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Pole saw question

Started by Larry, December 16, 2005, 01:34:39 PM

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Larry

I did some tree trimming last week with a ladder and my Husky 350.  After a while it sunk in...I can't climb trees like I did 40 years ago :-[ and it is pretty dangerous.

So...tell me about pole saws.  How big a limb can they cut and how high?  Can you cut a limb so it won't pull a split from the trunk?  Welcome to any recommendations on brand or model also.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Kevin

I don't care for powered pole saws. I have a hand job but seldom use it although it is handy at times.
You have to be real careful standing on the ground cutting anything over your head.
Working from a bucket or ladder with a pole saw is better providing steps are taken to secure yourself from falling.
Undercut the branch and then make the top cut on an average limb, large limbs should be cut to reduce the stress.
If you make a cut ahead of the bottom cut the limb could break and snatch you and the saw from the tree so the cuts should be directly above and below each other.

It's dangerous.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/nj/96nj074.html

Cut4fun

I bought it for $30 and is guaranteed for life. I was able to cut a 4"-5" limb above my power wire in about 1-2 minutes. The longest time was getting it over the limb and lined up for the cut. For the HOMEOWNER it works good enough to give us a option of cutting higher limbs we cant reach with a ladder and saw or a pole saw. I just haven't got the undercut thing down to help to the limb peeling. Hope this helps someone else out.
Also I tried using a 24" ladder and chainsaw and couldnt come close to the limbs I wanted to get. I looked at pole saws and most only added 8'-8 1/2' more of length. They saw 12' cutting height but the include your arms into the figure of holding it up. But with pole saw and ladder the limbs were still out of reach. So I bought this item and it worked.
Cant get pits to load here, how do you get them on here?

Cut4fun

Sears ad.   Here is the write up from the sale ad listed. The High Limb™ Cutter lets you get at those hard to reach tree limbs from ground level. Simply toss the casting weight (included) over the branch you wish to cut.
Using the two 25 ft. control ropes (also included), pull the patented 'bimatic' 26 in. carbon steel blade up over the limb. The blade will automatically position itself with the cutting side down, and cuts in both directions as it's drawn back and forth by pulling on the control ropes.

The saw is so versatile, it even allows you to undercut the bark to prevent peeling. This saw easily outreaches and outworks any pole saw.

KarlP

My experience with the High Limb™ Cutter is that you need a second person to play a friendly game of tug of war. 

If I use the rope saw myself standing under the branch (like in the picture on the package) I pinch the chain as soon as the branch starts to sag and then I have a rope stuck in the tree.   If I and a partner stand approximately as far apart as the branch is high, the chain rides on top of the limb and doesn't pinch.

I have had a few limbs tear out, so if it matters I cut all but the first 3 feet of the limb off first and then throw the rope over the stub and take a second cut. 

rebocardo

> How big a limb can they cut and how high?

I bought an electric pole saw, Remington, with a 10" bar. You get about 12-15 feet off the ground.  The problem is you end up cutting at a slant, if the saw was at an angle to the pole, it would work a lot better.

Very easy to get it caught in the kerf (top or bottom) because of no power and slow chain speed, not the proper cutting angle, and the saw blocks your view so it is hard to line up the bottom and top cuts.

That being said, the largest "branch"  was a vertical black walnut tree that fell over onto a shed. About 20 inches and 15 feet off the ground. On some of it I stood on a step lader 3 feet off the ground, step ladder had a wide stance and was only six feet tall.

It was slow going, especially having to stop and push the oil button, I hate that, it gets old fast.

One thing about using a pole saw or anything to cut a branch over your head,  besides the obvious thing about standing almost directly underneath something heavy dropping ten feet off the ground, a branch can swing back towards the tree and smack you.

If it looks like the branch can put a serious hurt (anything over 2" I am not willing to dodge) on me, I tie it off at the far end to another tree so when it falls it can not swing back towards the tree and wack me. It helps it to fall straight down too. You do not need tension on the line.

On big branches I do a series of small undercuts, then a series of top cuts to gradually bend the branch towards the ground without splitting or breaking. Then once it is bent down aways, I do a top cut towards a big undercut to break it free without sticking the saw in the kerf.  Then I go back and cut the last two feet off so as not to peel the bark.

One thing I have found it VERY handy for much more then limb trimming is when a tree is resting on its limbs with the trunk high off the ground.  I use it to release tensioned/compressed limbs underneath to drop the tree unto its trunk from 12 feet away. Much safer then being close to the tree. I usually have the tree cabled at least two ways from the dropping so I make sure the tree has enough tension on the cables so the tree can not roll.

beenthere

rebo
You sure put a lot more time in to cutting up a tree laying on the ground than I do.  :)  No cables, and no pole saw to break down my tree tops, but still think I am being careful and play smart about what might happen next.

Your method to avoid splitting and pulling bark off the tree, by cutting the limb a couple feet from the tree and then removing the stub, is a good one, and do use it most of the time.

My pole saw works good for me (albeit there are times when pinching and falling limbs are involved) versus the alternatives of climbing a ladder or getting in a bucket to trim a tree. I have a Stihl and have used it to prune up my walnut trees  as well as remove dead limbs from the yard trees. I wouldn't want to be without it. Gets heavy if holding it at any angle greater than straight up, but try to avoid that as much as possible.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Furby

Quote from: Cut4fun on December 16, 2005, 03:08:29 PM
I was able to cut a 4"-5" limb above my power wire..........
Please be carefull, that's not a good idea to do.

Cut4fun

Quote from: Furby on December 17, 2005, 12:53:09 PM
Please be carefull, that's not a good idea to do.
Not much choice in the matter. Last years ice storm took the power wire down with the limbs. Thought I would take a few down myself before the ice gets here this year. That way I can control the fall angles and not on my power wire. I ask a pro tree service to trim up the trees (5) of them maples and they want $600 with no clean up,$800 with clean up. If I could figure out how to post pits I would show you this. So I did what I could. Thanks for the warning.

Al_Smith

 They work pretty good,in my opinion.I have a rather inexpensive Poulan gasoline power pruner that does a fair job.It saves a lot of climbing,that's for sure.
  I also have a set of Fiskars pole loppers but any thing over about an inch is a bit of a challange to cut.The power pruner will gnaw right through a 6 incher with no problem.
  The model made by Poulan is actually intended for home owners,not pros.A neat thing about it the fact it has a multide of goodys you can use besides the saw head.You can use a weedwacker head,a little roto tiller,and several more.

leweee

Quote from: Cut4fun on December 17, 2005, 03:04:23 PM
If I could figure out how to post pits I would show you this.

Check out the"Behind the forum" DanG has a pics posting tuitoral there. ;D
just another beaver with a chainsaw &  it's never so bad that it couldn't get worse.

rebocardo

> You sure put a lot more time in to cutting up a tree laying on the ground than I do

Urban tree removal, you have to. Not only for myself, my family, and the property of the owner, but, for those that pass by.

My last oak I dropped between a pine tree and the street edge (only 20 feet) and landed most of the top on the grass as intended. Broke some branches on the pine but did not even bark it. Had the street blocked and had to get the extra 10 feet or so cleared away asap.

Once the street was cleared of limbs and opened, if the top rolled back into the street while I was cutting and limbing it, that might not be pretty ....

Dropped a dead tree (hardly any branches) in the back, had it down and cut up into 12" rounds, after I pulled it with two cables away from the tree it was leaning on, in one hour total labor including the cable rigging. Though most trees in front yards require much more care and time.

annia

I've used this Pole Chain now for about 2 hours of trimming trees. It works great, seems very durable, and does everything I've expected very well. I selected this item based primarily on the positive reviews on it, plus its weight was a little less than some others. Believe me, for an old f like me, having even 1 pound less weight on the end of the 10' or 12' extended pole is significant!
The only negative I can come up with is that it actually delivered 5 days later than it was originally scheduled - but I can deal with that for a good quality product.
Annia Palmer

Savannahdan

Welcome to the FF, Annia.  I have an Echo Polesaw that extends out about 12'.  It's heavy but I've found the key is to use a ladder to help hold and balance it.  The largest limb I've cut with it was around 8"-10".  I wouldn't recommend it for that size.  I first made a cut on the under side so that it wouldn't damage the tree when I made the final cuts on the top side.  Let me say that the tree limb had suffered damage from Hurricane Matthew, was dangling over a church driveway and had to come down.  Also, I used a new, sharp chain so that the job went quickly and smoothly.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

HolmenTree

Quote from: annia on December 07, 2017, 04:56:19 AM
I've used this Pole Chain now for about 2 hours of trimming trees. It works great, seems very durable, and does everything I've expected very well. I selected this item based primarily on the positive reviews on it, plus its weight was a little less than some others. Believe me, for an old f like me, having even 1 pound less weight on the end of the 10' or 12' extended pole is significant!
The only negative I can come up with is that it actually delivered 5 days later than it was originally scheduled - but I can deal with that for a good quality product.
Welcome to the Forum Annia!
There's good money to be made getting involved in the U.K. tree surgeon "green industry". ;)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

thedoublejranch

Quote from: Larry on December 16, 2005, 01:34:39 PM
I did some tree trimming last week with a ladder and my Husky 350.  After a while it sunk in...I can't climb trees like I did 40 years ago :-[ and it is pretty dangerous.

So...tell me about pole saws.  How big a limb can they cut and how high?  Can you cut a limb so it won't pull a split from the trunk?  Welcome to any recommendations on brand or model also.

I'm a power tool snob and like top notch gear. I bought a Honda UMC435 power head with the pole saw attachment (no nanny safety chain on it either) then bought the long middle extension for it. It rips through branches like it was butter. The power head came with a nice harness, the power head hooks to the hip, so you are not holding the saw up with your hands, just controlling it. The harness hooks around the waist, but load it on shoulders. Has an emergency release lever if you have to separate it from yourself quickly. It has a solid driveshaft, the oiler for the bar is at the saw end and oils as its spinning. Quiet, easy to maneuver. But I paid close to $600 when it was all said and done.

http://powerequipment.honda.com/trimmers/models/versattach-umc435-powerhead

I know Echo and Stihl make decent commercial pole saws. I need mine to clear lower branches to slow down a forest fire, probably up to the 10-15 foot mark..
The Double J Ranch & Timber Farm.
Member "NWOA" National Woodland Owners Association"

HolmenTree

I have a Stihl HT75 that's been on my shelf for the last 15 years.
Worked good in my early years of my tree service, but 2 bent shafts got expensive and no longer use it.
Have since learned a sharp Silky blade on multiple 8 foot Jameson poles is alot more productive and easier on the body.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ScottAR

Stihl HT133.  Big, mean, and heavy.   Wonderful machine but your going to take frequent breaks.
There's really only two levels of machine in Stihl.  The home gamer model 56? and the rest.
The rest are the same pole with different powerheads best I can tell. 

As far as use, the best tips I can offer are start out at the little end of the branch, undercut the limb before cutting from the top.  Keep your pieces about 6-8ft long. Don't be greedy, that's how ya get hung up.

Helps to have a ground guy to clear away limbs so you don't trip.  HTH
Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

annia

We have a more massive pepper tree in our tiny front yard that I despise. Unfortunately, we don't have the equipment or the money to remove it, so we have to work hard at just keeping it pruned back. In the past, my husband has used a huge ladder and a handsaw, but all the rain this year paired with some neglect on our part led to the tree becoming massive. I decided to take matters into my own hands with this pole saw and pruner.
Fiskars is amazing. The pole handle extends enough so that I can reach any branch of the tree without the aid of a step stool, much less a ladder. My petite 10-year-old wanted to help, and even she could saw through limbs with minimal effort. The saw blade is just the right shape and length to be effective. The blade stayed in place 95% of the time, and only came loose when we were sawing through limbs that caused the blade to scrape against other branches, causing a little loosening, but it never came off.
The pruner was fun and easy to use. There is a curved "hook" you place over a branch, then you pull on the attached cord, and the blade comes out, slicing through the limb. It cut through most limbs like butter. Some were a good 3+ inches in diameter.
The one thing I would like is a better way to manage the cord when not in use. Right now, it sort of just dangles, but I'm sure that as I get more practice with it, I'll figure out a better way.  8) 8) 8)
Annia Palmer

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