Hedge Trimmer On a Pole

[MarkMac]

For years I’ve been using a cheap corded Harbor Freight $40 hedge trimmer. It tends to jam on the thicker twigs and spin the gears. Each time the gears grind, it jams a bit easier.

I’ve decided to upgrade.

I’m already bound to the Milwaukee brand, thanks to a loving wife who took me 100% literally when I asked for a Sawzall for Christmas and got me a bonafide cordless Milwaukee.


I live in Phoenix, and every spring I trim enough hedges to pack a 3-horse trailer floor to ceiling. Then I wait a year and do it again.

I’m also in my late 40s and while my back is in great shape, I definitely feel my years after a day bending over. I recently got a ‘carwash mitt on a wand’ and it was such a relief over the hand mitt, because I could stand upright and scrub my cars.


So upon looking at hedge trimmers, I see one that comes on a wand:

Versus traditional:

I’ve only ever used the traditional style. I just bend over at the waist to get low, and lift my arms overhead to get the hedges up high.

Initially I dismissed the pole trimmer because I don’t need the reach anything super high, BUT then it occured to me I could trim both high & low while keeping my back straight IF I get the pole trimmer.

The only drawback I see is the conventional trimmer will cut 1-1/4” thick and the pole is rated for 1” thick. The material I cut is under 1” thick.

I’m looking for any actual experience to prove/disprove my theory, before I just resign myself to staying conservative and getting the conventional non-pole version, since that’s all I know.

 

[ning]

I looked at the echo equivalent recently (though the echo is a lot lighter). That stick setup adds a lot of weight, though a harness may help. Given that my wife is the main hedge trimmer user (though not on hedges), I decided probably not use the pole version for now.

If I were you I'd go to a shop that carries them and pick one up, wave it around a bit, then imagine using it for an hour.

 

[mark in portugal]

I have a pole hedge cutter; it works great with a harness.
I made the harness out of a framed backpack; it has a pipe that goes from about my rib, up to just in front of my forehead, and down to the opposite rib.
You can buy similar things for a few hundred bucks.

The hedgecutter is suspended from the high hook, and you can swing it around with very little effort; it's great.
Holding the thing in the hand is ok for about 20 minutes (if you're strong). After that, it starts to hurt.

I just use it for the few spots I can't get to with my big hydraulic tractor mounted hedge cutter;

 

[sklunk]

I know you are leaning toward Milwaukee, but I have an Echo one that also articulates. I absolutely LOVE it!
Yes it adds a little weight, but overall it's not bad to handle. And the extended pole, along with the ability to articulate, makes is get to just about any spot I need.

They make a few different ones in both gas and battery so here's a general link to all their hedge trimmers:

Hedge Trimmers | ECHO

Tackle the toughest jobs with ECHO’s best-in-class, commercial-grade outdoor power equipment. Check out our Hedge Trimmers here.

www.echo-usa.com

 

[MossRoad]

For years I’ve been using a cheap corded Harbor Freight $40 hedge trimmer. It tends to jam on the thicker twigs and spin the gears. Each time the gears grind, it jams a bit easier.

I’ve decided to upgrade.

I’m already bound to the Milwaukee brand, thanks to a loving wife who took me 100% literally when I asked for a Sawzall for Christmas and got me a bonafide cordless Milwaukee.


I live in Phoenix, and every spring I trim enough hedges to pack a 3-horse trailer floor to ceiling. Then I wait a year and do it again.

I’m also in my late 40s and while my back is in great shape, I definitely feel my years after a day bending over. I recently got a ‘carwash mitt on a wand’ and it was such a relief over the hand mitt, because I could stand upright and scrub my cars.


So upon looking at hedge trimmers, I see one that comes on a wand:

View attachment 5017704

Versus traditional:
View attachment 5017705


I’ve only ever used the traditional style. I just bend over at the waist to get low, and lift my arms overhead to get the hedges up high.

Initially I dismissed the pole trimmer because I don’t need the reach anything super high, BUT then it occured to me I could trim both high & low while keeping my back straight IF I get the pole trimmer.

The only drawback I see is the conventional trimmer will cut 1-1/4” thick and the pole is rated for 1” thick. The material I cut is under 1” thick.

I’m looking for any actual experience to prove/disprove my theory, before I just resign myself to staying conservative and getting the conventional non-pole version, since that’s all I know.

We have a few tall ornamental trees and shrubs that need annual trimming, sometimes more. I bought this attachment for my gas pole saw/weed eater. Works great on the stuff over my shoulders. Same principle as what you're looking at, but longer reach.

So just remember that for waist-high stuff and down low, you're going to have some weight cantilevered out in front of you. You may get tired of that as holding weight, even small weight, out in front of you puts leverage on your back VS holding it closer to your body. Where it really shines is stuff over shoulder height.

So I use a conventional electric hedge trimmer(what I have) for the low stuff, and the angling extension hedge trimmer on the pole saw/weed eater for the high stuff.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have had the best experience with the Ryobi 40-volt system. Get the one that uses the Expand-It group of attachments. Kids now have it as I hire such stuff out now, Old Age creeping up. Equip the line trimmer attachment with the aftermarket plastic blades head and/or the head with the short trimmer line pieces. I had both. Quit fighting the tap-it spool system.

Ryobi also has a companion power head for their 18-volt system.

Ron

 

[MarkMac]

I have a pole hedge cutter; it works great with a harness.
I made the harness out of a framed backpack; it has a pipe that goes from about my rib, up to just in front of my forehead, and down to the opposite rib.
You can buy similar things for a few hundred bucks.

The hedgecutter is suspended from the high hook, and you can swing it around with very little effort; it's great.
Holding the thing in the hand is ok for about 20 minutes (if you're strong). After that, it starts to hurt.

I just use it for the few spots I can't get to with my big hydraulic tractor mounted hedge cutter;

I’m trimming basic shrubs & hedges man, not rain forests and streets full of liberal rioters. That setup is super cool though!!

 

[RayIN]

This is the easy way.

Redneck hedge trimmer.

I have a corded Sears hedge trimmer with a 24" blade, the motor pivots at 45°, 90°, and 0° to the blade. i actually enjoy trimming our shrubs and hedges, it's so easy to handle. I'm just slower to get the job done @ 83.

 

[1 Old Man]

I have a DeWalt pole saw/hedge trimmer. Much prefer the pole hedge trimmer
to any corded unit. Surprising how long the battery will last. Take it anywhere.
Yes, use it for a couple of hours and you'll feel it the next day. But it's worth the
small soreness for the amount of work you can get done. I use the 8" chainsaw for
small limbs, hedge trimmer head for clearing trails etc. There is another section
to extend the length of the pole.....I don't use it because it is too unwieldy and
difficult to control easily. The base pole unit and trimmer head work fine for my uses.
Forget the corded unit. Get the battery pole hedge trimmer.

 

[dj1701]

I got this unit and could not be happier.

HLA 66 Battery Powered extended-reach Hedge Trimmer | STIHL

<p>The HLA 66 extended-reach hedge trimmer provides the STIHL power and performance pros demand—all with the green benefits of battery power. Quiet operation allows you to work earlier in the morning and later in the evening, as well as tackle jobs in noise-sensitive locations. Its 115-degree...

www.stihlusa.com

I already have the weed trimmer and batteries so It made sense. I trim the bushes around the house, but the tall grass and shrubs around the pond is where she earns her strips.

 

[bdhsfz6]

For years I’ve been using a cheap corded Harbor Freight $40 hedge trimmer. It tends to jam on the thicker twigs and spin the gears. Each time the gears grind, it jams a bit easier.

I’ve decided to upgrade.

I’m already bound to the Milwaukee brand, thanks to a loving wife who took me 100% literally when I asked for a Sawzall for Christmas and got me a bonafide cordless Milwaukee.


I live in Phoenix, and every spring I trim enough hedges to pack a 3-horse trailer floor to ceiling. Then I wait a year and do it again.

I’m also in my late 40s and while my back is in great shape, I definitely feel my years after a day bending over. I recently got a ‘carwash mitt on a wand’ and it was such a relief over the hand mitt, because I could stand upright and scrub my cars.


So upon looking at hedge trimmers, I see one that comes on a wand:

View attachment 5017704

Versus traditional:
View attachment 5017705


I’ve only ever used the traditional style. I just bend over at the waist to get low, and lift my arms overhead to get the hedges up high.

Initially I dismissed the pole trimmer because I don’t need the reach anything super high, BUT then it occured to me I could trim both high & low while keeping my back straight IF I get the pole trimmer.

The only drawback I see is the conventional trimmer will cut 1-1/4” thick and the pole is rated for 1” thick. The material I cut is under 1” thick.

I’m looking for any actual experience to prove/disprove my theory, before I just resign myself to staying conservative and getting the conventional non-pole version, since that’s all I know.

I have the DeWalt version of that tool and bought it for the exact same reason.
Go for it. You won't regret it.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I too use the dewalt pole saw. When fully deployed it says its about 12 ft I think it was. I remove one section of pole and use it on the ground on the farm. I'd bet Milwaukee has a similar version. I don;t have an electric chain saw but been thinking about it lately.

 

[anomad]

I too use the dewalt pole saw. When fully deployed it says its about 12 ft I think it was. I remove one section of pole and use it on the ground on the farm. I'd bet Milwaukee has a similar version. I don;t have an electric chain saw but been thinking about it lately.

My sister has the DeWalt 20 volt chainsaw. It is super handy for small jobs. I like it a lot. Just don't expect it to bore cut like a 60cc pro saw - LOL.

I was gifted a gas hedge trimmer on a pole that my neighbor could never get started when new. I haven't tore into it yet, but I did see the spark plug boot wasn't fully seated. Hoping it is that easy. Thinking it will be less annoying than a weed eater?

 

[Oldgoat03]

For years I’ve been using a cheap corded Harbor Freight $40 hedge trimmer. It tends to jam on the thicker twigs and spin the gears. Each time the gears grind, it jams a bit easier.

I’ve decided to upgrade.

I’m already bound to the Milwaukee brand, thanks to a loving wife who took me 100% literally when I asked for a Sawzall for Christmas and got me a bonafide cordless Milwaukee.


I live in Phoenix, and every spring I trim enough hedges to pack a 3-horse trailer floor to ceiling. Then I wait a year and do it again.

I’m also in my late 40s and while my back is in great shape, I definitely feel my years after a day bending over. I recently got a ‘carwash mitt on a wand’ and it was such a relief over the hand mitt, because I could stand upright and scrub my cars.


So upon looking at hedge trimmers, I see one that comes on a wand:

View attachment 5017704

Versus traditional:
View attachment 5017705


I’ve only ever used the traditional style. I just bend over at the waist to get low, and lift my arms overhead to get the hedges up high.

Initially I dismissed the pole trimmer because I don’t need the reach anything super high, BUT then it occured to me I could trim both high & low while keeping my back straight IF I get the pole trimmer.

The only drawback I see is the conventional trimmer will cut 1-1/4” thick and the pole is rated for 1” thick. The material I cut is under 1” thick.

I’m looking for any actual experience to prove/disprove my theory, before I just resign myself to staying conservative and getting the conventional non-pole version, since that’s all I know.

MarkMac

I am in the same situation. I am committed to Milwaukee and have both Milwaukee hedge trimming tools. As mentioned both have their strengths and drawbacks. The standard (short) trimmer is much lighter and easy to use. If I could only buy one, had tall stuff to trim, I’d get the pole trimmer and use the extensions as needed. With extensions it becomes heavy even with the included harness. That said the pole trimmer is built strong and is very capable (hence the weight).

I bought the standard first then later got the pole version. If I were to buy again I’d do it the other way around. The pole trimmer is more spendy. Once you have the pole trimmer the standard trimmer is relatively inexpensive to buy “bare tool”.

Hope this helps

 

[rgr33]

I have both the DeWalt cordless pole saw, and the Milwaukee pole saw. Forgive me DeWalt fans, but the DeWalt has too much plastic in the cutting bar, as well as too much slop at the blade. Having said that, it does an excellent job doing lighter duty yard work, very sharp blades that hold up well with continued use

The Milwaukee is built more robust, with tighter adjustment mechanism, and more metal in the cutter end.I use the Milwaukee for the really tough trimming jobs, which are numerous here, and it has been put through the ringer every summer here, and is holding up well.
It is heavier than the DeWalt, and after a couple of hours of hard work, there is more fatigue, but it is not unbearable.

I do a lot of this kind of work each year, because I like a well cared for yard and orchard, my advice is for best results, go with cordless Ego, Stihl, Milwaukee, avoid gas trimmers if you can. I have phased most gas tools out here, excepting tractors and utv

 

[John Joseph McVeigh]

I got this unit and could not be happier.

HLA 66 Battery Powered extended-reach Hedge Trimmer | STIHL

<p>The HLA 66 extended-reach hedge trimmer provides the STIHL power and performance pros demand—all with the green benefits of battery power. Quiet operation allows you to work earlier in the morning and later in the evening, as well as tackle jobs in noise-sensitive locations. Its 115-degree...

www.stihlusa.com

I already have the weed trimmer and batteries so It made sense. I trim the bushes around the house, but the tall grass and shrubs around the pond is where she earns her strips.

I also have a Stihl hedge trimmer… in my case, it is a Model HLA-86.

I second your recommendation as regards Stihl hedge trimmers.

I have found the HLA-86 to be a great unit, not only for trimming small-diameter tree branches and shrubs, but also for cutting close to the ground the very invasive Stilt Grass that makes its appearance in late Summer.

I use a harness with the Stihl when cantilevering the cutting head.

I already had two Stihl chain saws, and a hand-held blower, each of which uses the family of batteries that the Model HLA-86 uses. So, I already had several of the required batteries, as well as the 500-Watt battery charger needed to recharge the batteries. This made the HLA-86 a natural fit.

I believe that the major difference between the HLA-66 that you have and the HLA-86 that I have is that the HLA-86 has an adjustable length of between 8.5 feet and ~ 11 feet, while the HLA-66 has a fixed length of ~ 7 feet.

 

[wtstarters]

I have the Milwaukee pole version. I have several attachments, Chainsaw,String Trimmer,Brush Cutter,Edger, & Hedge cutter. It used on 1/4mile of irrigation ditch with Elm trees,grass,weeds,brush,willows & volunteer Elms. I give out usually before the 9Ah battery. Amazing how much it will do on a charge.

 

[rumwrks]

I have the echo on a pole version.. wasn't sure I'd like it.. This was moving up from an ancient corded monstrosity that worked well enough at the town house but not so much here.. But the extra reach is actually really nice to have. I can easily get to the taller/deeper stuff and don't have to bend over to trim the shorter stuff like the boxwoods (which are ever so slooooowly hedging up).

 

[MarkMac]

I ended up buying the Milwaukee articulating head/handle pole trimmer.

It was almost $500, so not cheap.

Versus landscaping with my $40 Harbor Freight hedge trimmer, it was insane.

The little HF jams-up or stalls out on thicker material. The Milwaukee pole hedge trimmer blasts through everything. It’ll saw a 2” branch if you’re committed and go too/bottom. I cut back a half-acre of desert shrubs & trees, and my wife’s rose garden in 45 minutes… which previously took 4-5 hours with the corded HF and pruning shears.

The pole trimmer can be wielded like a melee weapon, and it slays mexican bird of paradise, palo verdes, overgrown rose gardens, shrubs and hedges. It’s heavy and a strain to use. You don’t want to hold it unless you are using it. It kind of begs you to wield it like a weapon in a melee fight. I lose some precision, but made up a lot of time.

Also, the pole lets me stand back and avoid a lot of thorns.

Overall I’m very happy.

 

[rumwrks]

It kind of begs you to wield it like a weapon in a melee fight. I lose some precision, but made up a lot of time.

Also, the pole lets me stand back and avoid a lot of thorns

Yeah, the thorn avoidance factor is actually huge. I foolishly didn't realize that until this fall when I had to clear some blackberries around the one bridge and boy was that more pleasant than the alternatives I've used hah.

The melee weapon description is very apt.