Good ,you are better off without it the less moving parts the better chance of it staying in one piece.
Stihl HT-131 Angle Drive
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kirko
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I use a ht 131 on a daily basis, damn nasty when you are operating at full extension with full reach and you get the bar pinched. Ya kinda get get caught between a rock and a hard place.Letting go of the pole saw is generally the
last resort but most times has to be done to solve getting out of your pinch .The problem with letting go is that you are prone to bending the bar or extension pole.
In my personal opinion the angled gear head is designed to help prevent this as it would minimize the ability to cut vertically avoiding the pinch as the branches often twist pinching the bar before the limb drops.
Just my 2 cents , but would definitely be a pain in the butt to transport with that angled gear head.
last resort but most times has to be done to solve getting out of your pinch .The problem with letting go is that you are prone to bending the bar or extension pole.
In my personal opinion the angled gear head is designed to help prevent this as it would minimize the ability to cut vertically avoiding the pinch as the branches often twist pinching the bar before the limb drops.
Just my 2 cents , but would definitely be a pain in the butt to transport with that angled gear head.
Carry two pole pruners one to get the stuck one out
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I have my angled bar on another head but also always take my Silky 16 foot saw. Of course you could get that stuck as well. Except that it is more to carry, I prefer a short 5 or 6 foot orchard ladder and a lighter weight fixed polesaw. I may have more stuff to drag along, but do not get near as tired since I am not holding the 131, with 12" bar, while extended, I am less tired at the end of the day overall. Even non extended its much heavier than my ht250 with 16" bar. Plus the greater power means less likelyhood of sticking it and its faster as well. I am no professional, but in orchard work I have done, this has worked well for me.
kirko
ArboristSite Operative
Ha Ha, Saw Fun ,,
I'm sure there is something in the manual about chain saws and ladders LOL.
Must say I have been up some big ladders with a fully extendeted HT 131, pushing the boundaries of human balance but gee its good when that pesky limb drops.
I''m with you though , my favourite tool is my fs120r with pole saw gearhead and 16 inch bar, saves the back on low jobs, lets you get in under folage with out wearing it
and the weight is much friendlier compared with the ht 131.Though like most tools their is a time and place for each and the ht131 is a very very handy tool.
I'm sure there is something in the manual about chain saws and ladders LOL.
Must say I have been up some big ladders with a fully extendeted HT 131, pushing the boundaries of human balance but gee its good when that pesky limb drops.
I''m with you though , my favourite tool is my fs120r with pole saw gearhead and 16 inch bar, saves the back on low jobs, lets you get in under folage with out wearing it
and the weight is much friendlier compared with the ht 131.Though like most tools their is a time and place for each and the ht131 is a very very handy tool.
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I agree kirco, the 131 has its place, I would just prefer to limit that place. And while chainsaws and ladders may not mix well, a polesaw is a different animal with cuts seemingly less likely and i would think the same with kickback.
Pud
ArboristSite Operative
Ive wanted to try one for a while was thinking you would be able to fold braches down with alot more control cutting from the top down instead of on a 45 angle , not sure how it would go trying to leave a nice collar tho
Not aware of this thread until today; I was researching the angle drive for cost & function. Kinda pricey, but I like the extra reach.
Having never used it, it seems that a skilled operator could easily make a bottom-of-the-branch wedge cut that angles the falling branch away from the operator. Then easily move to the top and put a finishing cut on without much risk of trapping the saw. Bottom cuts with an HT-131 at full height are rather tedious. Using the angle drive looks like that would be quite a bit easier.
I wonder if anybody has started using this attachment in the last two years?
Having never used it, it seems that a skilled operator could easily make a bottom-of-the-branch wedge cut that angles the falling branch away from the operator. Then easily move to the top and put a finishing cut on without much risk of trapping the saw. Bottom cuts with an HT-131 at full height are rather tedious. Using the angle drive looks like that would be quite a bit easier.
I wonder if anybody has started using this attachment in the last two years?
Easy peasey: just cut the branch off like you normally would to avoid bad cuts.
- Make a bottom cut away from the trunk to prevent peels.
- Finish the top cut.
- Cut off the lighter stub you left behind, using a bottom cut first if necessary on really big stubs.
And get the pole pruner the hell out of and away from there fast when it starts to go! Those aluminum poles bend easy.
These were mentioned earlier in this thread; has anybody used them?
Philbert
Philbert
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Looks like a good idea!!!
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I have one but haven't used it yet.
Looks like maybe a little more friction than a standard bar, but a lot simpler, less expensive, and easier to swap out than an angle drive.
Will be interested to hear your impressions of it in use.
Philbert
Pud
ArboristSite Operative
Undercuts holing it pretty much straight up and down at full reach , what if u don't want the branch to drop straight down but u want to cut 90 percent of the way and let the branch droop and hinge then cut to avoid fences and sheds or all the usual things , u really didn't get what I was saying dude
Apparently, I still don't. You can do almost any undercut with a pole saw at full reach that you can with a 200T; it just isn't as easy.
One of us clearly isn't understanding the other. It sounded to me like you were not planning on making any undercut at all. I consider that bad form.
If you don't like my comments or advice; just ignore them. That is easy-peasy too.
One of us clearly isn't understanding the other. It sounded to me like you were not planning on making any undercut at all. I consider that bad form.
If you don't like my comments or advice; just ignore them. That is easy-peasy too.
