Chain saws are essential for off-grid living and very useful for homeowners with lots of trees on their property. Because of their size and their cost they aren't always adopted by RVers and campers. Campers traditionally rely simple bow saws or foldable saws because they are small and inexpensive. So-called cable saws are very small and easy to transport and pretty easy to use, but they can take a lot of time and effort to cut through larger pieces of wood. Manual saws (like bow saws or buck saws) have a been a staple for campers for decades. They are quiet and reliable but take up a lot of room and take a lot of effort to use. But, with new, quiet, lightweight cordless chain saws that might be changing. Small, handheld cordless chain saws are available with blades up to 6" that might be handy for campers and RVers.
Chain saws are handy tools for cutting firewood for camping. These days you can choose from gasoline powered, electric powered, and cordless models. I even have an older 12-volt model that runs off a car battery. A good chain saw with a sharp chain can make short work of cutting logs into firewood. If you camp where you legally gather firewood a chain saw might be a useful addition to your camp kit or RV.
The most popular and most powerful chain saws are gasoline powered. They normally have a 2-stroke engine that requires oil to be mixed with the gasoline. Running unmixed gas in a 2-stroke engine will result in catastrophic engine failure as 2-strokes rely on the oil in the gasoline to lubricate the engine. Be sure to use the prescribed ratio. A mixture that is too rich (too much oil) will foul the spark plug and one that is too lean (too little oil) will cause excessive wear or even cause the engine to seize. Every engine has a prescribed fuel:oil ratio. The typical ratio for many chain saws is 50:1 (50 parts gasoline for 1 part oil). You can calculate how much oil you need to add to your gas can or use a device like a Ratio-rite that is calibrated to measure the amount of oil for several common ratios and common gas can sizes. There are often special, richer "break in"ratios needed for new engines. Running the standard ratio during break in may result in engine damage. Running the break in ratio beyond the break in period can result in fouling spark plugs and excess smoke so be sure to use the break in ratio for the break in period and only the break in period. Gasoline powered chain saws come in many sizes. The larger sizes are quiet heavy. All gasoline chain saws are noisy. You will want to wear ear protection when using them, especially for extended periods of time.
Electrical chain saws are handy for small tasks like cutting firewood but you need a long extension cord of adequate gauge and a source of 120 VAC power. Using too small a gauge extension cord can cause a number of problems, including reduced performance, shortening motor life, blown fuses or circuit breakers, and even overheating and melting the cord and possible fires. Most RV generators and many portable generators provide more than adequate power to run an electric chain saw. You may even be able run one on a portable inverter attached to a 12 volt battery.
Cordless chain saws are a fairly recent addition to the market. Cordless chain saws are particularly convenient for RVers and campers. They are generally lighter than gasoline saws, much quieter, and do not require cumbersome electrical cords or an immediate 120 V power source during operation. You do need a 120 V power source to recharge the batteries but not during normal operation. If you opt for a cordless chain saw you may want to purchase extra batteries so you always have enough charged batteries available to last until you can recharge them. A solar powered battery charger may allow you to conveniently, quietly, and inexpensively recharge your batteries whenever you have sunlight. Or just make sure to put the batteries on the charger and run your RV generator for a while after each use.
The recent addition of small, one-handed, cordless chain saws gives RVers and campers even greater convenience and flexibility. They usually aren't big or tough enough to cut logs, but can be useful for trimming firewood to fit your needs and are getting inexpensive enough and small enough to make it worthwhile for camping. The one I bought included three 4"chains, 2 extra bars, 2 batteries and a charger, and even gloves and safety glasses, all in a convenient plastic case that will easily fit in just about any storage cabinet on an RV or camper. It is not much bigger than a kids metal lunch box. It was on sale at Christmas for under $50 on Amazon.com. Regular prices start around $55. Be sure to check the sizes. For example some have 4" blades, some have 6" blades. Finally got a chance to try mine out and was very pleased. The 4" blade isn't going to handle big logs but it sure made trimming branches up to 2-4" or so fast and easy! It doesn't have a chain oiler so I would be concerned about using it continuously for long periods without oiling it or letting the chain cool down. It has quickly become my favorite yard trimming tool.
I have an older 12-volt chain saw that runs off a car battery that I carry in my RV but they are not easy to find these days. Quite frankly, the one I have, which I bought at a garage sale many years ago, is the only one I've ever actually seen! I did locate new ones online called a Minibrute that is similar to the one I have. The only downside is you need to be fairly close to your vehicle (about 10-12') or drag a heavy 12-volt battery pack or portable generator with you to your work site.
Chain saws, like any power tool, require proper training for safe usage. In fact, chain saws really need a lot more training than other common homeowner power tools. To use a chain saw on U.S. Forest Service lands you even have to pass a training and certification requirement. Most, but not all, chain saw injuries are the result of user error and are preventable. Here is a basic introductory training video. In this video they will stress the importance of getting hands-on instruction from a qualified instructor. If you watch the video all the way through it should go into a second video that offers instruction on how to cut trees if you are interested in doing that. You may even be required to be certified to operate a chain saw in many state and Federal forests if you plan to cut your own firewood for camping.
Modern chain saws include a chain brake. It looks like second handle in front of the handle on the motor and is designed to stop the chain if your hand hits it (like it does if the saw hits something and bucks). The brake is pushed toward the back of the saw to use the saw and brakes the chain when pushed forward. If the saw bucks it kicks back toward you and your hand or wrist usually pushes the brake forward and activates it to stop the chain. The brake often needs to be in the off position to start the saw. Some older saws do not have chain brakes. If for some reason you happen to have one of these older saws, be especially careful when operating it as the chain brake on modern units is a significant safety feature. Never remove or disable any safety device!
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is essential for safe operation. Minimum equipment would include sturdy work gloves and eye protection (safety goggles or face shield). I like goggles with a fine mesh screen for cold weather use because they won't fog up. Hard hats are suggested to protect your head from flying wood tossed by the saw if it jams or if you are trimming trees to prevent injury if a falling limb or piece of wood kicked up by the saw lands your head. Hearing protection is also highly recommended, especially for gasoline powered models and particularly if you are going to be doing a lot of cutting. Special chainsaw chaps are more than a good idea, they should be considered essential! They are designed to stop the chain quickly to prevent serious injury to your legs. Note that chaps will usually stop gasoline engines, but electric motors will continue to run as long as they have power and the switch is on, even if the chain is inhibited by the chaps. Regular pants, even Levis and sturdy off-road riding pants will not prevent chain saw injuries. Not even our ultra-heavy firefighter turn-out pants will protect against a chainsaw and we are always required to wear chaps when using a chain saw in the fire service.
Ensuring your work area is safe and clear of people or hazards is critical. The area should be free of branches or debris that would interfere with safe operation. Be sure to check overhead as well as all around your work area. One good way to ensure a clear area is to take a stick about the length of our chainsaw and swing it all around and over head. If it doesn't hit anything, you should be clear. If it does hit something you either need to clear the obstacle or find another place to do your cutting. Even if there is nothing directly in the way of what you are cutting you need to make sure the area around you is clear. If the saw jams and bucks it is likely to swing anywhere within reach, injuring or damagig anyone or anything it comes in contact with and possible bouncing back to injure you! When cutting firewood you will want to have some kind of base beneath the log your are cutting. You NEVER want to let the chain cut into the ground. It will dull the saw almost instantly. Chains are designed to cut wood, not dirt!
A sharp chain is essential to both ease of operation and safety. A dull chain will make you work harder and is more likely to bind or kickback which often results in injuries. If you see smoke coming from where you are cutting, you need to sharpen your chain! If there are burned or scorched marks in the cut, you need to sharpen your chain! Eventually a dull chain could even start a fire! A dull chain also places more load on the motor accelerating wear and shortening usable life.
Gasoline powered chain saws are very noisy. You should always wear ear protection when using them, especially if you are going to be using them for any length of time. You also need to be aware of the impact the noise may have on fellow campers and restrict your usage to times of the day and locations that will minimize any impact on other people.
Safe starting of gasoline chain saws. First, make sure the area around you is safe, free from obstacles that might interfere and people who might be injured. People should always be at least 10-15 feet away when you start the saw in case the chain catches on something and kicks back. You may see loggers starting a chain saw using a drop method where they hold the handle of the starting rope and drop the saw to start it. This it NOT an approved method. Two safe ways to start a saw are to hold the back end of the saw securely between your knees while pulling the rope or to set the saw on the ground and put the toe of one boot into the handle beneath the trigger while yanking the rope. No matter which method you use ALWAYS set the chain brake off before attempting to start the saw. Most saws have a 2-step choke. Typically you will push the choke all the way down and pull the rope until the engine pops, then move the choke to the center position and start the saw. Once it is running, open the choke fully. Some saws (especially larger ones) have a compression release button. Pressing this button before attempting to start the saw is essential since high-compression engines will be too hard to turn over to start under full compression.
All chain saws need bar oil. This is a special grade of oil designed to lubricate the chain. Old time saws sometimes required you to squeeze the trigger frequently to squirt oil on the chains but modern saws do it automatically. Fill the oil on the saw every time you fill the gas. A "tank" of bar oil usually lasts through at least one tank of gas.. Most saws have a visual window where you can see how much oil is remaining so you can top off if necessary before you ruin a chain by running it dry! Most oil tanks are designed to hold enough oil to last more than the fuel in the fuel tank so refilling the oil each time you fill the fuel should prevent you from running out of oil. If you are using an electric, cordless, or 12 volt saw, be sure to keep an eye on the oil level or keep track of how much time you've been running the saw and how often you have to refill the oil so you can keep enough oil in the tank at all times. Running a chain saw without oil is a sure recipe for disaster! Lack of oil will cause the chain to overheat and to wear more quickly or possibly even bind up. If you happen to run out of bar oil, in a pinch you might use 10-30 motor oil. It won't perform as well as specially formulated bar oil and will probably splatter but it will provide some lubrication and reduce possible damage. For the small, hand-held chain saws that don't have an oiler, dribble a little chain oil on the chain from time to time to prevent excess wear.
You can purchase chain saws at just about any home center, on Amazon.com, and places like Harbor Freight. Like most power tools for home use they do not require any special licenses to buy them. However, you should make sure you get proper instruction from an experienced chain saw user or qualified instructor before you try to use your new saw. They are far more dangerous and require more training and skill for safe operation than typical homeowner power equipment like a cordless drill or circular saw.
Chain through!
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