Pole saws

[Bigsnowdog]

I am considering the purchase of a pole saw, either a Stihl or a Husqvarna. I understand the Stihl telescopes and has an 8 inch bar; the Husqvarna does not telescope, but is lighter, and has a 12 inch bar. The Husqvarna apparently has the possibility of switching to either a 14 or 16 inch bar, which I can't imagine anyone doing.

What are your opinions on these two alternatives, and also.... are there any particular techniques, important things to avoid, or safety comments to make?

thanks....

 

[sedanman]

The shortest bar Stihl makes for any of their saws including the pole saws is 12 inches. The HT-110 has the 4-mix engine with GOBS of torque. Ht-75's with the 2-cycle engine are still in dealers inventorys if that is your preference. There is also a fixed length pole saw or an attachment you can add to a solid shaft string trimmer.

 

[Bigsnowdog]

Originally posted by sedanman
The shortest bar Stihl makes for any of their saws including the pole saws is 12 inches. The HT-110 has the 4-mix engine with GOBS of torque. Ht-75's with the 2-cycle engine are still in dealers inventorys if that is your preference. There is also a fixed length pole saw or an attachment you can add to a solid shaft string trimmer.

The attachment you mention for the straight shaft trimmer.... isn't it correct that it is a circular saw? Or am I wrong? If it is a circular saw, I think that sounds pretty scary.

Thanks for the 12 inch comment. I got the idea of 8 inches from a person at the dealer, who must not have been entirely familiar with them.

 

[xander9727]

Rocky,
Your not being PC again. Some husky fan is going to ban you!
I thought you'd learned not to burden people with facts!
Just say what everyone else is saying.

 

[sedanman]

There is a CHAINSAW attachment for a straight shaft trimmer, the trimmer MUST have a solid driveshaft.

http://www.stihlusa.com/accessories/interchangeable.html

scroll down to see the pole saw attachment

 

[Hunter]

The best ones I have used are the Stihl and Echo. I have the stihl KM85 wich is there changable head unit. Its ok for 10-13ft stuff, but does get heavy.
I also have the Echo pole pruner. It works very well and has great power and not real heavy. The reach is 17+ feet and you can get an optional 5 ft extension for it.

Hunter

 

[jokers]

Originally posted by xander9727
Rocky,
Your not being PC again. Some husky fan is going to ban you!
I thought you'd learned not to burden people with facts!
Just say what everyone else is saying.

I`ve got an Echo PPT-260! With 5' extension of course.

Russ

 

[wiley_p]

I got the new HT with the "4-mix" outfit like it more than the old one engine sounds funny real funny, does have more torque though. Wonder if there is a tiny little cam and tiny litte valves?

 

[sedanman]

Tiny little valves, a cam with a single lobe and pushrods the size of toothpicks. I am selling my 2 stroke trimmer now that I got a 4-mix. Wait maybe I could make the 2 stroke into a blender.

 

[wiley_p]

Wow, The local sawshop where I bought it didnt know anything about it yet, they didnt have one stock had to order it from Chehalis on next day freight. The mechanic was nervous about selling it to me cause he couldnt answer my questions about it, another thing I wonder about is after say 20 tanks of fuel if a tank of straight gas was put in would there be enough residual oil in the crancase to protect the machine?

 

[sedanman]

NO! The 4-mix is a sealed 4 cycle engine, air leaks can kill it just like they will kill a 2 stroke. There is a hole on top of the intake runner which is ecposed to the valve cover. Air, fuel , and oil all travel though this hole and then through a transfer passage to the crankcase. All the while the oil is diong its job. When the piston moves down, the mixture in the crankcase is sent back though the hole in the intake post and into the combustion chamber. There is no oil reservoir, if there's no oil in the fuel then there's no oil in the engine.

 

[dtw902]

I have had better luck with the echo's. They seem to hold up better for us. We bent to many shafts on the stihl extensions. Good luck. Dave

 

[a_lopa]

Originally posted by xander9727
Rocky,
Your not being PC again. Some husky fan is going to ban you!
I thought you'd learned not to burden people with facts!
Just say what everyone else is saying.

you

you would have to be out of your mind to even consider buying a pole saw that doesnt extend huski have had many failures in this area even there hydraulic backpack polesaw was a joke! but hey thats what you get for making sewing machines for years,i wonder if they were any good,doubt it!i challenge any one to tell me they last as long as a stihl im glad i sold all of mine 42,68,94, and the dreaded never reliable 355 what a pile of rubbish these saws are i thought they were cool sounding, heaps chain speed they disgust me now nothin worse than a unreliable saw.

 

[glens]

I prefer German saws.  Never have seen any Polish saws on the market.

Actually, some of the women-folk in my family have done some heavy duty sewing over the years and they say the Husqvarna sewing machines are (or at least have been) top-notch.  The thing that needs to be remembered about what is now Husqvarna is that it's a corporate conglomeration of many other bought-out companies mostly from which came the original technology, in some cases modified slightly, and put into production.

Glen