Yardworks 7.5A 2-in-1 Electric Chainsaw and Polesaw

The yardworks electric Chainsaw has been a great purchase. No problems with power, and can handle some big trees!

I've had this saw for a bout a year after my nephew told me about the great price. I used around my yard for pruning. It appeared to work OK. chain jumped off a number of times, which is a royal pain, especially when you're standing on a ladder pruning some top branches. Now for the bad news. I thought the chain had jumped when I was cutting a small branch (about 2" thick). Climbed down and took the cover off and found that the sprocket was gone from the drive shaft. Unfortunately it fell into a great deal of leaf mulch under the trees and has not been found. I surmise that the little snap ring holding this sprocket in place broke or fell off and the sprocket came off the drive shaft and slide out of the cover. I have several other chain saws (bigger and heavier) and know what the inside of a saw looks like. I have never had this happen with my larger saws.

The pole is excellent once properly installed, so I leave that way. Remove the huge sponge from the bar oil reservoir and do not put it back in. Even when sponge is removed it takes a while to get enough bar oil into the reservoir. If starting after a rest there may be heavy chain-spray. Although it cuts well with low bar oil too, so only needs topping up once completely empty. It cradles into where you want to cut and makes cutting less awkward. It also works in other positions, upside down and on its side, without spilling oil (even with the sponge removed). This unit is top-heavy due to the compromises in making it a 2-in-1. I would prefer a harness and its weight balanced with a more powerful motor below, a transmission shaft through a longer pole with a (perhaps longer) bar at the top on an articulating mount. But this motor is powerful enough, just let it cut at its own pace. Then be sure to brace yourself when the pole is all that supports the chainsaw once the cut is complete. Make more cuts to have less weight at the final triple-cut pruning at the branch collar. This is safer as cutting can happen on another tree, away from where the ladder is set up. Also the ladder does not need to go as high, nor need to be climbed as high. Since only this chainsaw and pole need to get to the cut instead of a chainsaw and person it is also less constrictive. I still use two other electric chainsaws for longer bar with more powerful cutting and the other for tricky bucking near dirt. This like all electric chainsaws cost less at purchase, have lower operating expenses, are quieter, and do not stink like gas chainsaws.

There are several problems with this design. 1)The saw is too heavy for effective use as a pole saw at full extension. 2)It disengages very easily from the pole. The locking design isn't secure enough for a real-life cutting job. 3)Filling the chainoil reservoir takes for ever 4)Mine stopped functioning on the pole after very few jobs. Not wanting to do battle with CT's or Yardworks' notorious customer service departments, I took it apart myself and found a switch wire had broken within its sheath. Poor quality control. I realise it's hard to design a pole saw that's light and yet sturdy enough for rugged outdoor use, but this one doesn't cut it.

I bought this saw to do some trimming around the yard. Works great! It is light enough to use the extension handle easily. Has more cutting ability than I expected for a little electric saw!