Best way for poor people to get a pole saw?

[dboyd351]

Pretty soon we will just be using drones for high branches.

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/anyone-using-drones-to-set-a-throw-line.266170/
Philbert

I think they already use saws suspended from helicopters for some right of way clearing, right?
Drones are the next logical progression.

 

[TheTone]

Had a telescoping manual pole saw with lopper, but the pot metal blade attachment broke and couldn't be effectively repaired. I like the idea of bolting the blade to aluminum conduit (be sure not to cut around electrical lines). I bought a HF corded electric pole saw that works well and is very handy. Replaced the stubby little 10" bar with a 14" (takes Husqvarna mounting configuration) without making it unwieldy. There is a steep slope behind our cabin covered with Vinca, a good ground cover. Using this rig I can rope in near the top and clear small trees and brush down below.

 

[Philbert]

I like the idea of bolting the blade to aluminum conduit

Find a retired pole vaulter, and go with fiberglass.

I have a (garage sale) threaded adapter, that lets me attach a pole saw blade to the end of a painting extension pole. But most of these are not as stiff.

Philbert

 

[9050lx]

Isn't that pretty heavy?

Not terrible, a little flexible too. Works pretty well though.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

The poor turned into not-so-poor. Saw has paid for itself about 5x over already. It ended up being a smart investment.
Sorry I detracted from the original topic of the thread by doing the polar opposite. If it was just for me, I would have waited years to find the cheapest option. But I needed it for paying work that revealed itself and was able to up my rate significantly which has allowed me to turn it into even more tools and equipment.

 

[scor440tk]

Have a Stihl FS90R. I've used the heck out of this thing, and who knows how much longer it will last but it continues to work. Could really use a pole saw for landscaping and brush clearing I do on the side, don't usually need a ton of height and don't need it too often. I keep balking at the price tag on the Kombi with the goodies I need/want.

I noticed you can buy just the saw head separate from Stihl, remove the trimmer head and that would get me a fat 80% of the jobs I need it for. Also... Noticed that Farmertec has versions of this saw head as well might be a good option for temporary.... Has anyone tried the stihl or Farmertec on the end of their trimmer? https://www.ebay.com/itm/STIHL-pole...543869?hash=item1f1489887d:g:9eQAAOSwAOdfLyJ2

Can you outfit the end of a regular trimmer shaft with a Kombi thumb screw adapter to then use Kombi extensions?

Pole saws don’t cost a arm and a leg.Ok you have internet, cell phone,maybe a couple of bad habits like most people have and pay money to support that and pay bills seems to me some of us could quit spending money on crap.This I am poor is used to much maybe it’s prioritizing?

 

[Overlooker]

After I passed up a Stihl HT75 at a pawn shop (the motor ran but the chain didn't move), a Stihl mechanic friend of mine told me that, often, the cause of the problem was that the saw was not properly put together and could be fixed simply and inexpensively. So, now, 3 or 4 years later, here's what I've got:






Saw #1 (bright orange shroud) cost $150, saw #2 (from the same shop a couple years later) cost $125. I fixed #2 for about $25, while saw #1 cost me about $265 for parts. The moral: sometimes you get lucky, but sometimes you don't.
Having 2 running pole saws did get me out of a bind a couple days ago, however, when I got my bar pinched. Bottom line: I now own two running pole saws for the price of one new current model saw. No regrets! O