Hydraulic limb saw project.

[2manyrocks]

Whole thing is interesting from the viewpoint that there are all these tree cutting services that rely on a bucket truck and a man in the bucket using a hydraulic powered polesaw. If you could come up with something that did the same job without having to raise a person 40' in the air, that could be a major cost saver.

 

[charles todd]

That looks awkward AF...

CT

 

[D2Cat]

Looks can be deceiving!

 

[Smokeydog]

Update.

Now with more experience under the chain. Short learning curve techniques to use. Rugged, no build failures. Motor has plenty power but can be stalled without damage. Chain still sharp. Have not gotten stuck without being able to back out.

Doesn’t take long to generate considerable amount of limbs to haul off. With miles of roads, pasture perimeters have plenty to trim.

Can reach and cut bigger limbs I couldn’t do with a pole saw. My half mile green tunnel is getting trimmed. Even small long horizontal beech limbs can be cut. Having reach off to the side road advantageous.

Enjoyed building as much as using. It’s too heavy to lift far for me. Storing on a tubing stand can store and slide on easy enough.

Mounted to a grapple OK. Had to move a few big limbs to keep trimming without removing the saw. Didn’t or see advantage of carrying off limbs while installed. Too much to watch out for. Do like the vertical or lean back position when in transport mode. Adding a HD receiver hitch to regular bucket for an extra mounting option.

 

[2manyrocks]

Trees don't look that big until they are on the ground and one has to find a place for the debris.

 

[Smokeydog]

Carving my green tunnel there are hundred+ of long thin ~1” branches projecting into the driveway. Some starting high and sweeping down. Use both sides of the chainsaw driving the tractor and using the FEL hydraulics to hedge clip these off. Works good up to about 1.5”. Have to be aware when cutting with the top of the bar that the limb has to give or spring. Cutting while rolling back with the hinge more forgiving. Some cuts would have been a challenge with manual 20’ polesaw with the spring pole effect. Chainsaw cuts easy. Over 1.5” or close to the trunk have to lay on and hinge. Cutting the small stuff appreciate added weight and strength of the build.

The 20” Tsumura chainsaw bar is a first for me. It has really taken lots of side to side flexing and always come back true. Don’t try to flex but part of the telemetry hazards of using.

The armor around the motor is showing some battle scars. Particularly going in and cutting the small branches. Glad it’s 1/4” CR plate. Can see where a stick could come in from the backside and hit the metering valve. Need to close that opening up some with a plate. After operating for several hours the motor is only warm to the touch. The saw only running a small percentage of the time. Running tractor about 1100rpm seems to be the sweet spot for maneuvering and cutting.

 

[Xfaxman]

 

[npalen]

Carving my green tunnel there are hundred+ of long thin ~1” branches projecting into the driveway. Some starting high and sweeping down. Use both sides of the chainsaw driving the tractor and using the FEL hydraulics to hedge clip these off. Works good up to about 1.5”. Have to be aware when cutting with the top of the bar that the limb has to give or spring. Cutting while rolling back with the hinge more forgiving. Some cuts would have been a challenge with manual 20’ polesaw with the spring pole effect. Chainsaw cuts easy. Over 1.5” or close to the trunk have to lay on and hinge. Cutting the small stuff appreciate added weight and strength of the build.

The 20” Tsumura chainsaw bar is a first for me. It has really taken lots of side to side flexing and always come back true. Don’t try to flex but part of the telemetry hazards of using.

The armor around the motor is showing some battle scars. Particularly going in and cutting the small branches. Glad it’s 1/4” CR plate. Can see where a stick could come in from the backside and hit the metering valve. Need to close that opening up some with a plate. After operating for several hours the motor is only warm to the touch. The saw only running a small percentage of the time. Running tractor about 1100rpm seems to be the sweet spot for maneuvering and cutting.

Cutting while rolling back with the hinge more forgiving.

I think I understand your methods except the above.

 

[Smokeydog]

Cutting while rolling back with the hinge more forgiving.

I think I understand your methods except the above.

The saw arm is hinged to the boom. Held at angle with 2” tie down strap. Most cuts the saw bar is set down on limb, the polesaw is then lowered to have only the hinge saw arm weight on on the saw bar. This limits the saw pressure or weight independent of hydraulic position.

If cutting backward the saw arm still can swing up if pulled on too hard. Cutting this way is slow and careful with small moves.

Guess one could undo the strap and let the saw arm pendulum down. Give forward and back swing cutting if doing more hedge type trimming? IDK. Most of my cutting today was a combination and laid down a bunch of limbs. Cutting back the vegetation is a routine maintenance item for decades. Never been this easy.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Cutting back the vegetation is a routine maintenance item for decades. Never been this easy.

gg