New Toy: Stihl KM 130 R, Any Hints and Tips for Pole Sawing?

[7sleeper]

A 5-10" branch has way to much leverage and weight and the possibility of a pinch really goes up. When the bar is pinched it can come down and bend the drive shaft on the pole saw. This was a $500 lesson my neighbor learned. I still cut big branches in 1/3rds to avoid this. You are correct though, cutting a short distance from the trunk and make a nice cut being careful not to get into the branch collar.

Yeah the big heavy branches are a own chapter and I also cut them down in segments because I feel I have more control of the situation, instead of having some giganto branch tip on the ground and the cut end undescided if it should hit me in the face or do something else stupid! I don't like that...

7

 

[Definitive Dave]

We use the KM-90s for string trimming and the KM130s with the stick edgers, extended angling hedge shears, mini rototiller, and baby pole pruner, we also use the extensions occasionally.
Granted, we have multiple guys using the equipment but the #1 thing they do wrong, despite instruction, is not seat the power head and attachment together fully, there is a line and arrow, but sometimes you have to rotate the attachment slightly to get the pieces to meet up properly and many times someone just tightens up the t handle without everything together far enough and then the little fingers in the end get buggered and now you need a new spline shaft
usually the attachment gets mangled
Dave

 

[Jarh73]

The Stihl dealer repeated himself several times when showing how it goes together that it's super critical that the attachment goes in all the way.

Very expensive to fix.

Cheers

Justin

 

[Jarh73]

Had a play this afternoon and very pleased indeed.

Cut from 1" to 5" and it did it all easily, certainly can notice the torque, a lot more than I had expected.

It's running a bit rich at the moment but I don't think that will hurt while running in.

Don't have tool to adjust it anyway.

One last thing it sounds fantastic!!!!

Cheers

Justin

 

[XSKIER]

If you think it's running "a bit rich" something could be wrong with it. Is it smoking, or what?

 

[Jarh73]

If you think it's running "a bit rich" something could be wrong with it. Is it smoking, or what?

It's 4 stroking through the cut.

Not really worried about it, more of an observation than anything else.

It's not smoking, just by ear I think it's a tad rich.

I'm open to being wrong!

Cheers

Justin

 

[XSKIER]

Uhh... it is a four stroke!

 

[weedkilla]

My pole saw tip - if you are at the end of your reach, and you aren't using a harness, and you rest the power head against your stomach, and you are wearing a polar fleece jumper you can melt it.

This isn't the things I learned the hard way thread is it?

 

[Jarh73]

Uhh... it is a four stroke!

You know in all my research I totally disregarded 4-MIX in that it was some hybrid 2-stroke in that it was a 2 stroke with 4 stoke like torque.

I was comparing the 35cc Honda Versatool with the Stihl Kombi, both 35cc but the Honda has 1kW and the Stihl 1.4kW and I "assumed" that they must be inherently different engines and the Stihl would have to be a 2 stroke to have 40% more power for virtually the same capacity.

So now I'm fully up to speed! And probably dumbass of the week as well!

Cheers

Justin