Chainsaws are useful for any kind of garden work that involves cutting wood or trees. In order to get the best use from your chainsaw, it is vital that you choose the right type. Here are some things to think about when buying a new chainsaw.
Experience
A chainsaw can look daunting if you have never used one before. You are right to be concerned about safety, but you should have no problems if you use it correctly. You should, however, consider a smaller chainsaw if you are not experienced. A chainsaw that is too large will quickly tire out your arms and hands and will be much harder to control. If you are more experienced, however, you should not have too many problems moving up to a larger model. Just don't be taken in by the idea that bigger is better — a small chainsaw can easily do most of the garden work that you will need.
Use
Another thing you will need to consider is what you will be doing with the chainsaw. If you are going to cut down trees, you will have to buy a larger chainsaw suitable for the purpose. You will also have to consider whether you will be cutting hardwood or softwood, as hardwood will require more power. A smaller one might be able to get through the wood, but you will be placing too great a strain on it and it will not last as long. If you do not feel experienced enough for it, you should either hire someone else to do the work or wait until you have practised enough.
Guide bar
The length of the guide bar is also an important consideration, and once again your level of experience will be the main issue. A shorter guide bar will be lighter and will be more suitable for a beginner. Unfortunately, this will also limit the amount of work you can do. If you have more experience then you can choose a chainsaw with a larger guide bar or even two different lengths for different purposes. This will make it possible to work on larger trees as well as carry out lighter work such as cutting off branches.
Using the wrong type of chainsaw can be inefficient and can be a safety issue if it is too big for you. If you are unsure, just tell your supplier about your needs and they will be happy to recommend the right one for you.
