Battery Pole saws

[Bobcatz]

Been looking for one, so far Dewalt 20V 4.5ah, Kobalt, 40V 2.5ah
& Craftsman 20V.
Any pros or cons from anybody familiar with them?
Thanks for any help!
Bobkatz

 

[BPDive]

I have had the Milwaukee for about 3 years and it works great for me. I carry it on the tractor when cleaning up the edge of the fields.
Bruce

 

[Texasmark]

I get tired running heavy implements. Long pole saws are heavy and I have gas and electric. One of my weed eaters is battery
powered. The battery has to be large to have any run time. I'd expect the battery for a battery powered pole saw to be heavy also,
probably heaver as more HP is required to cut limbs vs cut grass, so I haven't entertained that idea. I bought a Limb Saw brand
tractor FEL bucket mounted hydraulically operated saw instead. Good decision. I showed a picture of it on here a few months ago
when I bought it and got it mounted.

 

[showcrop]

I have had a Ryobi for over a year. Contrary to what Texasmark posted, the battery is not very big or heavy. It is much smaller than the battery on my Ryobi string trimmer. When using a trimmer you pretty much keep it in the grass constantly. When I am cutting branches I am doing some walking in between branches. I have yet to run that little battery down.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I have a 20v black and decker.
Buyer's remorse. I wish I would have bought the dewalt.
The dewalt saw blade is angled, the Black and decker isn't.
An angled blade will cut more from the top of the branch.
The black and decker is likely to get pinched before you are all
the way done cutting..
If I designed a pole saw, I would want a more angled blade to
while standing on the ground I would cut everything starting
from the top of the branch.

 

[Texasmark]

I don't have one, just assumed. You do have a point about operate time vs HP requirement. I guess it's a trade off thing.

 

[Texasmark]

All my battery operated tools are Ryobi and if I were to buy one it would probably be Ryobi.

 

[grandpa Love]

DeWalt for me..... But I have dozens of
20 volt tools already.

 

[caterpillar guy]

We use the telehandler with the basket on it. One drives and the other saws. Cut limbs up to about 20 feet so it is done for a few years.

 

[Keith True]

Geo,I cut with a pole saw for years before I found how to do it easily.Cutting just from the top down always lets the branch drop before the cut is done.Then I had to cut the shredded or peeled bark to completely sever it.I cut up under the branch first,then cut the top.I found the underside cut goes much easier that I thought it would,so most of the time I cut upward until the limb just starts to droop.Then I hit the top with the saw and it goes through in a split second.My saw is straight bar too,but because the undercut is the same angle as the top cut will be I no longer have the problems I had cutting just from the top down.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I'm old and only use a pole saw to cut a few branches.
I'm lucky to have enough strength to get the saw to the top of the branch. Don't care what happens to the bark on my trees.
Again I have Buyer's remorse, I would like an angled saw blade.

Please use what works for you.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 08:45:19 01/14/22) Geo,I cut with a pole saw for years before I found how to do it easily.Cutting just from the top down always lets the branch drop before the cut is done.Then I had to cut the shredded or peeled bark to completely sever it.I cut up under the branch first,then cut the top.I found the underside cut goes much easier that I thought it would,so most of the time I cut upward until the limb just starts to droop.Then I hit the top with the saw and it goes through in a split second.My saw is straight bar too,but because the undercut is the same angle as the top cut will be I no longer have the problems I had cutting just from the top down.

Whut he said.

 

[jm.]

I have the 20 v Dewalt and one battery can cut more than I want to pick up in awhile, usually a rtv load. Have a hydraulic one on the mini excvator for the more serious work.

 

[ztrmower]

how did the saw work out looking at one also but different name as the one you got is lighter copy of the original

 

[Texasmark]

Like anything else it takes some getting used to. The manual said to check the clear tube between the pump on the saw proper, and the chain to ensure it's full of oil after an hour's running.........after an hour with possibly a dry chain......I don't think so.

I lubed the chain up with dry film moly aerosol before starting out and numerous times waiting for the oil to start pumping and after 10-15 minutes of waiting finally decided to adjust the flow myself as it didn't appear to be improving with time. It took 1 1/2 turns to get decent flow when the instructions said 1/4 increments when adjusting....apparently the assy line worker in charge of setting the flow was out on a smoke break or something.

You really need to pay attention moving your tractor and FEL functions since you are sticking out a long way in front...slow ground/turning speeds and low RPMs are the ticket. On running the saw, do as they said and set the bar on top of the horizontal limb to be sawed and watch the yellow indicator which extends out toward you as the arm is lowered, indicating that you arre putting pressure on the limb, with the swivel head upon which the saw proper is mounted, with low rpms, and nice and slow movements of the tractor and FEL functions.

When you think its setup properly, with your tractor and boom stationary, run your RPMs up to PTO speed and then engage your hydraulic flow such that the bottom of the saw is throwing chips back at you, just like with any chain saw. You can watch the chain and tell when it is and isn't moving. If you get to sawing and it stops you apparently are in a bind an a quick reversal of the hydraulic flow and back to forward may/should clear the jam and put you back to cutting. In running my hand held saws I get max RPMs prior to contacting wood with the chain but the way the LimbSaw is designed, it has to be sitting ON the limb prior to starting your cut....which can make getting it started a problem.....a little shuttle shifting of the hyd. lever back and forth in rapid session can overcome this and get it to start cutting.

When at cutting RPMs, you need to be real careful making any adjustments to anything because the hydraulics that operate your tractor are pumping at full flow and can result in jerking around that could slam your saw into the tree or something of the sort and damage it........even though its built tough!

The tractor's hydraulic fluid is what lubes the blade and is not Bar and Chain Oil so you need to keep it slobbering to keep fresh oil on the chain....no big deal really other than the mess, you might use a quart per hour of hyd. fluid from the tractor's sump.

Since you don't undercut prior to the felling, there is a ripping of the surface bark and some accompanying wood on the underside of the limb. To ensure a clean cut I make the first cut 2-3' out from the trunk and come back with the final cut on the short stub.......remembering to cut the throttle before moving anything. When I can't get the saw up against the trunk in that instance, I come back with a step ladder and hand chain saw to trim the limb stub flush with the trunk. That is the only way the hole will scab over and disappear rather than sprout a dozen new branches and become an opening for the core of the tree to rot. I follow up with a brush and enamel paint to seal the wound.

 

[jddrawbar]

I've had a 40 volt Green Works and it has been outstanding. So much lighter than my gas
Echo, it has been a life saver. Battery will run 2 hrs. before recharge.