A guide to buying a petrol chainsaw

When buying a petrol chainsaw, you should consider your needs, your strength, training and what products are available. There are hobby and commercial chainsaws, suitable for different tasks. There are some websites which sell a variety of chainsaws. There is a wide range of chainsaws on each website, differering in price and and suitability for different tasks.

Important considerations

Safety When buying chainsaw equipment, you are purchasing something which can kill you and others. This means that you must purchase or acquire not only the chainsaw, but the necessary safety gear: a full protective suit, safety helmet, gauntlet, ear protectors and goggles. It is essential to get professional chainsaw training, because untrained people can hurt themselves and /or others. As chainsaws are heavy, you need to consider your carrying capacity and stamina. Types of chainsaw Petrol saws can be used for different purposes and you should select your purpose accordingly. Hobby chainsaws may be for smallholders, allotment holders, gardeners or people who own leisure woodlands. They can also be used for owners of a woodfuel burner who need to chop up wood, such as old trunks or stumps. Forestry and farming may require chainsaws for cutting down trees. However, trees come in different sizes. Small fruit trees found on an allotment or garden might be felled easily with a light chainsaw. However, professional foresters and tree surgeons might need more expensive equipment. If you are having to climb a ladder or do rope work, consider the weight of the saw against your ability to handle it and the danger inherent in the situation. Acquire all the necessary safety gear and training.

Websites and products

A search engine can soon bring up a number of companies selling their own chainsaws or retailers offering a variety. Two websites offering a full range stand out: Mowermart.co.uk and Mowdirect.co.uk. B and Q stores offer a range of petrol chainsaw products for hobby and garden use.These companies offer a range of chainsaws. There are other companies which sell only their own products by mail. For example, you can get the Ryobi petrol chainsaw in this way. These companies also sell via the websites just mentioned. Here are some examples of chainsaws on sale: - Alphina (hobby and professional, offers a two year warranty)
- Echo (for home forestry or farm),
- MTD (which advertises its chainsaw as ideal for cutting up logs for firewood),
- STIHL petrol chainsaw (STIHL petrol chainsaws advertise a mid range set of products),
- Talon (which bills itself as cheap),
- Victus (offering a lightweight chainsaw), and
- Uni (offering a garden chainsaw). There are also many other brands.