Smokeless Stihl (cordless)

FWIW, I got my hedge trimmer (new, display model from a dealership), charger and the Ap160 battery for $300 on eBay about a year ago. I have a lot of hedges and it's great to be able to do a little trimming early on summer mornings before it gets too hot out, but if I'd had to pay retail I'd probably be using a secondhand gas unit instead.

 

I can definitely see a use for one of those.
Cutting in the woods just before hunting season, cutting down Russian Olive around the property.
If it would last that long in Oak, I could cut enough to fill my small trailer, then have another battery ready to go back into the woods.
$600 for the saw and a couple batteries and a charger. Hmmm, another $120, and I could have a 362.

 

Oh. I did not know it was a Christmas gift Alan. Man you have the best gifters!

 

That would make a great trail saw while out on the 4 wheeler.

 

+1 Or the tractor!

 

I can see it now... "I can't believe I did this, but I was leaning over and managed to knock my chainsaw into the toilet. It's 15 months until I'm eligible for a new chainsaw. How can I get Verizon to replace it under warranty? If I just say it broke while I was cutting up a tree, will they be able to tell?"

 

Not as bad as putting your foot into that toilet or something with one that's plugged into the wall!

 

I have this ryobi while not as smooth or sophisticated as the stihl it's reasonably priced and we have the whole line of tools that share the same batteries.

 

This is quite cool. In my R/C hobbies I have seen first hand that electric power system have gotten to the point with lithium polymer batteries and brushless motors they can package more power for less weight than a 2 cycle gas.

We have also all seen that high voltage (20, 30 +) cordless tools are now more powerful than corded.

The only real drawback is run time and waiting on battery recharges vs being able to just gas and go, gas and go. There are battery technologies tha can charge very fast though. Modern liPo and lithium -Iron-Phosphate LiFePO4 (A123 systems) can charge up in as little as 10-15 minutes if you have a charger that can put the big amps needed. To do this in the field though would be tricky, in RC folks drive 1000 watt chargers off small inverter generators these days to run the big stuff.

Id be interested to hear how your batteries fair in the cold. Ive had LiPos crap out in freezing weather if you dont preheat then. LiFePO4 takes the cold a lot better Ive been able to get those to work at 20F. they are supposed to be good down to zero or lower.

I could see getting one of these for cutting up brush around the yard so I dont have to deal with gas and hearing protection. Even better if I could find a model that takes my DeWalt 20v LiIon packs.