Makita 16” corded electric chainsaw $182 best price ever

[John E Davies]

I have been eyeballing this high quality saw for three years and I just got an alert that the price has dropped to the lowest it has ever been. I suspect that the price change means that they are bringing out a new model at closer to this one’s $300 MSRP. If you think you need a powerful corded saw for home or camping, this is the one to get now..... the smaller 14” model has not been discounted, it is currently at $205. Amazon link:

Makita 16” electric chainsaw

The owners and parts manuals can be found here:

Makita Electric Chainsaw Info

I just ordered mine, plus two extra chains, two 25 ft 12/3 cords and one 50ft 12/3 cord. I will use it at home for occasional limbing, and when camping to discretely cut firewood from downed branches, or to clear obstructing branches around a primitive site. it has a soft start feature and will easily run off my 2400 watt Yamaha generator, which I keep in the back of my Land Cruiser. So the saw could be used if I encountered a downed tree across a back road, which has happened more than a few times. It will also run off the Ollie 3000 watt inverter, but it will use a lot of juice so I would not do it unless the battery bank could recharge soon. I ordered the various sizes of cords so I could choose the shortest that would reach the power source, to minimize voltage drop. I already have a stout 10/3 x 25foot cord, so combined they could reach 125 feet, which I think is plenty. If I had to, I could drag the generator to the tree... this would sure beat the old method......

I have been looking for suggestions for a hard (leak proof) carry case for the saw with the bar removed, it is 20” long, not including the short cord sticking out the back. Like any saw it will seep bar oil for a while after use. Any ideas?

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited May 2, 2020 by John E Davies

[DavePhelps]

That's a nice saw for sure. All I could recommend is a HD contractors garbage bag to put it in. Not too glamorous I know....

For those without a generator (like me), I would highly recommend a Silky Katanaboy 500 or 650. I have the 650 and it is razor sharp and cuts very quickly, almost as fast as a traditional 2-man bucksaw. Get some pocket wedges and you're  good to go. Enjoy your Makita though...know your binds and be careful!

Dave

[John E Davies]

Dave, those Silky saws are awfully nice, but pretty expensive for a manual saw. I have an old fashioned triangular Sven Saw (15”) and it cuts well. I keep in in my main bugout bag and rarely use it. I have just reached the age where manually whacking at sticks beats me up. I am very careful with chainsaws, this will not be my first. I dislike the gasoline mix, smells, maintenance, leaks and stains associated with a regular chainsaw. I used to carry one in a covered utility trailer, but that went when the Ollie appeared. I also sold that gas saw and have missed it a little.  I have been wanting a good electric saw ever since.

I think I found a carry solution, it is a little bigger than I like but maybe I will be able to carry all the accessories in there, and some bar oil.  .... this is 24” x 13” x 11” tall (outside), and the bottom compartment is 6” deep.

 

 

 Dewalt tool box

John Davies

Spokane WA
 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by John E Davies

[WhatDa]

We have one of the battery operated ones.  The nicest part is quiet.  There's still a time and place for the Stihl, but being able to drop a tree without chainsaw noises has its benefits.

[SeaDawg]

Whatda, which battery chain saw do you have? I've been eyeing the Makita, since we already have several tools with the 18v batteries, and a couple chargers.

Sherry

Edited May 5, 2020 by SeaDawg

[KenB]

Two weeks ago I bought a Kobalt 80 volt chainsaw.  In the background of the photo is the wood I’ve cut and split so far. In the foreground are a few pieces with a 40” diameter red oak I cut with the saw, but hadn’t split yet.  It took many battery charges and a few sharpened chains to get through all of it.  Run time is fine.  Not bad for a plastic battery operated saw. I’m happy with it.  It’d break down into a pretty small package if you took off the bar and chain. 
 

When I’m in the back country and need to clear a path for our Land Cruiser, I’ve found that my Kobalt 24v battery powered Sawsall with a long, coarse toothed blade has been plenty the two times I’ve needed it.  It takes up less space than a chain saw and can be used for other things too with an assortment of blades. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by KenB

[topgun2]

KenB - 

WOW!

I sure do hope that you actually doing this because it certainly looks like work to me.

[KenB]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

KenB - 

WOW!

I sure do hope that you actually doing this because it certainly looks like work to me.

Once the wood was on the ground, it was all me.  With being stuck at home like nearly everyone else, it was nice to have a mindless project to work on right outside the door when I needed a short break from my home bound day job.

I had a tree service come in and drop two oak trees in my yard that had died of wilt. They brought in a big crane and lowered each section to the ground as they pieced up the tree from the top down.  When they were done, they hauled away the brush and left all the major limb wood and the trunk logs behind for me to saw and split.  We have a wood stove and a hydraulic wood splitter.  In the end it looks like it’ll be just short of two full cords of wood split and stacked 15 feet from where the trees grew.  

The 80 volt saw works at about the same pace as I do.  I’d saw up logs until the battery was dead and then put it on the charger.  While the battery was charging I’d split and stack what I’d just sawn.  By time I was done stacking, the battery was charged again.  If it wasn’t charged yet, I’d touch up the chain while I waited.  I don’t work all that fast, so if you are quick, you might need a second or a larger capacity battery in order to keep working steady.

Ken

[John E Davies]

Ken, how many minutes run time, and what size battery does it have? How much do the batteries cost? Do you switch chains and flip the bar?

I really admire your effort, I quit enjoying cutting wood a long time ago, it just pisses me off now.... Fifteen years back I had an acre of mostly alder trash trees that snapped off halfway up the trunk or shed massive branches any time there was a windstorm. Now I have a couple of mature nearly wind poof native Douglass firs, which only shed needles. I don't dread windstorms any more. Thus the reason I sold my gas Wood Boss, and my need for a decent electric saw for odd jobs. I was unwilling to pay more than $200 tho. Now that I have said that, the next storm will probably drop one of those firs.... fingers crossed.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited May 6, 2020 by John E Davies

[MontanaOliver]

2 hours ago, John E Davies said:

...I don't dread windstorms any more....

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

I own mostly Milwaukee and Stihl in the battery tools. Preventing the bevy of different chargers/batteries is a challenge. Makita is likely a better product and I eye balled their battery saw but in my area, Stihl has actual support and mechanics who share knowledge without charge. Corded stuff is so yesterday; I own one pole saw with a cord and it is a serious PITA to deploy. My Stihl battery saw breaks down into a smallish Pelican case, with extra battery and chains. Works great for camp fire wood and clearing the forest roads when needed. An axe is the back-up and always in our kit. 

My electric/battery saw: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/battery-saws/msa220cb/

As you, I tire of the wood cutting, bucking, splitting and stacking grind, but it is what it is when one chooses to live the rural life. Someone told me it keeps you fit and in shape; or just maybe, it wears you out prior to your designed expiration date. This Ponderosa was the last victim of our big winds; snapped off halfway up the stem like a twig. My big saw is the smallest in their pro-line and I look forward to the day it quits; I'll cease the renewable wood heat supply and rely more on our solar for electric heat.

Edited May 6, 2020 by MontanaOliver

[KenB]

2 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Ken, how many minutes run time, and what size battery does it have? How much do the batteries cost? Do you switch chains and flip the bar?

I really admire your effort, I quit enjoying cutting wood a long time ago, it just pisses me off now.... F

I think if you held down the trigger, put the chain to wood, and never let up, you’d probably get 10-15 minutes.  If you’re cutting, repositioning, moving, it seems more like 30-40 minutes.  The battery that comes with the chainsaw is 80V peak, 72V nominal, 2 Ah.  Charge time is 30-40 minutes depending on how hard you worked the battery and how much it needs to cool down before accepting a charge.  There are battery sizes ranging from 2.0 Ah for $129 to 6.0 Ah for $359.  Not inexpensive, but powerful.

I’ve been sharpening the chain on the bar without flipping it.  When I replace the chain I’ll flip the bar.  This is the sharpener I’ve been using.  Very nice.  https://www.timberlinesharpener.com/

Wood cutting is something I only do when wood falls in my lap.  It’s good exercise.  Though there are several pieces of property in the family where I could cut as much as I want, I don’t go out of my way looking for it.  It just appears.  People hear you burn wood and they call to get rid of a yard tree that is already cut up or to get rid of a stack of split wood because they converted their fireplace to gas.  It’s nice to have friends.

Ken

[MontanaOliver]

15 minutes ago, KenB said:

 

I’ve been sharpening the chain on the bar without flipping it.  When I replace the chain I’ll flip the bar.  This is the sharpener I’ve been using.  Very nice.  https://www.timberlinesharpener.com/

 

Ken, please expand on your experience with this tool. I've had my eye on it for a while, as it seems after 45 years of filing experience, my ability to hand file a chain manually has diminished with age and failing eye sight (to be accurate-likely lack of patience). I've recently relied on the local shop to file my chains on their industrial Stihl provided chain grinder but requires extra chains (which I have) to get through a season and the dreaded trip to the big city. Other than purchasing a good Oregon bench top grinder, this tool reviews well and looks solid. Thanks, Mark

 

[KenB]

26 minutes ago, MontanaOliver said:

Ken, please expand on your experience with this tool.

I put the saw on the bench with a bright light and set up the jig according to the video.  No issues other than while I was getting used to the feel of the carbide as it cuts, I removed too much metal from one side or set of teeth.  The saw cuts a crooked kerf if both sets of teeth aren’t even.  Now that I know what to look for I can sharpen both sets of teeth evenly and the saw always cuts straight. I threw one chain away as I was learning because I couldn’t get it to cut straight again.

Watch the instruction/promotion videos, read the FAQ, read the directions, and get in a little bit of practice.  That’s pretty much it.  It does what it says it will.  No real tricks other than paying attention to how the taper on the carbide enters the tooth.  Keep it’s engagement point with the dull teeth consistent and the sharpened teeth will come out consistent.

Ken

[SeaDawg]

Frankly, I'd buy a cheap harbor freight or any big box store battery chain saw for that purpose, before I  bought a corded saw .

For me, a corded saw is a no go. No way, no how. 

Everyone has different needs. And styles . Mine won't allow for a cord.

Sherry 

Edited May 7, 2020 by SeaDawg

[John E Davies]

I found a great carry solution. This is the Dewalt box I mentioned above. Unfortunately the depth was a little short, I had to get out the grinding tools to make relief cuts for the handle and bar brake. I was concerned about the steel teeth wearing a hole in the side of the box, so I made a stainless guard to cover them. I am pleased. I don’t think I could have found a more useful way to compactly carry all the “stuff”, including bar oil, spare chains, gloves, glasses and a bunch of cleaning rags..... the saw is tool-free, so it is easy to attach the disconnected bar and chain, which ride safely in the included bar cover.

The bar oil is in a 20 ounce MSR fuel bottle which is very tough and leakproof. It just fits. .... https://www.msrgear.com/stoves/stove-accessories/msr-fuel-bottles/msr-fuel-bottles.html

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited May 31, 2020 by John E Davies