Electric vs Gas Chainsaw is one of the dilemmas anybody can pass through while deciding to buy one efficient chainsaw. So why to resolve this dilemma?
A chainsaw is the most critical counterparts for the lumberjack, the woodworker, or even for all homeowners too. A chainsaw is a friend of wood cutting need; it is a versatile device and user-friendly for any wood cutting job. Chainsaws are needs for any wood cutting related tasks.
Based on the power source and the length of the chain bar, the chainsaw is classified into several types. Electric chainsaw and gas saw is two main types among them, and battery-powered chainsaws are a little bit less important among them.
So if you are thinking of buying one good chainsaw. Few questions which can come into your mind-
Which chainsaw you should buy, what is the advantage or disadvantage of the electric chainsaw or a gas-powered chainsaw etc. etc. etc……!
So we are present with them in detail about the electric vs gas chainsaws. Read the whole article with your full concentration and finalize your decision, which chainsaw you should pick for your wood cutting operations.
What is Electric Chainsaw?
It is a cute and light in weight chainsaw and run on electric supply or battery recharge. There is a proverb; simplicity is the best- so an electric chainsaw simply adjusts with this proverb in all ways. An electric chainsaw is run upon the power supply from the electrical switchboard or any battery.
Electric chainsaw may of two different types. One is a corded electric chainsaw, and another one is a cordless electric chainsaw. Corded electronic chainsaws require a measurable electrical wire to make the connection of the chainsaw with the mains electricity supply.
The cordless electric chainsaw doesn’t need a wire, but it needs a battery to run the machine.
However, an electric chainsaw is free from repeatedly refueling by the user. It is light in weight and can use to complete any light woodcutting.
Corded or cordless electric chainsaws are ideal for-
» Pruning
» Trimming
» Cutting of small branches of a large tree
» DIY wood cutting
Advantages of the electric chainsaw
» Light in weight, any size person can operate this chainsaw.
» They produce low noise than any gas-powered chainsaw.
» This chainsaw runs on electric or battery supply, so don’t need to use any oil or gasoline here.
» These chainsaws are ideal for sprucing up the trees, trimming of the limbs, making of small wood pieces, and some other home purpose wood cutting.
» They don’t need to use any fuel, any filters, or any sophisticated engine parts which may die in winter.
» Relatively very easy to maintain.
» These chainsaws are relatively easy to store as well. Even without any deep cleaning, simply disconnect the power cord from the switchboard; you can set aside these machines.
» These chainsaws are cheaper than gas-powered chainsaws.
Disadvantages of the electric chainsaw
» They are limited to use type’s chainsaw. Perfect only for light woodcutting.
» These machines are not mobile. You may use the cordless electric chainsaw as a mobile device, but it will give you a minimum working time as long as the battery charge will stay.
» You cannot use any bar length in this chainsaw. Chain bar only up to 18 inches can set into an electric chainsaw.
» Battery-powered chainsaw runs only 20 minutes to one hour upon one single charge.
» The electric chainsaw also gives a slower wood cutting action. Also, they can hardly do any heavy-duty wood cutting job.
What is a Gas chainsaw?
The chainsaw which used an engine as their power source termed as a Gas chainsaw. Gasoline or gas is the primary source of the power of the engine of this machine.
Unlike an electric chainsaw, these chainsaws are cordless, mobile, and suitable for any booster operations.
Compared with an electric chainsaw, gas chainsaws are expensive and booster performers.
The chain bar of the gas chainsaw is of different sizes; it varies within 10 to 24 inches. There are 36 inches, even 72 inches gas-powered chainsaws are available into the market, but they are only for the professional woodcutter.
Only a gas-powered chainsaw has so many offers with different ranges chain bars. Whether you need to cut the wood with a less thickness or an in diameter of high, every quality thickened cut of any wood is possible only by a gas-powered chainsaw.
Gas chainsaws are ideal for –
» Felling
» Fireplace wood cutting
» Clearing tree jam after any natural calamities.
Advantages of the gas-powered chainsaw
» Best for hardwood cutting and a large scale cutting.
» Better for pruning, trimming, piecing of more giant trees, and slicing up for your home fireplace.
» They provide a faster wood cutting rather than any electric chainsaws.
» They are portable and can use in any place.
» It can run longer upon a refueling on time.
Disadvantages of the gas-powered chainsaw
» More substantial than any other chainsaws available in the market.
» For the 2-cycle engine, mixing of oil and gas is mandatory, which is appropriately doing is difficult sometimes.
» They emit an odd smelled gas.
» They are expensive than other chainsaws.
» They need a routine check-up and frequent maintenance.
» They include an additional cord into the saw which needs to pull down to start the machine.
» This chainsaw needs the availability of the fuel always so that you can refuel the engine on time.
Difference between Electric vs Gas chainsaw
So what is the core difference between the gas-powered chainsaw and the electric chainsaw?
Look behind the table; it is describing the difference between this two chainsaw into the point-
| Electric-powered chainsaw | Gas-powered chainsaw |
|---|---|
| 1. The power source of this saw is electricity or battery. | 1. The power source of this saw is gasoline. |
| 2. Ideal for light woodcutting job. | 2. Ideal for the heavy-duty job. |
| 3. Don’t need to refuel after a fix interval. | 3. Needs to refuel by gasoline to continue the machine running. |
| 4. Light in weight. | 4. Heavy. |
| 5. Corded electric chainsaws are not portable. | 5. Portable counterparts. |
| 6. Don’t stay longer. | 6. Durable chainsaws. |
| 7. It needs an electric cord or wire. | 7. Don’t need any electrical cable or rope. |
| 8. Can cut woods in the backyard near to the home. For cordless electric chainsaws, they run on a battery charge, so they are usable in a low distance far from home. | 8. Whether in the deep forest or the back yard, a gas-powered chainsaw is good everywhere. A gas chainsaw can do any woodcut, in anywhere. |
| 9. This chainsaw provides noiseless operation. | 9. This chainsaw is prone to produce a loud noise. |
| 10. Don’t irritate the user. | 10. This chainsaw can cause arm fatigue to the user. |
| 11. Chain bar only cans usage up to 18 inches. | 11. Chain bar only cans usage up to 72 inches |
| 12. Can run forever(till you have the power connection) | 12. It can run only as long as you can refuel the engine. |
| 13. Electric chainsaw requires low maintenance. | 13. Gas-powered chainsaw requires high maintenance. |
| 14. Electric chainsaws are cheaper. | 14. Gas chainsaws are high of expensive. |
| 15. Electric chainsaws start by pressing on the start button. | 15. Gas-powered chainsaw begins by pulling the cord. |
| 16. Electric chainsaws produce no emissions on the air. | 16. Gas-powered chainsaw emits smoke that has an odd smell. |
Table-1: Comparison table of electric vs gas-powered chainsaw.
Which one is to decide?
Don’t fall in confusion while choosing a chainsaw for your personal or professional use. See the below description and self-evaluate your demand and choice.
1. Runtime and Refueling
Corded electric chainsaws are capable of giving a long time cutting if you are close to an electric power outlet. Generally, the available corded electric chainsaws are available in the market and have a cord maximum of 100 feet or less of them.
Cordless electric chainsaws are battery-operated, and the run-up to the battery charge is remaining. These chainsaws are suitable for one hour or less one-hour operation.
So compared with all other chainsaws, gas-powered chainsaws give a long term cutting with hardwood. Whether in the deep forest or to clear the wood jam after a massive storm, gas-powered chainsaws are better.
Any professional woodcutter never wants to limit his action by using an electric chainsaw in the deep forest or in a considerable wood cutting.
2. What types of tasks are you doing?
There is a significant difference between the gas-powered chainsaw and the electric-powered chainsaw, and that is the type of wood cutting job or woodcutting project accomplished by each of them.
For any professional level woodcutting or any heavy-duty wood cutting, gas-powered chainsaws are perfect from all angles. According to the volume of the job, or the toughness of the job, the power of the engine can increase gradually here. A more powerful engine can do a tight cutting also can cut a substantial volume.
Gas-powered chainsaws have a relatively long-chain blade, which can help for a more significant cutting, besides this gas-powered chainsaw also has the opportunity to include a more powerful engine that helps to give you a tight wood cutting.
Gas-powered chainsaws are ideal for the professional level woodcutting.
For your home using purpose or for any light woodcutting, you can use an electric-powered chainsaw.
3. Noise and Emissions
Noise creation and emission is another big difference between the gas-powered chainsaw and the electric chainsaws.
Gas-powered chainsaw produces relatively louse noise, which can impact on you, your family, and also your neighbors.
A maximum of 120 dB loud noise can produce from a gas-powered chainsaw, which is almost similar to a thunderclap or a rock concert. So, without taking proper safety pieces of equipment onto your helmet and ear, you cannot proceed with a gas-powered chainsaw.
An electric chainsaw is far from gas-powered chainsaw in case of loud noise producing. This type of chainsaw produces relatively no sound during the operation.
4. Environmental friendly
It is a prime difference between the two types of chainsaws. Electric chainsaws are more environmentally friendly.
Gas-powered chainsaws are responsible for producing hazardous carbon-containing smoke, which finally emitted into the open air.
Besides this, some oil and gas mixed grease or residue may scatter around the wood cutting workplace, which also can produce an irritating smell and odd-looking.
However, now a day most of the gas-powered chainsaws are features to contain a precise and quick filtration air filter system which filtrate the smoke and emit it into the air. This filter also protects the engine from a contact of the wood dust.
5. User-friendly
An electric chainsaw is light in weight device, so any size person can operate and handle this chainsaw. Besides this, this chainsaw has a tendency not to produce army fatigues to its users.
Gas-powered chainsaws are so heavy, can stiff the hand muscle upon a long-term use of the machine.
6. Safety features
An electric chainsaw is relatively safer than the gas-powered chainsaws. These chainsaws can work with only a limited chain bar and produce less noise so it can do less harm to the users.
Gas chainsaw needs some more precaution than any electric chainsaws. However, electric chainsaw also needs an electrical cord and switchboard, which are sometimes a safety threat for the users.
7. Mechanism of action
Electric chainsaw works based on the electric motors include within the chainsaw.
As an electric chainsaw, don’t use any engine, so how it works?
Though electric chainsaw doesn’t have any moving engine, the presence of armature into the machine can convert the electrical power into moving power/mechanic power inside the device, which can run the tool in the form of Torque.
Further, this Torque can transfer into the machine shaft, which forces the chain to move around the guide bar.
A gas-powered chainsaw is also two types, either a 2-stroke engine or a 4-stroke engine.
A two-stroke engine doesn’t have any separate tank to feed the oil and gas separately. So, for a two-stroke engine, users have to mix the oil and gas and pour it onto the oiler tank so that it can further lubricate the engine components on time.
A four-stroke engine contains a separate oil tank for the gas and the oil. So, any premixing of the gas and the oil don’t need here.
However, a gas chainsaw runs through a carburetor. This carburetor works to mix the fuel with the air. This mixture of air and fuel again passes through the machine cylinder. Inside the cylinder, this mixture produces an ignition by a spark plug.
As the combustion reaction takes place inside the cylinder, it burns the fuel-air mix and releases some energy, which can push the piston to move the drive shaft and the centrifugal clutch of the machine engine.
Finally, this centrifugal clutch again connects the engine to the chain sprocket, which causes to move the chain around the chain bar.
8. Other Differences
So, it may be some other features that differ in each chainsaw. Like an electric chainsaw provides an easy start button, so without doing the hassle of gas and oil mixture for the engine, you can go for an easy and quick starting with any electric powered chainsaw.
On the other hand, for any hard and heavy job, there is no alternative to use a gas-powered chainsaw. An electric chainsaw has limiting factors like electrical cord connection, limited motor power, battery power, electric switchboard, cord length, etc.
It is pretty out of the range for any electric chainsaw, to cut any large and hard tree in a deep forest or anywhere else out of the back yard.
Besides this, you cannot use the more significant bar length for your electric chainsaw, so it also limits your wood cutting into a low thickness wood piece.
Gas-powered chainsaws are features to include various measures of chain bar, so very quickly; you can cut the trees into any desired quality thickness.
Again, electric chainsaws are heavy and may cause arm irritation or fatigue to the user. In contrast, electric chainsaws are relatively light in weight and do not cause arm stiffness to its users.
Final Verdict
Finally, if you are buying a chainsaw for any light work like pruning or make the piece of any soft and small wood, there is no alternative of using an electric corded or cordless electric chainsaw.
An electric chainsaw is capable not to produce a loud noise. These machines are inexpensive; they are user-friendly for cutting any light job as well.
Doing any job like lumber cutting of any hard wood-a gas chainsaw is better in that case. A gas saw contains a powerful engine so handy to cut any hardwood in a vast quantity.
However, gas engines are relatively expensive comparatively than any electric chainsaw. Gas-powered chainsaw sometimes may be a little bit intimidating to the users, so ensure your safety while you are going to run a gas-powered chainsaw.
So, this is all about on-electric vs gas chainsaws. I hope you have enjoyed this article.
Happy woodcutting!
Thank you.