Thread: Pole chain saw

Thanks Geoff,
Still looking.
I already have a pruning saw on an extension pole but some of the thinner branches up high are difficult to saw due to them moving when sawing. SWMBO is the gardener and she reckons the pole chainsaw will make it easier for her.

this has led me down the rabbit hole... Had a look at the Stihl battery gear when I took the brushcutter in for it's first service in a decade . Some very nice kit, including a telescopic pole pruner that extends to around 5m including my scrawny frame. I've got around 17 large trees to deal with, including a couple of rampant figs.
I've had my petrol brushcutter for ever, and it just keeps going despite the lack of care and attention, so I know Stihl make good stuff. Question is, how good is the battery gear in comparison - they've been making garden tools for a long time, but not much time playing with batteries compared to the DeWalts, Makitas and Milwaukees of the world.

And then, there's the Stihl vs Husqvarna debate - Husqy have a couple of very nice battery chainsaws that have recently been launched.

Originally Posted by Bernmc

Question is, how good is the battery gear in comparison . .

I've used both the largest Stihl battery saw (MSA220, no power rating given) and not quite the smallest petrol saw (35cc 1.7kW MS211) and they have similar sparkling cutting performance.
Both have an RRP of $599 (battery and charger extra) and they look and feel like they will last a while.
They both use the same small 3/8P chain which really helps.

Battery time depends on use. Light use will get you longer running time than tank of fuel, Medium use about the same but heavy use won't get the same running time.

The killer with Stihl is the price of the batteries and having a spare - even a medium size one like an AP300 ($279) is desirable.
My Tree lopper mate has the large battery backpack (7 times more energy than the AP300) but that cost over two grans.

Originally Posted by Bernmc

this has led me down the rabbit hole... Had a look at the Stihl battery gear when I took the brushcutter in for it's first service in a decade . Some very nice kit, including a telescopic pole pruner that extends to around 5m including my scrawny frame. I've got around 17 large trees to deal with, including a couple of rampant figs.
I've had my petrol brushcutter for ever, and it just keeps going despite the lack of care and attention, so I know Stihl make good stuff. Question is, how good is the battery gear in comparison - they've been making garden tools for a long time, but not much time playing with batteries compared to the DeWalts, Makitas and Milwaukees of the world.

And then, there's the Stihl vs Husqvarna debate - Husqy have a couple of very nice battery chainsaws that have recently been launched.

that 5 metre pole saw is the one I got, power wise and ergonomics it’s great. Battery life seems ample for home use. Whether it lasts as well as my other Stihl products only time will tell, but I suspect I will get a lot of life out of it.

Cheers Andrew

I have the Echo petrol powered pole saw, the biggest one. It’s so good for thinnning trees out. I’ve also used it to bring down large trees that couldn’t be climbed. It’s been extremely handy. Never a problem with it in 7 or 8 years.

Well I bit the bullet. As fortune would have it, I was given a Makita drill and charger because the two batteries were U/S and the guy said it was cheaper to buy a whole new drill set (not Makita). So now with another Makita tool, I decided, rather than swap the one battery I had between tools, why not buy another battery, and while I was at it, buy the Makita pole unit as well as it used two batteries.
No one has them in stock so it will be a New Year present for the gardener.
Thanks everyone for the advice.

OK. The Good and the bad.
I picked up the combo unit yesterday and quickly assembled it. Comes with all tools required and a nice stow bag to keep bits and pieces in.

The good - assembled the saw to the power head, bled the chain Oiler and gave it a go. Excellent. Nice balance as the power head is heavier which causes a natural tilt of the chain end up, so easy to hold and use. Gave SWMBO a go but fitted the shoulder sling. Worked fine.

The bad - added the extension pole between the powerhead and the saw. Boy is it now saw end heavy when holding at the supplied grips. Required a bit of effort to hold chain end high and you can’t move the shoulder sling forward which may help? Once I got a feel, I was fine but I wouldn’t want to be using it for long periods. Gave it to SWMBO (as she will be the prime user) and there is no way she can hold it with the chain end up. Way too tip heavy and feels unbalanced.

Looks like it will be no extension for her and I will get the nod when it’s required.

The other thing I’m not real fussed with is the lack of a spike bar of any description. Feels like it could use one when cutting thinner branches near full reach.