How to Use a Battery Powered Chainsaw

text by Vicki     Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter! ​

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

Name the scariest tool you can think of--did you think "chainsaw?" 

If you did, you're not alone. We thought the same thing! There is a BIG intimidation factor when it comes to chainsaws.

As part of The Home Depot ProSpective campaign, we were sent the new Milwaukee M18 16 in. 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Brushless Cordless Chainsaw to use and review. The chainsaw has the same power and performance as a 40 cc gas chainsaw and is compatible with the M18 system. So if you already have Milwaukee M18 batteries, you can use the same ones with this chainsaw!

"...save yourself!" Our favorite quote from the Milwaukee owners manual (page 9).

Although we were itching to fire it up and try it, we took the time to throughly read the manual. We found that reading the manual and understanding all the safety precautions takes away that intimidation factor.

Watch the video as Steph takes you through a short tutorial on how to use a chainsaw. ​

Tool:

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL 16 in. 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Brushless Cordless Chainsaw Kit (Home Depot)
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• Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion High Output Battery Pack 12.0Ah (Home Depot)
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• Bar and Chain Oil (Home Depot)
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First step, fill the saw with a high quality bar and chain oil. Follow the manufacture's instructions. For this saw, it should be run for 30 seconds to be sure the oil is lubricating the chain.

Steph started by cutting the smaller branches, taking care to only cut the ones on top, not those that were supporting the weight of the tree. Those would be cut later. We learned some new terminology, which Steph talks about in the video.

She continued to cut the branches into pieces that were manageable in size for us. It was important to cut and remove the branches from this area as this was the drop zone for the trunk.

This is the trunk of the tree that remained after the top fell out during Hurricane Michael. Thankfully, the top fell away from Steph's house. We felt confident that we could safely fell the remaining tree trunk.

Steph is attempting to cut a notch in the tree as the first step in a felling cut. This helps to direct the tree in falling in the direction that you want it to go. As this was Steph's first try, she was able make a passable notch cut.

Once the trunk was down, Steph, again, cut manageable lengths taking care not to let the saw make contact with the ground.

Some notes from our experience: 

• We can't state it enough, read the manual. There is a lot of safety information and good practice procedures on actually cutting the with chainsaw.
• Wear your safety gear--protect yourself
• Plan ahead, before you cut, your exit if the tree falls in an unexpected direction.
• Don't overestimate what you can safely do. Leave the big projects for a licensed professional.

We've had a lot of time over the past few months (due to the huge number of trees that came down all over Tallahassee during the hurricane) to see professional in action both in my neighborhood and Steph's. We've seen tree professional use nothing but a chainsaw and rigging to bring down a tree to bringing in huge cranes to lift tree over houses and into the street for cutting and removal. These professional are diligent about safety.

​We acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with us to participate in the ProSpective 2018 Campaign. As a part of the Program, we are receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are our own words. Our post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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