Looking to purchase a new pole saw.

[SuperNaturalBird]

My questoin is would a Husqvarna 525 pole saw compare to a Stihl HT 131? Performance and durability? Here's my experience so far...My first pole saw was an Echo PPT 265. I was also able to run a hedge trimmer attachment on it with a saw blade. Those attachments weren't made well and eventually I gave it to a friend an I bought a Stihl HT 131. The edger attachment fits and can run my 9 inch Industrial Freud saw blade, but I also use the 14 inch chain saw. My issue with the Stihl is that the shaft has internal parts that wear out all of the time and I was hoping there's another option out there.

 

[ATH]

Honestly, look at a Silky Hayate (can still be had on eBay). Longer reach. Lighter to carry around. Stays sharp longer.

If it is too big to cut with manual pole saw, 99% of the time need to go get it rather than polesaw.

 

[capetrees]

Honestly, look at a Silky Hayate (can still be had on eBay). Longer reach. Lighter to carry around. Stays sharp longer.

If it is too big to cut with manual pole saw, 99% of the time need to go get it rather than polesaw.

Not always true. I have both the 131 and the Silky Hayauchi saws an it depends on what you want to cut and how fast. Cleaning up dead limbs on some old trees? Fastest is the power saw. Trim up high on the tree? Silky saw. In the tree and a sizeable branch, up to 12", inaccessible to climb out to? Power saw. In the tree and trimming the upper canopy? Either of. They each have their place.

The hayauchi is now sold as the Notch Sentei Telescoping Pole Saw. I love that saw in and out of the tree. If you go with the 131, my preference is the 12" PM3 chains as opposed to the PMM3 chains. I have no idea how to sharpen the PMM3 chains on a grinder. They do cut quick and stay sharp but are about as thick as a lightweight necklace.

" The edger attachment fits and can run my 9 inch Industrial Freud saw blade"
What does that mean? I'll assume you meant hedger like a hedge trimmer? I use a hedge trimmer on my 131 as well, with the adjustable head. Works great for tall hedges. And a saw blade on a pole saw? Haven't tried that but I guess it would work. I'd change the blade back to one made to do the brush cutting it was made to do as opposed to a lumber saw blade.

But, to each his own.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I think he may have meant a lawn edger. I can imagine running a blade on that.

 

[pdqdl]

I'm not quite sure what SuperNatural was stating, but I have a guess:

The "Hedger" attachment for the original Power Pruner (later bought out by Echo) was a really neat attachment that involved a rotating bar that somewhat resembled a sidewalk edger blade, but the outside perimeter of the blade had a curved end with little serrated teeth on the end. It was quite effective at trimming bushes, and it definitely resembled a saw blade.

I still have the attachment, although my Power Pruner died a long time ago.

Apparently, they are still for sale if you look hard enough:
https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Attachment/99946400040/2399719
Good luck trying to find replacement blades, however. It is also likely that someone may have been installing a plain saw blade on the Hedger; that would probably still work fairly well.

 

[GeeVee]

I'm not quite sure what SuperNatural was stating, but I have a guess:

The "Hedger" attachment for the original Power Pruner (later bought out by Echo) was a really neat attachment that involved a rotating bar that somewhat resembled a sidewalk edger blade, but the outside perimeter of the blade had a curved end with little serrated teeth on the end. It was quite effective at trimming bushes, and it definitely resembled a saw blade.

I still have the attachment, although my Power Pruner died a long time ago.
View attachment 955102
Apparently, they are still for sale if you look hard enough:
https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Attachment/99946400040/2399719
Good luck trying to find replacement blades, however. It is also likely that someone may have been installing a plain saw blade on the Hedger; that would probably still work fairly well.

PDQL Do you still have any of the old Power PRuner left ? I have one with low hours I want to ut back to work , but could use spare parts or even the hedge trimmer attachment

 

[angelo c]

My questoin is would a Husqvarna 525 pole saw compare to a Stihl HT 131? Performance and durability? Here's my experience so far...My first pole saw was an Echo PPT 265. I was also able to run a hedge trimmer attachment on it with a saw blade. Those attachments weren't made well and eventually I gave it to a friend an I bought a Stihl HT 131. The edger attachment fits and can run my 9 inch Industrial Freud saw blade, but I also use the 14 inch chain saw. My issue with the Stihl is that the shaft has internal parts that wear out all of the time and I was hoping there's another option out there.

What are the "internal parts" that wear all the time. Most of the internal shaft parts are pretty cheap and accessible if you spend some time learning them (which nobody ever does)
Most folk just replace the entire shaft for $350..
Which I got tired of doing so I ripped a few apart.


Now I can repair lots of them for $50...what I can't do is stop the groundies from stepping on them or pinching them in the tree

 

[pdqdl]

PDQL Do you still have any of the old Power PRuner left ? I have one with low hours I want to ut back to work , but could use spare parts or even the hedge trimmer attachment

Probably a whole drawer full, somewhere. I used to be a dealer for the product line, prior to being sold out to Echo.

 

[angelo c]

Probably a whole drawer full, somewhere. I used to be a dealer for the product line, prior to being sold out to Echo.

Don't most of the parts still Interchange from echo to PP ?

 

[pdqdl]

100% when Echo bought 'em out. Since then, I cannot say.

 

[GeeVee]

Probably a whole drawer full, somewhere. I used to be a dealer for the product line, prior to being sold out to

Don't most of the parts still Interchange from echo to PP ?

PDQL will have to answer for certain, he will know way better than I but I can tell you, the first thing they did, was put a whole different powerhead on the thing..... I beleive the shaft and cutting head maybe, but the powerhead was a product Power Pruner was buying from Kioritz/Echo and installing, PPT was not making the motors. Echo wanted the shaft and cutting head tech/patents, and bought the smaller company.

 

[GeeVee]

PDQL will have to answer for certain, he will know way better than I but I can tell you, the first thing they did, was put a whole different powerhead on the thing..... I beleive the shaft and cutting head maybe, but the powerhead was a product Power Pruner was buying from Kioritz/Echo and installing, PPT was not making the motors. Echo wanted the shaft and cutting head tech/patents, and bought the smaller company.

I bought two of the last year of PPT making them. My dealer gave them to me at cost, because the new ECHO floor plan had arrived, and he wasn't (shouldn't) going to be able to sell the PPT Brand.

 

[pdqdl]

I believe they were indeed Echo engines. Also a bit underpowered, compared to the newer Stihls.
Power Pruner dealers were dropped if they were not an Echo dealer. I don't recall that I was offered any opportunities to be an Echo dealer, either.

 

[angelo c]

I believe they were indeed Echo engines. Also a bit underpowered, compared to the newer Stihls.
Power Pruner dealers were dropped if they were not an Echo dealer. I don't recall that I was offered any opportunities to be an Echo dealer, either.

The main differences between the stihl and the pp/echo is 4mix vs true 2 strokes for pp/echo. I used to hate the 4mix but ripped a few apart and learned them fairly well. ...""it's all about the valves....the valves...."

 

[Treegardener]

Check out the Husky battery pole saws. I was hesitant at first, being a Silky adherent, but I've hardly touched it since getting the battery saw. If I'm climbing I bring the Silky, if I'm on the ground it's the Husky. It's so much faster and more productive, plus you won't be as tired by the end of the day. Ever try to deadwood a Norway spruce with a manual pole saw? I think the battery is WAY superior because it's lighter, longer and way less maintenance than the gas saw. I keep two batteries in my truck and charge between jobs, but I hardly ever need to grab the second one. When I'm cutting with it I have learned to take the branch down in pieces starting with the end. I drop manageable pieces and work my way back to the collar. Nothing but smiles when I'm using it.

 

[Brushwacker]

Bump

 

[Howard70]

Check out the Husky battery pole saws. I was hesitant at first, being a Silky adherent, but I've hardly touched it since getting the battery saw. If I'm climbing I bring the Silky, if I'm on the ground it's the Husky. It's so much faster and more productive, plus you won't be as tired by the end of the day. Ever try to deadwood a Norway spruce with a manual pole saw? I think the battery is WAY superior because it's lighter, longer and way less maintenance than the gas saw. I keep two batteries in my truck and charge between jobs, but I hardly ever need to grab the second one. When I'm cutting with it I have learned to take the branch down in pieces starting with the end. I drop manageable pieces and work my way back to the collar. Nothing but smiles when I'm using it.

I agree with Treegardner. I have a Husky battery polesaw that works great. Two batteries and an onsite charger keep me going all day.

Howard

 

[SuperNaturalBird]

I'm not quite sure what SuperNatural was stating, but I have a guess:

The "Hedger" attachment for the original Power Pruner (later bought out by Echo) was a really neat attachment that involved a rotating bar that somewhat resembled a sidewalk edger blade, but the outside perimeter of the blade had a curved end with little serrated teeth on the end. It was quite effective at trimming bushes, and it definitely resembled a saw blade.

I still have the attachment, although my Power Pruner died a long time ago.
View attachment 955102
Apparently, they are still for sale if you look hard enough:
https://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Attachment/99946400040/2399719
Good luck trying to find replacement blades, however. It is also likely that someone may have been installing a plain saw blade on the Hedger; that would probably still work fairly well.

I actually meant 'edger' attachment like a 'lawn edger'. Originally I had an Echo PPT 265 pole saw/power pruner. I went through a few of those attachments like you show in the picture there. However, I ended up running industrial carbide tipped blades made for cutting glass smooth finishes on stock as thin as 1/4 inch. The reason is blades like that have less rake and produce smooth cuts on not only hedges, but fruit trees as well. I probably went through 3 of those hedger attachments as they are made with plastic housing and it flexes allowing the gears to strip each other out. I ended up getting a Stihl HT 131 and an edger attachment for that. Then I run an industrial carbide blade made for small stock for the same purpose. The Stihl 4-mix engines can be problematic and also the internal shaft parts where out. So now I have a Husqvarna 525PT5S pole saw and I'm hoping there's an edger attachment that will fit to run another circular blade on for hedges and annual fruit tree pruning. I'm not sure if their edger attachment has the right shaft fitting inside though. Do you or anyone else know?