Manual tree pole pruner, what's the trick?

[stuckmotor]

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 to use the the nibbling technique with the shear.

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

 

[newbury]

It could be the quality of the pruner. I wouldn't trust any of their reviews. I've a couple of manual ones and never found the pruner to be effective, rather 6 cuts with the saw would take down a 1" to 2" hardwood branch.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have had good success with Harbor Freights electric pole saw that's $60. https://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp...MI7silndHq9wIVmIBaBR2MUw13EAQYASABEgLsKvD_BwE

 

[stuckmotor]

It could be the quality of the pruner. I wouldn't trust any of their reviews. I've a couple of manual ones and never found the pruner to be effective, rather 6 cuts with the saw would take down a 1" to 2" hardwood branch.

It could well be he quality of the pruner. The right of way crew probably had a commercial model. The throat on this one is larger than that on one I bought from a big box store but, the blade comes more or less, from the bottom causing it to be pinched.

 

[seville009]

I use one of those.

The trick is to not put any pressure on it, like you otherwise would with a bow saw. Just let the blade rest on the branch and start sawing. The course blades will start biting; just keep sawing ( fast and shorter bites seem to work better - use just about half of the blade before you reverse into the other direction).

 

[ChuckT]

First, a rule-of-thumb: Don't stand under the pruner!
If the falling branches don't get you the "sawdust" might fall in your eyes and gift you with a very bad day.
Secondly, there's a reason you cut, sand, drill, etc against a heavy platform, table, vice, etc - so what you're working on can't move.
So what to do?
Well I favor the electric saw on a pole and reaching out not up. Make a shallow cut up from the bottom and _then_ cut the branch off from the top.

 

[stuckmotor]

First, a rule-of-thumb: Don't stand under the pruner!
If the falling branches don't get you the "sawdust" might fall in your eyes and gift you with a very bad day.
Secondly, there's a reason you cut, sand, drill, etc against a heavy platform, table, vice, etc - so what you're working on can't move.
So what to do?
Well I favor the electric saw on a pole and reaching out not up. Make a shallow cut up from the bottom and _then_ cut the branch off from the top.

I looked for an electric saw with a 20+ foot pole and apparently, there isn't one.

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't know of a 20+ electric pole saw you can buy, either. There's a good chance there would be too much leverage to handle easily.

 

[workinonit]

I have one of those I used once and then bought a Stihl pole saw. Gasoline. I love it. The heck with that manual job.

 

[oosik]

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]

workinonit -- how high can you EFFECTIVELY reach with your Stihl pole saw.

 

[workinonit]

Mine has an 8' pole. So from the ground probably 12' comfortably and maybe 14' stretching in certain instances. I'm 6' tall. It's good for my 38 live oak trees. Stihl has a saw with a longer reach but I really didn't need it and was recommended to get the 8' by the guys at the JD dealer.

 

[Diggin It]

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.

 

[skipmarcy]

I just had my old Craftsman pole saw out yesterday, have had it approx. 35 years and still on the original rope and knife blade. I have changed the saw blade once about 10 years ago. I keep the knife sharp with a sharpening stone by hand. You can adjust the tension of the blade against the jaw by tightening the center bolt/nut - you want it as tight as you can and still let the return spring open it back up when you release your rope pull.

When using the nipper you want to be as perpendicular to the branch as you can be so you make a square cut across the branch. If you are at an angle it makes it easier for bark or pieces of wood to lodge inbetween the blade & jaw causing a jam. My nipper will handle about 1" diameter branch at the max.

I hate having to use my pole saw but it's a necessary evil to keep my perimeter tractor friendly and to prune my 14 fruit trees. My pole saw will reach right at 16' but boy what sore muscles I have when it's extended out like that!!!

 

[npalen]

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.

 

[oosik]

Thanks - workinonit and everyone else. At second thought - I think I'll just keep my old manual unit. It works and the only danger is me tripping and falling.

 

[newbury]

I looked for an electric saw with a 20+ foot pole and apparently, there isn't one.

Need more specifics - how far from your max hand reach ore the limbs, access, your strength etc.
I bought an Echo PPT 280 (now discontinued) with a 4' extension. It's a beast and is about 17' long overall. It has a 28 cc motor on one end and a 12" chainsaw blade on the other. The motor and head are connected by a long driveshaft. Worked very well for my specific uses.
BUT since then I've seen you tubes of people with DIY'd battery operated saws pole saws where they used pipe to put the power head on one end and the battery on the other. These have been up to about 20' long and very difficult to wield.
And what is your access to the trees?
I've "lanes" about 100 yards long where I try and trim the overhanging branches so delivery trucks can easily get down the lane. They are a royal pain to trim with my 17' manual saw but using my HF 8' saw and driving down the lane on my M4700 I can easily stop, stand up, trim.
For example if you can easily get a 12' extension ladder near the limb you could use a much shorter saw.

 

[newbury]

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.

<snip>

My Echo PPT 280 has the motor down at the operator end, my battery operated saws have the battery at the operators end.

 

[npalen]

My Echo PPT 280 has the motor down at the operator end, my battery operated saws have the battery at the operators end.

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?

 

[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.

What do you mean by 'nibbling'? Are you trying to get through a branch with multiple nibbles? If so, that won't work very well, if at all.

I have a Fisker's pole pruner similar to the one you linked to. Every branch I cut with it is cut with one pull of the rope. If the branch doesn't fit into the opening, I use the saw instead of the pruner.

To cut a branch with the saw, make a cut 1/3 of the way through the branch from the underside, then make a 2nd cut from the top, about an inch outward from the first cut. The branch will fall and snap off instead of stringing the bark and/or wood out.