Chainsaw and FWC

[drewdown]

I know it's excessive but I like having a chainsaw when I camp. It's much easier to find a good dead log to cut and split and be done. The campfire is a huge part of the camping experience for me and I'm a bit OCD about my wood pile. Previously I've always kept the saw and fuel in the bed of my truck. But now with a slide in camper in the works I'm wondering of the best way to bring it along? Preferably securely and discretely. I don't want it in the cab or living area of the camper due to the fuel smell. Anyone here have any advice?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Advice... Don't bring a chainsaw. A good bucksaw or bowsaw works nicely

 

[Cayuse]

Or a propane firepit that will let you have a fire even when there are restrictions in place.

 

[Durango1]

Me too! Sioux LOVES her campfire. (And Dutch oven biscuits.) Plus it is a safety consideration when camping way in (like we do) on a dead end road if a tree falls blocking your way out.

One thing that helped us was buying a very specialized small gas saw with a 12" bar. You do need to be cautious re: kickbacks but the Tanaka has been flawless over the last two years and I still have all my appendages.

The whole saw with the bar is a tad less than 24" so it fits in one of my underbed boxes. And I'm sure it would be easy to stash it somewhere for you too.
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[drewdown]

Me too! Sioux LOVES her campfire. (And Dutch oven biscuits.) Plus it is a safety consideration when camping way in (like we do) on a dead end road if a tree falls blocking your way out.

One thing that helped us was buying a very specialized small gas saw with a 12" bar. You do need to be cautious re: kickbacks but the Tanaka has been flawless over the last two years and I still have all my appendages.

The whole saw with the bar is a tad less than 24" so it fits in one of my underbed boxes. And I'm sure it would be easy to stash it somewhere for you too.

Thank you for responding to my actual question. I may have to look into a more compact saw. I do love my Stihl though. If I empty it and put it in the carrying case it probably would be okay inside the camper. I'll have to look into some other ways people mount stuff.

 

[ntsqd]

We had a bushy tree go down in some extreme winds last winter. I used that as the excuse to buy a chain saw. I bought with taking it on some trips in mind, so I bought a cordless electric. Don't have to have or haul fuel, already carry an inverter up to the recharging job should that be needed. I've been amazed at what it will do. Sure it isn't a Pro saw, but for what I need a chain saw to do it works better than just fine. What I bought based on a friend's recommendation:
https://www.chainsawsdirect.com/GreenWorks-20312/p12158.html
He has used his for a couple of years in a wooded rural location and has been impressed by it. Had it not been for his recommendation I'm not sure that I'd have bought it, but I'm really glad that I did. Two charges reduced that tree to fire wood sized sections, and then the neighbor borrowed it to trim a tree in their backyard, still on the same second charge.

 

[drewdown]

The electric chainsaw is a great idea. I wish I had that I’m mind when I bought mine

 

[Lighthawk]

What I bought based on a friend's recommendation:
https://www.chainsaw...312/p12158.html

That's a great idea. I carry a bow saw and have used it several times to clear low hanging branches on the trail.
We even bucked a log which I dragged with my tow strap out of the road. But, a battery powered unit would be much more effective.

 

[nikonron]

I don't believe that you'll get any smell at all from the just the chainsaw itself, the caps seal very well, now a small fuel can may be a bit different. A exterior mounted box would work well for both. Ron

 

[JaSAn]

. . . I bought with taking it on some trips in mind, so I bought a cordless electric . . .

Thanks, ntsqd. You answered my question before I could ask it.

I don't believe that you'll get any smell at all from the just the chainsaw itself . . .

I don't smell gas but I can smell the bar chain oil, especially in hot weather.

jim

 

[craig333]

So far I've only brought my stihl along when I'm towing the Jeep and it stays in the Jeep, but I wouldn't have an issue putting it in the camper.

The electric saws seem like a nice idea, I'm just not convinced they'd have the torque or last long enough for the type of cutting I do. Recharging on the road might be problematic also.

 

[SunMan]

We were visiting a friend in Australia last year and while on a 2 week trek around Queensland in his Troopy I noticed he had a battery powered skil saw (he's a carpenter by trade) in his kit. I kind of thought what a waste of space initially, but damned if we didn't use the heck out of that thing. It made quick work of branches and logs we picked up along the way. I wouldn't recommend this and I'm just fine with my rarely used Sven saw which takes up no space, but to each their own.

 

[Happyjax]

I like the idea of the battery powered chainsaw. Stihl has one that's pricey but I have 2 gas stihls I may sell and then get a battery one. Easier to start and no gas/mix issues..... I don't use them often but when I do I like no muss no fuss and afterwards a Dos XX

 

[Beach]

Makita now has a 36V chainsaw. Uses two 18v lithium batteries. So if you already have the makita18V drill/tools, your set

 

[Riverrunner]

I always camp with a chainsaw. I used to bring a bow saw which is fine for small stuff but the Stihl makes short work out of fire wood gathering. I have a case for mine so the saw and oil are in that in the back of the cab. I clean it up a bit when I'm done so there is next to no smell. For gas I bring a one gallon can and I just strapped it to the rear bumper. Works great for me and 1 gallon is a lot of firewood cutting but it's good to be prepared. A rotopax would be sweet but what I do is cheap.

 

[drewdown]

I always camp with a chainsaw. I used to bring a bow saw which is fine for small stuff but the Stihl makes short work out of fire wood gathering. I have a case for mine so the saw and oil are in that in the back of the cab. I clean it up a bit when I'm done so there is next to no smell. For gas I bring a one gallon can and I just strapped it to the rear bumper. Works great for me and 1 gallon is a lot of firewood cutting but it's good to be prepared. A rotopax would be sweet but what I do is cheap.

Perfect! I'll just try this. At least in the cab I'll know Immediately if there is an issue

 

[nikonron]

A little carb. cleaner on the bar would help to kill the bar oil smell. Ron

 

[ntsqd]

My inverter is is more than capable of recharging the electric saw, but frankly I've gotten a LOT of use out of two charges. Leaving home with it charged you'd have to really be in it to need to charge it again on the road.

Years ago I used a 16" gas saw a lot cutting lodge pole bug kill in Central OR. We'd load them on grandad's ~30' flatbed (pulled with a '62 F-600!) pulled from the burn pile as long as possible. Usually several families worked together for winter heating wood. Pull in and back up to the stack and start cutting off 16" lengths working from the rear forwards. The saws we had were kind of a green color if that tells anyone whatever brand they were.
I'd stack this electric against those two saws any day. Just as capable.

 

[Squatch]

I heat with wood so I use my saws a bit. But in the truck I usually just carry a bow saw and a good axe.

Love my Stihl's. Looks like they have a whole line of rechargables now.
https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/battery-saws/

 

[Kolockum]

I regularly carry a chain saw. Normally I just keep it under my couch wrapped in absorbent pads and stuffed inside a large dry bag. The fuel and bar oil go out in the propane tank. Granted I try to stay away from hot areas so I didn't have an issue with smell. I regularly cut <24" trees out of my way. Never have had an issue finding firewood in my neck of the woods.

The new battery powered saws are actually really impressive. Decent run time, quiet, good torque, no smell. I may get one in the semi-near future (once my Stihl dies). And that is coming from a guy that used to run saws on a Wildland firecrew.

Squatch is right but I probably would hook a charger up in my truck because I am still learning to trust these things.