Why are chainsaws so popular?

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Trimmers take up more room in the shop.
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scheffa said:
Maybe if you could put a 660 power head on weed whacker more people would be interested
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There is a chinese model with a 90cc engine on it. If I remember correctly it is a copy of a older Stihl engine. There is an article on a Australien site about it. Supposed to be incredibly stronge but heavy as a chunk of lead and not well balanced.
Further you have obviously never worked with a true brush cutter. The stronger 40 - 50cc models can truely be devastating in underbrush!
Obviously most members here have only had contact with models up to ~30cc!
Homeowner said:
I can cut grass with chainsaw, I doubt that I could fell trees with string trimmer, so chainsaw wins there.

You can't really climb to a tree and use string trimmer up there, chainsaw is kind of meant to the job.

Raw power withing reach of your palm, who can resit such thing?
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Well my friend you are definately wrong in that aspect. Brushcutters can be really mean tree fellars. Of course only smaller diametre trees up to around 2-4 inch. But they are easily as fast as any chainsaw out there, some even much faster!
And with a multi tool you don't need to climb anywhere, you just stand on the ground and cut the branches at your whim.

And definately you have never held one of the modern brushcutters, with a saw blade mounted, in your hand if you want raw cutting power! Stihl even has the MTronic technology incorporated in the high end versions.

wombler said:
When I fell a piece of grass, it lacks that satisfying, bone-shaking "THWOMP" that you get when you drop a big tree.
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True, but as mentioned above, you, as many others, have never used a pro brush cutter, mounted a mulching blade and went against thick underbrush. There is hardly a more devastating orgy to be imagined, when turning dense underbrush to shattered nothing! I can only asume it similar to using a gattling gun, only that the brushcutter can continue for hours!

BTW I have 5 straight shaft trimmers/brushcutters, including two multi tools and bought just a 6th.

7
 
I can have 14+ in my garage at the same time. Try that with classic cars.

I can often make it a runner for under $20. If I want to do a full restore, I'll still probably be in it less than $100. Try that with classic cars.

I can fit two saws, completely torn down, on my workbench, plus the tools. Try that with classic cars.

My wife merely rolls her eyes when I come home with 2 greasy, non-running saws. Try that with classic cars.

On a more serious note, the engineering that goes into them is I believe my favorite part.
 
7sleeper said:
True, but as mentioned above, you, as many others, have never used a pro brush cutter, mounted a mulching blade and went against thick underbrush. There is hardly a more devastating orgy to be imagined, when turning dense underbrush to shattered nothing! I can only asume it similar to using a gattling gun, only that the brushcutter can continue for hours!

BTW I have 5 straight shaft trimmers/brushcutters, including two multi tools and bought just a 6th.

7
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*nods* Tsumura do such brush cutter blades of some repute. Felling tiny sticks with a chainsaw becomes mowing through it with an appropriately set-up and powerful brush cutter, so I'm told.
 
Great answers guys! This was a semi serious thread, but honestly it's a question that needed asked.

I honestly like trimming with either string or the brush cutter blade. As others posters alluded to previously, a brush cutting blade can wreak some serious havoc in wood smaller than 2". I thought of this question while trimming the fence line and dog pen, at least an hours worth. It occurred to me how reliable the trimmer is; no auto tune or m M-Tronic drama, no chain to sharpen, no rough starts or constant fuel and bar oil refills. Just an enjoyable, Zen like cutting experience.
 
scheffa said:
Maybe if you could put a 660 power head on weed whacker more people would be interested
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Husqvarna used to make a commercial brush cutter with the same 65cc engine in it as the L65 chainsaw. I've read that the thing was a beast that could cut anything - but too heavy and cumbersome for most people to use comfortably.
 
Changed bearings in a huge cooling tower 8 hrs. Trip to the dump 1.5 hrs. 1.5hrs weed eating. 2hrs of rideing the mower. Equals 0 saw satisfaction, and a tired man. I still hate a weed whacker.
Nate.
 
Running a chainsaw is like eating dinner for me after a long day...awesome experience. Weed whacking and brush cutting is like having to do the dishes after dinner when your full and tired. They are useful though and much faster than a sickle. My lower back doesn't like the side to side sweeping motion. I deal with a lot of poison sumac at my girlfriends house and fathers house and I'm allergic so I prefer my pole saw and 12 gauge shotgun to drop them.
 
7sleeper said:
True, but as mentioned above, you, as many others, have never used a pro brush cutter, mounted a mulching blade and went against thick underbrush. There is hardly a more devastating orgy to be imagined, when turning dense underbrush to shattered nothing! I can only asume it similar to using a gattling gun, only that the brushcutter can continue for hours!
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My current brush cutter is a Husky 323R I believe it is, with a 25cc engine. It has a circular blade with chainsaw teeth riveted on. I'm happy with it for what I'm using it for, it's light in weight, a bicycle type handle and harness arrangement, and easy to handle. However, I've seen the mulching blades I think you are referring to, the blades curve down at ends. This enables the operator to move the cutter up and down and chop up brush. When I try this maneuver with my current brush cutter it snags and hangs up a lot in the brush. I don't think my machine would have enough power to use one of these curved blade cutters. What's the minimum size machine needed to run one of these blades?
 
chuckwood said:
My current brush cutter is a Husky 323R I believe it is, with a 25cc engine. It has a circular blade with chainsaw teeth riveted on. I'm happy with it for what I'm using it for, it's light in weight, a bicycle type handle and harness arrangement, and easy to handle. However, I've seen the mulching blades I think you are referring to, the blades curve down at ends. This enables the operator to move the cutter up and down and chop up brush. When I try this maneuver with my current brush cutter it snags and hangs up a lot in the brush. I don't think my machine would have enough power to use one of these curved blade cutters. What's the minimum size machine needed to run one of these blades?
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Personally I see 35-40cc as absolut minimum for the mulching blades, with the typical statement "more is always better!". What I HIGHLY recomend is when using a mulching blade is to carry a chainsaw helmet with full protection visor, as well as tough pants or even a welding apron. The shattered wood pieces or stones are more than painfull when you happen to be in their flight path and I am not even talking about snail or dog leftover fragments... ;)

The 25cc engine is ok for irregular circular saw blade work or grass blades but never for serious work.

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As usual I see the following brands as all equally worthy of owning.

Dolmar/Makita, Echo/Shindaiwa, Efco/OleoMac, Hitachi/Tanaka, Husqvarna/Jonsered, Stihl

So I wouldn't worry one second owning any of the above brands.

7
 
Homelite Brush Cutters built from the 50' into the 60' used various saw engines. I have 3 XLBC's built in the 60's using the XL12 engine, 52 or 58 cc's. I don't have a picture of mine so I snagged this one off a different thread. More pictures there.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/mo-jims-homelite-brushcutter.259746/

Heavy? You bet, but all kinds of power. No problem with 3-4 inch stuff with the right blade. Pretty exciting too, you learn to know where your feet are. Known as 'clearing saws' in Europe, I believe they are easily available there and used for working under tree stands where wheeled vehicles are too big. I have mine just because I like the XL12 and up series by Homelite, I have no real use for them.
 

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GeorgiaVol said:
SRM-410U looks like the one to get. Anyone used this one yet?
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Certainly a good choice! Although personaly I prefer in the higher cc class for prolonged intensive working conditions the full antivibration models. Similar to this model were the grip area is detached from the engine area.

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I'll see your Scotch Broom and raise you some Giant Hogweed. Nasty stuff invading more of the Adirondacks now. Even a chainsaw is no match for that stuff. Full bio suit and toxic chemicals is the only way to go.
 
deezlfan said:
I'll see your Scotch Broom and raise you some Giant Hogweed. Nasty stuff invading more of the Adirondacks now. Even a chainsaw is no match for that stuff. Full bio suit and toxic chemicals is the only way to go.
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Lol I'll stick to chainsaws. Lol.
 

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