Thread: pole saw

I need a pole saw to climb with. I am a landscaper who does some dead wood in the canopies of some of my customers trees. (mostly for the thrill of the climb) It's mostly hard to reach stuff. No rigging and no chipper so I keep it small. My present saw is a little incumbersome. I am looking at the "Silky Longboy Pole Saw". What do you guys use and what are your experiences with this type of work?

The long Silky pole saw is a beaut - you really can't go wrong with that. Tough as nails too when fully extended.

If it's just "for the thrill of climbing", climb out there and get it with your handsaw.

No disrespect, you'll get a better idea of what you're cutting and make a more proper cut if you can see what you're cutting.

The thrill is just the added bonus you get from doing it right.


RedlineIt

Originally Posted by Pete M

The long Silky pole saw is a beaut - you really can't go wrong with that. Tough as nails too when fully extended.

+1

sometimes you can't reach the right cut with a handsaw, no matter how gifted (and light) a climber you are. see below, was in june's arborist news.

see below, was in june's arborist news.

Already read that.

To which I say, if it's that small and frond-like, a pole-saw will be an excercise in frustration, what you want is a pole-pruner.

If it is sturdy enough to sit still for the back-and forth of an accurate pole-saw cut, it's sturdy enough for me to go out and have a closer look.


RedlineIt

I usually tie my pole saw (wooden poles) to a line, leave it on the ground and pull it up if I need it. I didn't see this particular dead branch until I got in the tree and hadn't tied the pole to me. I couldn't reach it with the chain saw and it would break with my weight for sure. I would have jumped down on it but couldn't tell from the tree if it was over the wires leading to the house. (They were about 2' over the wires.) Now I have to go back cut the end off from the ground then climb the tree again to get the rest. The butt end is a little to big to saw with the pole saw. Thanks for the good review of the saw and great article treeseer.

Originally Posted by RedlineIt

Already read that.

To which I say, if it's that small and frond-like, a pole-saw will be an excercise in frustration, what you want is a pole-pruner.

If it is sturdy enough to sit still for the back-and forth of an accurate pole-saw cut, it's sturdy enough for me to go out and have a closer look.


RedlineIt

You don't want to climb on 1" silver maple, but one quick light pull with a new polesaw blade will leave a clean cut everytime on softer woods. The tips of harder stuff like pin oak is a real PITA to polesaw, a pruner works better for those.

Jamesons are nice, because you can add as much length as you need.

stihls are nice because theyre motorized, but are limited on reach.

havent tried any of the silkys yet, but i hear great things.

I use a 14 foot wooden pole saw. I think they are made of Basswood. They are lighter and have less slop than fiberglass pole saws. They also withstand the abuse of being dropped out of the tree.

I use the Silky Hayuchi 21', the three sections give a nice range of sizes and its not too heavy, cuts really well!
One of my most valuable tools for pruning waaaay out tips is the Fiskars extendable pruner, it has an 11' reach, with two handle positions, one at the very end of the pole, and the pruning (snip) head is movable 180* making accurate cuts achievable. I've dropped it, banged it, used it as a fishing pole, getting branches out of the water (salt water, pruning mangroves), its still going strong!

the 21 ft silky is not a good choice fer aloft. the best climbing pole imo are the eight side ash-wood poles. your pole is only as good as its blade, with that being said i will only use the hook tip blade as far as in the tree climbers pole its the best on the market.

Originally Posted by Pete M

The long Silky pole saw is a beaut - you really can't go wrong with that. Tough as nails too when fully extended.

You ever have much of a problem with pine pitch gumming it shut?

Any pine trees to deal with?

That's the only thing that might concern me here. We don't have a lot, but some.

fully out fitted with jamison, standard and insulated poles with lopper head and hooked tip blade.

got 8 sections that will reach further than I can support.

Originally Posted by (WLL)

the 21 ft silky is not a good choice fer aloft. the best climbing pole imo are the eight side ash-wood poles. your pole is only as good as its blade, with that being said i will only use the hook tip blade as far as in the tree climbers pole its the best on the market.

Speak for yourself...
The Silky works just great for me, especially manouvering, all sections tucked away, then zip, zip out they come when I get where I'm going.
Hey different strokes for different folks, (and trees)