Chain Saw vs. Hedge Trimmer

Chain saws are versatile tools, and more people are likely to have one in their tool shed than a hedge trimmer, which is more specialized. You wouldn't think of trying to fell a tree with a hedge trimmer, but many people reach for a chain saw to trim small branches, which is a job for a hedge trimmer. Hedge trimmers can't handle all trimming jobs, but trimming with a chain saw can be both ineffective and dangerous. Always wear proper eye protection when operating either machine.

Chain saws and hedge trimmers both have bars, and both can be either electric- or gas-powered, but that's about a close as they come to being similar. The cutting action of a chain saw is like that of a band saw -- the teeth travel around the bar and rip through material as they pass by. The cutting action of a hedge cutter, on the other hand, is that of a reciprocating saw. The blade oscillates back and forth, and it cuts anything small enough to fit inside one the of the notches on the bar.

Chain saws are designed to cut tree trunks and branches. Saws come with bars as long as 48 inches and more that can reach all the way through the trunk of a large tree. Without a chain saw, the only way to fell a tree would be to use an ax or a long hand saw. The job of the hedge trimmer, on the other hand, is to shape hedges and shrubs by trimming the ends from small branches so you don't have to do it with clippers or pruning shears. Hedge trimmers correspondingly have considerably less power than chain saws.

A hedge trimmer can't do the job of a chain saw, but the reverse isn't true. Because it has a bar and plenty of cutting power, a chain saw can easily cut through small branches. Although you're likely to have some success if you use a chain saw for hedge trimming, you're also likely to be frustrated when the saw merely pushes branches to the side instead of cutting them. Small branches can also be dangerous when they get caught in the chain. They can interfere with its motion and may even make the saw kickback, which is extremely dangerous for the operator.

Any branches that won't fit in the notches of a hedge trimmer are too large for the tool to cut. For a typical gas-powered hedge trimmer, that's from 1/2 to 1 inch. If you need to trim a large shrub or clear a pile of brush with a predominance of large branches that your hedge trimmer can't handle, the proper tool for the job is a brush cutter or forest-clearing saw. It consists of a circular saw on the end of a long shaft. The shaft keeps the tool well away from the operator, and the 9-inch blade easily cuts through branches up to 4 inches in diameter.