I'm small, about 5'2", 115 pounds, and have back problems. I also have an eighth of a mile long driveway across which trees fall every winter. I could really use a lightweight chain saw to clear the light stuff--7-9 inch redwood branches, 12-14 inch tan oaks and redwoods. I also have two sons who are 18 and 14 who could help. I could ask someone around here to teach us chain saw safety. I've used a chainsaw myself in the past (20 years ago).

Can anyone recommend a low maintenance--simple but sturdy--Light Weight chainsaw that would cut through oak and redwood trees that range up to about 12 inches in diameter? I have bigger trees than that fall, but I'm happy to leave those to the professionals...

Safer for relative novices would be good. I know they are dangerous... But I didn't like being trapped last week for two days waiting for someone to cut a few little trees. Took him half an hour.
Thanks!

This is your place for a great saw. STIHL Power tools Your other option is to use an electric chain saw powered off an inverter attached to your car battery. The electric will be lighter,safer but I wound not put it in your sons' hand until they have had some training.

Totally agree. I got a major finger cut that I took care of by myself when I was about 14-15, so I know first hand the dangers. No ill efects except I know what not to do.
Boils down to a few things.

1) Sharp chain
2. Position saw to avoid kickback
3) Know how to position work to be cut.
4) Safety equipment
5) Be careful what and who is around you
6) Keep chain lubercated

For startrers.

Forgot to add that you should wear leather gloves, long pants, hard shoes, eye and hearing protection with both types of saws. An electric saw would run less than $100 and inverters are pretty cheap for this application, $20. A good Stihl will run you more than twice that amount but they are pretty much top of the line for homeowners.

Try the Stihl MS series. You can get them in the small to moderate size, have a great reliable tool that will work when you need it. And I suggest using the highest grade fuel available and only use stihl bar and chain oil and stihl fuel mixture oil for long life.

Just some feedback here.

It turns out I cannot run a chainsaw off an inverter in my car. I got a Stihl MS electric chainsaw, which I used around the house this summer. But I have a tree down today across my driveway a few hundred yards away and down a steep hill, so I need to go buy a portable generator to power the Stihl. This partly defeats the purpose of having a light chainsaw, since I will have to lug the generator to the tree.

I can't find the specs of the saw, but you would need an inverter that is sized at least about 1.5 * (Full load amps) * 120. A factor of 2 would be better.

Do you have any specs for the saw like full load amps, volts, VA, peak HP, or hourspower?

What is the VA rating for your inverter?

Thanks for taking an interest, KISS. The saw is 120V and 15 Amps, 1800 watts. Probably this one: MSE 180 C-BQ Electric Chain Saw – STIHL USA

The inverter: I just went out to the car to get the inverter, which is parked some distance out in the woods, on account of I still can't get up my driveway because my kids and I were hesitant to use an electric chain saw on the tree in the rain. (Bad idea, right?) The inverter is 115V, 350 watts, peak power, 700 W, obviously not enough. But also: (1) when I tried to run a leaf blower off the car last week, it immediately blew a fuse in the car, not in the inverter, so I assumed the weak link was in the car. And (2) everybody I asked about this said it could not be done, including the guy who sold me the chainsaw, who, admittedly, also wanted to sell me the generator.

So is there a way? :)

I was told the car's alternator doesn't generate enough power.

Let's look a few things realisticly:

One operating a power tool from an inverter from a car is an isolated power source. Ground is insulated by the tires of the car. The likeliness of getting shocked is almost nil.

The next part of reality is the 1800 W is a peak power and not what it would draw at all times.

The next part of reality concerns the lighter socket. This is fused at probably 15 Amps an probably has some other stuff attached to it. Since P=VI then the max power that can be taken from the lighter is about 12 V * 15 A which equals about 180 W. Then there is an efficiency factor of maybe 0.8 so therefore it's even less. 0.8 * 180 W. So, the lighter socket won't cut it.

The inverter must be connected to the battery directly. To look at the requirements of 1800W say at 90% efficient. This is about 2000 W. Again using P=VI we find that the current needed at 12V is 2000 W/12 V or about 166 AMPS.
Yes 166 Amps. The battery can deliver this for short periods.
Let's say the car has a 60 Amp alternator, so therfore you can deliver 60 A * 12 V or 720 Watts continuously.

Again remember that you are not operating the chain saw continuously at full load.

Here is just one example of a 2000 Watt inverter: Vector 2000 Watt Power Inverter VEC054D

It would work for you.

There are basically 3 types of inverters:
1) square wave - not recommended for anything
2) Modified sine wave
3) Sine wave- The most expensive and EXPENSIVE.

The power that you require will need the inverter to be connected to the battery and the car would have to be running.

Direct battery connection can be done with clips. Side terminal batteries can be a problem. Car stereo installers have available ways of tapping the battery connections with very high current fuses.

The battery connections must be made with the inverter off.

I have an electric chainsaw, but I use it rarely or trimming large tree branches. Usually no more than 4" in diameter.

Does everything make sense?

Everything makes sense.
Thanks for taking the time to explain all this.