Chainsaw Power and RPM

Feature you want to look at when buying a chainsaw is its power and RPM.  

The next feature you want to look at when buying a chainsaw is power and RPM. The engine power of the chainsaw may be expressed as brake horsepower, or in kilowatts, with 1bhp (break horsepower) equaling 0.75 kW (kilowatts). Whether the manufacturer uses bhp or kW, the more power the chainsaw has, the larger its number. RPMs are important because the faster the RPM, the faster cutting time you will have, providing you have the power.

The next items I like to group together are fuel and oil capacity and weight. I do this because the weights are given are the "dry" weight. What this means is that the quoted weight of the chainsaw is only the power head--no fuel, no oil, no bar, no saw chain, just the power head. Generally, the average homeowner will only need a small chainsaw, weighing approximately 8-to 16-pounds. Having a larger fuel tank sounds great, because you can use your chainsaw longer without having to stop and refill, however, remember you will also be holding this extra weight. The heavier the saw, the quicker you’ll tire. On the other hand, having a lightweight, chainsaw with less power translates into more work. Often chainsaws are referred to as either lightweight, midweight, or heavyweight. Just as prizefighters, only with chainsaws their opponents happen to be trees.

The mini or lightweight chainsaws usually have guide bar length of 8 to 14 inches and are perfect for light occasional use. Mini or lightweight chainsaws can be used for limbing, cutting small logs, and felling small trees. Whereas the midweight chainsaws generally have guide bar length of 14 to 20 inches and are geared for more frequent log cutting and felling of small to medium diameter trees. This is the size most homeowners require. The heavyweight chainsaws have guide bar lengths longer than 20-inches, and are for professional use only. These chainsaws are not recommended for consumers.

So, what do you look for when purchasing a new chainsaw----simple. You want a chainsaw that meets the ANSI's safety requirements for gasoline-powered chainsaws and that has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Chainsaws that meet these requirements will have both the ANSI and UL labels.


 

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