SHTF chainsaw thread!

[Doc1]

I'm starting this thread to explain my approach to the SHTF chainsaw conundrum. As many of you know, I'm a firm believer in diesel over gasoline as both a prep and everyday fuel and I've yet to see any diesel-powered chainsaws! Gasoline is dangerous and difficult to store for extended periods.

We do have one gas-powered chainsaw, but we also have several electric chainsaws and these essentially give me a SHTF diesel-powered saw! How? you might reasonably ask. Well, those electric saws will run quite happily when powered by either our quiet diesel generator or the largest inverters in our preps (when powered by our diesel trucks).

Either the generator or inverter options give us reliable, quiet power and allow for the use of our chainsaws in the absence of both mains electricity and gasoline supplies! An added bonus is that the saw/generator (or truck) combination is very quiet compared to a gas-powered saw. They're not silent of course, but when you consider the sound signature of a truck idling and an electric chainsaw, it's a lot quieter than the banshee howl of a gas saw at work.

We have axes, bow saws, hatchets, machetes and all of the typical hand tools used for light woodcutting and brush clearing too, but I can see a lot of SHTF situations when those electric chainsaws will be very much worthwhile having.

Best regards
Doc

[dilligaf]

nothing i could do with a electric chainsaw that i cant do with a axe and machete..i am very partial to a heavy duty machete for most of my wood cutting needs tho. rarely will i switch to a axe..

i dont care for bow saws at all.

[BugoutBear]

I took a look at my spare chainsaw chain and I'm confident I can rig something like this:
http://www.basegear.com/sabercutsaw.htmlUltimate Survival Saber Cut Saw

Lob it over a limb and just run it back and forth....back and forth.
Real silent like. . .
It actually takes a bit of practice so you don't get it stuck.

I still have ol' reliable in those instances I need to make an emergency cut (tree falls on house, etc.). I'll just save it for those times when it's absolutely necessary.

It takes a gas/oil mix, so I have plenty of extra oil. Chain lube too.

As an aside I have a heavy duty tow strap in my F-250 in the event a tree falls across the road. I'll be able to drag it out of the way without drawing attention to my position like a chainsaw would.

[PatrickHenry2]

I think for us it will be “situational dependant”. We have a large cross cut saw and all the other previously listed tools but it sure would be easier using the Stihl.

One of the fathers of the prepper movement did some tests a while ago on electric chain saws. He got the two best brands he could find, I believe a Huskavarna and don’t recall the other one. His premise was the noise issue as well. As I recall the electrics didn’t hold up very well to the work load of cutting up cords of wood. I will see if I can find that article. Maybe you just use them until they die.

In the end I think it’s the large crosscut saw that you will want to fall back on.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/using_crosscut_saws.html

[dilligaf]

rather than continuing to think big, why not consider downsizing your wood? most places there are far more smallish trees than there are large ones.. then there is deadfall, "squaw wood".

i dont get making more work for yourself..

yes, with modern day conveniences like chainsaws it makes sense to drop large trees,cut rounds then split them.. but do you really think thats what they did way back when?

[Doc1]

Good advice, friend! We do much the same thing, looking for the "low hanging fruit" to feed our wood stove.

One great resource is a neighbor who does stump grinding and tree surgery. He often gives us free wood in return for a little help from my tractor. A lot of labor can be saved finding sources of easy wood, as opposed to hard-work-wood!

Best regards
Doc

[dilligaf]

something folks should also think about come SHTF.. sure you use X amount of wood to heat your X amount of square footage now.. but how much of that do you really NEED?

most folks can, if the need arises, put their whole family in the room with the wood stove and close the rest of the house off.

i know when we cut just half our house off we cut our wood consumption by nearly 2/3's (empty nest, just didnt need the rest of the house)..

downsizing in every way just makes sense to me..

[Lenno]

I have 2 chainsaws It costs me about $160 a year in parts,fuel and transport to aquire enough wood for more than one winter.

[daniberry]

I agree with you, diesel powered chainsaw are really much powerful but it adds a little cost to fuel consumption.

[naegling62]

I agree with you, diesel powered chainsaw are really much powerful but it adds a little cost to fuel consumption.

daniberry's 1st post...welcome to the board!