Maffei, 33, was only in the 11th grade when the 1991 hurricane hit, but he used the opportunity to start a landscaping business, cleaning up yards and cutting down trees. “I got a real baptism in chain saws that week,” said Maffei, owner of Maffei Landscape Contractors on Cape Cod, which has more than 100 employees and can deploy more than 50 chain saws.

“It is a great utilitarian tool, but you have to know what you’re doing,” Maffei said.

Top chainsaw brands include Husqvarna and Stihl. Expect to pay $200-$350 for “power” models; lighter-duty models are $150-$250.

“The chain saw is the most dangerous piece of equipment we use on a day-to-day basis, and we treat it with great respect,” he said.

Chainsaw Details

• Size: Standard chain saw bar lengths for homeowner use are 14, 16, 18, and 20 inches. A saw with a 16-inch bar can cut through twice the bar’s length, or a 32-inch log.
• Chains: When replacing a chain, the chain gauge is the thickness of the chain, which fits into the bar’s groove, while the chain pitch, usually 3/8 inch, is the spacing of the rivets on the chain.
• Safety: Always use safety equipment with chainsaws, which can include eye and ear protection and heavy work gloves. Cut-resistant “chaps” have fibers that release at a saw’s impact and clog up the chain to stop it from cutting through skin.