Hand operated pole saw

[Bigsnowdog]

Who makes the best quality, most capable, hand operated [meaning, no gasoline engine, just armstrong power....] pole saw?

Some have blades with stops on both ends to prevent slipping off the branch. Is there any disadvantage to that design?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by Bigsnowdog


Some have blades with stops on both ends to prevent slipping off the branch. Is there any disadvantage to that design?

I don't like em. They have a tendency to hang up in the cut.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
The ARS 20' aluminum extendable polesaw is by far the best polesaw I've ever used. I will never go back to cheaper polesaws. You can find it at Sherrill.

Thats the metal, rectangular one?

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Looking at the range of available brands and models, they vary in blade length, presence and absence of stops or hooks at the ends, and also whether or not they have a straight or curved blade.

Is the matter or straight or curved just a matter of personal preference?

Is length pertinent to expected branch sizes?

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
Maybe you need to clarify a bit. Are you actually looking for the absolute best polesaw in the world, or are you looking for a polesaw for a specific application? Your questions indicate that you have never owned or maybe even held a polesaw before. Is this for a homeowner or for commercial application? Do you have a dollar limit? What have you used and what are your likes/ dislikes?

Otherwise just asking for the 'best' really will not result in productive responses. I already told you what I believe to be the 'best' polesaw ($240 + shipping), what are you looking for?

I have planted a bit over 12 acres in what I will for the moment call a reforestation project, as well as having more area that could be loosely referred to as yard. Some of this will be more like timber, and some will be thinned to produce a more park like, arboretum like setting. It consists of hardwoods, including oaks, walnut, sugar maple, several hickories, and conifers including pines and spruces. This is entirely my hobby.

My application? I have no bucket truck. I do have a tractor with a 7’ wide, large capacity loader bucket that I can use as a platform in which to stand. I have done that, reaching as high as I can with whatever tools I have available.

Some trees are still smaller, some are getting quite large. My application? Prune whatever I need, want, and can, with what I have available, as effectively as I can and for as far into the lives of the trees as I can.

So, it is not so neatly defined as.... I have an apple orchard that I keep well pruned so that all trees fall between 96 and 120 inches tall, and intend to cut branches between .625 and 1.125 inches in diameter.

The brand you mention is currently on sale at orchardsedge for 25% off. However, some of their blades have a hook at the far and and what appears to be a stop at the near end. Others have only the hook at the far end. There are some brands that have neither, and some that have the alternative offering of curved or straight blades.

When you say the ARS saw is the best saw there is, perhaps you could say what application for which it is the best.

 

[rbtree]

The near hook is for scoring the underside of the cut to help limit bark tear. The upper hook is primarily designed to keep the blade in the cut. Many complain that it can cause you to get the blade stuck. While this is true, I primarily rely on the hook to pull hangers and to break out duff when pruning conifer branches. I really prefer a blade with a hook! (my 7-11 foot Zubat pole saw has no hook, which I miss, but have to live with as the tool is so nice.)

For your application, a sectional tool, with a lot of reach, would be the best tool. And, from all I've heard, the ARS is far superior to my 21 foot Silky Hayauchi, as both of its adjustment latches are very poor design. Both of these tools are fragile, but that should be no problem as you'll not be using them aloft. Just be sure to not let a falling branch catch the pole and bend it...this can easily happen. As well, the aluminum shaped tubes are lighter and more rigid than fiberglass...and the blades are superior to other brands.

The only other brand that sounds good is the Florian, used by Guy Meilleur.

All that said, time for me to get an ARS, as my Silky is long since broken..

A curved blade has more power than straight,...not sure I've seen a straight pole saw blade.

A 16 inch blade will be thicker, thus more tolerant to accidental bending...so it will create more drag, and maybe cut a bit slower, but can handle a longer stroke, and larger wood....but that's pretty irrelevant, as you'll not want to be cutting many 8 inch branches...unless you are in mighty fine shape!

AM Leonard's regular prices are lower than orchardsedge, fwiw. amleonard.com

 

[MasterBlaster]

Inexperience with hooked blades IS the reason I gave up on em. After the 4th or 5th time getting stuck I made the groundie put the old blade back on. Never touched one since.

 

[Bigsnowdog]

A few times I have used a rope operated pruner on the end of a pole. Is that a consumer class tool, or do any of you ever also use one of those on your hand operated pole saw?

 

[glens]

http://www.pruner.com/

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by Bigsnowdog
A few times I have used a rope operated pruner on the end of a pole.

Pole pruners often make cleaner cuts than polesaws, expecially by the less experienced. Like Roger said, I use the Florian brand set; their ratchet pole pruner makes big cuts easy.

Using a tractor to get near trees; I'd worry about soil compaction.

I'd also worry about taking off too much too soon; consider shortening some branches as part of a phased removal to increase taper: http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/pruning_mature.asp
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/pruning_young.asp

Hooktips work for me; straight blades get stuck too, if you get the angle wrong and they bind.

 

[jimmyq]

I have a 6 foot Silky pole saw - Nobita and I think its great. I just ordered a 7-11 foot Zubat and I am thinking about the big Hayauchi but... not right away, gotta watch the pocketbook.

 

[wiley_p]

Don't get the Silky the ARS is much better.

 

[jimmyq]

wiley... yah, I am not so sold on the big silky after seeing it, I have to find a supplier of the ARS and have a gander to see if it is better. I dont like the silky extension "clips" for a pole that long...

 

[eugenek]

Gentlemen,

Please be advised that 2 new state-of-art Silky saws, the "Hayate" pole saw series and the Sugoi "Tree Tiger" curved blade handsaw will be introduced, showcased and offered for sale at the upcoming TCI show in Detroit on October 28-30.

Please refer to the following links for further details regarding the latest Silky advancements for the professional Arborist.

The HAYATE pole saw series - http://www.silkystore.com/Secure/ecommerce/details.asp?prdn=698

The SUGOI "Tree Tiger" curved blade handsaw - http://www.silkystore.com/Secure/ecommerce/details.asp?prdn=695

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

i have always found ARS blades to dull a lot quicker than SILKY blades..imo the silky 'hayauchi' pole saw/prunner takes some beating

 

[Tree Machine]

Originally posted by Bigsnowdog
A few times I have used a rope operated pruner on the end of a pole. Is that a consumer class tool, or do any of you ever also use one of those on your hand operated pole saw?

That's what I use. The head is a Corona Bull Lopper, it's cut, truly, up to 2" diameter (5 cm).

I tend to do a lot of tip-pruning. Anything bigger than 2" I usually will climb to it. The hook is, of course, inclusive, for yanking duff, and the head is professional-grade with a lifetime guarantee ( unless you run it through the chipper )

With the 3:1 pully system you can create amazing cutting force the entire stroke of the jaw. This can be modified quickly to a 1:1 for doing light, fine pruning on ornamental trees.

It's a few ounces heavier than the marvin, but that's the tradeoff for having fullbore cutting power in a pole pruner.

A modification of the pull-cord and you have a dream tool that will serve you well.

 

[glens]

Something looked different in your photos in the traverse thread, and now this one...  Did you get a new pruner head, Jim?  Current appearances (if they are) are much better than what I recall from a few months ago.

Glen

 

[Tree Machine]

You're an amazingly observant individual, Glen.

I am using the worn and beaten twin brother of this new one, and it works just swell. I did go ahead and buy a new pruner head, to show how to to rig the head into more of a 'turbo' setting. The improvement is so dramatic, the performance so amped-up, that I want to share it with you guys. That meant buying myself a new pruner head to begin with.

Glen, do you remember how I upgraded this already mighty pruner head? The picture will give you hints.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm glad I don't ever have to use those danged thangs!

 

[glens]

Originally posted by Tree Machine
Glen, do you remember how I upgraded this already mighty pruner head? The picture will give you hints.

First the compliment then the challenge...

The first answer is "(some shade of blue -- maybe purple) web strap"

The second one I'm tempted to answer with "a knot" though for some strange reason I'm compelled to say something like "2 screws"&nbsp; :^<tt>)</tt>

The third one is a toss of the coin for "female"

I might be busier than usual for the near future, but we need to schedule some tree time together.&nbsp; I need to get some ideas for pushing/expanding my limits/capabilities.

Glen