Pole Saw

rswyan · Apr 9, 2006

( I would have been just as well off hanging a picture of the sthil on the wall niether one will run. BUY ANYTHING other than a sthil if you intend to use it. Just hyped junk. )
I've heard others say this as well - doesn't comport with my experience.

Just curious - did you make sure to run ONLY Stihl oil ?

I've often found that people who have problems with Stihl equipment failed to run only Stihl oil.

Lucky1 · Apr 10, 2006

Sorry , the saw has been at the stihl dealers for the last three weeks. I have even almost forgoten what it looks like, he has had it more than I have. We have two echos that were purchased in 1996 and one Tanaka much older, much better trimmers, not as powerful, but atleast they run.

djradz · Apr 10, 2006

I think one thing you will find is those that extend, and not all do, are generally heavier and cost much more. When you're getting 12 feet or so out there, you don't want something flimsy.

RSKY · Apr 13, 2006

If your Poulan will not run without the choke halfway out check your air filter. You have an obstruction somewhere keeping air from flowing through the carb.

RSKY · Apr 13, 2006

A few other things about a pole saw. Do not let friends, relatives, neighbors know you have one. EVERYBODY has two or three limbs they need cut. I have three people waiting for me to cut for them this week. NEVER let anybody borrow it. This is probably the most dangerous tool you own. Especially the first few times you use it. If you loan it out somebody will get hurt, or you saw will come back damaged. Another thing, never try to notch the limb on the bottom. You may get away with it two or three times but you are bound to get it pinched and hung up. The extendable saws shafts will come apart when you try to pull them out of a pinch. I have stood in my wife's aunt's front yard with five or six people watching me jump up and down trying to catch the end of my Stih's top shaft as it hung from a limb. And never stand on a ladder, in a loader bucket, or anywhere else to get just a little bit higher to cut a limb. That is unless the limb is small enough you don't mind getting hit with it. Leave yourself running room. And finally before you cut a limb in a field check for hornets nests. Had the saw resting on a big limb ready to cut when I saw it. I did not cut that one down.

They are dangerous, be careful.

RSKY · Apr 13, 2006

WOW, didn't realize I was preaching so hard in my posts until I reread them. Didn't mean to sound so stiff

CT_Tree_Guy · Apr 13, 2006

RSKY - I admire your concern, but the feeling that I got from reading those two posts is that someone with a lot of actual experience is making a sincere effort to try to help others not get into trouble; exactly what this site is all about!

I can relate to how you feel though; it's easy to get "serious" when talking about the possibility of personal injury; I've often done it myself. I just have a feeling most folks here will easily forgive any "preachiness" when it comes to safety.

I for one would like to thank you for watching out for us, and for the excellent reminder that pole pruners are very fragile. (That's one of the advantages of having a manual pruner with 3-4 sections. When a falling branch wipes it out, it often just takes out 1 section that's relatively cheap and easy to replace).

John

Pilot · Apr 13, 2006

I have had a Power Pruner for about 14 years. They got bought out and now they are sold under an different name. It telescopes to about 12-13 ft.

A long reach doesn't actually help much for large limbs up high, because halfway thru, the limb will fall and pinch the bar, holding it place so you can't move it and keep you from finishing the cut. You need to cut from about a 45-60 degree angle, no steeper, to avoid this.

I use the pruner a lot for limbing down trees and cutting small logs (don't have to bend over).

Ladder: Ladders need to be modified. Take a piece of aluminum, about 1/4" thick, cut it to the width of the ladder, then cut a big flat "V" on one side. Mount it at the top of your ladder so when you lean the ladder against the tree this aluminum is what hits the tree. The "V" will keep it in place somewhat. Then also attach some sort of safety chain or strap so you can snug it up against the tree. Then get a harness & hook yourself to the tree. Large limbs coming down on the ladder might still dislodge the thing.

Lucky1 · Apr 14, 2006

YES STIHL OIL ONLY, WENT TO DEALERS THURSDAY SAW IN A MILLION PCS. UNDER 15 HRS ON SAW. JUST REPLACED STIHL CONCRETE SAW WITH A PARTNER.

wushaw · Apr 15, 2006

( YES STIHL OIL ONLY, WENT TO DEALERS THURSDAY SAW IN A MILLION PCS. UNDER 15 HRS ON SAW. JUST REPLACED STIHL CONCRETE SAW WITH A PARTNER. )

Why Sthil oil only?
I have used Echo oil in my Stihls 025, MS260/026, HT75 pole saw for five years, never a hint of trouble out of any of em.

The 025 has the most hrs which I couldn't even begin to guess.