Quick Pole: Big Silky or Small Topper?!

[Sambo]

3 minutes ago, Conor Wright said:

200t and don't mention the wrist pain to anyone.. but in all seriousness I have recently had a look at the silky pole pruners, i do a lot of overgrown conifer hedge work from a cherrypicker and the extra reach coupled with the silence compared to a polesaw appeals to me. plus its a cleaner cut.. not that the connys seem to care..

In agreement with sambo that it may be a loss of machoness..that said there's nothing too manly about spending the evening sprawled on the sofa bleating in pain after a back wrenching 200 ft long slog through a manky wet 25 ft high leylandii hedge covered in old clippings left from the previous cheap quoters who never came back a second time.. engine powered saws get heavy in conditions like that... must admit that rarely happens since i bought the cherry picker, just the odd out of reach branch in a corner these days.. on another note.. how do people not see their gardens disappearing under a mountain of needle bearing green crap?! I've seen thirty foot wide "hedges"

Yeah see this is where I'm coming from I guess - I think I just wanted to take advantage of the variety of saws Silky put out now compared to when I started. I was given a 200T and a 300mm Gomtaro and told that was the standard gear everywhere (which it more or less is!). But what if there was another way...……? 

[Sambo]

8 minutes ago, carlos said:

getting on well with the msa 160 stihl battery saw for pruning work.

What's that like for weight compared to the 150s?

[carlos]

1 minute ago, Sambo said:

What's that like for weight compared to the 150s?

er not sure as ive never used a 150. it is nice and light though and you dont need to start it or have it running all the time.

[Conor Wright]

6 minutes ago, carlos said:

er not sure as ive never used a 150. it is nice and light though and you dont need to start it or have it running all the time.

On that note has anyone seen or used the little battery pellenc saws? 

 

13 minutes ago, Sambo said:

Yeah see this is where I'm coming from I guess - I think I just wanted to take advantage of the variety of saws Silky put out now compared to when I started. I was given a 200T and a 300mm Gomtaro and told that was the standard gear everywhere (which it more or less is!). But what if there was another way...……? 

I demo'ed the pellenc backpack powered hedgetrimmer and was impressed..saw will run off the same kit, could be an alternative to either hand or petrol powered? no fumes, can cut bigger branches faster and easier than handsaw but.. extra bulk if climbing.. but it will run for hours! price is a bit eyewatering at close to 2k for the battery..

theres something almost soothing about using a handsaw, especially a good one like a silky. its more primal I guess! 

[Haironyourchest]

11 hours ago, Sambo said:

Out if interest what style of saw do you use? I find a curved saw a lot easier for cutting 'up and down' as it were. so if things are above me or doing a lot of reaching out. I'm with you in finishing a hinge (section fell right?).

Do you carry you topper with you all the time or get it sent up when you need it?

Zubat 330 curved, not ideal for hinges but it works, and yes, very easy pull cuts. I have 160 battery topper, light, just take it up every time.

[stihlmadasever]

13 hours ago, Sambo said:

Intrigued What do you mean by 2511?

The echo 2511 top handled chainsaw.Theres an indepth, epic thread on here called tiny echo chainsaw.

Really good little saws once you get the 150 bar and chain on it.

Actually the thread started with the echo 2510 but that was pulled by the manufacturer and replaced by the 2511.

Edited August 16, 2018 by stihlmadasever

[Alex O]

ms 201t and a zubat 330 all depends on what I’m cutting/pruning

[Stephen Blair]

They all have their own job, take a look at the tree then decide what’s best,
If I take any saw I’ll usually have a silky in a saw pod too.
I’ve got the pillenic back pack saw too, the automatic chain break and not having a running saw is great.

[Coletti]

For me personally it has to be a wee chainsaw over a silky. Used to use bothe in different situations but since getting the 2511 ive not bothered with silky. Yes there are positives and negatives to both but just the ease and speed of using a chainsaw over a silky wins it for me

[Shane]

We all prefer the lightness, quiet and 'spare hand' aspect of the silky, but with the advent of the MS150 and other similar offerings the weight is not so much of an issue and the noise levels seem lower.

 

The other thing is cost. I recon after a couple of hard days pruning with a silky the blade is definitely losing its edge. I used to keep my old silky blades (god only knows why) till one day I counted over 40 laying around (that was about a years worth). Multiply that up by £20 something plus VAT !

 

We just use them for really awkward 'white knuckle' position cuts now.