Which Tool

Which tool do I need? I need to do some tree trimming, should I get a cordless chainsaw or a cordless sawsall?  

Chainsaw will be better. But the Sawzall will be more versatile. Get quality wood blades if you go Sawzall. Harbor Freight blades are made out of butter.

I use my sawzall much than  my chainsaw but when cutting on trees it's almost 100% chainsaw.

i use my milwaukee m18 sawzall for trimming tree branches because I don't own a chain saw.  The kerf of a sawzall blade is narrow enough that it takes a bit of planning to ensure the blade doesn't bind.  It works but most of them are less than 1.5" in diameter.   

If you use a reciprocating saw, find Skil "Ugly" blades.  They are magic.  Really.

I'll occasionally use the Sawzall for branches, but always the chainsaw to drop trees and to cut up the logs. It's hard to drop a tree that's bigger than four inches with a Swazall. 

Appleseed said:

Chainsaw will be better. But the Sawzall will be more versatile. Get quality wood blades if you go chainsaw. Harbor Freight blades are made out of butter.

Who makes a decent chain for a 14" electric chainsaw and where can I find one?  I've got the hammer store special and as far as I can tell, the branches only come down because they get bored of being gently caressed by the chain.

I would have said Aenima, but I think in the long term, I like Lateralus better.

wae said:

Appleseed said:

Chainsaw will be better. But the Sawzall will be more versatile. Get quality wood blades if you go chainsaw. Harbor Freight blades are made out of butter.

Who makes a decent chain for a 14" electric chainsaw and where can I find one?  I've got the hammer store special and as far as I can tell, the branches only come down because they get bored of being gently caressed by the chain.

Oregon is a good bet for replacement chains. If you don't have a sharpener the pferd one is so easy to use. I take a couple minutes to hit mine before every use and it makes a huge difference. https://www.amazon.com/Pferd-17300-Chain-Sharp-Filing/dp/B003M4LGPE?th=1&psc=1

In reply to wae :

I should have said Sawzall blades. I ninja edited my original post. Sorry for the confusion.

A sawzall will just shake a tree to death sometimes. A chainsaw just cuts. Much much better.

The sawzall is definitely more versatile, though.

How big are the branches you need to trim, how high in the tree, how far away from 120vac electrical power? A corded tool could work if you already have a sawzall.  I see plug-in electric chainsaws at the ReStore for just a few dollars all the time. My brother has one I've borrowed a couple times and it works just fine.

For that matter if there isn't that much trimming required, a handsaw that's reasonably sharp is all you need.

Biggest tree I need to cut down is around 4 inches. 200 feet to the nearest outlet. I do have a Ryobi 120V chainsaw wondering if a cordless would make things easier. 

I have an electric chainsaw on a stick and a sawzall, for trimming it has been a good combo.  When trimming height is the challenge, and climbing a ladder with a chainsaw is not an option for me.

Probably not one of these:

I use one of these for trimming.

In my experience, a sawzall is pretty rotten at cutting green wood. Any cheap electric chain saw will do a better job, heck, a manual limb saw will be faster. I have an el-cheapo electric chainsaw with a long pole for pruning and I have gone through some pretty thick stuff with it. Just keep a sharp blade in it. I also have Stihl for when the trees get too big. If I just have to prune, I go for this: 

Toyman! said:

I use one of these for trimming.

I have a similar TrimmerPlus pole saw attachment for my Kobalt trimmer.  I've found it works well for as often as I use it (maybe once a year). 

My Porter Cable sawzall with a pruning blade was the ultimate for getting rid of a tree or shrub.  Yes it shook some branches instead of cutting but if cut in the proper place that was not an issue.  With a 12 inch blade it would take care of the roots too.  I took down 2 trees and a dozen 8 foot shrubs with that toy.  After 25+ years of yard work and cutting cars apart the gears stripped out.  

Some of you guys are using the wrong blades in your Sawzalls. The tree pruning blades are way better than a wood blade...

This paired with a Hackzall (much better for one handed use than a Sawzall) is my go to for trimming, and I've cut down 8"+ trees with this combo. I don't mess with the chainsaw unless I'm doing lot's of large cuts. For trimming, this is way better than a chainsaw, especially on a ladder or up in the tree.

I love my M18 top handle chainsaw.  I kind of want one of those little M12 or M18 limbing saws too.  

There is only one:

EvanB said:

wae said:

Appleseed said:

Chainsaw will be better. But the Sawzall will be more versatile. Get quality wood blades if you go chainsaw. Harbor Freight blades are made out of butter.

Who makes a decent chain for a 14" electric chainsaw and where can I find one?  I've got the hammer store special and as far as I can tell, the branches only come down because they get bored of being gently caressed by the chain.

Oregon is a good bet for replacement chains. If you don't have a sharpener the pferd one is so easy to use. I take a couple minutes to hit mine before every use and it makes a huge difference. https://www.amazon.com/Pferd-17300-Chain-Sharp-Filing/dp/B003M4LGPE?th=1&psc=1

That looks like a sharpener that even a simpleton like myself could use without destroying the blade!

I helped my son trim his oak tree with a corded sawsall, duct taped to a 10' length of 3/4" steel electrical conduit standing up on a 6 foot step ladder. My job was to plug in and out the extension cord with the saw trigger locked in "ON" mode while he cut up to 2.5" branches. It was no pole chainsaw but it got the job done.

I got a 40v Greenworks pole saw with an 8" bar a couple years ago and it's been amazing. Besides all the randomness, I've felled 15" trees and then chopped them apart. I have minimal PPE but having the saw on its shortest 2' bar keeps it away from me. I've loaned it to two guys after a storm and I think both bought their own afterward since it was so handy. 
 

If you're going for any far-reach places, I'd spend the ~$130 for a pole saw