chain saw or recipr...
 

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[Closed] chain saw or reciprocating saw?

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Still thinking about what to buy after my Scorpion saw broke the other day. I need something for chopping up pallettes for the wood burner.

A replacement Scorpion is £35, the last one lasted 2 years going through a couple of blades. I know where I am with it and it's relatively safe.

But would an electric chainsaw be a good idea? Something like this http://www.housemakers.co.uk/black-and-decker-14-chainsaw-cs1835.html

Would it make lighter work of palette chopping or am i likely to lose a leg!?


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 10:55 am
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I have both. I pick up the reciprocating saw for pallets. Partly to avoid damaging the chain, but mostly so I can hold the pallet in one hand and the saw in the other (you can't really do that with a chainsaw).


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 10:59 am
 Drac
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For pallets I pull them apart with a crowbar then use a mitre saw to chop things up.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 11:06 am
 Del
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recip saw. safer, no bother with nails, easy blade change.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 11:17 am
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I use a circular saw to cut pallets up


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 11:22 am
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Dismantling pallets with a pry-bar is a nightmare and not very worthwhile as the wood burns so fast. I would cut them up with a chainsaw running fast and held almost flat onto the wood.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 11:24 am
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My reciprocating saw would be a little tedious for cutting up pallets, it's mostly handy for cutting awkward to get at stuff I don't care about being neat. I just lever apart/smash/chop pallets for kindling


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 11:26 am
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Electric chainsaw then table saw.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 12:19 pm
 JAG
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Pull nails with a hammer then use a handsaw/ripsaw to chop into 12" lengths which I then split into kindling using my hand axe.

Chainsaw only comes out for large bits of 'natural' timber 🙂


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 2:23 pm
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Screwfix do a circular saw that has a blade that can cut wood and metal.

It is brilliant for zipping up pallets as it does not matter if you miss a nail or two.

Pro evolution I think is the brand (you could also just get one of the multi blades and fit to another circular saw if you have one already)

trying to cut pallets with a non multi blade is not very successful, the first nail you touch will ruin the blade.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 2:53 pm
 Drac
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Dismantling pallets with a pry-bar is a nightmare and not very worthwhile as the wood burns so fast

Do you want me to send my 9 year old daughter to help you? She does a grand job.

I use the palettes for kindling.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 3:11 pm
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Drac - Moderator
Dismantling pallets with a pry-bar is a nightmare and not very worthwhile as the wood burns so fast
Do you want me to send my 9 year old daughter to help you? She does a grand job.

I use the palettes for kindling.


Is this going to be another I'm better and tougher at man jobs than you threads? 😆

On another note there is a small hand circular saw at Aldi at the moment that looks like it could be just the job for pallet cutting.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 4:06 pm
 Drac
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Is this going to be another I'm better and tougher at man jobs than you threads?

No, I said my 9 year old daughter was better. 😆


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 4:32 pm
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Some of you must be making 'artisan' kindling, I just want the job done and out of the way.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 4:40 pm
 Drac
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Well of course so they can light these.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 4:41 pm
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I've used both and neither are perfect.
I've always thought that a small circular blade on an angle grinder would be good for this - but also pretty scary to use.

Like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/281959629687


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 4:43 pm
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Pro evolution I think is the brand (you could also just get one of the multi blades and fit to another circular saw if you have one already)

Don't put an evolution blade in another make of saw . The evo saws have a different blade speed to convention circular saws. In all likelihood their blade shouldn't fit any other make for that reason

Evolutions saws are cheap but their blades are expensive. Is just use any circular saw if you already have one. If you think you might hit nails often then you can get convention saw blades specced for wood with nails in which have an anti-kick back design that stops the blade taking too big a bite of a nail.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 8:01 pm
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Chainsaws don't like small stuff, I'd stick with your current setup for pallets.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 8:09 pm
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Tbh unless you dont have eyes or sawing in the dark your about as likely to hit a nail in a tree than in a pallet.

I use the chainsaw for most things and then if anythings still too big for the fire and i see nails where i want to cut it goes through the chop saw.


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 8:12 pm
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I have used a circular saw and electric chain saw for pallets...both tend to snatch and get wedged at times.

The chainsaw is faster, but the electric ones are particularly scary as when they get properly caught, either in the timber or in your jeans, they won't stall like a petrol one can, the torque just keeps them going and chewing on through whatever they touch 😯


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 8:14 pm
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Spooky, I can see you being up for a Darwin in the future 🙂


 
Posted : 24/03/2016 10:46 pm
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Can't see my husqvarna 372 Xpg stalling because it's caught on my jeans..... No chainsaw trousers means leg off time if that happens...


 
Posted : 25/03/2016 5:51 pm
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POSTED 1 DAY AGO #
burko73 - Member
Can't see my husqvarna 372 Xpg stalling because it's caught on my jeans..... No chainsaw trousers means leg off time if that happens

You'd be surprised. Any cloth material going under the chain and round the sprocket will generally jam it up.


 
Posted : 26/03/2016 6:43 am