| 1. How is it powered? | | | | it manually. If you must do it manually, make sure |
| 3 options: electric, gas, and believe it or not - | | | | the adjustment knobs or bolts are easily |
| cordless. Deciding which one you want depends on | | | | accessible and not hidden under some plastic |
| your use. Cordless won't run very long, so you | | | | guard. |
| are limited to small cuts where you don't need | | | | 7. What kind of break, or safety feature does it |
| much power. With an electric, you will be tethered | | | | have to stop the chain if something goes wrong? |
| (limited) by your electrical cord. A gas powered | | | | All should have a quick shut off, of some sort, in |
| saw will allow you to cover anything from the | | | | case of jam or kickback. |
| smallest to the largest needs. | | | | Some have a big plastic guard that gets pushed |
| 2. What is the length of the bar? (the bar is what | | | | back and shuts off the saw. |
| the chain goes around) | | | | Others have an inertia detector that detects |
| 18" is a decent size, but it depends on your use. | | | | sudden motion change and shuts off the saw. |
| To approximate how big a tree the chain saw will | | | | (These obviously cost more) |
| cut - simply double the bar length. In this case, an | | | | 8. How does it start? |
| 18 inch saw will cut a 36 inch diameter tree | | | | Most have a pull start, but more manufacturers |
| 3. How big an engine will you have? | | | | are coming out with devices to make starting |
| Obviously the bigger the horsepower the more | | | | easier. Some "easy start" saws have special |
| power. Typical HP is from 2-6. | | | | decompression valves while others have special |
| 4. What is the motor displacement? | | | | springs. |
| A good displacement will generally be between 50 | | | | 9. How is the vibration? |
| - 70cc, with the greater the number the more | | | | Manufacturers try to minimize the vibrations and |
| power. | | | | such are different for each manufacturer. |
| 5. How is the chain oiled? | | | | Just another thing to look for - do they advertise |
| Keeping the chain lubricated is very important. Just | | | | anything along this line. |
| make sure you know how it is done before | | | | 10. Does it come with a carrying case? |
| buying. Most have self-oiling mechanisms, but just | | | | Most do now a days. Just be sure! |
| be aware. | | | | If you have never purchased a chain saw before, |
| 6. How do you adjust the chain tension | | | | these are just a few things to consider. Some |
| It depends on the manufacturers, but you will | | | | models may not offer all these options and other |
| have to periodically check and tighten your | | | | may offer options not listed. In any case, having |
| tension, so you want it to be easy to do. | | | | some prior knowledge about the basic features |
| Some manufacturers make their saws to have | | | | will help you tremendously in selecting that perfect |
| quick adjustments while others require you to do | | | | chain saw for yourself. |