Cordless Pole Saws

[Industrial Toys]

I have never had much luck with cordless stuff. I bought Ridged 18 volt tools, only because they have a lifetime warranty.

Anyway. A friend was telling me that he borrowed a 40 Volt Oregon Pole saw from his shop. Since he was coming here on the weekend, I asked him to bring it. I was quite impressed. Mind you, the thing was brand new.

I have a cage for my loader forks that has a platform that gives me an extra six feet of height that I normally use for trimming, but that becomes a two person job!

So, the question is, should I buy one of these Oregon units? I have used Gas and 110volt pole saws and have never been very impressed. They all seemed to jam up, but this Oregon didn't. They all seemed heavy and awkward, but the Oregon not so much. The motor is down at your hand with a rod or something driving up through the poles.

Any thoughts or experience?

 

[Sodo]

I have a gas powered pole saw - and a brush cutter with a 7 1/4" skilsaw blade on it (see post#3). I would say that after 20-30 minutes I don't even want to see the polesaw for a few hours, but I can run the skilsaw brush cutter for several hours. Far more work gets accomplished in less time, less effort, with the skilsaw cutter. Because it's light, and fast. Of course it depends what you're doing. If a lot of cuts exceed 2" thick, the skilsaw cutter slows down. It's much more productive to cut (zero to 2") with the skilsaw, then go back for the bigger stuff with the chainsaw (and occasionally the polesaw). Polesaw doesn't get used much.

I have an Echo PAS 266, and keep in mind the polesaw is an "attachment". It's fairly small and I used to carry it along and lay it on the ground near where I'm working. It takes just a few seconds to exchange the skilsaw for the polesaw. And even with that,,,, the polesaw doesn't get used much, and the biggest hassle becomes dragging it along so mostly I leave it in the barn these days.

I bet the 40V is a good combination, I'd be interested to try one. Probably the battery lasts as long as the operator, and certainly quieter. Plus it just sits there on the ground until needed, you don't have to start it. When you have an engine running you're inclined to use it, and if it's a polesaw it will wear you out. You can't really imagine (in the store) the effect of precisely navigating that heavy lump on the end of a pole, you find out when you get out in the woods!

Sounds like to get up in the cage you only have a few branches to cut, and that isn't a lot of work. If you cut for 20 minutes you'd have just a stump remaining. Certainly a polesaw extends your reach with more safety than using a chainsaw and pulling a startercord while up high makes a battery look pretty good!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I see they might make a string trimmer which might be nice to make better use of the batteries. The cage works good but then the whole operation becomes some kind of a campagne, rather then just cutting off a few branches as needed. And cutting is only half the job. Now you have to gather up the branches.

I would have liked to see a slightly longer bar on the Oregon trimmer. It was a bit challenging to get at just the right angle to cut three or so inch apple branches.

 

[RSKY]

I have a gas powered Stihl Polesaw. After thirty minutes to an hour you won't be able to pick one up, much less use it. They wear you out quicker than any tool I have. Power tool that is. So the lighter the better.

 

[coobie]

I have a gas powered Stihl Polesaw. After thirty minutes to an hour you won't be able to pick one up, much less use it. They wear you out quicker than any tool I have. Power tool that is. So the lighter the better.

I agree with this^My stihl pole saw wears me out after 30-45 min.

 

[bcp]

I have a gas powered pole saw - and a brush cutter with a 7 1/4" skilsaw blade on it (see post#3).

Sounds like you are approaching the benefits of the circular blade on a pole saw, like these hydraulic saws. That's all I see the power line trimming crews use from the bucket.



I wonder why there aren't readily available electric or gas versions.

Bruce

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have never had much luck with cordless stuff. I bought Ridged 18 volt tools, only because they have a lifetime warranty.

Anyway. A friend was telling me that he borrowed a 40 Volt Oregon Pole saw from his shop. Since he was coming here on the weekend, I asked him to bring it. I was quite impressed. Mind you, the thing was brand new.

I have a cage for my loader forks that has a platform that gives me an extra six feet of height that I normally use for trimming, but that becomes a two person job!

So, the question is, should I buy one of these Oregon units? I have used Gas and 110volt pole saws and have never been very impressed. They all seemed to jam up, but this Oregon didn't. They all seemed heavy and awkward, but the Oregon not so much. The motor is down at your hand with a rod or something driving up through the poles.

Any thoughts or experience?

I spent over $200 on this Jameson blue stick, the lightest professional fiberglass pole saw available. It has turned into a Godsend. When clearing my sister Ann uses this thing all day without fatigue. We're on out second blade now. Blades are $20.00.

 

[RSKY]

But,....I should have put this in my post earlier, with my Stihl I can put more limbs on the ground in thirty minutes than my wife, two daughters, two sons-in-law, an aunt, and two cousins can load on a trailer in an hour. With multiple trees to be trimmed and a sharp chain it is a limb cutting monster. The little electric I once owned would not do a quarter of the work the gas powered Stihl will do.

 

[HCJtractor]

I have a gas powered Stihl Polesaw. After thirty minutes to an hour you won't be able to pick one up, much less use it. They wear you out quicker than any tool I have. Power tool that is. So the lighter the better.

Gotta disagree. I have the Stihl Kombi version. It's light, balanced, and powerful. I use it hours at a time. Cutting is easy. It's picking up all the debris that will wear you out. Thankfully I have a grapple.

I have never used the dedicated Stihl saw. It is much longer and heavier. The Kombi reaches up well over ten feet. That's usually plenty for my needs. It's my favorite tool for clearing roadways, trails and shooting lanes.

 

[Richard]

I've got the Stil Pole saw (HT 131 I think?)

In its defense, I've lost a lot of strength over the last year (dropped from 185 lbs to 129 lbs and finally getting back to 150 lbs)

Aside from that.... I use it with the shoulder strap. Its balance point is essentially front heavy even when fully compressed. So you have to constantly fight the front end up. Elongate it a bit and it just makes it worse.

Put me in the camp of "I can rip things to shread for an hour or so.... (depending on if it's extended or retracted) and then I'm wiped out"

I was originally planning on taking my backhoe, driving around the edges of the woods, trimming the over hang as I then picked up the branches & put them into my bucket.

pfffffffffffft on that!!

I did that in the field in front of the house (and will probably finish it that way to make it more tidy) and I was exhausted.

What I think I'll do for the rest of the farm is walk the tree line, cut what I can cut and then take the backhoe and drive the tree line, using the backhoe to push the fallen branches into the woods and just let time take over so they rot.

I'm wondering if the harness makes any substantial difference and if not, I'm wondering if I could get the harness and hang a weight on the motor end to help pull it down and consequently, the blade end up.

I had no idea it would be as front heavy as it is.