Pole saw help

[DMF]

Stihl, Husky, Echo, whatever... who has them and what are the pro's and cons? I need to cut back some of the limbs overhanging my fields. Thanks for the help!

 

[AlanB]

I know nothing about what you have to do, but you may be suprised at how quickly the regular old handsaw works. I want a pole saw something fierce but the reality is for us, for the amount that we do, I just knock it out with an old style wood one with extensions, somebody "borrowed" my good fiberglass one and has not returned it....

If you do go for a polesaw. They range between $200 for a Poulan pro / Ryobi / cheap type brand to around $500 for a good Echo / Stihl / etc quality brand.

Still not sure which way I will go if I decide to get one. The cutting head accessory to go on my commercial Tanaka trimmer is $200 just for the cutting head.

 

[RedRocker]

I've got a Stihl and it's a great tool. It helps to have a strong young person to operate it though.

 

[HomeBrew2]

I have a cheap Remington electric that I use my little Honda 2000i genny with. I don't have a tree farm so it's more than enough machine for me. It will cut 6" oak with no prob. About $90.

 

[Hootie]

I own a Husky straight shaft weedeater. I was talking to my Husq. dealer and he fixed me up with an attachment that involves taking off the weedeater head and sliding on a pole saw head and off i go. Works great. He simply had to drill a hole in the shaft for the attachment screw and that was it.

 

[BB_TX]

I have had an Echo for about 5 yrs. Works great and no problems.

 

[Jarrett]

I have a cheap Remington electric that I use my little Honda 2000i genny with. I don't have a tree farm so it's more than enough machine for me. It will cut 6" oak with no prob. About $90.

No offense here, but I've used one of those and absolutely hated it. With the motor being on the end with the saw it puts all the weight out front. This makes it very difficult (to me at least) and tiring to lift it and cut a branch 10' or so off the ground.

 

[CharlieTR]

Done this a lot at my former home that had 35' Live Oak and one giant elm.
Tried everything short of weaponry. Had three brands of hand pole saws (the kind with saw and clipper with rope). Took two of them back due to major design flaws. Remaining pole saw got twisted by falling limb.

Tried a Toro weeder with pole saw attachment (always liked Toro stuff).
The gas tank on that unit had the screw-on-lid totally pointing down. Guess what? It leaked and I could not stop it. Kept using it unit the chain twisted off the bar for the fourth time in 2 hours. After that I took both back and sold the house.

 

[jwnge]

I have a cheap ryobi with a quick attach sawzall type blade. It cuts up to 4" limbs. I have cut lots of oak limbs and what I like best is you just replace the blade when it gets dull. No chain sharpening.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I've got a Stihl HT 101, it extends to 15', I've cut limbs 10' off the ground with it that are 12" diameter. It does get heavy and it helps that I am young (26) but if you get a shoulder strap that attaches/detaches quickly and easily to be able to take it off to eitehr extend the boom or to hold the machine overhead to get those higher limbs. Also I fabbed a handle to attach to the boom on this thing about where your non-engine operating hand will hold the boom to steady it, the handle works well and takes alot of strain off of your lower back when running this thing for longer periods of time.

I cleared off about 1 mile of fence/tree line on my farm this summer with it and I still have a bit more to do but I'll wait till this winter when I don't have the snakes and bees to deal with as much.

 

[MikeD74T]

I got one of these eBay: John Deere PS2683LE Pole Saw (item 7512093222 end time Oct-21-06 05:55:32 PDT). Looked kind of low end when I got it but it works very well, will cut 8" softwood easily. Haven't tried large hardwood. It's not a $500+ pro saw but I expect it to last a long time. Starts quickly even after sitting for weeks in the back of my truck. MikeD74T

 

[EddieWalker]

I have the Poulon pole saw that you can change the head on it and use other attachments. If you already have a weedeater that you can change heads on, you can just buy the chainsaw attachment.

I find that I use mine about once a year, or in a new area that I've just cleared. Once the limbs are cut, there's not much need for it again. It's real nice for those branches around trees that you mow and they get caught on your tractors ROPS.

For the amount of use it gets, I sure wouldn't pay top dollar for a top of the line one. It just sits for most of the year. I figured I'd buy a cheaper one and keep the chain sharpened. I've had mine four years now and still haven't sharpened the chain!!!!!

Good luck
Eddie

 

[Jagmandave]

I have one of those Remington Electrics as well, and the other's comments are right - it does get heavy and awkward when cutting something at the end of it's length, but it does get the job done. If you only have a few branches to cut and you have a little genset, it will be the least expensive way to do the job.
Normally I buy the best tool for the job rather than the cheapest, but I've had mine for 5 years now with no problems and with a sharp chain it cuts like gangbusters.
One other word of caution, when cutting a branch at the end of the extension length, watch out that you're not underneath it when it wants to come down!

Oh, and wear eye protection for sure, those chips will fall directly in your eyes - don't ask me how I know...........

I'm going to figure out a way to fab something up the will hold the chain saw part at 90* to the pole, so I'm cutting from the top down rather than across the side of the branch...........

 

[BB_TX]

Once the limbs are cut, there's not much need for it again.

My trees forgot to read that rule. They grow down as well as up. I trim the trees along the creek and my fencerows to clear my ROPS. Usually each year I have to go back and trim a number of limbs that grew downward.
The most obvious advantage of gas over electric of course is you are not limited to extension cord length or portable generator. An advantage of chain saw over hand saw or sawzall type is it is quick and easy to make a quick undercut and then cut from the top to get a clean cut and not have the limb rip off a strip as it begins to fall.

 

[1bush2hog]

An advantage of chain saw over hand saw or sawzall type is it is quick and easy to make a quick undercut and then cut from the top to get a clean cut and not have the limb rip off a strip as it begins to fall.


Good Point!

 

[Pilot]

I've had a Power Pruner (now Echo, I believe) since '92.

Works great. 13 ft. high is about as high as I can reach with it because it is too heavy to hold it with arms extended up high, but I easily get limbs 10 ft. high. Safety: have to watch out for where the limbs are going to fall to.

I like to use it for cutting firewood, also. Great for stuff less than 8". Can cut the wood standing up. Also use it for limbing trees after they have been felled. Can reach limbs without having to fight my way over to them. Very safe, because the chain saw is 7 ft. away.

I have an arborist's saw (Shindawa) that I also like. Light weight, handy, not very dangerous because it is easy to control. But it is basically just a small, light weight chain saw. If I have to climb a tree, that's the thing to use.

My largest saw, an old Homelite Super XL is a little faster, but the pruner and arborist's saws leave me less tired at the end of the day.

 

[marks]

I've an Echo, and it's an outstanding machine. I looked at the Stihl, and opted for the Echo.

 

[gav64]

I have the original power pruner extends 13 feet and also 5 foot extension. I like the look when the trees are limbed up. Using all the way extended with the extension it WILL get to you so I do a little at a time. It's one of those tools thats real nice to have around especially when you do not like ladders.
maybe you could try renting one first.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have a Shindaiwa. It is about 4-5 years old. It is a multi attachment type. I have burned at least 10 gallons of premix thru it. No problems. I also use it for weedeating and I have a sickle type hedgetrimmer.

 

[tractorsanmore]

I have the sthil also , one of the best things I ever bought , zero problems , around 5 yrs old , we use it a bunch on the farm for low limbs , sure beats cutting from a loader bucket , it does get a little heavy though .