clawnz
ArboristSite Lurker
Hi all great site have enjoyed reading some of the comments on here!
Now it may be me,! but I have had all sorts of trouble with my Echo Power Pole Pruner. I use it spinning a circular blade, for trimming hedges and it is great for light pruning where you can reach into a shrub canopy and remove individual growth. And it cuts very clean, not like the tearing if using the chainsaw head.
I firmly belive this is a toy and should only be for use in the domestic market.
Don't get me wrong! I would not be without mine.
But the Plastic Housing that holds the Bevel Gears is it's main weakness.
I can quote to you that I have found cardboard used as a packer in the drive head, anyway if you spin one of these units! you will know by the noise from it, the mesh of the gears is poor and when it gets hot or the blade gets jammed the gear is likley to slip, thus causing damage somewhere? The bevel gears take the brunt of it, but it also loads up the shaft.
I have the dimensions for a shaft to replace the shaft of the chainsaw head, so that the aliminium case can be used to mount up a round blade.
The only thing wrong with this is that the blade goes the otherway, I have got used to this and do not find it an issue. But a pain in the arse to start with if you are used to it going the other way.
Another problem area is the motor end of the inner driveshaft, it is not that strong then you drill two holes in it to hold the inner driveshaft into the drive from the motor, which in turn weakens it a bit.
Trick: Find a mild steel pin to firmly go into the round hole up the center of the inner driveshaft, insert it and then when you drill the two holes for the holding pins you will be drilling through the mild steel pin as well.
Next we have the top outer driveshaft. This just sits on top of 4x plastic bushes that hold the inner driveshaft in the base of the extension tube. I have seen the drivshaft worn down and trying to get inside the plastic bushes which then fail.
Trick: get a washer to fit snugly over the top of the inner driveshaft then fit the outter driveshaft.
Next: make sure the shafts are well lubricated. I have just removed a damaged driveshaft from my own machine and it was dry, it had not been lubricated the last 5 times it had been into the shop. So I am glad I finally bit the bullet, and took on myself to do the repairs instead of sending it in all the time.
I would like to add:
With the circular saw blade I can work across the top of some big hedges, as it weighs sod all compared to the three kilos of reciprocating hedge attachment.
Forget the add-on extentsion, I have one here in Auckland for anybody who would like to try or buy. We did use it once and will not be using it again. You can only just control this on full extentsion straight up and down. Wobble Pole more like it.
And after bashing Echo, I am happy to admit they have made some good improvments since they took it over. I think it was the american Power pruner. With a dog of a motor!
Someone needs to design a clutch into the drivehead, you know like on every hand drill, it would not weigh much and would save the driveshaft.
Sorry about going on and on.
Clive
Now it may be me,! but I have had all sorts of trouble with my Echo Power Pole Pruner. I use it spinning a circular blade, for trimming hedges and it is great for light pruning where you can reach into a shrub canopy and remove individual growth. And it cuts very clean, not like the tearing if using the chainsaw head.
I firmly belive this is a toy and should only be for use in the domestic market.
Don't get me wrong! I would not be without mine.
But the Plastic Housing that holds the Bevel Gears is it's main weakness.
I can quote to you that I have found cardboard used as a packer in the drive head, anyway if you spin one of these units! you will know by the noise from it, the mesh of the gears is poor and when it gets hot or the blade gets jammed the gear is likley to slip, thus causing damage somewhere? The bevel gears take the brunt of it, but it also loads up the shaft.
I have the dimensions for a shaft to replace the shaft of the chainsaw head, so that the aliminium case can be used to mount up a round blade.
The only thing wrong with this is that the blade goes the otherway, I have got used to this and do not find it an issue. But a pain in the arse to start with if you are used to it going the other way.
Another problem area is the motor end of the inner driveshaft, it is not that strong then you drill two holes in it to hold the inner driveshaft into the drive from the motor, which in turn weakens it a bit.
Trick: Find a mild steel pin to firmly go into the round hole up the center of the inner driveshaft, insert it and then when you drill the two holes for the holding pins you will be drilling through the mild steel pin as well.
Next we have the top outer driveshaft. This just sits on top of 4x plastic bushes that hold the inner driveshaft in the base of the extension tube. I have seen the drivshaft worn down and trying to get inside the plastic bushes which then fail.
Trick: get a washer to fit snugly over the top of the inner driveshaft then fit the outter driveshaft.
Next: make sure the shafts are well lubricated. I have just removed a damaged driveshaft from my own machine and it was dry, it had not been lubricated the last 5 times it had been into the shop. So I am glad I finally bit the bullet, and took on myself to do the repairs instead of sending it in all the time.
I would like to add:
With the circular saw blade I can work across the top of some big hedges, as it weighs sod all compared to the three kilos of reciprocating hedge attachment.
Forget the add-on extentsion, I have one here in Auckland for anybody who would like to try or buy. We did use it once and will not be using it again. You can only just control this on full extentsion straight up and down. Wobble Pole more like it.
And after bashing Echo, I am happy to admit they have made some good improvments since they took it over. I think it was the american Power pruner. With a dog of a motor!
Someone needs to design a clutch into the drivehead, you know like on every hand drill, it would not weigh much and would save the driveshaft.
Sorry about going on and on.
Clive