Manual tree pole pruner, what's the trick?

[MossRoad]

The problem with the pole saws is that the motor is at the top end making them unwieldy, back breaking and dangerous. A pole saw, gas, battery or electric, with the motor at the operators end would make much more sense.

I suppose the design challenge is transmitting the power to the cutting end while maintaining the telescopic functionality. Not easy to accomplish.

Hmm. My Poulan weed eater has a pole saw attachment. The motor is at the bottom, the chainsaw at the top. It's balanced pretty well. I don't think I've ever seen one with the motor at the top. That would be horrible.

 

[MossRoad]

Approximately sixty years ago,a right of way crew came through the yard and before my elders snatched me away from the great event, I got a glimpse of a worker using the shear on the end of a pole to nibble away at a large branch and cut it. The closest thing I was able to find to that pole pruner should appear at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09G9TTH5..._product_details#immersive-view_1652926294760
I recently bought that pruner and the problem I'm having is that on the first bite the blade gets caught in the branch and it takes a great amount of manuvering to get it out and take another bite. i've already broken the rope once, trying to cut straight through a large branch. The saw works , but I'd like to lean the nibbling technique.

If anyone knows the trick to nibbling through a limb with a rope operated pole pruner, please let me know.

One more thing.... maybe your rope and pulley aren't strung correctly, so you're not getting the maximum leverage?

Can you take a picture of the pruner and rope/pulley section so we can have a look at it?

I've had a few times where my rope got off of one of the pulleys and it reduced my leverage considerably.

Just a thought.

 

[Diggin It]

The problem with the pole saws is that the motor is at the top end making them unwieldy, back breaking and dangerous. A pole saw, gas, battery or electric, with the motor at the operators end would make much more sense.

I suppose the design challenge is transmitting the power to the cutting end while maintaining the telescopic functionality. Not easy to accomplish.

Interesting! Do you find them a lot easier to use that one with the motor at the top end? How is the power transmitted through the telescoping arrangement?

Hmm. My Poulan weed eater has a pole saw attachment. The motor is at the bottom, the chainsaw at the top. It's balanced pretty well. I don't think I've ever seen one with the motor at the top. That would be horrible.

I have both of these .....




The Remington electric mounts the entire unit at the distant end, but it can be removed to double as a hand held unit.

Yes, it's heavy and hard to maneuver.





This one is just an extenstion add on for gas or battery power heads. The business end is just the gear drive, bar and chain with an oiler.

 

[npalen]

Hmm. My Poulan weed eater has a pole saw attachment. The motor is at the bottom, the chainsaw at the top. It's balanced pretty well. I don't think I've ever seen one with the motor at the top. That would be horrible.

Yes, it IS horrible!

 

[2manyrocks]

The problem with the pole saws is that the motor is at the top end making them unwieldy, back breaking and dangerous. A pole saw, gas, battery or electric, with the motor at the operators end would make much more sense.

I suppose the design challenge is transmitting the power to the cutting end while maintaining the telescopic functionality. Not easy to accomplish.

You've reminded me that you can buy pole saw attachments for gas and I suppose electric trimmers that are attachment capable. I also own one for my gas trimmer. The cutting head itself is lightweight, and the gas engine part of the trimmer at the other end balances it out pretty decently. I think there is a one or two extension section limitation, however. The problem I would see trying to combine many more sections is the play between the sections might get to be too much.

 

[stuckmotor]

I don't nibble with the shear. It's only good for branches that will fit fully in the jaw .... generally less than an inch or so diameter. Beyond that I use the saw. Let the weight do the work and only expect it to cut as you pull it back towards you. What annoys me is that the teeth aren't great and will get clogged with resin which causes binding and that can cause the blade to get stuck or bend. And I haven't been able to buy replacement blades at a price that makes sense not to buy a new saw, pole and all.

The consumer versions run under $50 while the commercial versions can cost hundreds and can be extended 30' or more.

I have one Remington power saw that will go to 10' and and extender pole that lets my gas or battery power saw head get to around 15'. At either of those heights the tool is heavy and unwieldy and can become a safety issue. Far less risk with the manual saws, but they take a lot more arm work, pushing and pulling.

Diggin It,
Could you give me a name or link to a commercial version that reaches 30 feet or more?

 

[kenmbz]

Agree the trick to any decent size branch is to undercut a foot or so out and 2nd cut above that.
Then cut the piece attached to the tree. Trying to cut up against the trunk with any branch weight makes a mess.
I have battery and manual pole saws. The fiskars manual is for the higher stuff. I replace the blades when they dull, so I use mine a lot. The M18 pole saw is for anything it will reach as it is much faster and has extensions that get added in, so not carrying the weight unless needed.

For more high end pole saws, go to an arbor supply house.
Example: but I don;t own any of these:

Search: 62 results found for "pole* saw*"

Arborist Supplies + Tree Climbing Gear at Bartlett Arborist Supply. Low prices on arborist supplies, tree climbing gear and tree equipment. FREE SHIPPING!

www.bartlettman.com

 

[newbury]

Hmm. My Poulan weed eater has a pole saw attachment. The motor is at the bottom, the chainsaw at the top. It's balanced pretty well. I don't think I've ever seen one with the motor at the top. That would be horrible.

Most of the battery operated pole saws have the electric motor at the top and the battery at the bottom.

 

[kenmbz]

Milwaukee has the motor on the bottom. Some brands seem to have both top and bottom models.

 

[stuckmotor]

One more thing.... maybe your rope and pulley aren't strung correctly, so you're not getting the maximum leverage?

Can you take a picture of the pruner and rope/pulley section so we can have a look at it?

I've had a few times where my rope got off of one of the pulleys and it reduced my leverage considerably.

Just a thought.

Moss,
You're probably right. I don't remember exactly how the rope was strung through the pulleys, before it broke, but I don't think it was the way I have it now. There are some pictures on my phone and when I remember how, I'll try to get them up.

 

[fishdrivel]

Diggin It,
Could you give me a name or link to a commercial version that reaches 30 feet or more?

As a professional arborist (at that time) everybody in the business used a Marvin pole saw. Like most all arborists, I used it on a 12' pole exclusively.
Never liked nor wanted a pole using extensions - too sloppy.

Most companies advertise using extensions. That is only because it is easier to ship! 12'poles must go by freight.
To get a 12' pole, the best place is at an arborist supply, not likely near you, unless you are in a major city.

The run of the mill crap they sell to consumers is absolute junk!
Note: always cut perpendicular to the branch you are cutting. A small stub is ok!

MARVIN PRUNER HEAD, BULL

If you need a larger cut capacity, this Bull Head is excellent. 1.75" cutting capacity can definitely get the job done. Fits on all of our Bartlett round fiberglass poles. Rope and Fiberglass pole not included

www.bartlettman.com

 

[NoTrespassing]

Make sure it's sharp with a fine rat tail file and lube it with bar oil or something. It won't nibble, test the sharpness.

 

[jaxs]

Diggin It,
Could you give me a name or link to a commercial version that reaches 30 feet or more?

It's called a bucket truck.

 

[mrmikey]

I've got a Fiskars pole pruner: General PDP Template | Canadian Tire and find it works great. Anything that doesn't fit in the shears gets cut with the saw which cuts like a hot knife thru butter. I use it every fall to trim the pines and spruce and the occasional hardwood.
Just last weekend cut some 3-4" branches off a pine tree that were hanging over the powerlines to my house. They were so far up the sin had to use a ladder with the shaft of the trimmer extended all the way..........M

 

[3gunr]

I have a 40 volt wen battery pole saw that extends out , I have cut 8 inch oak limbs with it , it is way better and easier to handle than the gas one i have.

 

[stuckmotor]

How long is that wen pruner when extended all the way out.

 

[stuckmotor]

I have a manual limb pruner/saw - just like yours stuckmotor. It works EXACTLY like yours also. I trim the limbs on the pine trees that line my driveway. I do not like - even hate - this job. I know, in advance, it's going to be a frustrating project.

MANY years ago - at the Kubota dealer. The salesman had a hydraulic powered limb pruner. It was just like our manual unit except hydraulics off the tractor activated the jaws. It was a quite heavy unit and NOT something I would want to be lugging around all day. Then there would be the hydraulic hose that you would be dragging around also.

I use the saw portion of mine about 80% to 90% of the time. I use mine until I get very tired OR pissed off. That's it for the day. I'll go again another day.

Oosik,
On Wednesday, I had my three week eye check and the doctor finally said I cou!d exert myself. The first strinuous thing I did was try out the saw. Ater three weeks of inactivity, it tired me out quickly and made me irritable.
I hope your eye is healing well.

 

[3gunr]

I beleive 8 ft. And it is very light and easy to control.

 

[ArlyA]

I own three pole saws, all with engines. Can you guess what I'd say??

 

[MossRoad]

Moss,
You're probably right. I don't remember exactly how the rope was strung through the pulleys, before it broke, but I don't think it was the way I have it now. There are some pictures on my phone and when I remember how, I'll try to get them up.

Hopefully it's just something simple like that.