Manual tree pole pruner, what's the trick?

[MossRoad]

Rope looks to routed correctly. My fiskars is routed very similarly. Mine's a bypass however, not an anvil.

I have no idea how old mine is, but I don't see it on their website anymore.

 

[stuckmotor]

Rope looks to routed correctly. My fiskars is routed very similarly. Mine's a bypass however, not an anvil.

I have no idea how old mine is, but I don't see it on their website anymore.

Thanks Moss. I tried to thread the rope so it didn't rub on itself or make more sharp bends than necessary.

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks Moss. I tried to thread the rope so it didn't rub on itself or make more sharp bends than necessary.

My original rope broke, and the only thing I had around was some thinner rope. It works, but it runs off the pulleys and gets pinched on the sides of the pulleys. I only use it on branches that are about 3/4" and less, even though it'll do larger. Even with the multiple pulleys, it's hard to pull that rope on thicker branches. Then I use the saw blade.

 

[stuckmotor]

It occurred to me that in all probability that shear has been modified with a grinder to make the tip more pointy

When I put up the original question, I hoped that nibblng a branch was a simple technique that I'd failed to understand. With all of these replys, and no one saying they do it successfully, all the time, I've decided that if I didn't misrember what I saw, the trick is far from commonly used and isn't obvious.

The more I think the shear was modified. The more I think that might have been the case.

I've thought about what I saw, over the last sixty years and "in my memory" the shear bit repeatedly and the branch eventually fell.

As I've typed this reply, it's occurred to me that that another member of the crew could have been pushing up on the unattached end of the limb with another pole keeping the shear from binding. I was a fascinated kid and could have easily missed the second man.

Thanks to all who've replied, you've given me some good ideas and if none work, the blade can do what the shear can't.
Stuck

 

[ArlyA]

We're not fans of anvil style loppers... All we have is by-pass here now.

 

[MossRoad]

I like my bypass cutting tools. However, one thing I've noticed over the years is that eventually, they'll get to the point that the blades will smush branches between them, rather than cutting them, because the blades no longer meet. And it's not that the pivot point is loose, it's that something has bent on the blades or in the mechanism. You can tighten the pivot all you want, it's never going to cut well again once that happens.

I think what causes this is people trying to cut anything that will fit in the jaws; too big of branches. That's why I limit the size of what I cut with mine to about 3/4 of an inch on the pole pruner. My loppers go up to about an inch. My hand cutters up to something about the size of my pinkie finger.

I can't count the number of hand bypass cutters someone in our family has destroyed by torquing down on huge branches with both hands on the handles.

 

[ArlyA]

You folks who like to use good loppers need to consider the 32" gear made by Fiskars. We've used them for years and years plus resharpen them as needed. Yes they have occasionally been broke but email fiskars a pic and they'll send you the parts within days. These are the only ones we'll buy today and cost in the 45 to $55 range.

 

[npalen]

I wondered what type of driveshaft arrangement is used on the polesaws with the motor at the lower end. This repair video shows that quite well if anyone might be interested. Its simply a very long splined PTO shaft which probably is a no brainer. I am curious as to what type of material the shaft consists of.

 

[kenmbz]

I wondered what type of driveshaft arrangement is used on the polesaws with the motor at the lower end. This repair video shows that quite well if anyone might be interested. Its simply a very long splined PTO shaft which probably is a no brainer. I am curious as to what type of material the shaft consists of.

Drive shaft in my M18 is metal (could be steel or aluminum) with the ends covered in some kind of resin/plastic. I have older brush cutters with Steel shaft.
Motor drives gear which spins shaft, shaft ends in gear, which allows the head to have ratios based on device (Pole saw, timmer etc.) on the gassers I have.
I don't know how they deal with shaft lash on M18, the parts list shows a direct connect to the shaft on the M18.