24in. Rope Chain Saw Trims Branches up to 30 Feet

[rebocardo]

From northerntools.com
Item# 15015

24in. Rope Chain Saw Trims Branches up to 30 Feet High!
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Has anyone ever used this? I have some branches to trim beyond my ladder and from the looks of this, all it is a saw chain with ropes on the end.

It says it has cutters in both directions and the picture shows that. Anyone make one at home from a spare chain or is this worth the money?

I do not know about doing ten inch thick branches with it ... I think that would strip the bark right off the tree, if it did not fall and kill you first.

I can see using this off to the side, 90 degress, from what you are cutting, not being under it like the picture shows. Just wondering about the neatness of the cut to the branch. If it would rip the bark off the tree unless you did multiple cuts. Or if the chain would catch in the kerf.

[Kevin]

I don't see any use for it.
You certainly wouldn't use it for pruning.
A pole saw is a better choice.
Secure the ladder, secure yourself and use a pole saw making a cut on the bottom of the limb first.

[beenthere]

Rebcardo
I wouldn't recommend buying one. We had one at work and it didn't work well at all, and spent its time "on the shelf" . The principle is what sells the idea, but unless you have two people pulling at less than 30 degree angles (out and away from the 'branch'), there is too much 'pull' into the wood you want to cut, and not along the cut. The thing just digs into the wood and sits there. Frustrating, at best.

Also, you don't get a chance to make the original undercut, thus if you do get through the 'branch', the last bit of holding wood will strip the bark down the side of the tree, opening up a bark wound that is tough to have heal up.

[rebocardo]

Thank you and thank you, glad I did not waste my time buying/using one!  I guess a good pole saw is in my future.

[Kevin]

Silky makes some DanG nice saws.

http://www.silkysaws.com/
I have the Zubat and it's a beauty.

[oakiemac]

I bought one of those things about 5 years ago and wished that I hadn't. It will work on small branches but most of the time it just gets hung up.

[Ron Scott]

I have one, but save your money as others have said. Their price is now twice what they use to be. Two people are needed to cut at proper angle. Works best on small diameter branches only.

It can be a trick to get it up over the high limbs to be cut. You might need a bow and arrow to shoot the rope up over the limb to be cut.

As Kevin said, invest in a good pole saw.

[rebocardo]

> It can be a trick to get it up over the high limbs to be cut

FWIW:
I have perfected a method for getting rope up into trees to take down widow makers (before I cut the tree or put a ladder under it) and to measure trees with a tape.

I took an old tube sock, filled it with some small gravel and round rocks, wrapped the sock into a ball, wrapped it in another one, then stuffed that big ball of sock into another sock. Then tied it off behind the ball and put black duct tape on the front of the ball.  Tape prevents it from being ripped up on ground contact and deadens the blow.

It is heavy enough to get a good throw and pull the string, light and soft enough not to break a windshield or put a hole into something.

Then I take the loose end where the string is attached, swing it back and forth a couple of times and fling it very high up into the air using an underhand. Once it goes over the branch it has enough weight to zoom back to the ground and take the 50-60 feet of string with it.  I find laying out the string in a big U on the ground helps it travel up into the tree quicker.

Then I use the string to draw up a rope, which then draws up either a strap or wire cable.

If I want to measure a tree, I attach the 300 ft tape measure to it, hoist it up with the string, then when done I take the string off the sock and pull the tape/string back in.

I had thought about a tennis ball sling shot they use for dogs or a cross bow. Trouble is too much energy can take you into someone else's property or worse conk someone on the head. The hand toss seems to work okay on oaks and such with widely spaced branches, though I might use the shooting method on a pine tree.

From the silkysaw url
"The upper sickle is used to cut vines; the lower sickle to undercut bark allowing a clean cut without damaging the tree".

Best thing is I found a dealer/arborist/wood working store 10 miles from my house on their dealer web site page! Thanks!