Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Jere39]

So...I'm in the market for a pole saw. I've been dithering over it for about a year. Cowgirl has fruit trees that will need pruning in coming years but also Dad has some trees that need a haircut. He said he'll pay for it but the saw will be mine - as long as I trim a few trees now and then which suits me just fine. Cost is not an issue.

I'm partial to Stihls obviously but I'm sure the other saws won't be too offended if their new little brother is an adopted, in-bred, hillbilly hick from another family. I'll also be picking up some other items for my current saws so am hoping for some sort of mild discount so a Stihl would make sense all other things remaining equal. Am also not averse to a battery saw. It will see only occasional use, and not for hours at a time and reach is the critical factor. I note that the battery saws are cheaper.

If anyone with knowledge and experience can make suggestions, it would be appreciated (paging @Philbert ). I'm happy to do this via PM lest we sully the scrounging firewood thread with non-scrounging posts

You've already gotten some very good advice. I have a couple apple trees, but of greater use, I have about 1500' of driveway with private/personal responsibility to maintain the utility line clearance. I bought a 3 pole pole saw with both a tri-cut end and a pruning end (Marvin). It is very easy to use with one or two poles.



When I have to extend the third pole, it becomes a cross-fit worthy work-out. But, I am very happy with it.

 

[3000 FPS]

You've been busy! That's a lot of scrounging!

It is like a hobby.

 

[chipper1]

It is like a hobby.

So it takes all your spare time and costs a lot of money .
I know I've sure spent a lot to save money not buying propane lol. It's been good to us though, just this week I sold 2 full cord and did a small tree job. Just hooked on phonics, it worked for me .

 

[sean donato]

So...I'm in the market for a pole saw. I've been dithering over it for about a year. Cowgirl has fruit trees that will need pruning in coming years but also Dad has some trees that need a haircut. He said he'll pay for it but the saw will be mine - as long as I trim a few trees now and then which suits me just fine. Cost is not an issue.

I'm partial to Stihls obviously but I'm sure the other saws won't be too offended if their new little brother is an adopted, in-bred, hillbilly hick from another family. I'll also be picking up some other items for my current saws so am hoping for some sort of mild discount so a Stihl would make sense all other things remaining equal. Am also not averse to a battery saw. It will see only occasional use, and not for hours at a time and reach is the critical factor. I note that the battery saws are cheaper.

If anyone with knowledge and experience can make suggestions, it would be appreciated (paging @Philbert ). I'm happy to do this via PM lest we sully the scrounging firewood thread with non-scrounging posts

My 2 cents, at the township we used pole saws a lot, matter of fact we had 4 of them. 3 stihl and one echo. The echo got used the most next to an older stihl model. The ht101(I think was the model, may be wrong) were heavy as heck. So no one wanted to use them.

 

[sean donato]

Edit, just checked with one of the guys I used to work with ht 131 with the 4mix engines. He said since I left they tossed one of them and got another echo. The old stihl was out being used, but he said it was pretty old and he was sure it didn't have a 4 mix engine on it. Hopefully he gets back to me about the Echo model number. They were also both in use.

 

[chipper1]

Edit, just checked with one of the guys I used to work with ht 131 with the 4mix engines. He said since I left they tossed one of them and got another echo. The old stihl was out being used, but he said it was pretty old and he was sure it didn't have a 4 mix engine on it. Hopefully he gets back to me about the Echo model number. They were also both in use.

I think the ht101 was the earlier one and it was lighter than the new 4mix versions like the ht131 and the ht104 iirc. I should look at mine to see what it is lol, it is heavy, but beats climbing many times and some places climbing isn't an option.

 

[MustangMike]

I got a 3 piece pole saw from a client who moved to FL. The 6' handle sections are very light weight octagon wood with aluminum ends that seem to have very little play.

After reviewing prices and ratings I ordered a GoSaw spare blade. The blade on it works OK, but I'm hoping the new replacement will be faster.

Hoping to use it to clear shooting lanes up at the cabin. It gets bad up there fast! Every year, it is a battle.

 

[Philbert]

Hoping to use it to clear shooting lanes up at the cabin. It gets bad up there fast!

Can’t you do that with enough ammo?

Philbert

 

[SS396driver]

Mark's deer pics are making me jealous!

When they were alive, I used to take a 4 day WE and go bow hunting up on my Aunt and Uncle's farm near Utica every year for the election day WE. I miss those days!

My buddy was here all day he saw one bigger than the one I spotted . But couldn’t get a clear shot . The 8 pointer was near my barn when I left at 8 am today brought mom some wood. Guess who was here when I got home . To late to get any type of shot with the bow . Sun was real low I’ll be home all day tomorrow . I have 8 apple trees and two pear and two plum . I don’t need to bait as their patterns are set . Two of the older apple trees don’t produce good apples so they are left alone

 

[MustangMike]

Fine looking deer there Mark!

 

[SS396driver]

Fine looking deer there Mark!

One of the best I've seen in a while .

 

[muddstopper]

Leaving out Sunday morning for two weeks of deer and bear hunting. I have already gotten a big doe. I have made up my mind that this year, one or two and I will quit for the year. May not even shoot one, dont need the meat and my freezer is full. Got a buddy whose wife is having a baby this week so he isnt going on the hunt. I may hunt for him some.

 

[mbrick]

You've already gotten some very good advice. I have a couple apple trees, but of greater use, I have about 1500' of driveway with private/personal responsibility to maintain the utility line clearance. I bought a 3 pole pole saw with both a tri-cut end and a pruning end (Marvin). It is very easy to use with one or two poles.
When I have to extend the third pole, it becomes a cross-fit worthy work-out. But, I am very happy with it.

I just so happen to need a pole saw. Thanks for the brand recommendation for the best and more than I could find at Home Depot.

 

[tomalophicon]

So...I'm in the market for a pole saw. I've been dithering over it for about a year. Cowgirl has fruit trees that will need pruning in coming years but also Dad has some trees that need a haircut. He said he'll pay for it but the saw will be mine - as long as I trim a few trees now and then which suits me just fine. Cost is not an issue.

I'm partial to Stihls obviously but I'm sure the other saws won't be too offended if their new little brother is an adopted, in-bred, hillbilly hick from another family. I'll also be picking up some other items for my current saws so am hoping for some sort of mild discount so a Stihl would make sense all other things remaining equal. Am also not averse to a battery saw. It will see only occasional use, and not for hours at a time and reach is the critical factor. I note that the battery saws are cheaper.

If anyone with knowledge and experience can make suggestions, it would be appreciated (paging @Philbert ). I'm happy to do this via PM lest we sully the scrounging firewood thread with non-scrounging posts

I just got a Makita 36v powerhead which includes a pole saw and extension. This thing is great for what I need. Around the yard pruning limbs etc.
I even use it to cut up big limbs into firewood from a standing position!
The battery lasts ages and the bonus is it has attachments for hedge trimmers, string trimmers and even a blower.

 

[JustJeff]

I know I complained about how heavy the father in law's electric chainsaw/polesaw is. However, if I were to go out and buy a polesaw today, it would be electric. I'm sure there's lighter options. But here's my thinking.. I use a polesaw once or twice a year for maybe half an hour. Then it hangs in the garage. A gasser would gum up from not being run and a battery saw would die from the batteries crapping out from infrequent use. An electric motor would outlive me. So that's my choice along with a long cord and my generator if needed.
Some would say a manual saw is what I need and they'd probably be right....then again I could buck logs with a crosscut handsaw and split with an axe... Lol

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[rarefish383]

You've already gotten some very good advice. I have a couple apple trees, but of greater use, I have about 1500' of driveway with private/personal responsibility to maintain the utility line clearance. I bought a 3 pole pole saw with both a tri-cut end and a pruning end (Marvin). It is very easy to use with one or two poles.

View attachment 938913

When I have to extend the third pole, it becomes a cross-fit worthy work-out. But, I am very happy with it.

View attachment 938914

I've got the same Marvin set up, I like it. I have a 1960's Marvin "BULL" Clip. It's a bigger clip with two sets of pullies. I don't know if they even make them any more. It's just some stuff that was on Dad's workbench the last time they moved. We used to trim a big Holly for a customer, back when the poles were made of fir. For years 3 sections would get it. The last time I trimmed it, many, many years ago, it took 4 sections and that was murder. It was an all day job to trim that one, and I was the only one allowed to do it. The other guys would try and duct tale a set of 3' Little Wonder shears to the top pole. It was so uncontrollable, they would lose it, and cut big divots in the tree. Since I was the owners son, I got the job. My neck and shoulder would hurt for a week.

 

[rarefish383]

I know I complained about how heavy the father in law's electric chainsaw/polesaw is. However, if I were to go out and buy a polesaw today, it would be electric. I'm sure there's lighter options. But here's my thinking.. I use a polesaw once or twice a year for maybe half an hour. Then it hangs in the garage. A gasser would gum up from not being run and a battery saw would die from the batteries crapping out from infrequent use. An electric motor would outlive me. So that's my choice along with a long cord and my generator if needed.
Some would say a manual saw is what I need and they'd probably be right....then again I could buck logs with a crosscut handsaw and split with an axe... Lol

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk

You did right. When they brought my 12'X40' garage in the guy pointed at a 4" limb here, and a 6" limb there, and said I had to cut them off to clear the roof. Yeah right. When he came back he said, "holy, cow, what did you do?". Every tree within possible reach, I cut off at the ground, hooked a choker to it, and dragged the whole tree out in the field. They were all about 30' tall, Virginia Pines. It took three years and I finally have the field cleaned up. Every time the young guys came to camp, I'd drack a whole dead tree up to the fire ring, and they would cut and burn it. If I had of tried to cut that sticky stuff with 3 sections of a pole saw, they would have found me dead in the middle of the driveway.

 

[rarefish383]

I forget if I posted these pics a week or so back, so here they are again. My neighbor is having 5 big clump Cherries taken down. The tree company sent a 3 man crew out for a couple hours one day. Their Dingo they use to load logs was broke down. They said I could have all the wood, I love Cherry, and they threw what they could lift over the fence. I put the forks on my loader and got 10 loads. My loader is rated at 900 pounds, and I had the rear tires coming off the ground. I figure those ten loads are at least 1 1/2 cord. If you look at the tree they topped out, it's the smallest one in the yard, and there is probably more wood left in the topped out one than what I took. The rest of the story, they are coming back Saturday to finish up, and the Dingo is fixed. They are loading up their dump truck and bringing it to me. Did I mention I love Cherry.

 

[svk]

Road with my son today to deliver some packages to care takers at a outfitters place before they are snowed in for the winter. Been driving by it for the last month for work but never stopped, pretty cool place, would definitely be nice to hang out there for awhile, no cell service or electricity, large open lodge with lots of nice wood work, big windows, 2 wood stoves, very nice and quiet. Stopped on the way back to scrounge some lodge pole for my sons shop stoveView attachment 938892Tamarack trees are showing some nice colorView attachment 938893

That would be a cool winter time job. I’m assuming they are able to snowmobile in and out?

 

[svk]

Good morning fellows. Been scrambling this week. Between work and a little bit of hunting and trying to get everything ready for deer hunting there has been no time left over. Did a lot of cleaning at my cabin this weekend and went up there yesterday to work on a deer stand. That’s all ready now but I need to wrap it with some sort of camo wrap. I have a bunch of running around today including lunch with a friend and a dinner date and then heading back up to the cabin with a load of supplies. I pick up the kids after school tomorrow and then we’ll spend the next three or four days up there.

In regards to pole saws, I have an older aluminum one that also has the small rope operated pruning tool on the backside of it. I took the rope off of it because I always use the saw. I did our entire private road for the road association and that alone was a mile and a half of roadway because the road is 3/4 mile long. Being the saw is older than me, I figured a new blade was in the works and I have bought a new blade but I’ve now lost it somewhere in my shop. So I need to first find the pole saw and then I will use it with the old blade to trim up around my new deer stand. Such is life LOL. I’m getting a lot of projects done and a lot of sorting and purging done so hopefully somebody I won’t be losing tools and parts in my garages anymore LOL.