However I think youd have to be very careful not to catch yourself one handed. The Worx one is the one that is a different animal. 2021 Fire And Saw - All Rights Reserved, Stihl MS 162 Chainsaw: Stihls NEW 30cc Garden And Grounds Saw. One battery is not enough. Is Corded, Battery, or Gas Better? At this scale, Id likely just use my cordless Sawzall. The M12 cordless power tools, maximizes performance, delivering more run-time, power and recharges than other lithium-ion battery packs. One of my mini saws also has a 6 bar, and I must say it is nice to have the extra length from time to time (I can swap the 4 and 6 around). I think she would much rather have something like this, but she also has been getting more comfortable using a small 12 top handle chainsaw. The Milwaukee Hatchet is an excellent mini chainsaw for light branch pruning and trimming. Copyright 2008-2022 Pro Tool Reviews, LLC. The POWERSTATE Brushless Motor delivers the power to complete cuts in demanding hardwood materials. In response, several brands have introduced smaller versions. One of the things that makes it dangerous is hefting up a relatively heavy gas chainsaw and then pull starting it. It certainly gets longer run times than many out there. Thank you for sharing this product. The pruning saw is specifically designed to cut thicker and harder woods than we prefer taking a one-hand reciprocating saw to and its much lighter and more compact than a full-size model. I can see one of these under the Tree for Christmas. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); FireAndSaw.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. It makes some of his other patent review predictions seem even more possible than I previously thought. Designed for lawn maintenance professionals, the Husqvarna 525LST string trimmer aims to help you cut more in less time. amzn_assoc_asins = "B01JZFC9QS,B07SPSP5V8,B07JNZ4B55,B005UDT4HM"; On the clock, Kenny dives deep to discover the practical limits and comparative differences for all kinds of tools. The Hatchet looks to be a solid new brushless cordless addition to the M12 and M12 Fuel lineups. The problem with sawzall style pruning blades is the sawzall stroke length. Confirming with you guys that its not all in my head, seems to be a big relief to me. On lighter-duty saws, we typically see plastic bucking spikes (if theyre present at all) and we wouldnt have thought twice if Milwaukee used plastic. I use my Ryobi 10 cordless chainsaw for larger branches where that just wont cut it, and Im pondering whether I want a larger chainsaw for big logs and future chainsaw milling. Theres nothing wrong with using a reciprocating saw for pruning, but we have a much better overall experience when we bring the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet to the job. This Hatchet could be great for a two-man team. Dan | Fire and Saw | May 1, 2022March 9, 2022 | Chainsaws, Milwaukee, Mini Chainsaws. The scrench stores onboard, making any adjustments you need to make more convenient. It has really good handles, with one for each hand for greater control and the ability to apply pressure when cutting. Required fields are marked *. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.Please see our privacy policy for further details. Wow, Doresoom Reviews on YouTube nailed this prediction last year during his annual patent reviews! Now I think I can see past my stupid idea that its for easier juggling I hope I can look into the specs and form factor again, and see less stupidity on my part. A 7-1/4 circular saw cant cut a 7-1/4 tall wood board in one pass. If youve got the money to spend, the Milwaukee M12 Chainsaw is well worth picking up. Havent spent much time with these mini-chainsaws but at 5 lbs I suspect I can work one-handed (and I usually want the other hand on the branch) longer and tire less with a lightweight, very sharp handsaw than I would with a mini-chainsaw. Besides that, not that great. The most Im getting is This would make things so much easier on Chainsaw Jugglers, so they can juggle more in the air at once but I should be able to see beyond that stupid idea if I can get my brain over the hurdle of going back to Hatchet over and over again. Theres a variable speed trigger to control your cutting speed up to 984 fpm. If I get it, and I probably will, I will use an adaptor and DeWalt compact battery. It gives you a really good perspective of the dangers posed by working over your own head, and making places work as saw horses in a pinch, for making long branches into short sticks in a hurry. A pro-oriented product is marketed as being able to lift 8 pounds. This would be great to toss in a bag and carry to your hunting lease or for clearing brush and debris around fence lines. The saw is very light and easy to handle it cuts much faster than my m12 hackzall and my corded saws all. Despite the smaller form factor, the Hatchet uses a full-house chain with a cutter on every link instead of a skip-tooth design that makes it easier on the motor at the cost of cutting speed. Sometimes my brain just breaks on some tiny things I dont know why. Choose additional country / region / language Milwaukee Tool websites, Choisissez des sites Web supplmentaires de pays / rgion / langue pour Milwaukee Tool, Elija sitios web adicionales de Milwaukee Tool por pas / regin / idioma. amzn_assoc_title = ""; Milwaukee M12FHS-0 M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-0X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-201X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-202X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-203X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-401X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-402X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-601X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-602X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw, Milwaukee M12FHS-622X M12 FUEL Hatchet Pruning Saw. Hatchet is meant as a kind of Word Play Joke, right? This looks to be a great companion saw to the M18. Thats like if Ego rated their 18 chainsaw to cut 9 branches what would be the point of the long bar? This is a much better choice over the Stihl. Claim your free Milwaukee decal by joining HEAVY DUTY NEWS, the trusted source of new Milwaukee solutions, events, contests and more. [], Electric pressure washers are gaining more capability, making them more popular than ever. Maybe a bit of a niche demographic? I could be wrong, but it doesnt look to me that you have 6 of cutting bar length. However, they stepped up and put a metal set on and we appreciate having a more durable component. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment. Same here, though Id like to see how it performs compared to the Stihl. I hope this thing has a belt hookI dont see a picture of the left side. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Sure you can go bigger, you can cut from both sides of a tree and cut up to a 36 diameter tree if you really want to. We do a lot of grading and when a root shows up, we just jab the pruning blade down in the soil and cut off the root below our work zone, A few people with specific applications will possibly love this; for most, it will be a novelty item. The M12 battery helps to keep things compact, and fits in with Milwaukees philosophy of coming out with hand tool replacements. The cordless Hatchet is shown off being used one-handed to cut up a downed tree branch, while the users braces the branch with their other hand. The Milwaukee Hatchet doesnt seem to bog down as much as competing products, and the battery power looks good. The upside is a more secure hold on the bar, so you spend less time re-tensioning over the course of the day. Join our newsletter and get the latest tool reviews every week! Pros and people with many trees to maintain on their property will love this tool. The M12 Hatchet is one of the larger and heavier mini saws, making it better for tougher, thicker jobs compared to the other options. I wouldnt even consider this 6 inch saw. A more advanced telescope might specify a maximum magnification of 200X. Theres also a lower guard under the trigger. Thanks for pointing that out, Brian. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Its a pole saw, where the other two are handheld. The metal bucking teeth were omitted in the commercial version. The bar is 6 inches, in a pinch you probably could cut 5 inch diameter but I would just use it for 1-3 inch and save the bigger wood for my small gas saw which cuts faster. This mini saw is quite unique in that it has a bar and chain oil reservoir that must be topped up before use. I have pruning saw and full bar chainsaw from m18. I bought it when it first came out. Adding a 4.0Ah battery and charger, the 2527-21 kit is $249. Ill likely sell my Stihl at a loss to pick up this one. A technical issue occurred while submitting your request, please try again another time. A chainsaw is much faster than a sawzall with a pruning blade, very little vibration, and nice and small/compact/light for one handed operation. The B&Ds chain is also prone to popping off the bar and Ive had to do some rivet peening on the cored version to tighten the bar back into specs. My first impression was disappointment at how slow the chain ran being used to gas saws with a spring clutch and 11k+ rpm the 5k rpm is underwhelming, that being said i was completely shocked by the available torque this saw can handle the 3 inch branches with no problems the chain size is actually quite small and like any chain saw if you hit the dirt get out the file! amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "false"; I feel stupid having to ask it, obviously, but sometimes brains dont always work the same way, and there are consequences. If I spent enough time I could probably reverse engineer it but I decided to sell it instead for now. Would love your thoughts, please comment. This should make life much easier up on a ladder. My first thought when looking at this was for notching 66 posts for framing decks, etc. Ill still probably get one for the kids, teach them the basics on a scaled down level. Like a code word for the tool, not meant to be used in any way as a comparisson to an actual Hatchet (Or a Hatchets role in comparisson to THAT big brother the common Axe) right? I get stuck in a loop, and my brain wont move on. Read More, Address:William Moore & Son (Preston) Ltd.c/o Big Red Power Tools1-3 Ribbleton Trading Estate,Preston, PR1 5LS, UK, Email:enquiries@milwaukeepowertools.co.uk. Its compact, powerful for its size, runtime specs seem good, and I cant think of any features it might be lacking. I like the cordless chainsaws. A circ saw blade only has about half its diameter available for cutting, where a chainsaw bar has its entire length (minus a little bit for the bar attachment). what happens when you ruin a chain or of youre not proficient at sharpening a chain? Or maybe Im extrapolating based on Hackzall geometries and dimensions? I have used it with 3ah and 2ah batterys I can get about 20 minutes of steady cutting with the 3ah i dont recommend the 2ah. I bought my wife the 20v B+D Alligator lopper because at the time she wasnt comfortable using a chainsaw. Perhaps attempting larger cuts one-handed could lead to significantly less controllable and unsafe levels of kickback. What appeals to me about their design is that its design avoids the inherent danger associated with the upper quadrant of the chainsaw tip. Higher number on-paper might not translate to proportional real-world benefits. 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Brushless Cordless Chainsaw Kit with Two High Output 12.0Ah Batteries, M18 FUEL 16 in. Confirming this is its CODE NAME, and not some comparisson to their full-sized Chainsaw I think my brain can move on, and see it as more than a juggling assist. Plus, the Hatchet makes it through cuts faster. Id say my Milwaukee sawzall with a 12 Diablo pruning blade is bigger, heavier, and less capable of cutting than this thing will be. I already bought the Makita 18v brushless top handle, 36v brushless top handle, and the Stihl GTA26 trying to accomplish this. One little wrong tweak in an awkward position, and a Sawzall can start vibrating and try to liquify your hand and arm. This may not be a necessity item but you could make that same argument for a lot of hand tool replacement items. Need Help? A performance test for a range of these would be pretty handy! Thanks for helping us do what we love. How perfect would this be!!!! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It could be that the Craftsman or B&D Alligator could cut larger logs than the Milwaukee. More capable/agile than pruning shears But i prefer the black and decker style. Weighing less than 5 lbs and featuring a compact design, the cordless pruning saw gives you increased control and maneuverability in tight access areas. Total of 6 cutting Diameter AROUND a branch if needed. Most mini saws require this to be done manually with a small oil bottle. Our M12 FUEL HATCHET 6" Pruning Saw delivers unmatched control & access, has the power to cut 3" hardwoods, and delivers up to 120 cuts per charge. That piqued our interest. I also used this Black and Decker Reciprocating Saw recently which was also good for light cutting work (though I wasnt using it for trees, but for meat)! I can see this being a great one-handed pruning tool, especially if you need to work off a ladder. 5 TOP Logging Chainsaw Brands: STIHL, Husqvarna, Or ECHO The Best Professional Chainsaw? With some chainsaws, the max cutting capacity is just 1/2 or so less than the bar length, but a lot of brands also dont specify any such specs. HATCHET Chainsaw Kit w/4.0 Ah Battery, Charger & Replacement Chain, M18 FUEL 16 in. All rights reserved. My circular saw analogy is majorly flawed, but I couldnt think of anything more accurate or appropriate. Even if it is a tiny bit more efficient than a sawzall with a pruning blade it is a one trick pony. However, its performance is higher and its design is more complete than its competition. Hmm, maybe we should have another predictions post? Stihl also according to my dealers insight has no plans of any extended batteries. This would have been better on the M18 platform IMO. I agree about the Twin Grip. Move Up To The Husqvarna 525LST For More Torque And Cut Capacity While battery-powered string trimmers are very clearly expanding across the country, many professional crews rely on the power and longevity of a gas engine. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I would guess you arent using this little guy for roots. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. What are your thoughts? Ukiah Crossed A Fire Pit With A Bluetooth Speaker And Its Pretty Awesome, 13 TOP Homeowner Chainsaws For The Money: Best Gas And Battery Chainsaws, 10 BEST Small and Mini Chainsaw Reviews: Light Handheld Portable Pruning Saws, 7 Best Electric Chainsaws Reviewed: Corded Electric And Battery Chainsaws, 7 Best Battery Powered Chainsaw Reviews: DEWALT, EGO, Black & Decker, Husky, Stihl. When I saw the email subject line from Tool Nut this morning, new milwaukee m12 fuel hatchet I thought it was some kind of joke. NEW Milwaukee M18 Fuel Belt Sander | 2832-20 HANDS-ON, YouTube Video VVVuaFZUNTRHOWtOcXV3VDFfZDJaR1F3LkpEMS1NdjBFWk1r, Best Deck Screws for Pressure Treated and Composite Wood, 20 Best Plants That Repel Mosquitoes Including Zone Information, How to Use a Circular Saw From Setup to Cut, Greenworks 3000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer Review, Masterforce 20V Brushless 400 CFM Leaf Blower Review, Milwaukee M12 Fuel 8-Inch Compact Hedge Trimmer 2533-21, Best Bubble Level Buying Guide for Pros 2022, Dickies x Traeger Ultimate Grilling Collection, Ridgid 18V Cordless Jobsite Fan Review R860721B, The Line: Saudi Arabias City of the Future Design, Tool Manufacturers and Tool Brands by Logo, Model: Milwaukee 2527-21 (kit); 2527-20 (bare tool). Longer bar, more teeth, more cuts before dulling. The most important for me is the chain size, its a somewhat common chain 3/8 pitch .043 gauge available at any shop dealing with chainsaws, the Stihl uses their special really small 1/4 pitch chain only available thru Stihl as is the Stihl overpriced battery. Milwaukee has come out with a new compact cordless chainsaw, the perfectly named M12 Fuel Hatchet (model 2527). Love it! Way cheaper than a Makita chain mortiser for those timber frame builders. Milwaukee M12 fuel brushless motors have a load of torque for what they are. The unboxing and setup happen at about the 5-minute mark after a rundown of all the specs and features. Check out this Milwaukee Hatchet Mini Chainsaw video review from VCG Construction. I only had my Reciprocating Saw at the time. I was ready to buy the M18 16 version but a significant % of reviewers had the same chain tensioning problem, all related to the nuts being pressed into the plastic case and breaking or not holding the bar. we will assume that you are happy with it For a 3 branch or less, I can cut it in a few seconds with close to zero upkeep for a hand saw. I bought one of these saws. Cmon, thats a little different. Love the Hatchet, may buy one. I never like leaving my Stihl top handle running while in the tree even if the brake is engaged as Ive gotten burns from the hot exhaust. If you continue to use this site. Pruning saws such as the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet step in to cut branches up to 3 inches or so. Knowing that they dont intend on this obviously intended for pruning device to be a companion to the work of the full-sized Saw, which can do a lot more than just pruning I think my brain will kick in eventually. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The REDLINK PLUS Intelligence enables full-circle communication between the tool and battery, providing you with unmatched levels of performance, protection, and productivity. The M12 REDLITHIUM XC 4.0Ah Battery (sold separately) delivers best in class run-time and performance. I see this squarely aimed at people using sawzalls with those jagged pruning blades. It works great but you cant see me through the cloud of smoke. Just noticed the b&d has 4 cutting capacity but this article mentioned 3 for the milwaukee device. The stihl does move faster at 8 m/s vs the M12s 5 m/s. Mini chainsaws, cordless pruners, pruning saws, or whatever you'd like to call tools such as the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet don't have a ton of competition at the moment. I often pull out an old chainsaw (gas or electric) when I have help taking down a tree or two. ETA: August 2020, Buy Now: Bare Tool via CPO Tools However, its performance is higher and its design is more complete than its competition. When it comes to blowers, its tempting to chase the biggest numbers you can find. Maybe those guys were just ham-handed but all reported exactly the same problem unlike someone who gives 1 star for the wrong color or for breaking when itRead more . One thing that sets Milwaukees mini chainsaw apart from the Stihl GTA 26 Garden Pruner is an automatic oiler. Several years ago, I helped my Dad clean up fallen branches in his back yard after a storm. I use the 60v gen 1 recip, too. I have a variety of split logs that I use for smoking. The continuous travel of even this little guys chain is gonna make it way better for stuff of a diameter at or beyond the saws stroke limit. Finally, Ive been thinking about buying the Stihl GTA 26 since it was announced, but didnt necessarily want another battery platform. 2022 by Milwaukee Tool. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "protoorev-20"; The Stihl is manual oil only as well. Black & Decker also has a cordless 20v Alligator (LLP120), in addition to their corded models. Juggling Chainsaws And Chainsaw Jugglers: World Records And How To Get Started! All Rights Reserved. REDLINK PLUS Intelligence is technology that all power tools crave, but only a Milwaukee provides. Might be a SHORT pole, but its a Pole Saw, meaning that form factor is limited to overhead, and arms length, due to safety concerns using it any other way. In addition to the Pruning Saw (2527-20), this product includes (1) Oregon 6" Bar & Chain, (1) Scabbard, and (1) Scrench. I was going to 3D print an adapter to put a Milwaukee M12 in the Stihl but they have some odd data lines on the battery that wont you do anything unless the right signal is coming across. Sign up for newsletter today. Tree climbing is pretty dangerous work. I mean no offense when I ask this question, because I genuinely have trouble recognizing these things at times. However, there are some advantages of switching to Milwaukees mini chainsaw instead. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), Battery/Charger: (1) 12 Ah Battery & Charger Included, Model# 2825-21ST-2727-20-2724-20-2726-20-49-16, Model# 2727-21HD-48-11-1865-2724-20-48-11-1850, M18 FUEL 16 in. Practically, its not only much faster than a hand saw, but its also much less fatiguing. So for the smaller removals I set out to see if a battery platform could work and be much safer in limbing. Buy Now: Kit via CPO Tools. Also, just the right size for cutting off the bottom of the tree! This really came out of nowhere and caught me off guard. I use the pole saw on the M18 platform and am thuroughly impressed with that, I could see this being a great complement for a tool like that. And when Im working alone on a big job, my M18 batteries will last longer on the bucking, since I can leverage my M12 batteries for the de-limbing. However if youre dealing with off-cut limbs and brush, etc. On the flip side the Milwaukee can easily do under cuts which means its more intended for bigger cutting. If it were Dewalt making the same claim, I might be more inclined to consider the specs on apples to apples terms. Im sure it will be a neat little tool if its anything like the mini 3 inch cut off tool. If the Hatchet is traditionally designed, the capacity should be within maybe half an inch of the 6 bar length, but from the images so far it looks a little shorter to me. To your example with an EGO 18 saw, most manufacturers will tell you that an 18 saw is good for trees up to around 16 diameter. I think other possible names were already taken like Cutzall, Kutzall, Hackzall and Sawzall and maybe Prunzall did not appeal to their marketing gurus so hatchet connoting a more diminutive hand axe was it. Reciprocating saws equipped with pruning blades? Got the fuel hackzall, this will be lighter. Never wouldve thought Id look forward to getting some slip-joint pliers, but they sure, I have 4 different small factor 4v-8v screwdrivers but using this one when I need to tighten some delicate things., I definitely dont think think calling a ball bearing pivot assisted is a good idea, it makes no sense to, If theyre using the words EDC, and are using the words assisted to refer to the ball bearing pivot, that, I dont believe I have the patience to learn to use let alone need to buy yet another variation of, Some of the other Crescent knives from the last year or two are actually really excellent for the money. I can see how this would be more useful than a sawzall or a hackzall. May need to keep the M12 saw in the hands of adults. Physically speaking this could cut about 6 if you wanted, it just might bog down the motor a bit, whereas physically a 7 1/4 circ saw CANNOT cut about 7 1/4. If youre used to gas saws for pruning and light limbing, one nice trait of switching to battery power is that the chain spins up right away. Anyway, interesting tool. Clearly, thats more compact than standard chainsaws or reciprocating saws and much easier to maneuver around branches you want to keep. I have waited 4 months for my extras and as of today was told its likely to be Christmas time before I see the order. I like this little guy even more, lighter for ladder work. The corded one, of course is severely limited by being tethered to the extension cord. Its well built, looks great, is reliable and durable, and gets the job done. No safety guard to stop you going further through the branch. Stihl at home for small branch pruning, M12 at the cabin for the kids to help limb out downed trees. A tree service company wont trade in any of their traditional saws for this one, but this could perhaps be a strong complement. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. My wife has both models of the B&D loppers. Bucking spikes are great for securing the saw against the branch to pivot through your cut in a stable, controlled fashion. Price: $179 for the bare tool, $249 for the kit Designed, engineered and built by Milwaukee, POWERSTATE is the best-in-class brushless motor that works harder and lives longer than all leading competitors. The new Hatchet pruning saw will be available as a kit (2527-21) and as a bare tool (2527-20). How many people do your see wearing proper PPE like chaps work this thing? Im assuming this is a low kickback bar with a similar semi chisel style chain and the unit doesnt generate too much torque. Will this take the place of hand tools? 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Battery Brushless Cordless Chainsaw Kit with 12.0Ah Battery, 16 in. Looks like this might not be the first Milwaukee hatchet: https://www.amazon.com/milwaukee-6514-20-cordless-reciprocating-pivoting/dp/b00005qew7?tag=indifash06-20. It was already mentioned above though, that the stroke length establishes a hard ceiling for max diameter cutting efficiently. Then theres the action of each saw. That said, you could easily complete a cut and end up in your leg, foot or whatever with this thing. Theres no way to know without directly comparing the two products. That would be my bet. The Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw joins a growing group of garden pruners also known as mini chainsawsthat aim to get the job done with less hassle. I have a very strange brain chemistry compared to normal people, so sometimes MY brain goes places that others just dont. Manually oiling a chain every time you use the saw is annoying and its not as effective as automatically oiling more frequently. Its one of the most heavy-duty handheld saws, if not THE most heavy-duty model. I have many trees, and sometimes I have to climb up 8-15 feet and cut a limb thats a little big for my Sawzall with pruning blade. There are general rules that make the 600X magnification meaningless, at least on a beginner scope that would advertise such. Now AvE will have a new mini-chainsaw to open up boxes with. In addition to offering protection against the top of the chain, it also encourages two-hand use. 5 Bar Oil Alternatives, Up to 120 cuts through 2 wood per charge. Yes, I know this makes me sound dumb as a bag of hammers But this is a kind of OCD issue I have. The Greenworks 3000 PSI electric pressure washer is one of the strongest options available without moving to a gas engine. Pole Saw, Blower Combo Kit w/Charger and 8.0 Ah Battery (2-Tool), M18 FUEL 18V Lithium Ion Brushless Cordless QUIK LOK String Trimmer Kit W/ Hedge, Pole Saw, Edger, Blower & Chainsaw, M12 FUEL 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 6 in. Milwaukee M18 FUEL chainsaw has the power to cut hardwoods and delivers up to 150 cuts per charge providing more work-per-charge than any other cordless chainsaw available today. A brother who is a professional gardener laughed at it when I first showed it to him but after an afternoon of working at a relatives house with it, he immediately went out and bought 2 for himself and his crew (because the performance was so good, and a whole lot safer to have one of those lashed to your belt when climbing a tree vs. a regular corded chainsaw). But to Lance, any chainsaw is usually best (safest) for 2 or 3 inches under its bar length. This looks like a great tool for pruning. It comes in at just under 5 lbs, making it almost as heavy as a regular light chainsaw like the ECHO CS-2511T which weighs 6 lbs. Mini chainsaws, cordless pruners, pruning saws, or whatever youd like to call tools such as the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet dont have a ton of competition at the moment. The new Milwaukee cordless Hatchet features a brushless motor, variable speed trigger, automatic oiler, and a guarded auxiliary handle placement. The closed jaws of the Craftsman/B&D saw mean 4 is 4, no matter what. You could use a chainsaw to deal with your garden pruning needs when a hedge trimmer cant cut it, but why do you need such a big tool for small branches? It doesnt seem to be a difficult concept to overcome, I mean the Toyota Tundra is a truck not a frozen piece of ground, The Ford Mustang is in fact a sports car not a horse. For me this will pay for itself for limbing up small tree removals and be safer in those awkward situations.