Back in September I wrote a preview of Dewalt’s new 20V Max Brushless Chainsaw. While I hadn’t actually used it, I had played with a bare tool at Acme Tool and it didn’t impress me.
I had two beefs with the design. The first was the levers on the knobs, they seemed flimsy — and I still stand behind that criticism. The second was when I picked the saw up, it just didn’t feel like a quality tool. In my defense, I was very clear that I had never used the saw and that those were my initial impressions.
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Dewalt contacted us after the post went live. They were concerned about my opinion and offered to send out a review sample, but I declined, as I felt very uncomfortable with the idea. I felt that, if they sent me one to review and it honestly changed my mind, it could end up looking very suspicious.
*This still doesn’t remove all the bias, because I just traded one potential form of bias for another. Since I purchased this myself, it is possible that I will want to justify spending the money and thus try to convince myself the saw is better than it is.
As I said in the previous post, I had intended on buying this saw because I needed a chainsaw for some yard work and really didn’t feel like spending the time trying to diagnose why my gas chainsaw was having issues. So I decided that I would buy the saw anyway and give it an honest try.
Before I get to my experiences using the saw, I’ll give a very quick summary of the features.
- Designed for construction applications, such as cutting beams, roughing-out openings, and demolition work
- Can handle logs up to 10″ in diameter
- Brushless motor
- 12″ Oregon bar and chain
- Tool-less chain tensioning
- 7.6 lbs without a battery and 8.8 lbs with the 5.0 Ah battery
- 90 cuts in pressure-treated 4×4 pine wood (5 Ah battery)
Price: $150 for the bare tool
Buy Now (Bare tool via Acme Tool)
Buy Now (Bare tool via Amazon)
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The DCCS620P1 kit comes with the chainsaw, (1) 5.0Ah battery pack, and charger for $199-$229.
Buy Now (Kit via Acme)
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Preparing the Chainsaw
The first thing you need to do when you take the saw out of the box is fill it with bar and chain oil. The bare tool didn’t come with any, but luckily I have a lifetime (for me anyway) supply of all-season bar and chain oil.
Lifting the lever and twisting off the chain oil cap still bothers me on this saw. I still think there is way too much flex, but I ignored that and filled the reservoir so I could get to cutting.
Then you need to adjust the chain tension. The manual says:
The tension is correct when the chain snaps back after being pulled 1/8″ (3 mm) away from the guide bar with light force from the index finger and thumb.
Surprisingly, the chain tension was adjusted correctly out of the box. After using the chainsaw for a while I did need to tighten the chain though.
Adjusting the chain tension is tool-less, you simply unlock the bar, and adjust the locking knob by lifting the lever and spinning it one turn counter-clockwise. Then you just turn the smaller tensioning knob clockwise until you have the proper tension. Finally, you retighten the bar adjust locking knob.
The chainsaw is supposed to be stored like the top picture, with the chain brake on. Every time you use the chainsaw, you are supposed to test the chain brake by inserting the battery, releasing the chain brake, turning on the chainsaw, and flipping the chain brake forward. The chain should stop moving.
Using the Chainsaw
Before I started in cutting down a tree, I set up a 6″ wet walnut log in a Jawhorse and cut a few cookies, just to get a feel of the saw’s capabilities.
Having used both gas and plug-in chainsaws, I was expecting the Dewalt 20V Max Chainsaw to perform somewhere in the middle, or less powerful than a gas saw but more powerful than a plug-in electric saw. That’s pretty much the performance I got.
The whole reason I needed a chainsaw was than I needed to take down a dying maple tree by the side of our house. It wasn’t a large tree, but it’s about 10″ around at the base — a perfect test for a 12″ chainsaw.
I started by climbing up a step ladder with the chainsaw to cut most of the limbs off the tree. Then I cut off the top of the tree and removed the rest of the limbs. Next I cut through the base of the tree. Finally I cut the trunk into chunks so I could easily carry it away.
The lightness of this saw is really noticeable when you are up on a ladder. It’s easy to maneuver and isn’t tiring to use at all. It also had no problem cutting through any of the upper limbs or the top of the tree.
Cutting through the 10″ base of the tree was a little taxing on the saw. You can see in the video it took me about 40 seconds. It wasn’t bogging down, but I wouldn’t want to do this all day.
As you can see in the video, it took about 8 seconds to go through the 5-6″ sections of trunk and about 11 seconds to go through a 7 -8″ section of trunk. You’re not going to win any logging contests with this saw, but this saw seems pretty capable for some medium duty yard work.
Finally I needed to cut up this hollow core door to fit it into the trash. After I did some filming about the new Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hackzall, I ripped up the rest of the door with the Dewalt 20V Max chainsaw.
Cutting apart the door really didn’t challenge the chainsaw that much, but it was fun. It’s about the quickest way to turn a hollow core door into garbage and does show that you can use the chainsaw for light demo work.
Summary
Back to the issues I didn’t like in my preview article, I’ll show the photo of the fill cap again. You can see how much the lever flexes before the oil cap starts to loosen. It’s not a matter of the oil cap being too tight, because it’s not a screw it’s a twist lock. You need to apply that much force to overcome the lock.
Alright, I still think the lever on the oil cap is a poor design, but with the performance of the saw, I can let it slide. Let’s talk about my other issue:
You know how when you pick up a tool it either feels right or it doesn’t? This saw just didn’t feel like something I wanted to spend my money on. I really have a hard time putting into words what I didn’t like about the body of the saw, so I’ll use an analogy. I’d say it’s like picking up a $99 DCD771 holiday special drill kit, rather than a high-end DCD796 hammer drill.
I’m just going to say it: I was wrong about this. I think part of the issue is the weight of the saw. It’s a light saw, so light that it almost feels like a toy. When I was in the store, I picked up the bare tool and not a tool with a battery in it.
I think the Dewalt 20V Max Chainsaw is probably a fine tool for a homeowner or a lawn care professional that doesn’t want to deal with a gas chainsaw and doesn’t have to regularly cut through trees and branches thicker than 8″. I did show that it can cut up to 10″, but it does so pretty slowly — probably slow enough that you’d be more productive with a Dewalt FlexVolt chainsaw or even a small gas saw.
James C
Here comes the commentary on your method for cutting that tree down! Thanks for the review. I like my 40V neon green version for homeowner use. The tool-less chain tensioning on this one is a nice feature I wish mine had.
JR
I also have on of the green 40v chainsaws. Anything in this range is well suited for light duty chores and they all appear to be built to meet a price point.
Gary Greene
Using a chainsaw on a ladder is just a bad idea.
michaelhammer
What are you gonna do, get a bucket truck?
RKA
You can take it down first, then buck the limbs. You’ve got 20” of exposed blade spinning, it’s better to keep your feet firmly on the ground. It’s one less reason the blade goes in some unintended direction (loss of balance, ladder tips, whatever). That said, it looks like this one brakes the blade as soon as you release the trigger, which is a lot safer than a gas saw whose blade keeps spinning.
firefly
I thought most gas saw also have brake by now. I know the older echo gas chainsaw that I used to own have brake on it. I went to Echo website to check it up and it look like the few random one that I clicked on all have brakes. So the brake functionality isn’t something uniquely attribute to cordless chainsaw.
Even though this one have brake, does the brake activate when the operator release the trigger? A lot of them only brake if the brake handle is released or pushed forward. Some nicer chainsaw will also brake in case of a kickback.
With all that said, for light usage nothing beat cordless tool. They are a lot lighter, quieter and there isn’t much to fuss with like their gas counter part. I use a cordless blower around the house and that thing is so much sweeter to use.
Trav
Never have I ever seen a blade on a chainsaw.
js0930
I have the Dewalt Flexvolt. As someone who uses these tools occasionally I’m never going back to gas. Power on demand (as much as I’ll likely ever need), much quieter and no carbs or bad gas or any other issues. Plus I’m already on the flexvolt system so plenty of batteries.
Eric
I got the Flexvolt chainsaw also. On Black Friday it was essentially the same price as the 20v chainsaw plus a 9ah battery.
I am super happy with it, and for my wooded homeowner use I doubt I will ever use a gas chainsaw again. Full-time work would be a different story. I ended up with every outdoor Flexvolt tool Dewalt made, and am hoping for power head next year.
Robert
Benjamen, good on you for the very thorough disclosure at the beginning of the review, that kind of transparency is always appreciated!
Joe
Nothing better at that size with a battery……Dewalt makes a tool for every need, big and small…..love that chainsaw….glad you realized it’s potentials
Joe
Very unrelated topic….carvex jigsaw or mafell ?
Marty
Makita 4351FCT
I have the carvex and I think it’s overrated. The Mafell is supposed to be good, but I don’t think it’s worth the price tag.
Erm
Get the high end Bosch.
Nathan
Thanks for the update. I do agree it’s size is more geared to demo work – so I think that’s it prime useage.
I will say I keep eyeing the echo 58V cordless chainsaw but I have that battery system and love the trimmer I have and the hedgecutter I just bought.
It is a different animal though.
James R.
I might pick one of these up for off-roading! Would be handy to toss in the back of the Jeep for those widows-makers and any downed things I don’t want to trample over.
Does Dewalt happen to make a case or something for this, for longer-term storage?
Tony
That’s what I got it for. Was disappointed to find that it leaks oil. Searching the internet I found that this seems to be common.
jason gloekler
my 40v does the same thing when stored. Must drain it all before storing.
Richard
Same reason I was looking at this. Especially since I already carry the 20v 1/2 Impact
Sean Smith
Late to the party, but store it on its right side and it doesn’t leak oil. At all. 👍🏻
Marc
I posted previously: “OIL LEAK FIX, at least for my chainsaw as it doesnt leak at all. There’s an O-ring groove in the filler cap. Find an O-ring to fit, install and your leak may disappear or at the least diminish.”
I believe I ordered the O-ring from Amazon: ‘uxcell Silicone O-Ring, 29mm Outside Diameter, 25.2mm Inner Diameter, 1.9mm Width, VMQ Seal Rings Sealing Gasket Red’
-Marc
TommyR
At the top of the oil filler tube IS A BLACK O-RING. You can feel it there too. When you turn the cap ALL THE WAY closed it expands that O-Ring to seal the cap. I think some folks may not be closing that cap all the way and this is causing the leaks. You should not need to add an O-Ring. The O-ring at the top of the filler tube will fill that O-Ring gap in the cap.
Marc
Yes I saw that black O-Ring. But it alone didn’t prevent the oil from leaking – and yes I was closing the cap all the way until I felt the click.
That black o-ring would press against the bottom/outside of the groove. And alone it was not doing the job of sealing the oil cap. I even wiped down the black o-ring and what it would seat against to make sure there was nothing there to prevent sealing.
Once I added the 2nd o-ring, all leaks went away and it’s been working fine and hasn’t leaked in over a year.
-Marc
Trav
Yup it works great for that and sneaky tree work while camping. I have two decent sized pro model stihl gas saws and grew up logging but this electric one is handy for trail cleanup.
I’ve gotten into the habit of always laying my saws on the side with the oil cap up and that helps with oil leaking out it seems.
GMD
People aren’t clear in their comments. Is oil leaking from the fill cap, or is it leaking at the point where it’s oiling the chain (which is where gas saws sometimes leak)?
Benny Carl Leonard
It was leaking from the fill cap I tuck it all apart and put a different one ring on it and it stop the leaking there is a o ring in between the oil tank and the fill lid and that’s where it was coming from but now it doesn’t leak anymore thanks
Tyler
Does anyone know if milwaukee is coming out with something like this?
Promit
I bought one of these chainsaws about a month ago. I needed a cheap chainsaw to take some already felled/broken trees and branches down for firewood. I’ve never owned any other chainsaw so I didn’t have a point of reference apart from a) it’s cheap b) I already had the batteries.
Surprisingly, it’s a very capable yard tool. No, it’s probably not the right choice for felling or chopping really substantial trees. But as someone who lives on a plot of land with a LOT of trees, there’s constantly medium size branches and smaller (8-10 in) dead trees lying around. I can grab the saw and easily take apart the logs for the wood pile without worrying about maintaining a gas chainsaw. It’s had no problem cutting through the already-fallen stuff I’ve been tackling.
MC
Mine leaks bar oil pretty badly from the filler cap. Laid on it’s side to try and prevent it and when I stood it up (weeks later), oil came pouring out the vent on the bottom. Very frustrating…
Benjamen
Every chainsaw I’ve owned has leaked some bar oil, including this Dewalt. I’ll usually store the saw in a shallow pan so it doesn’t make a mess.
I really don’t know what a normal amount to expect is.
Hang Fire
Keep chainsaws on cookie sheets. I find them cheap at yard sales. Buy whatever size fits your shelf & chainsaw. If clean, you can pour the bar oil back into the saw using the corner.
Bob
I cut the bottom off a 55 gallon blue plastic drum at about 10″ deep. I store my saws, oil, gas, stinky gloves, scrench, files, etc etc. It stinks like crazy, but I love it.
Paul K
It really shouldn’t be leaking from the cap though.
Myles
I don’t know about electric chainsaws but for gas powered…after your done using the saw just crack the bar oil fill cap a little, this releases any built up pressure in the oil reservoir and helps minimize oil leakage during storage. Make sure you tighten the cap back when your done.
Not a 100% fix but it does help, again in my experience, all chainsaws leak oil.
Chase
My dads does too, I looked at the cap and it is missing an o-ring, there is definitely an o-ring groove with nothing in it. I have one and it doesn’t not leak through the cap at all. I am getting ready to go to the hardware store to find one that fits..
Bartman2
Tnx for the heads up on the “O” ring…. Your are right , there looks like there should be an ” O” ring…… Did a quick measurement on it… The ID appears to be 27mm “ID” and the ” OD ” appears to be 30mm…. SAE looks like 1.065″ ID and 1.2″ OD…. Will see what ” O ” ring does the job !…. Off to the hardware store for an “O” ring …..
David J Greenspun
Appreciate the suggestion. Just picked up #62 O-Ring. Ruined several pants waiting on a solution to the oil splatter!
michaelhammer
That maple tree looked pretty healthy. You know, the leaves fall off in winter and come back in the spring.
Benjamen
There were only two or three branches on the whole tree that had leaves last year, the rest of it was dead. I’m not sure if it was a disease or if it was because it was in the shade of the bigger tree next to it — or both.
We are going to plant some apple trees in the open area you see towards the neighbor’s house in the spring.
Tool Of The Trade
What size battery did you use and how long were you able to run it before it died. If you accidentally dropped it out of a tree 15′ do you think it would survive the fall? Or at least be repairable? Does it feel remotely close like a well made chainsaw? How many batteries do you think it would take to cut up a 30′ log that is 9″ in diameter?
Benjamen
Sorry I didn’t go into the battery life more.
I was using a 5Ah battery in the chainsaw for all the videos. The battery was freshly charged when I cut down the tree and it was down one bar after all the cuts. So worst case the battery was at 50-60%.
I really don’t have a good feel for how many batteries it would take to cut up a 9″ – 30′ log. I’m thinking you’d probably want a more powerful chainsaw, otherwise you are going to be there for a while.
It’s a light saw, it probably depends on the fall. 15′ on soft ground probably wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but I can see frozen or hard packed ground breaking some plastic.
As for serviceability… the bar and chain can obviously be replaced. If it breaks due to defect there’s a 3 year warranty. I you break it or it’s out of that period — can they fix it for less than $150 — I don’t know.
Altan
I am a very fussy person about details and information and I do appreciate this post so much, thanks Benjamen. I have seen both 20v and 60v versions and 60v one looks like a proper tool. I could see in the movie that it shakes when you cut 10″.
John
I use dewalt cordless tools at work and I think the battery meters can be a little misleading. From my experience 3 bars is a full battery, 2 bars is about half charge, and 1 bar is dead. I’ll always swap out a 1-bar battery because if you’re using a power hungry tool like a sawzall you’ve only got a couple cuts left.
Trav
That depends on how many cuts you do. If you cut it into 2′ lengths then that’s like 17 cuts and one 5ah battery would probably last long enough.
Chris
Personally I would probably opt for the flexvolt model. That way I could put a smaller bar on it (if I wanted/needed) plus I would have the flexvolt battery to use in my 20v max tools, as well as having an excuse to buy flexvolt tools. Not saying this looks like a bad Saw, it looks great, I’d personally just rather have a bigger Saw for when I need it.
D
I feel the same.
I bought the 20V string trimmer. It’s good but only has a 13″ cut and sometimes feels like it lacks power. At the time I bought it they also had a special on the Flexvolt string trimmer with a free 6.0ah battery for only $100 more. I’m sure it’s much more powerful and has a 15″ cut.
Steven
As much as theres a Milwaukee or Dewalt debate, the variety of tools from dewalt is a very big selling feature.
Chainsaw is pretty darn cool. Enduro riders who venture off into new trails would find value in a tool like this.
Trav
Exactly, if you want hand power then I will ONLY recommend silky saws that are made in Japan and stupid sharp. I’ve cut many a 4″ tree with a small gomboy that’s attached to my camelbak waist strap.
Jonathan
I will say that the Hackzall would have been safer to use when you were working up on a ladder not designed for use on grass or dirt, (tri-pod ladders aka orchard/Arborist ladders are the safest).
I use my Fuel Hackzall for trees like that all time, but I put on my kevlar chaps and will fire up my Echo 14″ to slice and dice all the limbs while standing in the bed of my truck, it quadruples or more what I can haul off to the yard debris center that compost it.
I use a 12″ pruning blade on The Fuel Hackzall, it’s basically a supercharged bow saw. http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/milwaukee-48-00-1303-pruning-sawzall-blades-12-inch
I don’t cut it off at the ground level, I do it about shoulder height then I use it to cut the roots going around the tree at the base and I can remove it without leaving a stump or needing to use a stump grinder, the trunk gives extra leverage to get at tap root. Hitting the soil is the fastest way to dull a chainsaw blade and as well as sand down your bar and the sprocket from the oily sandpaper like grit and the high-speed chain.
I’ve tried a variety of 20-80V chainsaws and its again, the cordless are great in a niche, I have a Stihl-Kombi and also a Ryobi 40V and 2-Stroke power heads and 8″ and 10″ Pole saw attachments, and I only occasionally do jobs where a client wants a tree(s) taken out, I pretty much stick to trunks that are 12″ and less. I do most of the tree removal with the just the Sawzall and depending on height sometimes the pole saw with an extension piece.
Mainly for safety and not needing to hire a 2nd person for larger residential trees, I do use leather arm chaps with the hackzall as pruning blade as it can be just as nasty to flesh as a chainsaw (perhaps not as deep).
That said I really do like the tool-less tensioner. I will say one place the cordless Chainsaws could be great is out in the West here when burning bans are in place (as well as highly restricted and regulations i.e. water buckets , shovels and wait and remain on site, cut and wait times for cutting with gas chainsaws – more commercial and forest fire concerns than residential suburb useage).
That said, I no longer own a cordless Chainsaw, I have cordless string trimmers, blowers and hedge trimmers (40V DeWalt & Ryobi) that I use commercially and I have no complaints, but honestly the cordless chainsaw is still maturing.
I think most suburban homeowners, could take down the similar sized tree as the maple in your video, as well as branch and limb pruning on there property, as well as remove the stump with a Sazwall an a real pruning blade. As well as using it on a host of other projects around their house and property with the right blade. The chainsaw could end up sitting leaking chainbar oil and collecting dust in a shed or garage.
Koko The Talking Ape
I was going to say that about the sawzall too. Slower but safer.
Trav
Well when you say a chainsaw has a blade then you’re opinion gets lowered significantly in anyone’s eyes who had ever ran a chainsaw.
I did use a dewalt sawzall with pruning blade to cut some trees down way back in the day as my stihl was waiting to get shipped up. It’s much much slower and definitely not as good for felling trees.
Ken
A note on chainsaw safety gear. Using a chainsaw without the proper safety gear is literally gambling with your life. Hardhat, thick gloves, and chainsaw chapps are a must… even for battery powered saws.
Suggest steel toes as well.
Mike Edwards
I agree, it may look a little OTT wearing the regular safety gear with a plasticky tool like this, but there’s always that chance you can get blasé due to it’s nimbleness.
Greg
Thank you Ben! I’ve been eyeing this particular saw for a while. The local HD has them on clearance too. I think for my uses though I’ll either get the gas saws running again or go with an electric from Echo / Stihl. Not that I want another battery platform but it looks like the Dewalt wouldn’t fit for me.
I’m also looking at some of the Makita offerings too since they have Dolmar completely under their wing now. This should help in creating a a good or “pro” level electric saw I would think.
Bob
Ben, I think you underestimate yourself. If you were the type to be biased, you wouldn’t be doing this. Owning the tool, even an expensive tool, will not bias you. I have many tool reviews on Amazon, and I will absolutely blast a significant tool deficiency. If I make a mistake, I will go back and amend my review. I trust you’re the same way.
About free tools. I even trust you on free tools because you can afford to buy them. However, the optics aren’t so good. I think you made a good decision there, and your followers, and DeWalt will respect you. Free tools would probably bias the best of us, present company excluded!
Ferd
Very interesting review and discussion….thanks to all! I am very frustrated with sizing/trimming bowl blanks! My smaller Husq 435 never has run well and tired of noise/smell while trimming! Been thinking of a electric corded model but had not really considered a battery type! Currently have Porter C. and Makita chargers so any recommendations out there on which direction to go without acquiring a new brand of charger and battery inventory? Much obliged and love the reviews
Ed S
I’ve a “green brand” 40volt Polesaw. It has a serious design-material flaw, but their 4 year warranty got me a replacement. During which, a relative that has a pacemaker, gave me his $700 Stihl polesaw. Its better in work, but still heavy, and mess with oil/fuel.
TIP: I know its expensive, but that TruFuel mix in my gas-mix tools allows “always start” .
CON: Green 40v has tiny reservoir for bar oil. Its empty in minutes of use.
I would like a cordless 10-12″ saw, that has ability for climbing, but needs serious safety features, and solid clevis hooking-switch off feature (when hanging, it cannot turn on…gas one you have to pull start).
Bob
Ben,
In your film cutting the walnut, I didn’t see a lack of power, I saw a homeowner’s chain.
Homeowner grade saws have these sorry safety chains that cut very slowly to avoid kickback. They cut slowly, make very fine sawdust, and produce a lot of heat. You can buy a more aggressive chain for about 15 bucks. It cuts way faster, and loads the saw just a tad more. Still no kickback problem. Only the most aggressive pro chains cause dangerous kickback on powerful saws. Homeowner saws are so lawyered up it’s amazing they work at all.
sugiyama
But, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, you should double check that chainsaw model number when you go to dust it off, because it may have a recall for a failing chain brake guard. Yes, that’s right folks, just when you thought it was safe to go out and give your yard a much-needed manicure, the CPSC warns that Hongkong Sun Rise Trading’s electric chainsaw will continue to operate even after the brake has been applied. Companies that have slapped their names on this particular chainsaw include Greenworks, Snapper, and even… Kobalt. The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that there have been no reports of injury but recommends calling Hongkong Sun Rise Trading at 888-266-7096 to find out if your chainsaw model is on that recall.
kevin dierkhising
My DeWalt chainsaw from day one, leaks oil out of the fill cap when it’s not in uses, whether it’s hanging by it’s nail hole or just setting on the work bench.
Tried cleaning making sure there is no debris on the O ring. Annoying and messy.
Charles Gregory
I just lay mine on its side and it doesn’t leak that way
Brian S
I too found the 20 V dewalt chainsaw to leak oil, I do not want a chainsaw leaking oil, so I returned it.
A&P
OIL FILL CAP. Received my new saw today, went to fill oil tank, the flip up lever was found to feel like it was going to break before I got it off. I removed the whole assembly for inspection, i noted the drift pin was not centered in the lever, I took a punch and drove it in evenly curing all my worries about it. DeWalt needs either fix this issue or publish a service bulletin so that people can fix it before they break the cap lever. Note to users: It took 1.5 minutes running no load before oil started pumping (to prime). Make sure you are oiling before you make the first cut.
Mike Edwards
Thanks for the HU!
Marc
A&P,
I noticed the same thing with my brand new DCCS620. I took a different approach, because it seemed to me that the drift pin was just too short. I took a 6D Common nail and cut it to length – the entire width of the flip-up lever, and replaced the drift pin with that. The flex shown in the picture above has almost completely disappeared.
Here’s a pic of the drift pin sitting on top of the oil cap:
https://imgur.com/VBDEsFX
When my saw arrived the drift pin was inserted so one end was flush with the end of the lever and only a small amount was inserted into the other side of the lever.
I think this is a design flaw (or procurement issue). Makes no sense to make the drift pin shorter then the openings in the lever.
The other flip lever (the bar adjust locking knob) looks to have the same issue but I haven’t taken that apart yet.
Now off to try it out! Hopefully there will be some trees left when I get done.
-Marc
Mark
My chain no longer gets lubricated. I’ve tried blowing air through it and running gas through it. It doesn’t seem clogged though. I just doesn’t oil anymore.
Any suggestions?
Charles Gregory
Chain is staying on track fine but jumping on the surface that I’m trying to cut. I try to apply more down pressure and also i make sure my chian is tight and pretty sharp. (But i don’t want to be harsh on the motor) It did not do this In the beginning when i bought it new. I like it a lot but this behavior is slowing my cutting of 4x4s down considerably. Can anyone offer some good advice?
pat
I’m sending mine back for a replacement or refund. The leaking oil is absolutely a problem. Oil is all over the f-ing place. LOL! I can’t handle leaving the saw in a pan or anywhere else ALL the time, just make it leak less. or not at all ideally.
Jeff
I have owned many chainsaws in my life and still do. Have had several different brands( and not cheap ones either) I don’t believe I have ever owned one that didn’t leak some bar oil. Good luck finding one!
Wayne Christner
I have a Dewalt 20V Max and it is the most handy tool I ever had. Great for clean up of storm damage. I only have 4 Ah batteries and amazed how long they last. I was chipping a storm damage pile for a small town yesterday with my 70 hp 9″ chipper and numerous people used the saw to up trees small enough to fit in chipper. Everyone said they wanted one. 2nd battery was still going after 3.5 hours of occasional use. Mine leaks some chain oil too. I only use my gas Stihl saw for heavy cutting since I got this cordless one.
Jason Zyk
I purchased this chainsaw because I was already invested in the DeWalt 20v max system/batteries. I used the new DCB206 batteries with it and cut up a fallen water oak for my Dad over Christmas. It was about 12” in diameter and it worked like a charm, cut the whole thing up into workable logs. I am thrilled with the performance and am glad I bought it!
Michael
Flat cutting base of tree?
Step ladder and chain saw…call 911
Big Richard
In 30+ years I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone use a felling notch on a 10″ diameter tree.
And yes, step ladders and saws do not have the best track record. But this is a top handle limbing saw, it is a suitable application.
Don Thompson
In the “90s”, before I retired from teaching safety, the construction and oil refinery industries determined that 40% of all worksite accidents involved a ladder.
The obvious reality is that we can’t stop using ladders.
We simply figure out how to get the job done employing proper safety measures and equipment, then train for the hazard, and work responsibly.
Marc
OIL LEAK FIX, at least for my chainsaw as it doesnt leak at all. There’s an O-ring groove in the filler cap. Find an O-ring to fit, install and your leak may disappear or at thr least diminish.
Big Richard
With most every saw I have ever used (all brands, some cheap and some not cheap) the leak is usually not from the reservoir cap, but from the port that actually injects oil onto the bar/chain. And it does this for a very simple reason. Oil expands and contracts due to ambient temperature changes. Any oil left in the tube that feeds the bar/chain has the tendency to eventually leak out. Also, when you use your saw there is a very fine mist of oil that is being sprayed all over the bar, chain, sprocket guard, and every recess possible. As a saw sits, that oil mist is going to pool and form into larger droplets and drip out eventually.
I have a shelf in my shop dedicated to chainsaws and I put an old shop towel down underneath them. I might change out the towel every 5-10 years once it becomes too oily. Problem solved.
Mindaugas
I have same chainsaw, its second one. I have an issue with smoke. Smoke comes out from engine bay, it looks like. Anybody had same issue?
Julian
I just bought this tool and the first time I used it I got tons of smoke coming out of the engine. And now it doesn’t work. I had oil in it, followed the instructions to a T, so I don’t know what’s going on. Only cut through 3 logs and the thing is caput. Will be calling Dewalt or the dealer as soon as they open on Monday. Very disappointing. Interesting that you have had same experience. Maybe a faulty batch?
Julian
Figured this out. User error. Dewalt was very cool in replacing the tool.
John
Mine smokes.. i’m half disappointed.. i’ll look into what’s going on. I have 4 dewalt tools – the chainsaw pleases me the least so far. i’d like to figure out the cause of the smoke before i kill it. Any thoughts?
Julian
Are you pulling the black safety bar all the way toward you until it clicks? If you just pull it but not so that it clicks into place the saw will run but the brake is still on. That’s why it smokes.
Kayko The Dirt Boy
Dude thank you so much! I was wondering why mine was smoking, oiled and prepared following all instructions and going by all my previous knowledge of chainsaws – the brake lever is poorly designed for sure – but pulling all the way back (to the point that you are almost worried about the cheap plastic handle for the brake) remedied the issue. Much appreciated!
Julian
Good to hear. And glad I wasn’t the only one who made this mistake!
Michel
If i ran it (not cutting anything) with the brake on for about 5-10 secs do you think the saw is damaged and needs replacing?
I didn’t see any smoke but could smell something faintly.
Whit
There is a comment on the Amazon review that this saw will take a 14 inch bar and chain and work even better. Has anyone made this “upgrade”?
Marc
I have, and I’m happy with it. The saw hasn’t seen a lot of use but it cuts aggressively with the 14″ chain. Yes you can bog it down with too much pressure, but I’m very happy with the 14″ chain.
I also replaced the drift pin in the oil lever using a 6D common nail, so I no longer have any flex in the flip up lever when opening/closing the oil plug. Finally I added an o-ring to the oil plug to solve the leaking problem.
I’m very happy with the chain saw now and only start up my Husky when I have a large job to deal with. I will say the Husky is faster and more powerful – but the DeWalt is so much nicer to work with.
Hope this helps,
Marc
Whit
Thank you. What bar and chain did you use and where did you find them. Thank you also for the heads up on the drift pin and O ring.
Marc
I bought the “Oregon 27856 14-Inch Guide Bar and S52 Chainsaw Chain Combo”, for about $25.
Whit
That’s great. Thank you so much.
Benny Carl Leonard
I got a Dewalt 20v max chainsaw for Xmas I used it for a couple of days and noticed the bar and chain oil was all over the floor where I set it so I tuck it back to home Depot they give me on there one I brought it home put oil in it a day are 2 later I looked and there was oil all over the floor and I haven’t even used it its not coming out where it’s so post to so I called Dewalt and they said take it back to home Depot but the one I have is new never used ??
Marc
I posted previously: “OIL LEAK FIX, at least for my chainsaw as it doesnt leak at all. There’s an O-ring groove in the filler cap. Find an O-ring to fit, install and your leak may disappear or at thr least diminish.”
I believe I ordered the O-ring from Amazon: ‘uxcell Silicone O-Ring, 29mm Outside Diameter, 25.2mm Inner Diameter, 1.9mm Width, VMQ Seal Rings Sealing Gasket Red’
-Marc