Preliminary results on the Atlas. Ben says it cuts good. He likes it. His only comment is that the battery fades fast after 2 led bars on the indicator. We bought two batteries so he keeps rolling regardless. I suspect the battery would be a problem because it is a 18650 20s 1p configuration.
The Bauer corded saw is a “don’t buy”. It’s surge is more than 12000 watts, and will kick the Honda into overload. We have to use the Predator 8750 inverter generator to power it. All it’s oil leaks out, all the time. It’s going back to HF as soon as it’s too dull to use.
Soooo, it really looks like I am going to have to find a source of Remington corded Versa Saws. They were cheap, not durable, but very power efficient. They worked fine with modified sine wave inverters/w lame batteries or hooked to an alternator. Parts could be had.
The one great thing about the Atlas, is that it is so close to a gas saw, that soon Ben will be ready to run the Husqvarna or Stihl.
I think Char and I have to build a processor to replace the buck. Then all this electric stuff can become academic again.
I cut a couple of cords yesterday. Used both the Echo Battery and Echo gas. The battery is useful for limbing because you don’t have to keep starting it for a few cuts but the gas is at least twice as fast on anything larger than limbs. Might just be one of those everything went together right engines. It’s faster than my 60 cc Stihl or Husky and they are no slouches. I can’t see electric or battery replacing gas. I guess it depends on how much cutting you need to do. I need 10 cords a year so that’s not going to happen electric.
No real experience yet but this IBC was filled last sunday in a few hours and one 4 Ah battery. I think the Husky did ok. It is conifer, not oak or something.
So Ben has solved part of our dilemma. He drives the solar powered golf cart out to the wood, and takes the Atlas battery charger with him. He charges one battery while cutting with the other. He also uses the Bauer while parked next to the wood.
I am bitter about not being able to buy those Remington Versa Saws, and the Husqvarna e316. I looked over the Chinese Husqvarna again, and found that it is actually a brush motor. 12000watt surge! Totally, not cool.
The Atlas seems to be holding up. You have to keep the batteries at the right temperature or they won’t charge. Prolly have to keep them inside with the people.
Hey BruceJ. I was just using my gifted to me Poulan plug-in electric to cut down scrap dimensional wood to kindling lengths. Works. Chain and drive noisy. Slow. But good enough for no-smell inside the shop.
I Google looked up your preferred Remington Versa Saw to see if they were the same.
No-no. Completely diffnerent.
On E-Bay for the pictures there is a listing for a new in-box Versa Saw for $38.50 USD.
E-Bay item #155592723609. Out of Wyoming. Check shipping costs. $81.+ to me!
S.U.
You guys have now convinced me to get a battery-electric chainsaw.
What you are seeing is my foot tracks up and back, on the 1/4 mile access lane and the Wife’s one set of car tracks out to the paved plowed county road.
I had to go up and saw clear three major branches and tree tops off of the lane to clear her going out to nursing home visits. Her fame-claim its she always will come when others will-not, cannot.
Easy; I’d thought. Took the all-metal hand bow-saw. No need to dig out, fuel up, a chainsaw says I. One downed turned out to be 6 inches across. And many, many wrist and finger sizes branches to cut and throw clear.
45 minutes later; unable to feel my hands, gloves fully slop-wet cold soaked through, I could get her out, and gone.
Powered saw and I would have been done in maybe 15 minutes. 30 minutes less bone cold chilled pain.
Her arriving 30 minutes sooner.
Called, living and learning.
Live well you All.
Steve unruh
Yes Steve I have a electric pole chainsaw it is great for cut limbs and small branches, no ladder needed.
Have electrical chainsaws will travel, oh I mean cut.
If you are not using it as a primary saw, I’d look at those Greenworks saws. Under $200 I think even for the 80V model. I have been using my 56V Echo a lot this year for cutting limbs and small stuff I threw into a big pile. Easy to just pick up the saw and make a few cuts and set it back down but I paid over $350 a few years ago. There are a lot of small gas saws that are much cheaper for doing that kind of emergency work. I think a Stihl MS 170 is under $200.
Yeah TomH., I already have a gasoline small Stilh MS 009L and MS 260 Pro.
Both fuel ran out and were sitting cold somewhere piles buried hidden out in the unheated big shop. (my old living on the edge of town with some drugs problems, hide-it habits, are hard to shake).
My real problem was not just the downed needing to lane clear but a-Social between the Wife and I.
I’d seen the problem out leash walking the three dogs. Walk shortening and hustling back I saw she was done hair drying, and getting ready to load up and leave.
The time to go out unbury find a saw and gas it up . . . experience saying the first found would not want to winter cold start right up!!! She’d become hopping mad at my “unwillingness” to jump right out onto the problem. Instead, out in the shop man-playing around, wasting time!
So Honey; you please feed the dogs instead this morning, and I’ll hustle right on down and get the lane cleared for you.
A go-grab portable battery electric was just what I needed right then.
Logic says just get a Milwaukie 16" chainsaw to match my now M18 batteries drill; drill-hammer, and oscillator set. Then I viewed this:
Now I’m thinking that maybe instead a Milwaukee M18 sawzall reciprocator instead. Most all of my cuts down there were some I could foot trap the branch to reduce the energy loss shaking. With the bow saw I was having to one hand hold steady most branches. Wetting cold holding!
AND get a pair of true fuzzy lined neoprene water-proof meat packers gloves! All was 3/8ths inch cold wet snowing slush covered. Every stick, limb picked up, and tossed; the metal framed bowsaw, became hands freezing chilling.
Not stupid, stupid SteveU. Smart; been married to this woman for decades SteveU making the best I could of the situation. Paying the price for all of those fine, fine Melinda-made meals. Past. And future.
S.U.
I have a cheap Black and Decker 20v recip saw that does an excellent job of limbing and cutting branches up to about 6 inches diameter. It is the first thing I grab when doing that kind of work. A fallen tree can quickly be made light enough to move out of the way by hand that way. You will find a lot of other uses for that tool also.
And here comes a conservative swede (read grumpy, or stupid) that consider a battery chainsaw as a “complement” but instead uses a gasoline powered sawz-all
Me too BobMac! Me too left handed bothered many times by R.H. biased tools.
My previous 15 years Makita 14.5VDC drill always worked O.K., fine for me, a left hander.
My new Milwaukee 18VDC . . . my left forefinger triggering finger keeps bumping the reversing button right at the power switch activation point!! Gonna’ hafta’ grind lower that reversing bump to be less proud. Millwaukie did you not broad user groups test this?!
And then fingers stuck in one of the new comfort ergonomic scissors!!! More grinding having to open up adapt. Sheee. Grrr.
Part of the 7% minority. Snore, ignored. (Woodgasing here Washington State you want to be overlooked ignored.)
Yes I agree. Yes in Washington State wood gas truck, vehicle try to keep it stealth. When people ask about my truck, I tell them to go to driveonwood.com and check it out.
Well we finally are getting some of your wet weather, high winds, but the wet has turned into snow here. A white out blizzard and snowing hard. Glad I do not have to go out a drive in this.
