Pole saw

[Mark]

I"m in the market for a pole saw to prune my fruit trees. I don"t need a professional duty type and having a bad shoulder, a heavy cumbersome model is out of the question. I know this narrows the field a lot....but does anybody have suggestions or experience with these contraptions? I thought an electric version might be the handiest...but they may be a PITA in the long run. A manual type isn"t out of the question, but would slow. I even considered getting one of those extendable poles and fastening my reciprocating saw to it....but the weight factor comes into play when out there on a 10"-12" pole. Share your thoughts please.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a manual one that extends to about 10ft and can cut up to an inch I think by pulling the rope. It ratchets so is real easy. Also has saw for anything thicker. I'm in Germany so don't know the English name for it. Saw one in Home Depot last summer though.


Dave

 

[glennster]

i have a couple different pole saws. one is a manual type with a telescoping fiberglass handle. got it from lowes. has a saw blade and a lopper on the end. nice saw, lightweight cuts pretty quick. also have a remington electric pole saw. basically an electric chain saw on a stick. needs 110v too run, and is heavy on the end. i use it from the boom on my bucket truck and run it off a generator. saw is detachable from the handle and makes a dandy little trim saw for limb cleanup. last one i have is a quick attachment that connects to my ryobi weed whacker. the attachment is about 80 dollars from home depot. works pretty good, not meant for a professional lumber jack, but its real portable, quick to install on the weedwacker, and pretty inexpensive.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 12:28:00 03/05/10) I"m in the market for a pole saw to prune my fruit trees. I don"t need a professional duty type and having a bad shoulder, a heavy cumbersome model is out of the question. I know this narrows the field a lot....but does anybody have suggestions or experience with these contraptions? I thought an electric version might be the handiest...but they may be a PITA in the long run. A manual type isn"t out of the question, but would slow. I even considered getting one of those extendable poles and fastening my reciprocating saw to it....but the weight factor comes into play when out there on a 10"-12" pole. Share your thoughts please.

have a rope operated pole pruner of the highest quality (exact same as power company uses) and a couple of year old Stihl pole chain saw trimmer (four-mix engine). It doesn't take much of either to be enough for this old man. The manual really strains my arm/shoulder (put me out of commission for 6 months about 5 years ago, hence the Stihl). The only Stihl pole trimmers made now are 4-mix (no more 2 strokes (thanks uncle Sam, grrrr!). The 4-mix is very noticeably heavier than the older 2 stroke, but does have more grunt & supposedly cleaner. The longer you run it, the more you notice the extra weight.
If you could find a new or like new Stihl 2 stroke, that would be my choice.......otherwise, just short sessions.

 

[eastexan]

I have a Remington electric, and it works real well. But it's a little top heavy because the motor is on top. And on mine, the extension adjustment knob is hard to get tight enought without the saw wanting to turn. But it only cost me $89 a couple years ago.

Now, the Stihl & Echo (probably all the gas ones), have the motor at the bottom so they're easier to handle than the electrics. Of course, they're more expensive than the electrics.

I have an Echo trimmer that's been bullet proof, and I want to get their version of a pole saw when I can afford it. I have a bad elbow and shoulders, and the electric gets too cumbersome after a while. And usually, I end up only getting just a few limbs before I start hurting and have to quit.

Ronnie

 

[IH2444]

I also have a bad back and after trying a gas one and a manual one. I recommend a good manual one or have someone else do the limbs.
That cutter hanging way out there puts a LOT of strain on the lower back.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 13:14:00 03/05/10) I also have a bad back and after trying a gas one and a manual one. I recommend a good manual one or have someone else do the limbs.
That cutter hanging way out there puts a LOT of strain on the lower back.

the solution I favor the most: "...or have someone else do the limbs."

 

[JOCCO]

Stay away from those cheap department store ones. You get wht you pay for. Email me if you like we sell them too, major brands

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Hi Mark,

I took a 10' length of 1/2" steel electrical conduit (EMT) flattened a few inches on one end and drilled holes to bolt on a 14" pruning saw blade. The blade is called Razor Tooth Saw Blade. The razor tooth part is no joke. The tool is pretty light, and surprisingly capable in moderate pruning situations.

I also made a 10' extension using a second piece of pipe with a 3' long piece of smaller diameter pipe inside the two lengths at the joint. Not a resounding success, though. 1/2" EMT is not strong enough to resist bending at that length, and going to 3/4" would probably make it too heavy to control that far out.

I'm a manual saw kind of guy, which most people emphatically aren't. I often choose a bow saw over a chainsaw when the job looks like it can be done in an hour or less. It gives me good control, creates less mess, is quite a bit safer, and allows me to take the saw up a ladder or into the tree with me in situations where I would never try to take a chainsaw.

All the best, Stan

 

[Mark]

Thanks for all the input, all well said and correct. Best of all...hehe...you fellows confirmed my fears and opinions about what the prospects are.

I cannot justify paying $400-$800 for a damned Stihl pruning saw to take care of 10 apple trees in the backyard, every other year.

With a slow healing torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder, my he-man days are over...getting old(er) is hell!

I have one of those pruner-on-a-stick contraptions that is rope powered....it"s a royal PITA.

I think the lightweight manual saw blade on a pole is the way to go....thanks to all of you.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 15:11:28 03/05/10) Thanks for all the input, all well said and correct. Best of all...hehe...you fellows confirmed my fears and opinions about what the prospects are.

I cannot justify paying $400-$800 for a damned Stihl pruning saw to take care of 10 apple trees in the backyard, every other year.

With a slow healing torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder, my he-man days are over...getting old(er) is hell!

I have one of those pruner-on-a-stick contraptions that is rope powered....it"s a royal PITA.

I think the lightweight manual saw blade on a pole is the way to go....thanks to all of you.

es, they are incredibly expensive. After I hurt myself with the rope/pole pruner, my adult children all chipped in and bought me the Stihl & even better, more often than not I get one of them to use it while I point & ride around on the tractor pushing up the brush/trimmings. Working out right nice so far.

 

[John Harmon]

I have a Homelite 8" electric chain saw on an extendable 8' Pole which I got at Home Depot for around $100.00. It works real well for me. I have had no problems with it for the amount of time I have used it. It is not a commercial unit but for a home owner with the occasional wind blown down limbs and fruit tree trimming it works real well.

 

[Dieselrider]

I bought a Hayauchi by silky saw to prune trees in the woods. They are $200.00 but, in my opinion are worth it. I can extend this up to 21 feet, it's light weight, cuts really fast on most limbs. I have used it on apple trees and it works real well there too. If you don't need that length they do make shorter ones too. Those blades really cut for a manual saw.Good luck.

 

[Ken 46]

I have the one my Dad bought years ago from Sears or monkey wards.
It is a three or four piece aluminum handles the slip in and twist together. I can reach about 25 feets. Has a tree saw blade that really cuts on elm and cottonwood. Haven't tried it on anything else.
But with bad shoulders it wears after while (short while)
Nowadays I have the grandkids do it !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChrisB]

I can attest that the Gas powered pole pruners are not that easy to move around.

I can attest to the Stihl aluminum pole pruners. Pricey, but light weight and cut like hell.

They have a 10' and an 18' saw and a 8' pruner as well.

http://www.stihlusa.com/handtools/PP800.html

 

[Anonymous-0]

Tried the Remington, too heavy. Also have the Ryobi and agree with you. I like it and it's held up well.

 

[bc]

None are long enough for most trees. I'd suggest you get a pole and measure your fruit trees to see what will work. I've got the telescoping remington, held over my head, and standing on the top rung (not safe I know) and still couldn't trim a bunch of branches. Had to have a kid climb the trees with a chain saw to cut out ice storm damage. I had limbs broken that were up over 40' in the air.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Had the same delimna. Gas chain saws are heavy and take a lot of mainenance. Electric chainsaws are simple and run forever. Problem is the power source.
My solution, I bought an electric polesaw, then put the portable generator and the polesaw on a flatbed wagon behind the tractor, drive under the tree, fire up the generator, trim the tree and have added 3 feet of reach from the height of the wagon bed. Pickup bed might work as well.

Works for me. Already had the generator and the wagon. Electric pole saw cost $100.

 

[DaveK(IN)]

A couple of years ago my wife bought a B&D electric chain saw. Batt is 7.5 volts I think and doesn"t look like it fits anything else. Anyway, I borrowed it one day for a quick pruning task and I have been very impressed. It has a real chain and oiler and I have cut stuff up to about 3 inches with it (taking my time). I am sure it could be rigged to the end of a pole if needed and it is not very heavy. I think she paid about $ 50 for it.

 

[oldtractorsrock]

If youo only need one once a year or so, rent it. I rented a stihl professional model a couple years ago to trim some trees for a friend's elderly mother. It made short work out of the 6 trees that needed trimming. When I was done I just returned it, no need to maintain it. I was really impressed with the power while trimming the big maple tree.