How to choose a gasoline saw for wood. How to choose a good chainsaw for gardening: advice from competent experts

The saw grade gradation contains three unit variations. Eminent manufacturers, who value their reputation, honestly indicate the class of the chainsaw, helping the consumer to make the right choice. Firms with a vague reputation often mark out low-power devices as professional ones. There are three types of saws.

Household units are designed for periodic use of about 30 - 40 minutes a day. They have good ergonomics, light weight. This compensates for their low power. With such a chainsaw, you can cut trees in the garden, prepare firewood for a bath or barbecue, and also prepare a preparation for heating a house. Useful for small construction work.

Advice. StihlMS 180, which has become classics, Husqvarna137, OleoMac 937 have an impeccable reputation.

Semi-professional saws are designed for medium-intensity work: felling small trees, building houses from a bar, harvesting firewood. They have a higher power and service life than household models. Such units are designed for 2-3 hours of operation per day.

Advice. Noteworthy are StihlMS290, Husqvarna 236, OleoMac941.

The professional class of the instrument implies its use for 9 hours a day all year round. Such devices are purchased for professional felling. It is expensive and impractical to purchase a tool of this level for domestic use.

Advice. Husqvarna 357ХP and Stihl MS361 are in special demand.

Power selection

Studying the question of how to choose a chainsaw, first of all, you need to focus on the engine performance parameter. The power of the saw must correspond to the volume of tasks that it has to solve. A tool with a power of 2–2.6 kW is suitable for construction. The summer assistant will be quite enough 2 kW. The more powerful the chainsaw, the faster and easier it cuts wood, but such a unit weighs more and is more difficult to control.

Advice. When choosing a tool with which a woman will work, give preference to household appliances of low power. They are light in weight and low in vibration.

Saw headset

In addition to power, efficiency and comfort of work depends on the parameters of the saw headset: bar length, chain pitch.

For household chainsaws, narrow tires and low-profile chains are installed that vibrate little and reduce the likelihood of rebound, which is especially important for beginners. With prolonged operation, such chains quickly become dull.

Semi-professional units are equipped with lightweight tires with a chain pitch of 3/8.

Replaceable head tires are designed for professional models and are designed for continuous operation. When making a choice between models with the same power, it is worth choosing the one with a shorter tire, it will cut wood much faster. A 35 cm tire will be enough for cutting boards and not thick logs.

The length of the busbar must correspond to the power of the engine. A shorter one can be used, but it is not recommended to put a long tire on a low-power saw, as this will lead to excessive fuel consumption and rapid engine wear.

All technical parameters are stated in the product passport, their observance will extend the product's service life.

Advice. Sprockets, chains and tires require periodic replacement. To avoid problems with finding the necessary parts, buy a tool of well-known brands. Components manufactured by another company will not work.

Safety first

Manufacturers have taken care of the safety and health of the operator, so modern saws must be equipped with two mechanisms:

vibration protection - protects the hands from damage to the joints during prolonged contact with the instrument. There are two types: rubber gaskets installed between the handle and the body of the chainsaw, and a more modern option - the remote location of the engine relative to the gas tank;
kickback protection - designed to protect a working person with a sharp rebound of the rotating chain of the chainsaw when the end of the tire touches wood or a pebble. A more common option is the brake lever, presented in the form of a handle. In case of kickback, the hand will automatically push the lever and the rotation of the chain will stop. The second option is a protective sector installed at the end of the bus.

Do not neglect the workwear and accessories designed for this type of work. A helmet will protect your head from falling branches, glasses will protect your eyes from shavings, and headphones will protect your eardrums from noise. The fabric from which the workwear is sewn has a certain composition and structure of the fibers, which allows the chain to stop when it comes into contact with it.

Chainsaw chain can cause serious injury if handled carelessly. Carefully study the safety precautions when working with the device.

Advice. Be sure to check the quality certificate when purchasing personal protection for working with a chainsaw.

Manufacturers overview

The most reliable and durable units are produced by brands: Stihl, Oleo-Mac, Husqvarna and Echo. Quite good chainsaws for use in everyday life are offered by Al-ko and Makita.

The simplest and cheapest units from a Chinese manufacturer, designed for periodic use, with careful use, can last a long time: Champion, Huter, Partner and Patriot. Domestic: Bison and Energomash.

After studying the article, you can safely go to a specialized store, which must have product certificates and provide warranty service.

Purchase a tool in accordance with your needs, then the chainsaw will serve you for a long time and will not let you down at the most crucial moment, but you already know how to choose a chainsaw.

How to choose a chainsaw: video

The chainsaw is the right tool for the summer resident and gardener. In a private house, such a tool also does not hurt. For example, for the preparation of firewood in the barbecue, pruning trees and the construction of gazebos, etc.

Previously, only hand saws and hacksaws were used, but thanks to technical progress, today it is possible to purchase an excellent chainsaw.

Amateur chainsaws

The most common class of chainsaws is amateur.

Semi-professional chainsaws

If you do not have a task to cut thick logs, use the tool daily, then you will have enough power up to 2 kW. A chainsaw for a house with a power of up to 2.5 kW is also perfect for the construction of a wooden blockhouse.

It is important to know that the more power the chainsaw has, the heavier it is. And it will not be easy enough to manage it.

Below we will consider some of the nuances of choosing chainsaws, depending on their technical characteristics.

How to choose a tire for your chainsaw?

Exists three main types of saw bars:

Flat narrow... They are put on amateur chainsaws. A narrow tire is usually paired with a low profile chain and has no kickback. This is necessary to reduce injuries when working with this chainsaw.
Lightweight tires... They are made of steel, they are two special plates with polyamide packed between them. This design significantly reduces the overall weight of the chainsaw. And it becomes much easier to work with such a tool.
Replaceable Head Bus... Installed on professional chainsaws, with high power, which work continuously for ten hours a day.

In addition to the type of tires, you should pay attention to their length.

Long tires make it easier to cut thick wood as the cut is deeper. But if such a tire comes with a low power mechanism, then its power will not be enough for fast sawing. You will start sawing more slowly and the chainsaw motor will wear out instantly.

All chainsaw instructions indicate the recommended tire length. This indicator cannot be exceeded... You can reduce the size.

And if you have a choice between models of the same power, then for a small volume of wood it is better to choose a chainsaw with a smaller tire, since its cutting speed will be much higher.

Chainsaw chain

The cutting speed also determines the chain pitch. All chainsaws have three basic chain pitches. Therefore, which chain to choose for a chainsaw is up to you.

Chain pitch 0.325 dm have amateur low profile chains. This is the standard size for fast cuts. Such a chain will not withstand prolonged load and will instantly become dull.

High power have chain pitch up to 0.404 dm... They work for a long time and are able to cut large volumes of wood. But even such chainsaws will not cope with frozen and dirty wood. For these purposes, special carbide-tipped chains are produced.

Choosing a chainsaw for a summer residence, you automatically become a consumer of only this brand, since the accessories of the saw headset from different manufacturers will not fit each other.

Thus, all the components of the unit must be produced by one plant, and if they break down, you will need to look for a part of the same brand.

Kickback protection

Kick back- this is the rebound of the saw when working towards a person. Kickback occurs when the end of the tire hits the tree. When choosing and buying a saw, be sure to check if the selected model has protection against this phenomenon.

Protection in chainsaws from kickback goes two types:

using a special brake;
with an additional shield.

Brake in chainsaws it is much more common. It looks like a lever - a shield. When the tool is operating, the lever is set to the closest position to the hand, and when hitting back, the hand will automatically press on the lever, and it will be transferred to the stop position of the chain movement.

Additional shield prevents the operator's hands from touching dangerous machinery when the saw is in operation. It is installed at the end of the saw headset. This protection is not available on Swedish chainsaws.

Anti-vibration protection

When choosing and buying a chainsaw for your home, ask the seller to check it and hold it in your hands.

Light amateur saws should not vibrate too much. To reduce vibration in such chainsaws, rubber gaskets are installed. They are located between the handles and the saw body.

In professional heavy duty saws, the engine and fuel tank are spaced apart to evenly distribute the total weight over the entire structure. Chainsaws without special anti-vibration protection are suitable for those who work for a limited time.

The longer you work, the more the vibration will affect your hands, and this will lead to inevitable joint disease.

Chainsaws for women

Some of the gardening work is done by women. Low-power chainsaws are suitable for women's hands, since they are lightweight and have little vibration. More powerful models will not work for women.

If there are no problems with your area, then get a better electric saw. It is easy to operate and much easier to maintain. You don't have to change oil or refill gasoline. Any woman can handle this unit without any problems.

A saw is a necessary tool for every summer resident and owner of a private house. Even for the preparation of firewood for the brazier, her help is needed, not to mention the pruning of trees and the construction of gazebos, verandas, etc. And if earlier hand tools and hacksaws were used, then, thanks to progress, today there is an opportunity to purchase automation. The only question is which one, because a model that is suitable for periodic work is unlikely to withstand the entire process of erecting a log house or a wooden bath. Consider how to choose a chainsaw, taking into account the intensity of its use and ease of maintenance.

The lowest-powered class is the amateur class. It presents models that will only withstand occasional use of no more than 40-45 minutes a day. As a rule, the power of household chainsaws does not exceed 2 kW. They are equipped with low-profile chains to reduce vibration during operation. True, the performance of such chains is also weak.

To maintain order in the garden and periodically prepare firewood for the fireplace, it is enough to buy a low-power household chainsaw

They are lightweight, comfortable, do not put a heavy load on the hands and are quite suitable for summer cottage needs: harvesting firewood, trimming trees, minor construction work. For a fully built private house or summer cottage, where repair work is carried out only occasionally, as well as for maintaining order in the garden, this class is quite enough.

Semi-professional: will survive the construction

This class includes models that have sufficient power and are able to work both in felling and at a construction site. The only drawback is that they are not designed for long-term use, i.e. if you saw for 10 hours in a row every day, this tool will not last long. The power of semi-professional units varies from 2 to 3 kW, although mainly 2.5 kW. Barrel diameter - up to 40 cm. Similar chainsaws weigh 5-6 kg.

Ideal for a person who starts building their own home, where a lot of woodwork is required: creating a roof frame, flooring, etc. And even after the completion of construction, they will be indispensable helpers in the garden and on the site.

A semi-professional chainsaw will help a novice developer in building a house

Professional chainsaws: for felling

The most "strong" class - professional models with high power (2.7-6 kW) and capable of many hours of daily loads. It is unlikely that the choice of a tool of this class is justified for personal needs, unless the owner plans to build a log house, and then - the same bathhouse, and even he himself prepares firewood for the house for the whole winter. As a rule, professional models are bought by organizations engaged in felling forests, because these saws are very wear-resistant, withstand about 2 thousand operating hours and are designed to work with thick trees.

The power of a professional chainsaw for an ordinary summer resident

It is not easy to cope with such an animal at home without professional skills: it has a high level of vibration (therefore, its performance is high!) And a considerable weight - more than 6 kg. This is a significant load on the hands, especially for those who have no experience with such a tool.

Choosing a chainsaw by power

Power is a major factor in the ability of a tool to handle heavy wood, speed of sawing and possible depth. To understand your needs, go over the expected tool loads in your head. If you do not plan to cut thick logs, operate the tool daily, and choose an assistant for gardening needs, then power up to 2 kW is more than enough for you. For personal construction, capacities from 2 to 2.6 kW are suitable. Remember: the more power the machine has, the heavier it is. And it won't be easy to handle.

Examining the headset

Now let's look at the nuances of choosing a unit based on the capabilities of the headset.

Analysis of the length of the tire and its type

There are three types of tires:

Narrow flat. They are installed on household chainsaws, which will be used by non-professionals. The narrow tire is paired with a low profile chain and has almost no kickback drawback (more on that later). This is done to minimize the risk of injury when working with the tool.
Lightweight. Such tires are made of steel and are two plates, between which polyamide is packed. This design was created specifically to reduce the total weight of the unit, which has a very significant effect on the quality of some work. For example, cutting at a height with such a tool is much easier than with a conventional one.
With replaceable heads. This is a professional tire designed for heavy-duty chainsaws that are used for many hours every day.

Long bars are convenient for cutting large trees, while short bars work faster

In addition to the type of tire, pay attention to its length. It must be matched to the engine power. Longer tires are more convenient for thicker wood because you can cut deeper. But if it is equipped with a low-power mechanism, then its strength will not be enough for fast sawing, because you will have to spend energy on the rotation of the crankshaft. You will be sawing slowly, and more gasoline than usual will go, and the engine will instantly wear out. The instructions should indicate the recommended tire length parameter. It cannot be exceeded. Smaller size is allowed. By the way, if there is a choice between two models of the same power, then for small trees or boards it is better to take the one with the smaller tire, because it has a higher cutting speed.

Chain characteristics

The cutting speed and ability to handle heavy wood are also affected by the chain pitch. To determine which chainsaw is best, you need to know that there are three chain pitches: 0.325 ", 3/8" and 0.404 ". This is a unified designation system for all manufacturers, therefore, we will analyze the peculiarities of the operation of the circuit with each of these parameters.

The chain pitch is selected taking into account the power of the chainsaw

The 0.325 '' pitch has household low profile chains. It is the optimal size for short-term sawing because of the low vibration. Such a chain will not withstand prolonged loads and will instantly become dull.

In powerful units, there are chains with a pitch of 3/8 or 0.404. They are able to work long hours and cut thick trees. But even they are not designed to work with frozen or dirty wood. For such purposes, chains are produced with carbide taps.

When replacing any part of the saw headset, you must look for the part from the same manufacturer

It should be borne in mind that when buying a saw, you automatically become a "fan" of this brand, because the accessories of the headset from different manufacturers do not fit together. Those. the sprocket, sprocket, tire and chain must be produced by the same factory, and in case of a breakdown, you need to look for a part of the same brand, otherwise you simply will not put them together.

Anti-kickback protection

In the process of working with a tool, the most dangerous phenomenon is the so-called "kickback", i.e. bounce of the tool towards the person who works with it. Kickback can occur when the very end of the tire hits the tree. And when choosing a tool, it is better to clarify whether the model you are interested in has protection against this phenomenon.

Kickback protection helps inexperienced operators avoid injury

There are two types of protection: using a special brake or an additional shield. The brake is more common. It looks like a flap lever that can be switched in 2 positions. When the tool is fired, the lever moves to the "closer to the hand" position, and when the "kickback" occurs, the hand automatically presses the lever, and it is moved to a position that instantly stops the movement of the chain.

An additional guard is created so that the operator's hands do not come into contact with dangerous machinery when the saw is in operation. It is placed at the end of the headset and is called the protective sector. You will not find such protection in Swedish models, as in this country lumberjacks use the end of the tire when cutting wood. And this is officially allowed.

Anti-vibration protection features

When choosing a tool, be sure to ask the seller to turn it on and hold it in your hands. Light household models do not vibrate much, but if they have rubber gaskets, then this has a positive effect on the quality of work. Such gaskets are located between the handles and the unit body. In powerful models, the engine and fuel tank must be separated from each other so that the weight of the unit is evenly distributed over the entire structure.

Chainsaws without protection are suitable only for those who work rarely and for a short time. The longer the instrument is held in the hands, the stronger the effect of vibration on the hands, which ultimately leads to joint diseases.

Unit for female hands

It happens that women also have to do some work on the site. And if you analyze which chainsaw is the best for women's hands, then, of course, you need to choose only from the group of low-power amateur units, because they weigh little and vibrate weakly. For powerful models, the strength of female hands is not enough.

For weak female hands, only low-power household models of chainsaws are suitable.

But if there are no problems with electricity, then you should give preference to an electric saw. It is easier to operate and easier to maintain: no need to change the oil, add gasoline, etc. Even a slender lady can handle such a unit.