Over the weekend my Ego battery-powered chainsaw stopped supplying oil to the bar & chain. I didn't realize it until I changed batteries, checked the oil level, and realized the oil reservoir was still full. No wonder the saw was laboring on dry limps, and that the chain was alternately getting loose and tight.

Last night I tried to figure out if the oil distribution system was messed up or if the oil lines were clogged. Not much luck, so it was off to the the Ace dealer over lunch. The Ace store manager looked at the saw and my purchase history. And we discussed how I was using the saw. She said I could take the saw to the regional Ego service center, and wait for their answer -- which would almost certainly be giving me a new saw. Or I could exchange my saw power unit now for a new saw.

Well golly, I'll just take a new saw right here and now. So I gave the Ace manager my old saw power unit -- and I received a new power unit, bar, chain, and blade cover. I think I've used the Ego saw for almost 2 years, and it was definitely wasn't show-room fresh.

Mongo like Ace and Ego. Back in the wood cutting business again.

Congratulations on a wonderful customer service incident!!!

I just had the opposite happen on my Oregon 40V Battery chain Saw. It was wonderful for a couple seasons, moderate amount of mostly smaller-than-wrist size limbs. Got so the battery even fully charged, simply doesn't have enough power to actually "cut". The chain turns but stops with any touch to the bar. Put in new chain & drive sprocket, cleaned etc.

Dealer wants to sell me a new battery at $190.

In the middle of my frustration, discovered Stihl has an "EZ start" gas model C180. So I have recoverted back to gas chain saw. Back on
estate management cutting duty again. During approved fire-safe hours of course.

Mongo no like dealer or Oregon Saw battery.

I love these kind of stories. it's people doing the opposite of penny-wise, pound foolish.

That's the kind of business relationship I look for. I'm not looking to take advantage of anyone but a give and take that makes both sides happy.

Good on ACE hardware, try doing that at HD

During the pandemic shutdown here and the restrictions on big box stores selling decorating items like paint I gave our local Ace another look.

They are my first go to place now.

quote:

Originally posted by signewt:
In the middle of my frustration, discovered Stihl has an "EZ start" gas model C180. So I have recoverted back to gas chain saw.

Yeah, the lithium batteries for saws are expensive. My Ego came with a 5Ah battery. I bought a second 5Ah at $250 and a smaller 2.5Ah at $150. The original 5Ah is probably showing some loss of capacity now. The 2.5Ah is fine for cutting limbs up in the air, but it just doesn't have the torque to cut larger logs.

My brother-in-law started the Ego saw ownership thing when he gave my sister a 14" bar Ego. She just isn't strong enough to handle our gas-powered saws. After I used her 14" bar Ego saw to limb one tree, I got a 16" bar version for me the next week.

For larger jobs I have a Stihl MS 310 with an 18" bar. When we fell the big trees, we use my B-I-L's Stihl MS 390 with a 20" bar. I don't know how many saws we've purchased and used up over the years, but we're pretty pleased with our current lineup.

Im a gas guy: 2-cycle Stihl trimmer and Stihl blower, bought a Stihl MS 271 last fall, but also see the advantage of a small battery operated saw, having used my sister's 60V Kobalt saw a couple years ago (that thing worked all day on one battery...pretty damned amazing). Wife got me a Stihl electric MSA 140 for Christmas!! Love that woman. The electric is useful for small quick jobs.

Also got a battery powered Stihl hedger this Spring (to replace the corded pain the ass but useful Black & Decker Ive had for 15 yrs) that takes the same form factor battery as the electric saw, to alleviate the problem of not having a backup battery and having to pay for a spare.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by signewt:
In the middle of my frustration, discovered Stihl has an "EZ start" gas model C180. So I have recoverted back to gas chain saw.

Yeah, the lithium batteries for saws are expensive. My Ego came with a 5Ah battery. I bought a second 5Ah at $250 and a smaller 2.5Ah at $150. The original 5Ah is probably showing some loss of capacity now. The 2.5Ah is fine for cutting limbs up in the air, but it just doesn't have the torque to cut larger logs.

My brother-in-law started the Ego saw ownership thing when he gave my sister a 14" bar Ego. She just isn't strong enough to handle our gas-powered saws. After I used her 14" bar Ego saw to limb one tree, I got a 16" bar version for me the next week.

For larger jobs I have a Stihl MS 310 with an 18" bar. When we fell the big trees, we use my B-I-L's Stihl MS 390 with a 20" bar. I don't know how many saws we've purchased and used up over the years, but we're pretty pleased with our current lineup.

I was gifted a corded Sears model. Leery at first, it took about a decade of
surprisingly vigorous use to wear it beyond repair. Had a e2000i
Honda generator I'd tote around in lawn tractor trailer for more remote
needs.

I'd like to appreciate a cordless chain saw. Some other day perhaps.

I can't comment personally about Ace, but I can second the Ego platform. I bought the 16" chainsaw as well, and reading reviews I had seen that sometimes the oil line gets a kink and it stops supplying chain oil. (Hasn't happened to mine though). Got hooked on the platform from the blower. I now have the chainsaw, an edger, a weed trimmer, the blower, and the latest addition, a mower. Easy to toss in the back of the SUV to help my father-in-law at his house and not worry about oil or gas leaking.

More throw away chinese junk. Glad you got a new one!

I bought the Ego saw about 2 years ago, to help with the massive amount of tree and branch damage from storms. In March 2019 our ranch received about 30" of concrete-like snow that bent smaller trees to the ground, snapped mid-sized trees at mid-height, and broke the limbs of larger trees. Then in April 2019 we experienced multiple wind storms with 60-80 mph gusts. The Ego battery saw proved quite useful with the cleanup.

From December 2020 through now I have concentrated on cleaning up maybe 4-5 acres of some of the worst tree damage. This area has suffered multiple wind storms over the years -- micro bursts that border on mini-tornados. Here's a sample of what it looked like prior to cleanup. I salvage the good wood and larger trunks for firewood. I haul the small wood, the limbs, and the old rotten trunks to a nearby seasonal creek bed for erosion control. From a volume of wood standpoint, I throw away a whole lot more away for erosion control than I keep for firewood.







I'm almost finished with the first phase of the cleanup -- removing wood on the ground and felling trees that are bent over. The second phase will be thinning the trees -- so we can at least drive the side-by-side through the area, and to give the trees some space to grow better.

We cut our firewood to 18" lengths. Maybe 90% of the cuts in this area were done with the Ego 16" saw, the rest with my 18" Stihl. From this area only, in May 2021 the stack of single-length logs:



And the double-length logs. This stack is now roughly twice as big.



And the triple-length logs.

[woodlust ON]

fritz , you burn Pine for firewood ?

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
fritz , you burn Pine for firewood ?

Yes. Pine is the dominant native species for many parts of Colorado. Pine forests are extensive in areas of moderate elevation, and in areas that are a somewhat dry to a medium rain/snow climate.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
More throw away chinese junk.

Made in China -- yes.
Relatively inexpensive -- yes.
Junk -- doubtful.

Over the decades our extended family has owned and used up a small fleet of chainsaws. I remember Poulen, Homelite, and Husqvarna prior to our Stihls. Almost certainly some other brands. The Husqvarnas were our most rugged ones, before we moved to Stihl. But the Poulens and Homelites still worked.

Our current Stihl 310 and 390 are our 3rd and 4th Stihl saws. We've used and tossed two previously. My 310 is on its second carburetor -- this one is pretty good, but sometimes gets finicky when I refuel the saw when it is really hot. On its second bar, the first one was bent when a tree came back towards me during felling. I have 6 or 7 chains in rotation, all of which have been re-sharpened multiple times.

My BIL's 390 is probably due for a carburetor rebuild pretty soon. I think he had to replace the bar, also for a felling mishap. Our saws are consumable items, maybe along the lines of rifle barrels. If Ego's weakness is its oiling system, then we will watch it more carefully going forward.

My Ego saw has been great for storm cleanup. So far, we've spent more time trimming branches and cutting up the broken top halves of trees than actually felling trees. Most of the trimming has been done by the Egos. In the 2.5 years since the storms, we've cleaned up maybe 1/3 of our forested 200 acres. "Cleaned up" is defined by removing everything that's dead or dying and touching the ground. There are probably 50-60 large trees still standing that have their top half snapped off -- we'll harvest them later. Going into this project, I figured we'll burn up both the Stihls and both the Egos by the time the work is complete.

The Ego saws are definitely lighter and less robust than my Stihl 310. The power unit is smaller, the bar is lighter, the chain is a smaller kerf for a narrow cut. And after a day of running the Ego, my clothes don't reek of 2-cycle exhaust, my brain isn't rattled by the droning noise, and my hands don't feel as if they're vibrating like a tuning fork.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fritz,

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
fritz , you burn Pine for firewood ?

Yes. Pine is the dominant native species for many parts of Colorado. Pine forests are extensive in areas of moderate elevation, and in areas that are a somewhat dry to a medium rain/snow climate.

Ok . I was always told that Pine was dangerous to use for firewood due to creosote buildup over time . Not preaching , just discussing .

Got the Ego trimmer/blower package deal from Home Depot for $189.00. (Trimmer, blower, Battery, & charger). Am very happy with the product. I will buy future EGO products from Ace Hardware.

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
I was always told that Pine was dangerous to use for firewood due to creosote buildup over time

Chimney cleaning is required, it's just part of the deal. When pine is split and allowed to dry, it burns quite well.

Hardwood forests don't exist naturally in most of western states. The cost of hardwood firewood is prohibitive.

Fir and spruce are the other dominant forest woods out here, but they're probably worse than pine for creosote. Aspen is an option, but it's a trash wood -- burns quickly with little heat. Low elevation areas near rivers might use cottonwood, but it's also a trash wood.

These things are really toys in terms of work. Do they work for light duty home stuff. Yeah, sort of. If I bought one of these and got busy with it. It would not last a week. Maybe not even a day or two. It would be going back for new one, like Fritz's after every
job.
I get it, that it works for some stuff and you don't get any two stroke stinch on you. I do. But lets not kid ourselves on it being some sort or tool to be used for real work.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
I was always told that Pine was dangerous to use for firewood due to creosote buildup over time

Chimney cleaning is required, it's just part of the deal. When pine is split and allowed to dry, it burns quite well.

Hardwood forests don't exist naturally in most of western states. The cost of hardwood firewood is prohibitive.

Fir and spruce are the other dominant forest woods out here, but they're probably worse than pine for creosote. Aspen is an option, but it's a trash wood -- burns quickly with little heat. Low elevation areas near rivers might use cottonwood, but it's also a trash wood.

Yeah , I guess I never thought about there not being any hardwoods in that part of the country .