Chainsaw Repair

Chainsawrepair,

My experience has been that the top handle light weights are much better for a trim or pruning saw than a rear handle model.  The balance is much better when you need to reach out and make those one handed cuts, that I know you aren't really supposed to make, but I find myself doing one handers a lot when pruning fruit trees.  If the saw has good balance, I believe you can find methodology that provides safety while performing a single handed cut.  I wouldn't recommend the one hand method to a first time user, I would consider it to be strictly for experienced chainsaw operators.  OSHA would probably cringe at my last remarks, but I am surrounded by orchards and I know for sure that many people in the field do make a lot of one hand controlled cuts, where they don't have a pole saw handy or may not own a pole saw.  My two cents worth.

Your customer's comments about looking for a light weight trim saw would seem to favor the selection of a top handle model, if for no other reason than balance and control in that application.

I do a lot more using of chainsaws than I do working on them, but I do like to know what it takes to keep them running at their best.
The old Poulan XXV Deluxe and it's cousin model from Craftsman are only 30cc or 33cc units, depending on where you look.  I have done a tremendous amount of wood cutting with those saws suporting a 14" bar and they did very well if maintained and tuned. Both are top handle models.

Nick, North West Farmer