Pole saw recommendations and opinions!!!

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Khntr85

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Hello guys...have been thinking about getting a HT103/HT133......do any of you guys have/use pole saws very much....

Another option is the hand pole saw like the silky for instance...they do have more reach than the power pruners...

I have a job coming up that would pay for a power pruner...I have always wanted one, but now that I am doing more tree work on the side, I am wondering if I should just get one now...

Thanks for your help guys!!!
 
I think I have seen a thread just like this somewhere else. You really want both a power pruner and a manual pole saw. Years ago, echo was the gold standard in power pruners. It has been somewhat replaced by the stihl ht131. We run a 131 and it has plenty of power but it is extremely heavy and will wear you out very quickly. You really need to be very careful cutting with it especially at full extension as one bad cut can cost $$$ in a bent shaft. You will need the manual pole to free the power pruner when you get it stuck. It cannot be pull out of a cut.
 
My buddy has a pp266 (i think?) or a pp260. Ive used it a few times and its a stone cold killer. Less power on paper than the stihl i used where i used to work, but performed well ahead of the stihl. Shaft is bigger and operates smoother. Only complaint ive heard on the echos is the variety of fasteners used on the saw head.
 
I have a Husqvarna 525PT5S which has been out for about 2 years. The fully extended pole is sturdy with only slight flex but the telescopic spring action stopped working after a couple of uses. There is no handle so you have to buy a harness separately. It starts real easy I will say that for it and the balance of the thing is quite good and apparently better balanced than the comparable Stihl model of a couple of years ago. Mine came with a 10" bar but some come with a 12" bar or you can buy one separately.
One thing I learnt the hard way about using a pole saw, is that to save yourself from a pinched then ruined bar, you always need to give the underside of the branch a small cut before cutting above, for anything bigger than about 2" diameter.
 
I've got an Echo PAS 266 with a pole pruner attachment and a 3 foot extention. Telescoping would be nice though. It works very well. I like the versatility of swapping attachments if needed especially the brush cutter.
 
Check out the efco / oleo mac pole saw. The only one on the market that have a tilting head up to 90°! No more pinching with that!
http://www.efcopower.com/products/pruners

PTX%202700%20In-Use.jpg


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I have an ht 100, 131, and 250. If i had to buy it again i would look at the Stihl Kombi unot with extensions, not expensive tube to get bent as in the extended saws and all the benefit if a shorter saw when that is all that is needed. It would take up mucj less room to transport as well. As has been mentioned, the Stihl replaced the Echos in these parts by most pro's. The 4-mix has great torque allowing you to place the bar on the branch and just pull the trigger. It does not have to have the rpm up before making contact with the branch like most 2 strokes do. I'd look seriously at the KM 130 or whatever it's replacement is.
 
Well I have narrowed in in the ht133, it only weighs .4 more than the ht103, and has more power...I can get it out the door for $650...the ht103 is $600....

There are a lot of new features on these saws and they have lost about 2LBs on the prior models...go to stihls site and check them out...
 
S650 out the door is a good price. They're 650 before tax here. I'm looking for a pole saw too. Have any of you heard anything bad about the new Stihls? I'm looking at Husqvarna and Echo too. I'd look at Efco if I could find a dealer here.
 
I bought and used the STIHL HT131 for a group that used all STIHL saws. It is the current 'standard' for professional use IMO. But it gets heavy fast. And the extended part of the telescoping pole is a small diameter. My dealer tells me that this is the part that they repair/replace the most, and it is an expensive part.

If I was buying one for my own use, I would choose the ECHO PPT266, and maybe get the optional 3 foot extension for occasional, extended reach. Cost and weight are similar, and the diameter of the telescoping tube is larger.

Check it out, before getting hung up on paper specification differences.

Also check out the angled, Cannon pruner bars.
http://www.cannonbar.com/product-category/pruning-bars/

Philbert
 

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