[ponyakr]

Made 2 QUICK cuts, far enuff apart, to remove a chunk big enuff so that the horse can easily walk thru. We dug out a little under the cuts & put a short section of limb there, so the chain wouldn't get in the dirt. Used a piece of sapling to pry the section loose, then just rolled it out of the trail.

Ya'll, I've said it before, but that 80v Kobalt is awesome ! Didn't measure, but est the tree to be about 13". Didn't time it. But didn't seem to take more than 10 sec to buzz thru it. It just spits out a bunch of big chips for a few seconds & it's thru.

I don't really have anything to compare it to. Maybe all the EGO & Echo saws will cut faster. Maybe there are other brands of cordless saws that will cut even quicker. I don't know. I only have experience with THIS 18" & our two 12" models. And I can't imagine us needing a saw that will cut any quicker than this one.

[ponyakr]

Storms over the past couple of years have really made a mess of wooded areas, all across the South. I'll post just a few of the pics TJ took along the trail just North of our house. Most are probably within a hundred yards of our front door.

The trail use to go almost straight thru the woods. But now, the trail is a zig-zag shape, picking it's way around the big downed trees.

[ponyakr]

The 2nd pic shows one that goes over the trail. It appears to be still well connected. It will eventually fall. Don't know how many years that will take.

The last pic shows a big one that just missed the rear of the old panel truck that my dad used for storage, before somebody shot out all the windows.

It's around 100 feet from our front door.

These are just some of the downed trees we can see from a short section of trail. But, it's pretty typical of how most all the woods around here look. Storms from the last couple of years have really changed the looks of the woods in our area, from what they were all our lives. So many big oaks. So many bird & squirrel nests. It's really sad.

[ponyakr]

Just recently got the hard hat & wedges.

The hat is very comfortable & has an easy adjust headband.

https://www.amazon.com/Pyramex-Style...6-05ac39e80cc0

Took the wedges along today, in case the big saw got in a pinch. Didn't need 'em tho.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ponyakr]

Well, the Amazon price is back down to $229.99 + tax.

https://www.amazon.com/EGO-Power-14-.../dp/B0102PWY38

Don't know what was up with that one day price hike, to $290 + tax.

With the Amazon Store card I have, I should get a 5% rebate, which can be used on a future purchase. We buy from Amazon quite often. So, I've saved quite a bit this way. Anyhow, without a Lowes card, I think this is my best deal on a CS1401 saw, as of this moment. That could change. With the Amazon card, I can even take 6 months to pay it off, with no interest.

Still haven't ruled out the cheap WEN. Hey, I might buy one of each. Then I'll have several saws to compare. With all the downed trees & horse trails, we can probably use all of 'em. If one is out of action for some reason, we'll still have plenty of 'em to carry on.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Is an Amazon Rewards VISA Card the same thing as an Amazon Store Card ?
I get a $60 off order offer for that card too on the lower part of page.
You might could look into that one, just check that it isn't through Synchrony.

The 12" 20volt Craftsman weighs 10 pounds with battery.

Went ahead and gave one of the Craftsman's to my Dad yesterday so he could start using it.
He's 78 and still real active, but has no desire for rip cord chainsaws anymore.
He seemed real enthusiastic about the saw and eager to use it.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by ponyakr

...Hey, I might buy one of each.
Then I'll have several saws to compare.

You're as bad as i am on these saws !

[SRR]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aBZt8m1XkQ

Project Farm did one.

[ponyakr]

Originally Posted by SRR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aBZt8m1XkQ

Project Farm did one.

Yeah, I saw that one. I'm not now considering any of those.

I'm going for the cheap WEN & the EGO CS1401. Or, if I come into enuff extra money, I'll go for the EGO CS1604, instead of the CS1401.

[ponyakr]

I went ahead & pulled the trigger on the WEN.

Got HD to match the Amazon/WM price of $145.

So, the price will be $145 + tax minus the $25 rebate for the 1st HD CC purchase. That's the best price I could figure.

So, now I'll be watching for a super deal on an EGO CS1401 or CS1604.

Will probably wait to see how much Christmas cash I get.

As of right now, the best deal I know of is the Amazon $229.99 + tax minus the 5% store card credit.

Or, I could go ahead & buy with the store card for 6 months with no interest, and just apply my Christmas cash to one of the monthly payments. Hey, I've gone this far, I'm gonna get an EGO, one way or another.

Right now, I'm gonna go use my recalled 12" Kobalt.

[ponyakr]

Used the recalled 12" Kobalt to cut down 4 of what we call "weepin willow" trees.

They were real close together & probably shared the same root system. Don't know.

Haven't measured 'em. Guessing that the biggest one was maybe 10" at the bottom of the stump, & maybe 35' tall.

I decided to experiment on these. Have watched lots of videos showing how to cut a notch on the side of the tree, in the direction you want it to fall. Hey, I'm an old rookie, OK.

Well, all these were leaning. So, I knew they'd fall in that direction, anyhow. But, I went ahead & cut the notches, just for practice. They fell with no problem.

Hooked onto 'em with a chain & drug 'em behind the Kioti, down close to a line of junk bushes.

[ponyakr]

Used the Kioti to shove 'em into the bush line.

Removed the bushes from around the stumps. I'll use the WEN to cut the stumps close to the ground. These stumps are in a field which an area farmer cuts for hay every year. Wanna get the stumps as low as possible, so the hay equipment won't have a problem with 'em. We give him the hay, just so I won't have to bush hog the field, to keep it from growing up in weeds & junk trees.

My dad would have never let those willows grow up. But hey, I had other things to do. Never gave 'em a thought. There are other junk trees & bushes around our old home place that need removing. Maybe I can do most of that work, during the next few months.

I'll have plenty of tools. Hope I can come up with enuff spizerinktum to get the job done.

[ponyakr]

Since I've been searching for EGO saws online, I've come across some really bogus sites. Some show the 14" & 16" saws for less than $100.

This 1st one shows the CS1401 for $65 with free shipping.

https://www.drwtru.com/ego-14-in-56-...0777b3b5888dc5

This one for the CS1600 is $79, with shipping charges to be "auto-added when you send payment".

https://www.redickey.com/index.php?m...m2c0e3gk0gpsl6

Same deal, different website name.

https://www.bikekat.com/index.php?ma...0m2n4rbi0ljhp6

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

My Dad used his 12" 20volt Craftsman some yesterday and he really likes it.
He's hooked.
Went around his yard looking for ANYTHING else he could cut.
Should probably call and warn my sister in case he shows up at her house with the chainsaw.

Since yesterday was my B-day, i took a pleasure trip to another Lowes about half an hour away in a different direction - i had never visited before. Lexington NC

All they had (clearance-wise) was 4 more of the 12" Craftsman saws.
But their price was $120
Asheboro = $75
HighPoint = $45
Thats a lot of price variance over very short distances.
Especially between Lexington and HighPoint - they are basically side by side in proximity.

These were $179 originally and come with a 4Ah battery
Very well made and 3 year tool/ 2 year battery warranty.
The batteries are $99 new
I probably should have bought all 4 of the $45 ones in HighPoint

I've been to 7 different stores now.
The next closest ones are too far, unless i happen to be in their proximity for some other reason.

[ponyakr]

"...Went around his yard looking for ANYTHING else he could cut.
Should probably call and warn my sister in case he shows up at her house with the chainsaw..."


I resemble that remark !

Told my sister to look around her house & see what she'd like trimmed or removed. There have been several storm downed trees in the yard, over the past several years. Got some minor roof damage from this last storm, enuff to file an insurance claim.

There are several trees tall enuff to reach the house. They've been there since we were kids. But, that don't mean that the next storm that comes thru can't blow 'em down on the house.

Since all this storm damage in our area, over the past few years, I've been noticing how many houses, including mobile homes, are surrounded by several(or a lot of) huge trees, which could do severe damage to, or total destroy the house, & injure or possible kill those inside.

I'm thinkin now of one we recently visited. We went there because they were giving us almost a full gallon of bar/chain oil. There were lots of huge pine trees all around the house, which could easily reach it.

I suppose that after many years of living close to trees & not having one blow down, most of those people just think it won't happen to them. I really don't understand how insurance companies can insure houses which have huge trees close to 'em, without huge premium increases.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Some of the really big trees i need to cut are in range of either my home, garage or shed. 2 of them are huge pines. The kind of pines that get big and burly like an oak tree, not the telephone pole type.

1 of those pines is really beautiful and strong and symmetrical.
If it falls to the north/northwest one day my shed is dead - so its coming down.
The other has some infestation or something weird going on in lower trunk and is dying slowly - but keeps holding up somehow. It will go down in phase 1 but i need to clear some others out to give it more room to fall.

There were 3 others that got really big like these on the former neighbors property.
1 took out his carport, the next one crashed his roof and broke off the chimney, the last one took out a good portion of his fence.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

They just got these Nose Wheel/Bar grease guns in stock at my local Lowes and i bought one last night for $6.50

Push-N-Lube

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oregon-1-5-...se-Gun/1112145

The packaging is different from the website picture (this one is red/white packaging) and is Made in Germany printed on the tool and the packaging. It's going to be quicker and easier than going through all my miscellaneous stuff looking for the needle attachment that i think i might have somewhere - that might work for a regular grease gun. Or going out and buying an attachment somewhere else.
It's worth the price for the convenience and small size.
And can be refilled.

I never knew that little hole up by the nose was for greasing the front wheel until it pointed it out in the EGO manual. Never heard of or seen anyone do it either.
But i'm going to start doing it on all of mine.

I think it will fit in a padded eyeglass slipper thingy
Or a piece of pipe wrap insulation

[ponyakr]

"...I never knew that little hole up by the nose was for greasing the front wheel until it pointed it out in the EGO manual. Never heard of or seen anyone do it either.
But i'm going to start doing it on all of mine..."


Of all the chainsaw videos I've watched, not a single one(that I noticed) has mentioned anything about greasing a wheel at the end of the bar. I thought the chain just slid around the end of the bar, in the groove & was lubed by the automatic chain/bar oiler.

On the videos, they just put 'em together, tighten the chain, add bar/chain oil, & pull the trigger.

So, does every bar need greasing ?

If not, how can you tell which ones do & which ones don't ?

If you grease it, how do you tell if it has enuff ?

Does this mean there is some sort of "wheel" which has a bearing, and the chain rides on that wheel, rather than sliding around the tip in the bar groove ? If this is the case, I had no idea. Maybe I'm the last to know.

As usual, I'll Google it & post my findings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90blJdEDnDY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSguHmu1_Yc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcwQJNwckTo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_smycIDjqTQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP_kGe8Q7pc

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Yep, there's a wheel/sprocket in the nose.
It rides on an axle (hardened brad/rivet) in the nose - not sure about a bearing - probably not.
They come initially pre-greased from factory - but that's probably a chinese factory.
And no telling if it's really good grease - or enough grease - or if it even has any (oops missed that one)

The chain oiling brings "some" lube to the front sprocket.

The grease hole is there for optimal service life.
3-5 "pumps" of this grease gadget is recommended.
Says that grease pushes out from around the bar nose when its "full"
I'm just going to hit it with a pump or 2 once in a while.
These battery saws have smaller noses than most gasoline saws.

Probably best to have the chain off the first time or two, so can see when grease first seeps out.
And wipe off excess.
If chain gets all the excess grease - it will probably sling it and get messy

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

All 3 of my new battery saws have the tiny grease hole on both sides of the nose.
Believe all of them are Oregon Bar & Chain

Mfg Specs probably prescribe decent quality & decent amount of grease on the assembly line.
The little grease gadget is a lot cheaper than a Bar & Chain Kit