Poll Saw

[Lumberjack]

I am at another fork, What pole saw to get? I am thinking the Silky hayauchi (anybody seen the new clamps?) or the ARS.

What would yall recommend/ buy if money wasn't a problem, but you could only buy 1 pole saw?



Carl

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

For an allaround climbing pole saw, I'm in favor of a 12 foot basswood with a Razor blade with the head fixed to the pole.

There each feuled joint flexes more.

I've a 21 ft slilky and it is not really good for climbing. Awesome for ground work though.

I've lookde at the ARS and still cannot see it being too forgiving the way I move in a tree that would require that kind of reach.

 

[NickfromWI]

When I worked at The Care of Trees, I was addicted to my 12' wooden (they used Hemlock) pole. Super light weight, not too flexible (though, I won't lie...it flexed). Cheap to replace if Mr. Coworker dropped a log on it...or if I did it myself!

Tip- I painted a stripe on mine. I called it a safety stripe. It was on the side facing away from the blade. This meant that if I was in a tree, and it was hanging a few feet overhead, I could reach for it, and if I could see the blue stripe, then the blade was facing away from me. It would be safe to loosen the grip on it and let it slide down through my hand until it was at the length I wanted to make my next cut/move. I was paranoid that if I just let it slide without watching it, the blade might slide down and cut my helmet....or worse

love
nick

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Nick,

That has got to be the BEST idea to go with a pole saw that I've ever heard. Keep 'em coming!

I can't stand the fiberglass ferules that don't line up. I don't know who makes them. With my wooden Marvin sections, when I bottom them together, the hole lines up. with the 'glass ones I have to hold them apart and spin. A real nuisance.

Tom

 

[highpoint-utd]

a few years ago i worked with a guy who had left his pole saw hung in a tree a couple of feet above him .he moved and the pole fell down and cut his left bicep to the bone. big inquiry after thatby the company we worked for (brophys)and the health and saftey executive . the guy wound up never getting any compensation due to the fact there was no national proficencey test in pole saws or a training course for there use basically the guy was shaf**ed by the company lawyers. from that time on i always use an old climbing strop larks footed on the saw and clip it into the tree with an old karrabiner,that guy howled like a stuck pig when he got cut, made a mess of his arm too

 

[NickfromWI]

Same thing happened to me once in a Zelkova. I reached back to grab a limb to move to a new position. I forgot that I had JUST hung my polesaw there. I bumped it and it unhooked from the branch it was hanging on, came down, spun around and sliced right across the back of my hand.

For some wierd reason, I was wearing a cheap pear of leather gloves in that tree. The saw tore very cleanly through the gloves and did not cut a hair on me.

Lucky. Lesson learned.

love
nick

ps- I rarely use a pole saw nowadays.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by NickfromWI

Tip- I painted a stripe on mine. I called it a safety stripe. It was on the side facing away from the blade.

So Tom, whose gonna market this great idea first? You? Me? Nick? Somebody reading?
For such a simple modification, the effect is exponential!
Outstanding, Big Nickster!!

The only thing I would do different would be to have a red stripe on the hot side, and a green one one the other.

EXCELLENT POST!!!

 

[NickfromWI]

Mine had the red stripe, too. It's funny how red is universally known as BAD.


I didn't mention the red because I found I never used it. All I ever cared about was, "Where is blue?" If I saw anything other than blue, I'd spin until I saw blue.

It doesn't matter so much who markets it first, Butch. Geeze.. do you think we are all macho, ego-pumping, testosteronified males?

As long as I get all the money, I don't care!

love
nick

 

[Matt Follett]

For the earlier mentioned fact of head removal... I use Jamison poles with a clip in head, works for the bigshots too then, that way the saw head never sees the back of the truck!

Nick I too must say well done!! I'll paint mine up shortly!

Polesaws in the tree scare me too, for that drop factor when not in use. Hasn't happened yet, but... I like the biner clip in method but then you always have to move right to it to unclip... I would like to modify/build anew the head end so I was more confident in the hook

 

[NickfromWI]

Again, while at The Care of Trees, I was tried to rig up a way to carry my saw.

The concept I was working on, but eventually gave up on, was a small prusik (Hey! I spelled it right!) loop prussiked onto my climbing line. I would hook the the saw into the loop. If I was descending, my Distel would push the little prusik down.

I gave up because when going up, you had to advance the prusik as well as your friction hitch.

I liked the idea, but there are big kinks to work out. I've given up on it (mainly because I don't use a saw anymore) but I mention it here because someone might be able to turn my idea into something usable.

Thanks, guys! I'm glad you like the idea. If my sharing it keeps any one of you (well, almost any of you) from getting cut once in the future...then I'll be happy.

love
nick

Rocky, I was just kidding about that...I don't want you to get cut, either!:angel:

ps- another good thing about the safety stripe...if you're walking on the ground with it and the blade is behind you (which it really shouldn't be, I'm told) and someone is walking towards you with some brush or whatever, you can make sure to rotate the blade away from that person!

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

If that polesaw blade that shears things so well falls, with the weight of the pole too; you have a powered cutting tool. If it faces you; it is also given the advantage of direction .

 

[Stumper]

Excellent suggestion Nick!
Tom, I know what you mean about the improper bottoming of the ferrules on some fiberglass poles. I have 2 sets. One of which was purchased from American Arborist Supplies 12 or so years ago. They bottom so that you can just twist the holes into alignment and snap in. I bought a second set from Forestry Suppliers a little later and they 'bottom' past the holes so that you have to fiddle them into alignment. Has anyone got any input on Sherrills' Fglas poles? I need to buy a new set to replace the old good ones. I'd like to get some that work with minimum hassle.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Got 7 stitches on scalp once from polesaw in tree-learned to be careful w placement and movement and it hasn't been a problem in the 20+ yrs since. Also learned another benefit to hardhat.

Florian makes a telescoping pole that is very sturdy and indispensable for long reaches. I bought a jameson telescoper and the cam failed after 2 weeks; I'll try the replacement to give it a fair chance, but confidence in the brand is shot for now.

Florian also makes a lightweight pruner head which is good in the tree when there are smaller reduction cuts to make out in the tips. I wouldn't use a sectional polesaw again; on-off major hassle. Telescoping technology has arrived, twistandclick is a snap to use, and if anything breaks for whatever reason they replace for half cost.

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by Stumper
Excellent suggestion Nick!
Tom, I know what you mean about the improper bottoming of the ferrules on some fiberglass poles. I have 2 sets. One of which was purchased from American Arborist Supplies 12 or so years ago. They bottom so that you can just twist the holes into alignment and snap in. I bought a second set from Forestry Suppliers a little later and they 'bottom' past the holes so that you have to fiddle them into alignment. Has anyone got any input on Sherrills' Fglas poles? I need to buy a new set to replace the old good ones. I'd like to get some that work with minimum hassle.

The Jameson pole used in by BS require that you control the depth and twist them to get them to lock. I would bet that Jameson only makes one type of ferule, so I bet the new ones are like that. I bet you could extend the male pole's ferule a little, but you could us a piece of PVC pipe cut to the right length inserted into the female to make it bottom out sooner.


Carl

 

[treeguy347]

I would strongly recommend against the Hayuchi until Silky resolves the problem with the clamps. I have had three of them break since winter started. Thankfully Silky is taking care of the situation by changing the clamps, and sent me out a box of the things. Other than that, it cuts right on par with the other silky saws I own: absoultly wonderful!

 

[topnotchtree]

I seldom use a pole saw myself. Here is a very affordable tip to connect wood poles together. Take a piece of 1 1/2" pvc pipe about 2 to 2 1/5 feet long. Use that as a coupler for the 2 wood poles using 1/4-20 bolts. A wingnut helps for easy assemble/dissassemble.Once you drill holes through pipe and poles, it is easy to set up.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by NickfromWI


The concept I was working on, but eventually gave up on, was a small prusik onto my climbing line.

I used to know a guy wh would take a big saw into the tree with him that way using a long loop.he would advance up in a swiss ladder like fashion.

One for saw, one for foot, and his frictionhitch in there somewhere.

 

[Lumberjack]

I was looking through Sherrill and here is an idea that came to mind. Jameson offers hollow poles and core filled (excluding the economy) I could buy one of every length of the hollow, and be able to reach 29' (2 4' on BS) for $131. I would have many different length available by combining different ones. Then I get a saw head for $22 and a Fanno hook tip for $17 for a combined price of $170. The poles flexing might be a problem so I could subsitute the 6' and the 8' for an additional $44 dollars for a total of $214 which is $10 dollars cheaper than ARS, and 9' longer.

With that I could climb with a short 3-6'er when needed, but could reach really good from ground. Whatda think guys?


Carl

 

[NickfromWI]

With a pole that long, I'm not sure you'd ever need to climb again!



Seriously though, I don't know if you'd have any control moving around a 30 foot pole. I've only used a few poles longer than 15'. They were wobbly as heck. I can't imagine doubling it!

Any one here used a pole that long?

love
nick

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel
I agree on the head and the Fanno hook tip blade. I never found a need to play games with pole lengths, I have three 6' poles and they work for the pole saw and the pruner head.


If you have an 8' pole, you will not need two 4' poles for the BigShot. The only reason I do not carry 8' poles is the size of my truck.

The BS fits behind the bench seat in my truck, plus I like having the bottom 4'er to us the BS in the tree.

I bet it would/could be hard to control, but maybe it will be stiffer with the 2 filled.


Carl