pole chainsaw, pruner, advice.

[john432]

I've got a lot of spruce shelter belts on my farm. With the branches overhanging the fence into the field. I need to cut them back in order to cultivate the field. too strong for my flail hedge cutter. My question, would a pole saw be up to it? Which make and model is good value for money. what about the combi units that can also take a strimmer head etc? I know absolutly nothing about these,never even seen one working in real life. some of them sound a bit of a toy with only some 25cc engines. TIA John

[njtimber]

Stihl extendable pole pruner ,not sure what the current models are but I run 2 older ones and we prune young hardwoods regularly . Good bits of kit in my opinion better than the ones that have fix in extension sections. They will cope with limbs up to 6 inch as long as you adopt appropriate pruning cuts.

[Steve Bullman]

Stihl extendable pole pruner ,not sure what the current models are but I run 2 older ones and we prune young hardwoods regularly . Good bits of kit in my opinion better than the ones that have fix in extension sections. They will cope with limbs up to 6 inch as long as you adopt appropriate pruning cuts.

 

Yes very important point this. I have had a couple mishaps in the past with bits hanging on then falling not as suspected. Had one land tips down, and spring straight towards me, my mouth taking the the full brunt of the butt.

 

Used various different models, and the Stihl is the best IMO. I'd avoid the combi unit unless you're on a budget and really need 1 machine that will do several things.

[Thesnarlingbadger]

Sthil is the only pole saw that I have used personally and I have never heard of better. However what hight clearance do you need as you may need something with a little more height. In which case it may be with hiring in a MEWP for a day and getting it all done quick time.

[Steve Bullman]

may be with hiring in a MEWP for a day and getting it all done quick time.

 

A good point. Is this shelter belt the only place you need to saw for? Its likely only going to need doing once. Is the saw then going to sit unused? It may well be more cost effective to have a mewp for a day, or even a climber.

[john432]

A good point. Is this shelter belt the only place you need to saw for? Its likely only going to need doing once. Is the saw then going to sit unused? It may well be more cost effective to have a mewp for a day, or even a climber.

 

This is a good point, The ground slopes a bit and is uneven for a cherry picker type machine, I've got a telehandler, but can't lift someone else up in the bucket these days! o one local has a saw head on a tractor hedge cutter. New pole chainsaw 4-500 + vat? not going to get the job done anyother way cheaper, ladder and chainsaw? hard work! Yes the pole saw would be very handy around the farm, are they ok cutting horizontally? ie in awkward corners etc that the flail can't get to.,or around electric/telephone posts etc.

[Steve Bullman]

This is a good point, The ground slopes a bit and is uneven for a cherry picker type machine, I've got a telehandler, but can't lift someone else up in the bucket these days! o one local has a saw head on a tractor hedge cutter. New pole chainsaw 4-500 + vat? not going to get the job done anyother way cheaper, ladder and chainsaw? hard work! Yes the pole saw would be very handy around the farm, are they ok cutting horizontally? ie in awkward corners etc that the flail can't get to.,or around electric/telephone posts etc.

a good worker/climber could get a decent amount knocked out in a day with a saw and ladder, harnessed in of course. Thats now i'd do it(shock horror). Where are you based?

 

Yes it will cut horizontal. I can't imagine the branches will be overly large, maybe 4-5" tops? You would want to step cut the larger ones, and goes without saying the saw would want to be good and sharp.

[john432]

I'm in north Carmarthenshire Wales. I started cutting as high as I could reach with a chainsaw this afternoon, I might just use the 12 tonne excavator to rip the higher branches off, or bend them down,untill I can cut the branch, will look untidy. Excavator is fitted with a 3and 4 finger grapple, so will be used to remove the brash anyway.thanka for all the suggestions and advice.

[pete23]

This is a good point, The ground slopes a bit and is uneven for a cherry picker type machine, I've got a telehandler, but can't lift someone else up in the bucket these days! o one local has a saw head on a tractor hedge cutter. New pole chainsaw 4-500 + vat? not going to get the job done anyother way cheaper, ladder and chainsaw? hard work! Yes the pole saw would be very handy around the farm, are they ok cutting horizontally? ie in awkward corners etc that the flail can't get to.,or around electric/telephone posts etc.

 

buy a certificated man cage for the telehandler, great for access to trees and numerous jobs around a farm, cleaning gutters out, all sorts.

[Benny4817]

if you want to add another dimension to it and it keeps the Operator a bit further from drop zone rather than being directly underneath and also reduces the trapping issue when cutting is to get a 45 angle gear head for the top around 90 -100 quid but well worth it once you have used one with the angle on you wont want to take it off lol