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Since Brian's thread about the Power Pruner, I want to know if anyone has been ballsy enough to take one of these up into a tree?
Power Pruner In The Tree???
- Thread starter rahtreelimbs
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Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
...someone here will post some implausible scenario...
And fifteen minutes later, here it is. Yes, I've done all of these too.
Dead tree
Solid tie in
Can't climb limbs-too weak
Can't rig because the limbs will break apart and fly all over the yard, damaging things
Get PP and nibble off ends
Make top hinges, side hinges, folders etc.
Long, whippy, horizontal limbs
Weak wood like willow and silver maple
Too big for pole saw and too many to cut
Cut off ends so that they drop clear of power lines
Nibble back to trunk
Some of those whippy limbs bend too much from the pole saw. Or they break at the wrong place.
I bought one of the first generation PP with the Mac engine. Pretty weak engine but it works. I had been climbing for more than fifteen years before I bought the PP but have used it several times in the tree.
Tom
And fifteen minutes later, here it is. Yes, I've done all of these too.
Dead tree
Solid tie in
Can't climb limbs-too weak
Can't rig because the limbs will break apart and fly all over the yard, damaging things
Get PP and nibble off ends
Make top hinges, side hinges, folders etc.
Long, whippy, horizontal limbs
Weak wood like willow and silver maple
Too big for pole saw and too many to cut
Cut off ends so that they drop clear of power lines
Nibble back to trunk
Some of those whippy limbs bend too much from the pole saw. Or they break at the wrong place.
I bought one of the first generation PP with the Mac engine. Pretty weak engine but it works. I had been climbing for more than fifteen years before I bought the PP but have used it several times in the tree.
Tom
I didn't get my PP, which extends out much more than the Stihl one, I think, till three years ago.
I've used it three or four times in a tree, in scenarios much as Tom described. Once I used it to reach 12 feet laterally to an overhanging silver maple limb that could only be reached if we climbed a nearby dense fir and rappelled in, not worth the effort. And the 6 inch cut would have been slow by hand. I had used ascenders to reach the neaby perch, in another leaning leader that needed reduction, but it was 8 inches or so, and easier to ascend. No suitable high tie in available in the maple.
I've used it three or four times in a tree, in scenarios much as Tom described. Once I used it to reach 12 feet laterally to an overhanging silver maple limb that could only be reached if we climbed a nearby dense fir and rappelled in, not worth the effort. And the 6 inch cut would have been slow by hand. I had used ascenders to reach the neaby perch, in another leaning leader that needed reduction, but it was 8 inches or so, and easier to ascend. No suitable high tie in available in the maple.
Kneejerk Bombas
ArboristSite King
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I too have done the things Tom wrote.
I can hold my power pruner out, fully extended, with one hand, throttle pegged, hanging on my climbing line, standing tippy toe, and make the cut needed to drop a dead tree I wouldn't even think about climbing.
I know this 'cus I done it twice.
This tool lends itself to modification, including bar length, power and chain.
I can hold my power pruner out, fully extended, with one hand, throttle pegged, hanging on my climbing line, standing tippy toe, and make the cut needed to drop a dead tree I wouldn't even think about climbing.
I know this 'cus I done it twice.
This tool lends itself to modification, including bar length, power and chain.
Cool, so if'n I had mine built, mebbe throw a pipe on 'er, think she'd pull my 5 foot bar...so's I could get some more reach??
Menchhofer
ArboristSite Guru
Have used PP as Tom described and also from bucket truck for a few out of reach limbs.
Can relate hundreds of times we used the PP in tree to cut back limbs from service lines slicing tiny pieces at a time.
Can relate hundreds of times we used the PP in tree to cut back limbs from service lines slicing tiny pieces at a time.
I just remembered another cool job we did, a couple years back. The photos are in slide form, and would need me to throw em in the film scanner, and I'm lazy....
It was a 70 foot alder, fallen at a 70 degree angle, crosswise, propped on a 12 foot high old growth stump, and extending over a house. We set a static retrievable block in an appropriately located alder, and tied off each of the two 35 foot tops about midway. The line was run through my modified (to allow both lifting and lowering) Simpson 034 powered rope capstan winch. The first top was safe to cut with a chain saw, but, the second was accessed from the deck via our PP.
Sure, a GRCS would have been easier, or a Hobbs more bombproof, but it may have been before I got my Hobbs. And neither would have been as fast in pulling the tops up and away from the house.
The other bidders were clueless, talking an over the house crane..and big bucks. We did it and several other trees, for $1600, and were done by 3 pm. Speaking of this job, I just sold over $2k worth of work to two neighbors.
It was a 70 foot alder, fallen at a 70 degree angle, crosswise, propped on a 12 foot high old growth stump, and extending over a house. We set a static retrievable block in an appropriately located alder, and tied off each of the two 35 foot tops about midway. The line was run through my modified (to allow both lifting and lowering) Simpson 034 powered rope capstan winch. The first top was safe to cut with a chain saw, but, the second was accessed from the deck via our PP.
Sure, a GRCS would have been easier, or a Hobbs more bombproof, but it may have been before I got my Hobbs. And neither would have been as fast in pulling the tops up and away from the house.
The other bidders were clueless, talking an over the house crane..and big bucks. We did it and several other trees, for $1600, and were done by 3 pm. Speaking of this job, I just sold over $2k worth of work to two neighbors.
Love the Canuckian speelin' there, Jabberwock!!
Rog,
the Improper Topper
Rog,
the Improper Topper
Stumper
One Man Band
Well, after Rich's post and Brian's response I thought I was going to be the lonely recipient of Brian's and Mike's wrath. HA! Seems I am not alone in having taken a PP up a tree, Err.... read with caution PP stands for POWER PRUNER!
I've never claimed to be anything other than a poor but cautious climber but even the likes of Tom and Roger have found times when the PP was useful aloft.
I've never claimed to be anything other than a poor but cautious climber but even the likes of Tom and Roger have found times when the PP was useful aloft.
Well, it sure beat the b'day present a buddy got, one of the few "Golden Retriever's" that Sherril has sold, I'd guess....
SilverBlue
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hey, nothing better than to cut firewood whiles standing inside the back door all nice and warm eh Brian? How long does it take to season that orange wood before it burns real nice anyways?
Power pruners are one of my favourite weopons in taking out dead trees as they allow you to take thing down in sizes that are desirable while not risking your ass on dodgy limbs.
I rent them, cost me 70$ a day but its well worth the piece of mind
Timber
I rent them, cost me 70$ a day but its well worth the piece of mind
Timber
Yep, I have used mine in a tree. Whut Tom, Mike, and Timber said.
The more tools the better. Mine sits for weeks doing nothing but when it is handy, it is handy. Not sure I would run out and buy one, but be glad you have one.
The more tools the better.
The more tools the better. Mine sits for weeks doing nothing but when it is handy, it is handy. Not sure I would run out and buy one, but be glad you have one.
The more tools the better.
SilverBlue
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hey Brian, you can always make a special roof rack for your truck, plus you get visual advertising. My HT 75 actually saved my bacon when Isabel hit us. Didn’t feel like climbing a wet slippery downed tree during heavy rain, the pole saw did clear the tree limbs quickly though so I could claim the job (and a bunch of others) before the other companies could come to bid for the emergency job. Yes the saw has it’s benefits.
My HT 75 actually saved my bacon when Isabel hit us. Didn’t feel like climbing a wet slippery downed tree during heavy rain, the pole saw did clear the tree limbs quickly though so I could claim the job (and a bunch of others) before the other companies could come to bid for the emergency job. Yes the saw has it’s benefits.Menchhofer
ArboristSite Guru
Storm damaged down trees work excellent with the PP. Safer also.
It works great when removing spruce and pine trees.
It works great when removing spruce and pine trees.
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I'm glad to see that some of the members have used the PP as I described. I own an HT-75 but have never used it up in a tree. And here, I thought I would get slammed for this thread.
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Well' I guess its safe for me to say that I've done it a couple of times myself. Never liked it, though.
Ax-man
Addicted to ArboristSite
PP in tree
Shame Shame on you posters for coming out in public saying you are using the PP in trees. Didn't you guys read your manuels. " This tool is not to be used in trees " or something to that effect. Since when does a manuel ever stop a tree guy from doing something wild and crazy.
But like Tom said it makes sense to use one in a tree if bodily harm or property damage could result. I've used ours a couple of times in a tree, but not fully extended, only about half way out. The darn thing is tip heavy enough on the ground let alone in a tree. I would never use one in a small confining type tree, only in a large open one, where their is a lot of room for the tool itself and stay out of harms way when doing any cutting.
In addition to the previous uses mentioned, I use ours a lot when we do road side clearing for townships in the winter. Works great for the ground work, flat siding scrub trees, cutting small trees in ditches, saves on bending over with a chain saw. I really helps when your cutting on thorny material like osage orange, hawthorns, buckthorn and vine infested trees. You don't have to get so close to it like you do with a chain saw, surprisely enough you don't throw the chain off the bar when you use a PP, as compared to using a regular chain saw for this kind of rough cutting.
Shame Shame on you posters for coming out in public saying you are using the PP in trees. Didn't you guys read your manuels. " This tool is not to be used in trees " or something to that effect. Since when does a manuel ever stop a tree guy from doing something wild and crazy.
But like Tom said it makes sense to use one in a tree if bodily harm or property damage could result. I've used ours a couple of times in a tree, but not fully extended, only about half way out. The darn thing is tip heavy enough on the ground let alone in a tree. I would never use one in a small confining type tree, only in a large open one, where their is a lot of room for the tool itself and stay out of harms way when doing any cutting.
In addition to the previous uses mentioned, I use ours a lot when we do road side clearing for townships in the winter. Works great for the ground work, flat siding scrub trees, cutting small trees in ditches, saves on bending over with a chain saw. I really helps when your cutting on thorny material like osage orange, hawthorns, buckthorn and vine infested trees. You don't have to get so close to it like you do with a chain saw, surprisely enough you don't throw the chain off the bar when you use a PP, as compared to using a regular chain saw for this kind of rough cutting.
