i was using mine today while on mountain bike to clear some trails, i came to a tree about 14" diameter and i buried the bar on both sides and it did the cut in about 3 minutes and 1/4 of battery power. this saw will be with my every time i go on side by side!! one of my most impressive tools
@@DoresoomReviews as long as your not forcing the tool, with the electrics you don't get the chain speed of fly wheel inertia to power though a tough spot or an aggressive cut from re positing the saw. you really need to cut in a different manner with battery chain saws. once i got it figured out i get good results with my M18 and now M12 chainsaw
I did a little commercial tree pruning 25 years back in my younger days using loppers.It was very hard work.Some guys did use small chainsaws but they are just as hard a work,you don't get that much more work done and were very dangerous.This battery saw would be a god send for commercial pruning!!!!
This is a great option for a car camping/emergency saw. Could process a lot of dead-fall firewood with this. With a 12v car or solar charger you could recharge a couple batteries and get a lot of cuts. Sure would beat cutting up branches with a regular hatchet or axe.
Thank you for comparing the different Milwaukee saws. I have a palm tree trimming business and have been looking for a something that lasts for what I’m cutting. Such a useful video man. Thank you.
I have a dozen palm trees lining my yard. I have used small chainsaws, sawzall and M18 fuel hackzall. I prefer the m18 fuel hackzall for triming palm and palmetto limbs, it seams to be cleaner, faster and more accurate.
This tool looks like exactly what I need. One thing I've found is the sawz-all works great for limbs on the tree, it sucks trying to hold the saw and the branch when just trying to cut them up a couple times so they fit in the back of the truck. I've also had bad results from dedicated pruning blades, I just get a couple carbide tip Diablo blades and it powers through.
Great review! Thanks! Needing a small chainsaw to go in my Jeep while off-roading. This is one of the top candidates. BUT my other Jeep kit power tools are either dewalt or kobalt. The Milwaukee usually stay at the house. But man this one would be great for an off roading kit.
@@isozero7265 to see how it compares to the current Milwaukee chainsaw I have and if I would have use for it compared to what I'm doing now for small stuff. I hopeful for a 12" top handle chainsaw with a battery. Someone will make it in the future.
Used the M12 hackzaw with pruning blade since it came out. Was convenient but slow.I put the under performance down to the short stroke length. This chainsaw is night & day.
Would have killed for one of these in my many times a year camping days, my how tools have come along. I scored the full kit for $140 brand new on Craigslist. I’ve been snapping up most of my Handyman/Lawn biz tools on there it beats the high retail costs and allows me to get more tools. I’m a milwaukee person for sure and this Hatchet is a winner just like most of their other tools. Thanks for this review!
I have the M12 Fuel Hackzall with a 9" pruning blade. It sucks for pruning as the back and forth ends up just shaking the limb and little cutting action happens. I much prefer a manual Japanese Silky saw for occasional pruning. Where the Hackzall did work well was in cutting smaller stumps down to soil level, and even below. But... the Hackzall chews through batteries like nothing and overheats quick-fast.
I just used mine to knoch out 4x4s so 2x4s would sidt flush. Fast and dirty. The sign covers any blow out on the edges. I built a frame for a temporary 4x8 road sign. I will use that same method again.
Thanks again for another great review! I can see tons of uses for this especially is you have a orchard and/or fruit trees in your backyard (lots of annual trimming is necessary). Couple questions: 1. What size battery were you using for your 126 cuts? 2. Is the bar chain propriatary or are there third party/OEM bar chain brands that fit this chain length 3. What is the weight on this with and without battery? 4. What is the RPM speed on this vs. the M18 chainsaw Personally I would have rather they make this a M18 tool. That would allowed the tool to have more power (i.e. less stalling) and use a larger Ah battery if additional use time is needed for larger pruning jobs. It would also allow you to easily change the battery from the standard chainsaw to the pruning saw since they use the same battery platform. Also, it would be great if you could include the Milwaukee tool part number in your review titles (makes it easier to cut & paste the tool part number into google to immediately do some price comparisons after watching your review)
I used a 4Ah battery. The chain is an Oregon brand chain. Not sure about the bar. It's just under 5 lbs with it installed, but I haven't measured it bare tool. Chain speed is 5 m/s with the M12, 12.7 m/s with the M18. Those numbers match up nicely with the speed test I did too.
The M12 hacksaw is excellent for drywall and small carpentry projects, but it struggles with metal and other sawzall duties. FIts the "better than nothing" bill perfectly.
For this kind of work I like the Black and Decker Alligator Lopper. It has two metal jaws and a chain bar between. Unfortunately it is corded, but the form factor is great for cutting 4" branches (and even a bit bigger). The jaws grip the branch while it cuts so you don’t have to be as careful positioning and holding it. It seems faster and safer than a chainsaw for this kind of work. If someone makes a cordless version of this I would be tempted.
I have both, but the alligator has two fairly significant downsides. Firstly, the design often restricts access to cut where you want. Other branches get in the way. Secondly, it's heavy. I tire far quicker using the Alligator.
Great review. Thanks. However, I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has used the Hatchet for a while. I have had two breakdown after a very short period of time - less than the life of a 6Ah battery. And it was the same issue with both. Very disappointing. What was even more disappointing was that Milwaukee has failed to let me know what was wrong with it. If it is something inherently wrong with the mechanism then they should withdraw the Hatchet from sale.
I've probably cut enough to drain the oil reservoir 4 times, which is about 4 full charges of a 4Ah battery. No problems so far. But man, two dying that fast is definitely a problem! Hopefully the figure out the root cause.
@@DoresoomReviewsThanks for your reply. I have now received my third Hatchet and only after an even shorter period of time I have to return it. Same issue as the first two. I am now convinced there is an inherent problem with this machine. It is not fit for purpose.
Oh thank you for posting this. I'm a bit older now & 5' with not so strong arms now & the larger chainsaws I cannot hold up so this little 6" is perfect. This video how to helps me so again thanks for posting.
Looks to work pretty well-better than I would have expected from a 12v power source. But with a fresh blade and a 9ah battery, I think my Ryobi recip could keep up with it for far less money. Good review as usual.
Yeah, I think most 18V class reciprocating saws with a stroke length of >1" will at least be able to perform in the same ballpark of it. Benefits of the chainsaw are one handed operation, and less vibration. Of course, a recip wins in the versatility category.
Coming from Ryobi brushless tools. I sold them and upgraded to Milwaukee m12 fuel for lighter weight and better performance. I have to say this little hatchet is awesome for its intended purpose and no ryobi sawzall I owned, brushed or brushless would cut as fast, using even Diablo demo blades. You’d have to buy a Milwaukee super sawzall to cut as fast or faster, and even then it might not even beat it. The weight and compact size alone make this a go to for pruning, not to mention its a lot more refined with cutting, sawzall is difficult to use for pruning small branches and the reciprocating part makes some cuts challenging. If you are trimming limbs and need one handed operation, an 18v bulky traditional style sawzall is not the best option.
Phil..a brushless Ryobi reciprocating saw and 9ah would cost more then this kit I think. It boils down to what platform someone is on I think as far as appeal. $249 for this hatchet kit with battery/charger.
I have the sawsall too. There's NO comparison between these two. NONE! I had some doubts about this hatchet saw, until I bought one. If nothing else, carry it in your car, and hope a car-jacker comes along. Anyway, this is a game changer.
I'm torn between buying the pruning type saw (this Milwaukee or Stihl GTA 26), or a small top handle chainsaw from Makita.. Pruning saw it more convenient, lighter, and better for one hand use while the Makita 18V top handle is more powerful with a longer run time. And although Makita is more expensive, you can use the regular 18V battery from other tools while I don't have any tools or batteries that use the M12 Fuel or Stihl's 10,8 V..
That's a tough choice. I'd probably get the Makita if I were you since you already have their batteries. But if you're planning on only cutting about a 4Ah battery worth at a time, the M12 kit could be more of an attractive option. Plus, the M12 system has a bunch of great tools in it!
Leather face would really love this portable handsaw. That big chainsaw was to heavy for him to be running around chasing people all over texas. This one is nice a portable. Very nice.
Just got mine today. First problem I encountered was the battery charger blinking red and green, with or without battery inserted. After inserting the battery it still blinks red and green. Not sure what that means as the written instructions do not mention the lights. After I inserted the battery into the saw body I’ve discovered I can’t get the battery out of the saw body. Again no mention of this process in the written instructions. I found no hidden release for the battery. Stumped. Any ideas?
The charger blinking red and green with a battery inserted indicates a bad battery. But if it's still blinking without a battery, it may be a bad charger. As for removing the battery, squeeze the flexible tabs on the side and pull. The 4Ah batteries can be exceptionally difficult to remove from tools.
I purchased one yesterday, installed as per the Instr Book, chain full tight. But when I used to day to cut some branches, the equip is heavily vibrating and unable cut it sharply. the blade is skidding and skipping from the groove. Any tips ?
Make sure the charger is plugged into a good outlet and make sure the battery is all the way seated in the charger. If you still get flashing red and green, then you've got a bad battery. In that case return it to the store for a new one if you just bought it.
I know its slower but a cordless recip with diablo 9 or 12" carbide pruning blade has better cut capacity. The blades are beast in my ridgid octane recip in orbital mode.
It totally makes sense to use a pruning blade with a reciprocating saw if you already have one. I'd say you'd only really need this M12 chainsaw if you're doing a lot of pruning.
Has anyone cut a 7 or 8 inch trunk by making multiple cuts around the circumference gradually until the blade meets in the center of the trunk? Also will cutting through wet/live trunks damage the blade?
Another commenter said they cut down a tree that was twice the bar length. Obviously this tool isn't meant for that purpose, but it will do in a pinch. Also chainsaws are made to cut through green wood, don't worry about that.
I'm confused if you're asking about the M12 chainsaw or the M18 chainsaw? Either way, it's not going to be measurable by time. A better estimate is number of branches cut, which Milwaukee specifies.
Any thoughts on this vs. the brushless Milwaukee M18 hackzall (2719-20)? The M18 version of the hackzall gets pretty decent reviews across the internet. I know in this video you used the brushed M12 hackzall (2420-20) and it obviously has less power and more vibration vs. the newer M18 fuel hackzall. The hatchet definitely lends itself to outdoor pruning, but with the M18 hackzall it provides you with a lot more versitility and is compatible with a lot more cutting materials vs. the hatchet. Also Milwaukee just released new AX with Carbide Teeth for Pruning Clean Wood sawzall blades which can be used to cut into the ground and cut tree roots which helps to remove tree stumps (which you absolutely can not do with this hatchet tool). Not to mention the M18 fuel hackzall is cheaper. I've seen people performing trimming with the M18 fuel hackzall so I was wondering what your thoughts on that were. Thanks for the feedback!
I haven't used the M18 Hackzall myself, but if I already had it, I think it would be difficult to justify this M12 chainsaw too. Unless you do a huge amount of pruning the M18 Hackzall will just be way more versatile like you mentioned. It will be slower than the chainsaw though, since the stroke length on the M18 Hackzall is 7/8" and the stroke length on the M18 Sawzall I used in the video is 1-1/8", both at 3000 SPM.
@@DoresoomReviews Just make sure to get the bigger M18 hackzall, they make a 3/4" stroke model also. smithmal said it right, the hackzall does the pruning and so much more very well. I also have the 16" chainsaw which works so well two friends used mine and immediately had to get one themselves.
I love buying new Milwaukee tools, but I think I'll wait and see if they bring out an M18 version of this. I have both the brushless M12 Hackzall and the brushless M18 Hackzall which I use for pruning trees all the time and the M18 is light-years ahead of the M12 and is one of my favorite Milwaukee tools. An M18 version of this would rock with a spare chain along with me!
The problem with trying to use the Hackzall as a pruning tool is that you need to be able to clear the chips, and a reciprocating saw does that very poorly. The blade might be just as long, but if teeth can’t get clear of material the saw will just stop cutting. It does great fast work, but can’t clear chips like the Hatchet.
My M18 battery only last for 6 minutes with the weed trimmer at full speed. I noticed that you were cutting continuously and got a lot out of your battery. I wonder if you are not being supported by Milwaukee to make infomercials on RU-vid?
LOL, if you don't trust me that's not my problem. I did receive this tool from Milwaukee, as stated in the video description. I never do paid reviews. Lots of manufacturers send me tools to review, but that doesn't change the way I review them. Go watch my Kreg 720PRO review and come back and apologize for calling me a liar. Kreg has sent me tools in the past, but it's quite possible they never will again after that one.
@@DoresoomReviews I will put down NO. I don't trust you and why should I? It's the internet, where credibility of Zilch nowadays. I'm just saying that the battery on my M18 Milwaukee only lasted 6 minutes at full speed. Do the math with a tool that takes more torque and power.
They're two completely different tools, on different battery platforms. You're making two leaps here and arriving at the conclusion I must be lying before realizing you could have made an apples to oranges comparison. Why don't you go watch some other reviews on this M12 chainsaw if you think I'm a liar? You'll see they all claim similar runtime. Milwaukee's own claim is 120 cuts in 3" hardwood for a 4Ah.
I never really got the point of this thing I can do way more with their newest m18 sawzal its also not as dangerous and doesn't require oil or maintenance other than keep it clean and battery lasts a lot longer
@@DoresoomReviews I’ve been fighting with changing out my battery. Next to impossible. Love the performance off the tool though. Thanks for a great review.
Leaking/draining, whatever you want to call it. Some chainsaws are worse than others. This one isn't too bad. The Ryobi brushless still leaves a puddle after sitting idle for months.
My wife got it for me as a gift a few years ago when I worked at NASA. I think it was a bootleg design without official licensing though, because when I went to check out the store and see if they had other cool designs, it was shut down.
You can see it held its own against the M18 sawzall in the video. It's lighter and has less vibration than the sawzall, and can be used one-handed. But you can only use it in clean wood, and the sawzall is way more versatile. So if you're doing a lot of pruning it's worth it. If you just do the occasional storm clean up, you might want to stick with the sawzall.
It will be labelled "bar oil". I'd also recommend watching a chainsaw usage basics video for how to use one safely. The Essential Craftsman has a great one: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kzuijFHquQk.html
The Milwaukee is $180 bare tool, $250 for the kit. Are you talking about all the cheap 4" bar knockoff brands on Amazon? I have a strong feeling you'll get what you pay for with those.
Yeah, some of it's just left over oil from the chain anyway. Every chainsaw I've ever used leaves oil behind to some degree, but this one isn't as bad as most about it.
The motor is plenty strong to handle a chain that wide. The gauge on the M12 bar is 0.043", same as the Stihl MS120c. Any smaller and you're in non-standard gauges and the cost of replacement chains will go way up.