Chainsaw Selection

Richard L. Parish, PhD, PE

Chainsaws are popular homeowner tools — especially in the South where we have lots of trees and lots of storms. There are many choices available to homeowners.

Electric or Gasoline: Electric saws are generally less expensive, but less powerful. With an electric saw, you have no engine to feed and maintain, but you do have an extension cord to manage. Electric saws are quieter and cleaner, and have less vibration. Gasoline saws can be used anywhere without worrying about a power supply, but are noisy and smoky. Gasoline saws can be hard to start if not properly maintained – especially since they may not be used for months at a time. Gasoline saws are available in a wide range of engine and bar sizes.

Safety Features: You should look for the following safety features when selecting a chainsaw:

Front hand guard: a guard in front of the upper handle designed to protect your hand from the chain if your hand slips off the handle or if the chain comes loose.
Chain brake (gasoline saws only): stops the chain immediately if a kickback occurs.
Throttle lock: requires squeezing a secondary release before the trigger throttle can be activated.
Stop switch: should be located so that you can turn the saw off without removing your hand from the rear handle.
Rear hand guard: the lower part of the rear handle should be wide enough to protect the hand from a loose chain.
Chain catcher: a guard at the lower front of the saw that catches a loose chain.
Vibration damping: rubber bushings should isolate the handles from the engine vibration.
Spark arrester: prevents sparks from exiting the exhaust, thus reducing the risk of fire.

Bar and Chain: Low kickback chain is required on small chainsaws (under 3.8 cu. in.). Low kickback chain will come with a blue label; chains with yellow labels do not offer kickback protection. Bars are available in lengths from 8-10 inches on small electric saws to well over 20 inches on professional saws. Most homeowner gasoline saws will be in the 14-20 inch range. You should buy a bar appropriate to the wood you will be cutting. Some bars have sprockets on the end to reduce friction. Bars with a smaller radius on the end will have less tendency to kick back.

Consider Quality and Service: With most lawn and garden equipment, there is a wide range of quality and price available, and you generally get what you pay for. Some very low priced saws may be difficult to start and not reliable. Also, chainsaws tend to require more service than many other lawn and garden tools, so choosing a good servicing dealer can be important. You have to determine how much you will use your saw and how much you are willing to invest in quality and service.