Chainsaws Are Going Cordless - But Are They Any Good?

Using a chainsaw has always been a messy business which involved filling the fuel tank with highly inflammable fuel and making sure the cutting blade was properly oiled. The former potentially lethal and the latter just downright mucky!

The only other alternative has been mains powered electric chainsaws which pose their own safety hazards. In the UK these machines are usually 240 Volts AC, which if not handled correctly or if a fault occurs can be deadly! Fast reacting fault sensing circuit breakers can help reduce the risk of injury, cutting off electrical power in milliseconds. But even so there is still the possibility of injury; or worse, if the power lead is damaged, for instance. Many accidents have been caused by badly repaired power leads. If damaged they should, of course, be completely replaced by a professionally qualified, or at least a technically competent, person, and then tested before further use. Insulating tape wound around a damaged insulating sheath is an accident just waiting to happen.

Now, thank goodness, these dangers and inconveniences could soon be a thing of the past with the arrival on the market of new, more powerful cordless chainsaws.

Cordless chainsaws have until now been quite low power machines designed for light duty use around the garden. Easier than using a bow saw or long handled loppers, but only on fairly small branches and probably not very many of them. They are very tiring to use!

But now high-power 36Volt cordless chainsaws just coming onto the market. At the moment there is only one manufacturer producing these, but I suspect there will be many more in the not too distant future. Let's face it if Lithium Ion batteries can power motor cars they are also suitable for power tools. I suspect other manufacturers will be following suit in due course as these machines fill a gap in the market between petrol powered and mains electric powered chainsaws.

These new power tools use Lithium Ion batteries. These new batteries are far more powerful, but also lighter, than their predecessors. In fact the battery one of the latest cordless chainsaws is an impressive 36 Volts. Other cordless chainsaws are only about 18 Volts! The manufacturers of this new model claim its 36Volt Lithium Ion battery can power it through cutting up to 100 branches of 100mm diameter! That's 100 branches, 4 inches across and a lot of work in the garden taken care of in comparative safety and certainly a lot quieter!

The blade arm is also important in determining the size of branch it can cut. The 30 centimetres - or 12 inches on this new model is quite a bit longer than other, lower powered cordless chainsaws, and gives an indication of its power and what it is capable of.

Being battery powered also means it is inherently safer than conventional chainsaws due to its electronic control-ability. This one has a 'kick-back brake' which can stop the blade in just 100 milliseconds! That's one tenth of a second!

The noise level of this machine is much lower that a petrol powered equivalent which will help the user avoid the very real possibility of hearing damage and perhaps even hearing loss. It will also help maintain good relations with nearby neighbours too! You may find these same neighbours wanting to borrow it - just make they bring it back!

This new type of cordless chainsaw could also find a home with professional gardeners and landscapers. One of these, plus a spare battery perhaps, could become an essential addition to the tools in the back of the van or pick-up truck!

With the advances in Lithium Ion battery technology now taking place we may well be seeing many more heavy duty power tools also going 'cordless' in the not too distant future.

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