Chainsaw Pole Pruner

[Runner]

I use a cheapo (Remington) electric pole saw that I had before I moved to the acreage I'm on now. I just throw my generator on my carryall and take it where I need it.

 

[jinman]

I must be the only cheap skate on this board. I couldn't justify a Stihl for the number of times that I use a pole saw so I got an electric one. I load the generator in the back of the truck with a 100' extension cord and have at it. If it's just a few branches that need trimming I use a manual pole saw.

Frank, our roots must be from the same country. That's exactly what I do too, although I don't do it as much as I should.

 

[nickel plate]

I too have an electric Remington expandable pole saw and have cut oak, fir and pine from twigs to 8"+ limbs with little to no effort. I further use it to buck everything it cuts down into stove wood. This little saw works well on gravity alone. Hint-don't start it until you place it where you want to cut as it will skip around and bruise up any surrounding bark. A drawback to the saw is that the bar oiler will leak completely dry while in storage (as stated in the manual) so for the past several years I just squirt bar oil directly on the chain and bar at periodic working intervals. It still has the original chain and remains as sharp as one could expect. The spare chain is still in it's package. You must however be patient with the extension cord as it constantly becomes entangled in the felled debris.
My go to for the larger cuts is my Husqvarna 55.

 

[EddieWalker]

I bought the Poulon about five years ago. I used it quite a bit the first year, but haven't used it since. I've been thinking about seeing what it will take to get it going again since I'm wanting to prune up my trails this winter.

I was at Home Depot yesterday looking at what they have and saw that they are selling Echo pole saws. The are painted up orange instead of the gray color that my Echo weede eater is, so I'm not sure if they have a different type of Echo there, or it's just a color thing? Price for the Echo was $399, but there was a reconditioned one for $299.

Eddie

 

[kudzu04]

I've got an Echo that has worked really well for quite a while.
I bought it from an internet sight , factory new, and saved $80.

 

[trook]

How does the quality and dependibility of Echo compare with Stihl?

 

[nolefan]

I own 2 Echo PPT260's. One I bought new and then found another almost new one on Craigs List a few months later that was a steal so I got it as well so I could keep one at each of my places. I have never owned or operated a Stihl pruner but do own a Stihl chainsaw and one of their weedeaters as well as one of their blowers. IMHO the Echos are every bit as good as the Stihls. I have Echo chainsaws and hedgetrimmers as well as one of their blowers and they are a quality product. I don't think you could go wrong with either one of them.

 

[kthompson]

One thing to greatly consider is just how much you will really use it. I went with a Poulan tree saw on my Ryobi trimmer as they and Sears are the same with the changeable heads. Worked great and cost $100. Doubt any brand would have cut noticeable faster. But a limb came down on it and it bent right easy. Probably trash. The issue mentioned about the chain pinching is true if you just go to cut it off in one cut, on heavy limbs you probably will need to cut a few feet away from the tree some to take the weight off of the larger diameter.

But, if you really need a Stihl for the reach or such and you really are not doing this commercially or have a lot lot of cutting consider renting. It will amaze you have fast you can cut limbs such as around a field. One guy cutting will leave more limbs than a crew of 2 could move at same speed. And the moving is the work.

 

[gotrocks]

Bought mine in 2003 with a hedge trimmer attachment.
Good decision on my part that time.

"It's and Echo." "It's and Echo." "It's and Echo."

Model PAS 2400

 

[MikeD74T]

I bought a John Deere polesaw from EBAY 3 years ago. Use it mostly clearing property lines & trails. Works great on thick underbrush, reaches the stump without me getting beat up in the process. Always starts right up. Was under $300 at the time, $399 now. MikeD74T

 

[Gizmo2]

I use a cheapo (Remington) electric pole saw that I had before I moved to the acreage I'm on now. I just throw my generator on my carryall and take it where I need it.

I have the Remington and do the very same thing. Works just fine, the wife drives the tractor and I cut.

 

[TUG HILL ADDICT]

I've got the Stihl...it's great.

I also run Shindawa pole saws for the snowmobile club I belong to. The Shindawas are significantly lighter than the Stihl...they do not telescope out and are also a few feet shorter.

If you are running the saw for a long period you'll feel every extra ounce of the Stihl vs. the Shindawa.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I've got the Stihl...it's great.

I also run Shindawa pole saws for the snowmobile club I belong to. The Shindawas are significantly lighter than the Stihl...they do not telescope out and are also a few feet shorter.

If you are running the saw for a long period you'll feel every extra ounce of the Stihl vs. the Shindawa.

Right time of the year, you could just wear snowshoes and do the trimming with a standard chainsaw up in that neck of the woods, lol!

 

[kthompson]

Right time of the year, you could just wear snowshoes and do the trimming with a standard chainsaw up in that neck of the woods, lol!

I will assume this might be close to true but regardless it sure is funny.

 

[JFS2295]

I bought the Kombi 130 with the pole saw, extension, and a few other options. Never saw the harness or 30° angle before.

I use it a lot, including for cutting down the Christmas trees we sell from the farm. It is so much nicer then reaching under the trees with a chain or hand saw. I'll leave that to customers.

BTW, if you need something to trim hedges, trees or evergreens with, I've stopped using a hedge trimmer and now use a Treeteck pruner.

TreeTeck Inc.

 

[holtzacres]

I have a stihl ht-75 great machine. All my power equipment is Sthl, trimmer, chainsaws, blower, best equipment in my opinion. Go with stihl, you will not ne disappointed!

 

[MossRoad]

We have a Poulan Pro that we bought as a combo pack. It had the pole saw and weed eater attachments bundled together. It works fine. It is heavy. As others have mentioned, with any pole saw, it is easy to pinch a blade. I use the three cut method for trimming all branches with my pole saw and chain saw, too, for that matter.

Here's a picture that explains it. Not only does it eliminate most pinches, it keeps the branches from pulling down bark and skinning up the tree. Check it out. Try it a few times. It works great.

In a nut shell, you cut through 1/3 of the branch from the underside of the branch about a foot out from the trunk. Then you cut outwards of the first cut about 2" all the way through. It snaps the branch at the first cut and there is no bark or strip of wood that pulls down the underside of the branch. That's usually what hangs a branch. Finally, you make a final cut near the trunk, but not into the collar. That 1 foot piece drops right off. Leaving the collar in tack lets the tree heal much faster and cleaner.

 

[Saxman]

I bit the bullet several years ago and bought the HT 131 Stihl. The 4 Mix engines have lots of torque and start and run very well. I agree they are both pricy and heavy but are really well built machines.

Steve

 

[robs660]

Stihl. Mine cuts through anything. Actually cuts too much

 

[yomax4]

I just bought the larger Stihl pole saw and it is a Monster. I had a poo poo poulan prior and there is no comparison. Although the Poulan was 1/3 the price. The new pole saw sits next to my 4 other Stihl saws.