Pole Saw

[Lucky1]

Have a 4-mix FS 110, nice looking tool, 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.

 

[djradz]

I have a STIHL HT 101. One of the best tools I ever purchased. The 4-mix engine is great. Starts right up and runs like a top. Because it's a 4-cylcle, it sounds like it's running slow, but really is turning at more than twice the speed of the others. The HT 101, because it extends so long is a little heavy, but I've used it for several hours on end. The weight does help when cutting way up high by applying a little force and keeping the saw in the cut. I was so impressed that I went and bought the STIHL 4-mix BR-600 blower last fall. Extremely well made stuff is always coming from those boys!

 

[SELKIRK]

Thanks to all that responded it has been very helpfull.

That said, you all are a very expenses bunch to be around. And know how to spend other people money very well.

Rozett and CT Tree Guy, the manual saw sure would have its place but for now a can only get one. So I'll add that to my list for a latter purchase.

Did a little shopping today at the toy stores and for my needs it will have to be one of the commercial models. I like the Stihl HT 101 the best at this point. The Echo did not seem to be made as well, and two toy dealers which sold both, liked the Stihl better. Husky is not sold much around here with northern tool the only place that carried them and they were out of stock.

Pricing was the same at both dealer with Stihl $599 and Echo ppt 260 $609.

If going with the Stihl do any dealers come off the list price any amount or does Stihl offer any special deals,add on, etc. for a purchase? Any tips on where to purchase would be great.

Thanks

Selkirk

 

[Spiffy]

It might vary from dealer to dealer, but around here, (from only a couple experiences, so my negotiating skills with them may have been subpar) they are firm on the price of new tools; however, I had no trouble getting them to make the accessories prices sweeten the "package deal".

Sound like a great choice; I'll envy you!

 

[MikeD74T]

Like you I'd been wanting a polesaw for a long time but hadn't been willing to commit $500 or more. I do buy good equipment but didn't see gettting that much use out of a pole saw. I saw & bought a yellow saw w/John Deere label from Ebay for about $250. As soon as I opened it I regretted the purchase, seemed small & vulnerable to damage. A month ago we had a severe wind storm. A 110' bull pine came down onto my lawn, huge mess. Just to see what it would do I took the pole saw out. I was amazed at how well it worked. Cut 8-10' limbs like butter. These were 8' off the ground on the now horizontal tree. Saw is very light, can go through a complete tank of gas without putting it down. Have since used it on a new ATV trail. Works great cutting at ground level as well as reaching into brush. Was cutting a path through 1-3" fir 12 - 20' tall. Would cut them off at 6 -7', when that dropped & was still vertical I cut again at 6' then cut the remaining stub at ground level. For occasional use keeping in mind that it's not a heavy duty saw I think it's a good value.

 

[2nstonge]

Selkirk,

Is that strictly a pole saw or one of their combi tools?

I have the Stihl KM-55 which is the motor and a shaft, I've added attachments the past couple of years; trimmer, sweeper, brush blade...and now I'm adding the HT pole saw head with an extra 37" shaft for $189. This whole set-up works great for homeowner use; one motor to maintain and it doesn't feel like I compromised by not buying a specialty tool.

-Norm

 

[EddieWalker]

OK, I understand you don'e want a Poulon. Nobody does, but I just saw them at Sam's today for $159. You could have three of them for the price of one of the others.

I've had mine a few years now and except for having to leave the choke half on, it works great. If it dies on me, I'll through it away and buy another.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[Jagmandave]

Hey Eddie, don't throw it away, keep it for parts! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

Eddie, that's my philosophy with chain saws. I buy a Poulan , run it until it won't anymore, keep it for parts on my next Poulan. Right now I'm on my second Poulan in 10 years, not too bad.

A pole saw isn't something I use very much but I got tired, real tired, of using the manual ones. I got a refurbished electric Remington 10" pole saw from Northern Tool. I've cut limbs up to about 6" with it without a problem. When I'm out and about I run it off a 1500 watt inverter connected to the tractor battery. As I said, I don't use it too often but when I need it, it's great to have around. If I used it more often I would probably get a gas powered model but the electric one has met my needs so far.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'll through it away and buy another. )</font>

Eddie that's a good philosophy for garden tools and other stuff. However, I don't recommend it for women. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Actually, I bought a Shindaiwa about 3-4 years ago and it starts up no problem everytime. Even though I leave it sitting in the shed for months with old gas in it. They aren't a bargain brand. They are designed to last. I think it cost me between $400 and $500. Sorry I can't remember exactly.

 

[rswyan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 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. )</font>
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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 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. )</font>

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.