You can always rely on others and reviews for the quality and performance of the chainsaw you are seeking to buy. In fact, if anything goes wrong you can always blame it on others. However, if you choose the wrong chainsaw for yourself, there is no one else but you to blame, isn’t it?
This is why it is your responsibility to determine what type of work you will be doing. Based on that, you have to determine the type and size of the chainsaw you need. Luckily, it is not that hard to choose the correct size of a chainsaw as long as you get all your necessities right.
So, let’s find out how you can choose the correct size of chainsaw for yourself.
What Size Chainsaw Do I Need- Figuring it out
At first, let’s consider what it means to choose a particular size of the chainsaw. Apparently, the size of a chainsaw basically means the length from the tip of the bar to the base of the bar. What is the bar? It is the part around which the chain works.
So, what should be the length? It depends on several factors. Consider the following to find the correct length for yourself.
1. The type of work you will be doing
It’s no wonder that chainsaws are used for doing a variety of jobs. Some of you will use a chainsaw to cut a large tree down and some will be using it to prune the smaller trees. And, there is a vast number of things you can do in between.
For example, you could be felling smaller trees, cutting branches for firewood. Each of these tasks has its own requirements and sizes. Therefore, the first thing you have to do is figure out what kind of job you will be doing.
You may be doing a number of jobs at once as well- luckily you can find versatile chainsaws for that too. So, get this first task out of the way.
2. Pin down the size
The basic rule when choosing a size is to choose a bar that is 2 inches longer than the tree or branch you plan to cut. For example, if you plan to cut a 6-inch branch then you need an 8-inch bar. Now let us get to the more specific.
When pruning trees, you will be dealing with lengths of 6-8 inches, thus, an 8-10 inch bar will do for you. If you are removing branches, you will be dealing with 10-12-inch branches and your requirement would be 12-14-inch bars.
Felling the smaller trees will require 14-16-inch bars. Felling medium trees will need 16-18-inch bars. Finally, this is what the professionals need for felling the larger tree- 20-inch or longer bars.
Most people believe that bigger or longer is always better. But, it really is not. Just get what you may need.
Or else, it can get very risky for you. Because longer chainsaws usually cause more kickbacks and that is very dangerous.
Furthermore, there is an advantage to shorter bars. You can use it for doing any job, even the ones that longer ones do. All you need is just a few more passes. So, just get what you require, if you need more, the shorter one will be good enough for the task.
3. The Power of the Chainsaw
When choosing a size, it is better if you also consider the power of the engine the chainsaw has. Engines can be gas-powered, battery or electrically powered. Whatever it is, a greater length will definitely require more power to function properly.
You may have a great night after purchasing the longest chainsaw in the market. But, it will disappoint you if it does not work up to its length just because it does not have enough power.
So, make sure the power of the chainsaw is compatible with the length of it.
4. The Adjust-ability
While you will find the chainsaws coming with a fixed length of the bar, you can actually replace the bar with a different length of it. Of course, the chainsaw will act at its best when you pair it up with the right length. But, if you ever need to, you sure can pair it up with a bar of length you need right at that moment.
In conclusion
As you can see while it may seem like a hard task at fast, once you know how to select the right size of a chainsaw, it becomes really easy. All you have to do is know your work better, use the daily facts to find what you need and then look for it in the chainsaw. But, also keep in mind that it is not only the length of the bar that matters.
You will have to make sure that other parts of the chainsaw will make the length work just the way you want it to.