Battery Chainsaw vs Reciprocating saw

[runwoolf]

This is really a bad option, in my situation anyway. I used chemicals very carefully on my property. As you mention, drift and damage to surrounding desirable vegetation is unacceptable. In addition, you STILL have to deal with the standing tangle of dead trees.

A better way to kill them, which I have already done to many, Is to drill 1/2" holes, angled downward about waist high. The holes spaces about spaced 1 1/2 to 2" around the trunk. Then fill those holes with a 20% glyphosate solution. This kills the whole tree and eliminates most of the shoots that pop up from the roots. No drift, very precise application, much less labor than frilling** around the trunk to apply herbicide.

I am going to go with the reciprocating saw. Smaller, more compact and more durable blade than a chainsaw. More useful for other situations. Easy to hang on the chipper grab when necessary cut a branch to fit into the chipper. I already have a good size gas chainsaw, and a gas pole saw.

Thanks for the input.

** Just FYI, Frilling is a variation of girdling in which a series of downward angled cuts are made completely around the tree, leaving the partially severed bark and wood anchored at the bottom. The frill can then be sprayed with suitable solution to kill the tree. BUT rain will rinse it away.

How deep are the holes? Half inch diameter, right?

 

[M. Doud]

Axe
Unless the Pear branches are so numerous that there is no good access to the trunks, I would use a limbing ax and make downward cuts around the trunk base then put the roundup in those cup like cuts. The choice of blade is critical for a sawsall to be effective.

I use a hedge trimmer on stuff like that.

 

[Hemmjo]

How deep are the holes? Half inch diameter, right?

I used a 1/2” or 5/8” spade bit. Drill about 1 1/2 to 2” or more deep. Space the holes about 1 1/2” around the tree. 5” tree would get 9-10 holes. I mix glyphosate to 15-20% and fill the holes. I put a little blue marker die in the mix so I can see easily from a distance if they are treated.

Works really well when you have desirable trees close.

 

[runwoolf]

I used a 1/2” or 5/8” spade bit. Drill about 1 1/2 to 2” or more deep. Space the holes about 1 1/2” around the tree. 5” tree would get 9-10 holes. I mix glyphosate to 15-20% and fill the holes. I put a little blue marker die in the mix so I can see easily from a distance if they are treated.

Works really well when you have desirable trees close.

Thanks!! I have a bunch of pines I want gone. I will give it a shot!

 

[Steve in VA]

Trigger is in my hand. I just bend over and stick the pole under and cut the tree as close to the ground as I can.

I don't quite picture this. How about a pic?

 

[Hemmjo]

Thanks!! I have a bunch of pines I want gone. I will give it a shot!

You really don’t need to kill pines before you cut them. The reason I kill the pears is because the root will continue to push up shoots for years after you cut them down. Pines will not resprout so you can just cut them down.

The reason I have such a mess is that I was unable to work in the woods for 2 springs in a row and got the trees got ahead of me.

I devised the drill and fill method last summer. I still could not work as I needed. I used it to kill as many as I could to prevent them from setting fruit and therefore seed. This method also works on stumps when that have been cut while the tree is still alive.

I leave the stump 3-4’ high which makes them easier to get out with a backhoe.

 

[RobCons]

I don't quite picture this. How about a pic?

Like this.

 

[Dusty MI]

I have a 120 volt powered pole chain saw. I bought it before battery powered ones came out.

 

[Hemmjo]

I use a hedge trimmer on stuff like that.

You must have a SERIOUS edge trimer!!!

 

[M. Doud]

You must have a SERIOUS edge trimer!!!

I suspect my interpretation of his post may be under-sizing the trees I have autumn olive and other brushy stuff that I often cut that is less than 1/2".

 

[Steve in VA]

Like this.

Ok, now I see. I had interpreted the conversation to mean that you had modified and existing 20v saw but now I see that you have a different version.

 

[showcrop]

I have read the battery chainsaw thread. I think this discussion warrants a new thread. I am managing about 7 acres of wood lot. I planted it in 1994 in a corn/soybean field behind our house. Mostly oak, maple, hickory, sweet gum, sycamore spruce and pine. Used to have some ash but of course they are all died but the roots are sending up numerous shoots. I am letting the original 4-5 acres expand naturally with volunteer trees to make about 7 acres total of woodland mostly oaks and sweet gum in this part.

I have a good Husqvarna chainsaw and also a Husqvarna pole saw. In addition I have a 3-point mounted wood chipper. I use pole saw to trim branches up to 16+ feet off the ground to make good logging timber for someone in the furure.

My problem is I have a bunch of invasive pear trees that are invading the younger woods. The older woods is fighting them off very well. They have gotten out of hand in the volunteer part of the woods. It is easier to get rid of them by removing and chipping the branches down low while they are still standing, then kill them with 20% Round-Up in holes drilled around the trunk. This kills the roots and prevents shoots from repopulating the area even worse.

They have gotten so thick it is difficult to limb them with the pole saw. So I am looking for an alternative. I was thinking of a battery chainsaw. My battery tools are DeWalt 20Vmax which I am happy with. I have a collection of batteries so I am pretty much locked into DeWalt. I went to look at the chain saws and they seem bulky for the spots I need to get into. Then I nrealized a reciprocating saw is less bulky and more easily handled wth one hand. They as close to the same price to that is not an issue

I am curious your thoughts on the chainsaw vs the reciprocating saw. I imagine the chain saw may be faster actually cutting. While the reciprocating saw would be easier to handle in tight spots among the tangle of branches. Most of the cuts would be less than 2" diameter. I can also see using either of these while chipping to remove side branches that will nt fit into the chipper.

What have I not considered?

I have read the battery chainsaw thread. I think this discussion warrants a new thread. I am managing about 7 acres of wood lot. I planted it in 1994 in a corn/soybean field behind our house. Mostly oak, maple, hickory, sweet gum, sycamore spruce and pine. Used to have some ash but of course they are all died but the roots are sending up numerous shoots. I am letting the original 4-5 acres expand naturally with volunteer trees to make about 7 acres total of woodland mostly oaks and sweet gum in this part.

I have a good Husqvarna chainsaw and also a Husqvarna pole saw. In addition I have a 3-point mounted wood chipper. I use pole saw to trim branches up to 16+ feet off the ground to make good logging timber for someone in the furure.

My problem is I have a bunch of invasive pear trees that are invading the younger woods. The older woods is fighting them off very well. They have gotten out of hand in the volunteer part of the woods. It is easier to get rid of them by removing and chipping the branches down low while they are still standing, then kill them with 20% Round-Up in holes drilled around the trunk. This kills the roots and prevents shoots from repopulating the area even worse.

They have gotten so thick it is difficult to limb them with the pole saw. So I am looking for an alternative. I was thinking of a battery chainsaw. My battery tools are DeWalt 20Vmax which I am happy with. I have a collection of batteries so I am pretty much locked into DeWalt. I went to look at the chain saws and they seem bulky for the spots I need to get into. Then I nrealized a reciprocating saw is less bulky and more easily handled wth one hand. They as close to the same price to that is not an issue

I am curious your thoughts on the chainsaw vs the reciprocating saw. I imagine the chain saw may be faster actually cutting. While the reciprocating saw would be easier to handle in tight spots among the tangle of branches. Most of the cuts would be less than 2" diameter. I can also see using either of these while chipping to remove side branches that will nt fit into the chipper.

What have I not considered?

How about a circular saw blade on your string trimmer?

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Rent a little wheel loader for the day from caterpillar and knock them out that's what I did with the outer row of scrub at my place. pretty much just pushed them over into a pile done. It probably will cost twice what the saw is but if you use a reciprocating saw on 100 trees how much of a sawzall and arm do you have left?

And also I love my makita battery powered 16 inch. It even uses the 18 inch blade off my old poulan piece of poo. It will fully process a pretty good size firewood tree and be into the next one a ways before it needs the next set of batteries. I usually only get about that amount done anyway before its time to walk around and do something else.