Best method for pruning trees for ladder fuel mitigation

[MattBanchero]

Hey all. I've run a tree service since 2007. We've done lots of fire fuel mitigation work in the suburban wild land interface. To me that means we're thinning out whole trees and then carefully pruning the trees we're leaving behind.

I started with a rear handle chainsaw, went to a power pole saw and settled on the Silky Hayuchi as the best all around tool for pruning off dead limbs from the ground.

I'd love to try out a Husqvarna 535 FBx, but they don't sell them in the US. Anyone know what's up with that?



Anyone else spent hundreds of hours sawing, and thinking, there's got to be a better way to do this...?

 

[old CB]

I'm also in the fire mitigation game. Just watched that video, and my back and knees said, "Hey, how come you don't use one of those."

 

[Dave1960_Gorge]

I have done some small to medium sized projects over the years, and a combination of a chain saw, pole saw, and power stick work well. First cut with a chainsaw to a comfortable height; then the power stick, if there are a lot of limbs over an inch in diameter. I avoid using it if branches are small, because no cutting time is saved ( if you have an aggressive, sharp blade like the tri-edge ARS blade); plus the power stick weighs more, so will tire you out, and you will start getting sloppy and bark up the tree.
Finally, on some trees you might want to go higher than the rest if near a building or over desirable shrubs you want to keep. Cutting at a steep angle right under the branch is doable, but riskier. If the branch slides down the pole saw after you cut it, you want to just drop it— you might bend or break a $30 ARS blade— but if it is a $500 or $600 power stick, you are gonna hold on and try to get out from under and likely get wacked or bend the tube.

 

[MattBanchero]

These folks got back to me in a day and said they would have this tool available in the next couple months.
https://pellenc.com/agri/produits/selion-pole-pruner/?lang=en
Husqvarna is still being evasive about their saw. I talked to the guy at Hus but he couldn't tell me why they weren't available. He said he'd look into it, but no word after a couple days.