by the type of sandwich - metal plates are filled with polymer material, which reduces the weight of the structure.
- Headset with interchangeable heads. It is placed on professional chainsaws.
Installing a headset other than that specified by the manufacturer on the saw is not recommended.
Cost-effectiveness
The indicator directly depends on the engine power and the purpose of the tool. Household models consume less fuel, professional models - significantly more. Approximately the efficiency of the tool can be determined by the volume of the tank - the larger it is, the more it consumes the tool when sawing.
Low fuel consumption is important if an extensive work front is planned. If the saw will be used a couple of times a month for an hour, the efficiency of the tool will not be of fundamental importance.
Security
A chainsaw is a tool with which work is associated with increased danger. Therefore, to protect the operator, manufacturers introduce protection against accidental starting and an inertial brake into the design of the tool.
The emergency handle or, as it is also called, the inertial brake is located next to the upper handle. When the saw bounces, the operator, pulling his hand, touches it and the tool instantly stops. An emergency brake is installed on almost all modern chainsaw models. However, its shape and location relative to the top handle may vary. If the distance between the handle and the brake is small (which is most often the case with compact models), and the operator’s hand is large (gloves can give extra volume), the probability of accidental pressing increases. Some experts give good advice - check before buying whether the saw will interrupt the brake if it is held by the handle.
Protection against accidental start-up is an additional button on the rear handle, which must be pressed simultaneously with the start button to start the tool.
Extra options
To choose the right chainsaw, you need to pay attention to a number of additional parameters:
- The presence of anti-vibration protection. Long-term exposure to vibration has a negative effect on the circulatory system, destroys joints, and increases fatigue. Therefore, many manufacturers complete their products with anti-vibration protection - rubber gaskets or springs, which reduce the load on the hands.
- Engine location (longitudinal / transverse). Saws with a longitudinal engine are elongated, however, are better balanced. Saws with a transverse arrangement have an imbalance on one side, while they are compact and less overall.
- Noise level. Depending on the model, it can range from 80 to 120 dB. Noise level matters if the bulk of the planned work will be carried out indoors.
The listed parameters should be considered when purchasing professional and semi-professional equipment. The location of the engine and anti-vibration protection with a single use of the tool does not matter, but it increases the cost of technology.
