Bracing Equipment?

[macrocarpa]

What battery powered drill do you use for bracing?

What size auger bits do you have and where do you purchase them from?

 

[flushcut]

Wesspur. OG treestuff. Milwaukee m18 drill. Echo gas as well.
Did I get it all lol.

 

[Reach]

We don’t do a lot of bracing, and only have our own 30”ish bits from Gap Arborist Supply; if we need longer we borrow from a friend of mine who has some 6’ bits.

To drive them, we use the Milwaukee M18 Hole Hawg as well.

 

[ATH]

There hasn't been a hole that my regular M18 drill hasn't been able to do... Well, maybe not 100% true - i did burn up a motor an old one a few years ago. Aside from that, they have high output batteries that really do make a difference.

I got bits at an auction....think I paid about $40 for several 4' long bits. I highly recommend buying stuff at auction when 2 brothers who own a tree business cannot get along so it all gets liquidated. A lot of stuff when pretty pricey, but not many interest in those bits.

I've also bought a few shorter bits...not always necessary to use those long ones and the shorts are a lot easier!

7/16", 9/16", 11/16"...there may be a 13/16" or 7/8" but I don't think I've ever installed 3/4" hardware.

 

[oldoakman]

Ohio power tools has a great selection of bits.

 

[macrocarpa]

There hasn't been a hole that my regular M18 drill hasn't been able to do... Well, maybe not 100% true - i did burn up a motor an old one a few years ago. Aside from that, they have high output batteries that really do make a difference.

I got bits at an auction....think I paid about $40 for several 4' long bits. I highly recommend buying stuff at auction when 2 brothers who own a tree business cannot get along so it all gets liquidated. A lot of stuff when pretty pricey, but not many interest in those bits.

I've also bought a few shorter bits...not always necessary to use those long ones and the shorts are a lot easier!

7/16", 9/16", 11/16"...there may be a 13/16" or 7/8" but I don't think I've ever installed 3/4" hardware.

That’s kind of what I’m fishing for is if a quality 18 V drill could handle most projects. I’m in the Makita platform so I’m thinking about trying to find their most powerful 18 V drill. I know they have a 36 V right angle drill that could handle anything like the Milwaukee hole hog.

 

[evo]

That’s kind of what I’m fishing for is if a quality 18 V drill could handle most projects. I’m in the Makita platform so I’m thinking about trying to find their most powerful 18 V drill. I know they have a 36 V right angle drill that could handle anything like the Milwaukee hole hog.

I think the makita would do just fine, there is another thread about the two drills powering a grcs. Sounds like the makita is every bit as good if not better.

 

[Basswood]

We use stihl gas powered drills. Kind of a pain in the ass.

Anyone use 90* electric drills?

 

[Reach]

We use stihl gas powered drills. Kind of a pain in the ass.

Anyone use 90* electric drills?

We have used a 90* electric drill, I have a big Milwaukee from my days as an electrician long ago. It’s heavy and requires extension cords, but when you pull the trigger something will turn. Usually it’s the bit, sometimes it’s the operator. We used to call it the “Small world restarter” because it has enough torque to spin a small planet if you can hold on to it well enough. https://www.redtoolstore.com/produc...rT7ufjPbOs-IootNGssElbGZKtib5EgwaAqCfEALw_wcB

 

[Basswood]

back when I used to install geothermal systems the guy I worked for told me a story about lending his big drill to a plumber who one handed the drill and got bound up and snapped his wrist clean.

Always had a healthy respect for powerful drills since thats job.

 

[ATH]

That’s kind of what I’m fishing for is if a quality 18 V drill could handle most projects. I’m in the Makita platform so I’m thinking about trying to find their most powerful 18 V drill. I know they have a 36 V right angle drill that could handle anything like the Milwaukee hole hog.

The one I burned up was probably a +/-2015 model, and lower end of the M18 drills. I would suspect you'd be more than adequate with even a middle of the road 18V Makita.

 

[colb]

Milwaukee superhawg.

American arborist supply for up to 15' bit length, but the fluting is only two feet.

Hardware is hot dipped galvanized low carbon steel coarse threaded.

ANSI A300 standard and bmp is a must.

 

[cody willard]

The set up. I run a 12 amp hour battery.

 

[cody willard]

.

 

[macrocarpa]

The set up. I run a 12 amp hour battery.

Nice!

 

[colb]

The set up. I run a 12 amp hour battery.

What is the smallest diameter hole that the Milwaukee quick attach fits into?

 

[cody willard]

What is the smallest diameter hole that the Milwaukee quick attach fits into?

What is the smallest diameter hole that the Milwaukee quick attach fits into?

I do not use the quick attach extension because when you pull the bit out, it can disconnect. So pretty much pointless for this application and it’s is wider than 3/4 of an inch.

I now only use the extensions that require three Allen head screws. I do have a quick attach to Chuck adapter for it also.

keep in mind, the allen screw clamp type extensions max diameter is just small enough to fit into a 3/4 inch hole. So I cannot use the extensions on a 5/8’s inch rod.

 

[colb]

What battery powered drill do you use for bracing?

What size auger bits do you have and where do you purchase them from?

If you check the ANSI standard, the bits should be 1/16 larger than the hardware, so a 7/8ths rod requires a 15/16ths bit/hole.

3/4" is a common bracing rod size, but I feel like 7/8" is best because it is not much larger than 3/4" in proportion to the trunk size and allows you to brace all large trees within the ANSI standard. It also helps justify getting rods that are smaller than 3/4", which is often hard to do... I only have 7/8", 3/4", 1/2", and 5/16". The 1/2" is used for swings and grafting, but could also be used for ornamentals. The 5/16" is for cabling. It's kind of a big gap between 1/2"" and 3/4", IMO, but I've gotten away with it. No one ever asked for a medium-sized tree to be braced. These sizes are all rod diameters, so add 1/16" for bit diameters. Just to be transparent, I seem to be out of or changing much of my applied work flow because I took a county job recently, so I'm gonna be yesterday, tomorrow, regarding bracing, lol.

 

[oceans]

That’s kind of what I’m fishing for is if a quality 18 V drill could handle most projects. I’m in the Makita platform so I’m thinking about trying to find their most powerful 18 V drill. I know they have a 36 V right angle drill that could handle anything like the Milwaukee hole hog.

We have the Makita (EDIT: dual battery). It’s a beast for drilling and even more fun to power the GCRS!

 

[colb]

This has been kicked around in other threads. These drills are not spec'd for our use and we really max them out compared to other industries. The superhawg has a clutch that keeps it from ripping your thumb off when the drill bit binds in the hole. The hole hawg does not have that. I'm n9t sure whether the Makita has it, but usually people go with the superhawg because no other large drill has a clutch. The Superhawg clutch has, for me, been the deciding factor in buying solely Milwaukee tools instead of another of the very reputable brands out there. This has extended even out of the "powertools" and into the chainsaws, weedeater, air compressor, etc. For me, the Superhawg is the safest large portable drill for vertical mulching, bracing, grcs-ing, etc.