On tuesday, we kicked off the year cutting down a 9 meter tree (common beech). Our chainsaw has seen some use. And not all of it expert. It is tired. It stalls out at the drop of a hat. So instead of a five-cut by-the-book felling, it was two rough cuts and some violence with a wedge. It was ugly, it was dangerous and the tree fell a good fifteen degrees off the axis we aimed for.
So I decided the time to upgrade was now. Went to the toy store, asked if I could try out one of them newfangled eleccatrick chainsaw thingers. It is divine. It is a motherlovin laser sword. It cuts hardwood like it’s cutting baby legs. What a monster.
I prefer my power tools battery powered due to noise and pollution. Working with batteries, locks me into a manufacturer to allow cross-usage. So I have Big Tools, all orange Husqvarna running on stupidly expensive Big Batteries for the Big Work. The small tools are all DeWalt, yellow, powered by the not-quite-as-expensive yellow batteries. The yellow tools also come in boxes that stack superbly and contain all the bits and bobs that need to go with them, including a wheely bin full of screws and things.
With my big stack of black boxes full of yellow machines, I can build anything. With the bus full of orange machines, I can clear the jungle to build it in. I love my tools.
As for Husqvarna vs Stihl, I dunno. I do like my husqies, that I do know.
Yeah, got that covered by having a thousand watt charger that holds four in the shape of a big ol’ box. So it stores 'em and if there’s any juice to be had near the job site, charges them too. That’s the upside to having the other Big Tools (mowers, hedge trimmers) being huskies too.
I was a dewalt man for years. Bought a bad 1/2 inch impact gun and got the hump and bought a milwaukee on a whim.
Never go back. My van runs red now. My inch drive gun is an absolute bloody beast of a thing with the 12amp battery. Its nearly broke my wrist twice now
If I had to do it again, I might not go for yellow, red or green perhaps (milwaukee, festool) or blue (makita). But I’m in for a couple thousands in tools and batteries. No way am I honna complicate my logistics by mixing batteries in the same class.
I like my Stihl electric saw. The problem is the cage holding the motor magnets is plastic (it’s integrated into the plastic casing of the saw).
I killed the first one cutting Australian hardwood. Fortunately it was still in warranty, and they didn’t even ding me for taking it apart (or I did a good enough job putting it back together they didn’t notice!)
The battery is huge and lasts a good time for casual to moderate use - and anything more than that it’ll wreck the motor again
Does the Husqvarna use a traditional motor? Or is it built into the casing like the Stihl? I do need something that can handle more than just moderate use and I prefer electric…
As much as I prefer battery powered electric (I have a 12 year old 18V Makita cordless drill that is still going strong), noise and pollution ain’t much of an option for me.
If it isn’t engine powered (chainsaw, brush cutter, post hole auger, fence post driver) it is 240V electric that I hook up to a 3.5kVA generator which is an easy two person lift to get onto the back of the ute… that will even run my MIG welder, although it does struggle a bit if I use it as a stick welder.
Until today, thanks to @schurem, I now know they are not petrol only
I have a petrol 550xp Husqvarna and it’s a beast of a saw. That said I’m doing some heavy duty cutting quite regularly, so brilliant for me. The better half uses a much lighter Stihl, again a great saw. Both companies produce good products, like anything with two companies covering most of the market there’s plus points either way and you have to look at the options that work for you.
I am looking at these at the moment. I rarely need to run my welder out on the road but when i do i REALLLY need it.
I also need a new compressor. Mine struggles to put 125psi in super single tyres now and I’m fairly sure it’s weeping around the compressor head gasket bolts
Was looking at hyundai compressor this time but feel i might regret not having a honda GX engine on it when it fails.
Generator would need to be the same for simplicity and i can rob bits off it…
