Pole saw?

[Coyote machine]

The chainsaw attachment is running out of oil faster than my machine runs out of gas. Not the engine oiler.

Ok, sorry misunderstood what you were saying. Still, the engine head unit, with it's oil/gas mix should run out before the end of pole saw oil tank does, IF I'm not mistaken. This IS an area where I don't claim expertise, (also refer to post # 27 above, which also references another user's experience).
I believe my Echo multi-attachment and pole saw unit has an adjustment at the chain for oil quantity, in addition to a chain tensioner adjustment. YMMV, and I'm too far away to verify it, but ask your selling dealer about whether you can limit or increase oil output at the chain....

Also, FWIW, I find that being able to breakdown a pole saw into two pieces allows for much easier transport on my ATV and or tractor. I keep a Stihl regular chainsaw in a saw holder on both my ATV and tractor at all times, in addition to bringing the pole saw and hedge trimmer attachment, and sometimes the weed smacker with me depending on work action plan.
I think the OP will be best served with a smaller lighter unit, (based on his logic expressed in a recent post), of which there are numerous ones to choose from in both Echo and Stihl.

 

[yomax4]

I wish I had bought a smaller version than the big stihl.

 

[houser52]

i went to look at the Stihl pole saws today at my dealer and their shipment had not come in. Sounded like they don't even know when it'll be there.

So I decided to take a short ride to the Echo dealer. They only had one Echo pole saw and it was one of the bigger ones. I just don't need a big $600 pole saw.
The sales guy was super helpful though. They don't usually carry a fixed length but is going to try to get one for me to check out. He also advised me if I could wait a month, they were having an Echo promotion with everything 20% off.

Sounds like a lot of you guys like the Echo and they have a 5 year warranty too.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got that telescoping one, I wanted the long reach.

 

[ArlyA]

I see a few people don't do well with math. The Echo power heads are around 4ft long. The saw attachment is again about 4ft long. We also have extensions which are around, 4ft long. Doing some math here, when these are attached together, these are 8ft or 12ft long. Of course you can add more extensions but we find doing that is rather ungainly to handle.

We can't use the telescoping versions because we can't haul them in work machine which is a UTV. Yet they'll cut about as high as those, if you add more extensions.

A few tidbits of worthless info concerning pole saws and there use. We use them for many, many hours each fall clearing ski trails, in fact we bring a regular saw with us but rarely use it. If we could only bring one saw along, it would be a pole saw. We work from a UTV and could not bring with us a telescoping type of pole saw because of the short bed this machine has. On the type of saws we have, they break into a power head and saw end, each is only about 4ft long and fits into our cargo box very well. While out working, we also need string heads and steel brush cutters heads and this allows us to take care of whatever we find out there. Having separate power heads also allows us redundancy in case we have a failure of shorts. So we have three power heads, 2 saws ends, multiple string heads, steel heads, etc, etc. Of course we don't being all those extra heads with us every day.

As others have mentioned, pole sawing for hours on end is quite strenuous, so we trade out sawyers.

I know the the poster did ask about Stihl machines. Our Echo's run out of fuel, long before the bar oil is gone.

On these we have bend stems, bars, broke chains etc etc. And the tank will lose oil now and then. I thought the bar oil tank has crack but that wasn't the case. Nonetheless, we use these tools hard and found them quite good. We also have a good dealer here. That IS SO important...

Maybe this info will help someone!

 

[Coyote machine]

i went to look at the Stihl pole saws today at my dealer and their shipment had not come in. Sounded like they don't even know when it'll be there.

So I decided to take a short ride to the Echo dealer. They only had one Echo pole saw and it was one of the bigger ones. I just don't need a big $600 pole saw.
The sales guy was super helpful though. They don't usually carry a fixed length but is going to try to get one for me to check out. He also advised me if I could wait a month, they were having an Echo promotion with everything 20% off.

Sounds like a lot of you guys like the Echo and they have a 5 year warranty too.

Trust me, the reason they don't sell the longer ones is because most everyone wants and buys the split shaft, multi attachment ones.
Here's the reason: You will definitely want various attachments over time, and you can't do that with the long pole Echos. And if I'm wrong you will still like the ability to break it down for transport.
I actually started out with my first of 2 Echo split shaft units to allow me to get a 'power broom' attachment to pull/push stones off my lawn after plowing season. I still have the power broom after about 15 or more years, and it gets use every season. It is a great tool. Next I got the pole saw, I already had the weed eater. I now have an articulating hedge trimmer, which is also a great tool, and will cut through anything that can fit the blade openings. I use it on big Forsythia bushes mostly.
The echos are very easy to start and I've never had a problem with either of them.

I see a few people don't do well with math. The Echo power heads are around 4ft long. The saw attachment is again about 4ft long. We also have extensions which are around, 4ft long. Doing some math here, when these are attached together, these are 8ft or 12ft long. Of course you can add more extensions but we find doing that is rather ungainly to handle.

We can't use the telescoping versions because we can't haul them in work machine which is a UTV. Yet they'll cut about as high as those, if you add more extensions.

You actually mean arithmetic, not math. Arithmetic is add, subtract, multiply or divide. Math is everything else, and is theoretical use of signs, symbols and proofs of geometry, calculus, trig. etc.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My echo engine is around 2ft long, same as the saw end. loosen 4 screws and they come off the pole. That's how I transport in my vehicle.
I wanted as long a pole I could get, and telescoping because it's easier to transport. Everyone has different needs and ability.

 

[houser52]

Trust me, the reason they don't sell the longer ones is because most everyone wants and buys the split shaft, multi attachment ones.
Here's the reason: You will definitely want various attachments over time, and you can't do that with the long pole Echos. And if I'm wrong you will still like the ability to break it down for transport.
I actually started out with my first of 2 Echo split shaft units to allow me to get a 'power broom' attachment to pull/push stones off my lawn after plowing season. I still have the power broom after about 15 or more years, and it gets use every season. It is a great tool. Next I got the pole saw, I already had the weed eater. I now have an articulating hedge trimmer, which is also a great tool, and will cut through anything that can fit the blade openings. I use it on big Forsythia bushes mostly.
The echos are very easy to start and I've never had a problem with either of them.


After reading your post about the Echo split system I started studying the Echo brochure that the dealer gave me yesterday. The Echo PAS-280 power source and the Power Pruner attachment might just be the better option. That system is 8' long. That's a foot longer than the 7' fixed length Stihl I was considering and only a foot shorter than the Echo 9' fixed shaft. As you said, the ability to take it apart for transport or storage is great. It also looks like the PAS-280 plus the Power Pruner is cheaper than the fixed pole saw. Double win.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have the extending Echo, and the $600 price sounds about what I paid for mine. With the amount of sag, or hang, to branches, I've found that even when fully extended, I sometimes need to climb onto something to get a branch that is still hanging down too far. Back of my truck is great if I can get it into position, or the roof of my Kawasaki Mule. Ladders and branches scare me, I've seen too many Funniest Home Videos where that went bad, but sometimes, that's the only option. Of course, when the branch does come down, it always tries to take out my face!!!!

I wouldn't want a pole saw any shorter, and if I was stronger, I'd want one even longer then what I have.

 

[Coyote machine]

Trust me, the reason they don't sell the longer ones is because most everyone wants and buys the split shaft, multi attachment ones.
Here's the reason: You will definitely want various attachments over time, and you can't do that with the long pole Echos. And if I'm wrong you will still like the ability to break it down for transport.
I actually started out with my first of 2 Echo split shaft units to allow me to get a 'power broom' attachment to pull/push stones off my lawn after plowing season. I still have the power broom after about 15 or more years, and it gets use every season. It is a great tool. Next I got the pole saw, I already had the weed eater. I now have an articulating hedge trimmer, which is also a great tool, and will cut through anything that can fit the blade openings. I use it on big Forsythia bushes mostly.
The echos are very easy to start and I've never had a problem with either of them.


After reading your post about the Echo split system I started studying the Echo brochure that the dealer gave me yesterday. The Echo PAS-280 power source and the Power Pruner attachment might just be the better option. That system is 8' long. That's a foot longer than the 7' fixed length Stihl I was considering and only a foot shorter than the Echo 9' fixed shaft. As you said, the ability to take it apart for transport or storage is great. It also looks like the PAS-280 plus the Power Pruner is cheaper than the fixed pole saw. Double win.

Thanks for the heads up.

You're welcome! I'm certain you will like the Echo 'split shaft', as I refer to it, I've always has excellent service from both of them over the years. The only reason I got the second unit was I accidentally broke the engine housing by being careless when I stuffed it in the boat bay of my barn one day and later knocked it over onto the concrete floor. Stupid, stupid on me!

I have the extending Echo, and the $600 price sounds about what I paid for mine. With the amount of sag, or hang, to branches, I've found that even when fully extended, I sometimes need to climb onto something to get a branch that is still hanging down too far. Back of my truck is great if I can get it into position, or the roof of my Kawasaki Mule. Ladders and branches scare me, I've seen too many Funniest Home Videos where that went bad, but sometimes, that's the only option. Of course, when the branch does come down, it always tries to take out my face!!!!


I wouldn't want a pole saw any shorter, and if I was stronger, I'd want one even longer then what I have.

Now that's FUNNY! And I know that feeling, been there done that.:laughing::confused2:
I too step on the 'running board' of my ATV or sometimes stand on the open station area of my tractor to reach branches that are otherwise unobtainable. It can help to cut the branch into pieces starting farthest from the trunk, and then working inwards. Cutting under the branch, then cutting on top can also help to keep it from stripping back bark from the trunk to reduce trunk damage and insect related disease occurring from exposed cadmium layers.

Side note: Eddie, it's than, not then, in bold/underlined example above, FWIW. (Less than a lot. I went to the house, then to the barn).
BTW, I like what you contribute to a lot of threads; you're a knowledgeable guy.
How do you like your Mule? I'm looking to go from an ATV to a UTV, possibly this Spring.