Pole saw recommendations, please.

[Hermio]

NOPE, you will have to buy the newest, greatest etc.!

I think the tide is turning against over-regulating politicians. I hope I am right.

 

[lone wolf]

I think the tide is turning against over-regulating politicians. I hope I am right.

It's trying like hell!

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Not sure what kind of trimmer you have, but mine is a split shaft Husqvarna 128LD. I have the edger, mini tiller, and pole saw attachments for it. I’ve used the pole saw quite a bit. Everything from clearing out a 20-30 foot black locust thicket along a steeper bank, to trimming some 6” branches from some maples and white pines. It’s slower than a chainsaw but the pole saw digs in and keeps going. I think the reach is around 9-10 feet with both sections put together and the half shaft of the trimmer. I got it a few years or so back, but I think the attachment was around $119.

L8R,
Matt

 

[Breckinridge Elkins]

I cannot agree with you on that. We have a number of corded Kobalt tools as well as various 24v, 40v and 80v cordless. All have performed well; way better than B&D and even better than some of the Dewalt products. My son is a building contractor employee, and he uses Kobalt exclusively. So does his boss. They earn a living with these tools. They won't replace gas-powered chainsaws for heavy work but are way more convenient for occasional light work.

Well, my family and I have been in construction for a long time. Grandpa built homes, uncles build homes, dad has been a contractor for 50+ years, I have been building homes for about 30 years, son in law is a commercial electrician foreman, nephews are carpenters, etc. The pros use Milwaukee, not Kobalt. The snobs use Festool, the budget strapped guys use Bosch, Rigid, DeWalt. The smarter ones use Makita. You won't see Kobalt on a professional job site. If you want to buy your wife something cheap so she doesn't steal your work tools, you buy her Porter Cable or Ryobi.

Maybe the Kobalt pole saw is a winner. These things happen. Just like every once in awhile you find a genuine keeper at Harbor Freight. I would honestly consider Harbor Freight before buying anything with the Kobalt label on it.

Unfortunately, buying a Kobalt pole saw means you have to go into Lowe's, and that's a whole other level of hell. I am used to shopping at family owned lumber stores ever since I was a kid taking the job truck to pick up materials at 16. Independent hardware stores have their own kinks but at least the people who own the place are experts in what they sell and can't afford to keep taking returns on junk tools the way box stores can. I live five minutes from a Lowe's. Almost every time I walk in there I end up walking out in frustration without buying anything because they don't have what I want, have an inferior version, or I can't find anyone who knows anything about the products.. Then I make the 20 minute drive to Home Depot. Now I am not a fan of Home Depot or "The Borg" as it's sometimes called (Big Orange Retail Giant) but at least I can find what I am looking for and they actually sell some professional quality tools.. Even the CEO of Lowe's said he would rather shop at Home Depot.

 

[OM617YOTA]

It's basically the same business model. If you can't find what you need at Lowes and can at Home Depot, the problem is you, not the store.

 

[Breckinridge Elkins]

the problem is you, not the store.

No, that's definitely not it.

 

[Franny K]

It's basically the same business model. If you can't find what you need at Lowes and can at Home Depot, the problem is you, not the store.

I will disagree at least if you include on line Home depot. Pretty much any Makita product is available on line at Home Depot, the less heavy duty stuff is generally in the store. Don't know about Home Depot but in the wood screws with T25 head Lowes changed brand and instead of #9 they put a break at #8 to #10,

The OP has not been seen (signed in) since June 8. Multiple Manual ones was insightful. Ht250 is kind of intresting on the high price end. Rev it up and toss the basketball sized power head sort of tactic is also interesting.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I will disagree at least if you include on line Home depot.

Online is definitely different. I frequently buy plumbing fittings or whatever online at Home Depot, because the pricing is frequently better than in store and delivered for free mostly. They're also a marketplace, like Amazon, and it's astonishing the number of non-H-D type things that are available from HD online. HD much more closely aligns with my values than Amazon does, so I actively try and push business towards HD and away fom Amazon.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

My ht131 has been great. It's an absolute animal.

 

[Chucksta]

Not to hi-jack the thread.. far from it. Recently, I had a tree taken out on my property (Pine).. I would have done it myself, but I've decided to never climb again. I couldn't see how it could come down, without being climbed. I'd taken my Echo pole saw to it, and got the first 15 ft or so.. and to be blunt, it was a PITA.. Heavy, awkward.. just not user friendly.. , The crew showed up to drop it, and darn if the Arborist doesn't haul out a manual pole trimmer.. WTF? I swear he got almost 30 ft up into the tree, and sawed through 6 inch branches in less than 10 strokes.. He said it was worth about $600.00 (CDN).. If I'd have been smarter, I'd have gotten a make and model off it..
Does anyone have an idea of what he used?
For cutting up into a tree, it beat the crap outta a gas or battery powered saw. about 15 ft more reach than my Echo PAS and extension poles..

 

[Bullseye T&L]

Stihl Ht131 has been a nice saw for my jobsite. Heavy, but does anything I ask of it. The telescoping capability is indispensable to us. When we're lowering a big brushy limb in tight area, my groundie will lock off the line, grab the ht131 and take apart the limb until we can lay it down easily.

 

[Hermio]

Well, my family and I have been in construction for a long time. Grandpa built homes, uncles build homes, dad has been a contractor for 50+ years, I have been building homes for about 30 years, son in law is a commercial electrician foreman, nephews are carpenters, etc. The pros use Milwaukee, not Kobalt. The snobs use Festool, the budget strapped guys use Bosch, Rigid, DeWalt. The smarter ones use Makita. You won't see Kobalt on a professional job site. If you want to buy your wife something cheap so she doesn't steal your work tools, you buy her Porter Cable or Ryobi.

Maybe the Kobalt pole saw is a winner. These things happen. Just like every once in awhile you find a genuine keeper at Harbor Freight. I would honestly consider Harbor Freight before buying anything with the Kobalt label on it.

Unfortunately, buying a Kobalt pole saw means you have to go into Lowe's, and that's a whole other level of hell. I am used to shopping at family owned lumber stores ever since I was a kid taking the job truck to pick up materials at 16. Independent hardware stores have their own kinks but at least the people who own the place are experts in what they sell and can't afford to keep taking returns on junk tools the way box stores can. I live five minutes from a Lowe's. Almost every time I walk in there I end up walking out in frustration without buying anything because they don't have what I want, have an inferior version, or I can't find anyone who knows anything about the products.. Then I make the 20 minute drive to Home Depot. Now I am not a fan of Home Depot or "The Borg" as it's sometimes called (Big Orange Retail Giant) but at least I can find what I am looking for and they actually sell some professional quality tools.. Even the CEO of Lowe's said he would rather shop at Home Depot.

I am not knocking Milwaukee. But as I pointed out, the builder my son works for uses Kobalt. That is professional use. They seem quite satisfied with the brand.

 

[telecasterfool]

Not to hi-jack the thread.. far from it. Recently, I had a tree taken out on my property (Pine).. I would have done it myself, but I've decided to never climb again. I couldn't see how it could come down, without being climbed. I'd taken my Echo pole saw to it, and got the first 15 ft or so.. and to be blunt, it was a PITA.. Heavy, awkward.. just not user friendly.. , The crew showed up to drop it, and darn if the Arborist doesn't haul out a manual pole trimmer.. WTF? I swear he got almost 30 ft up into the tree, and sawed through 6 inch branches in less than 10 strokes.. He said it was worth about $600.00 (CDN).. If I'd have been smarter, I'd have gotten a make and model off it..
Does anyone have an idea of what he used?
For cutting up into a tree, it beat the crap outta a gas or battery powered saw. about 15 ft more reach than my Echo PAS and extension poles..

If you are looking for fast cutting arborist saws, look up the brand Silky. Not sure they have anything that long, however. I use a Jameson fiberglass pole system, and I can mount many brands of saw at the end.