Battery Powered vs. Gas Pole Saw for lift use

R

Rangerbait

Location
Shepherdstown
Gents,

I have a lift with a 60’ plus working height, but occasionally run into situations where I’d rather take slightly smaller pieces than what I can reach, but don’t always want to climb when I could be done and on to the next job sooner if I had more options.

I am looking to add a power pole saw to the quiver, and am trying to decide between a battery saw and a good ol’ gas model. All of my other power saws are Stihl, but I’m not necessarily married to the brand. Ideally I’d like to extend my capability another 10-20’. Thoughts?
 
NO experience with the battery powered pole saws, but I think the gas powered stihl (I think I have the ht131) maxes out at 16' it's also a bit cumbersome to take up in a bucket with you. Also if it rolls, which the powered being top heavy tends to do, you can dump a good bit of gas out through the carburetor. For a 20' reach, I'd lean towards a manual pole saw. Lighter and easier to haul up with you.
 
I always carry a manual pole saw in the mobile lift with me, 8’ extension. Powered saws seem to bulky to store effectively on a boom/basket.


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I’ve never used battery, but used a Stihl power pruner from a bucket often for one crew. I kept a sling tied to the boom to clip the pruner to when not in use. It worked fairly well, just had to remember it before tight maneuvers.
 
The Echo PPT-280 with the extra extension tube (that I bought to replace my Stihl HT-131) gives you 17 feet of reach (13 feet without extension).

The HT-131 is 11.5 feet and I don't think there's an extension for it.

Having had both, I can honestly say the Echo is the better machine. This is one area where Echo just did it better... much stronger tubes and it's not as fragile as the Stihl. But, they're both good machines.

They get very heavy, very fast... lots of power and rugged, but if you'll be making a lot of cuts in the bucket, it will probably wear you out faster than a manual polesaw will. With the extension, I don't think I'd even consider trying to run it in a lift/bucket. I tried using it in the tree, climbing, with the extension on it, and took it back off. At 13' I just had to climb a little closer, but at least I could make enough cuts to make it worthwhile to haul it up there. At 17' it gets too hard to handle and tires you out real quick.

I wouldn't part with mine, but as others have said, they really aren't good for a bucket unless you keep it all the way retracted (about 9 feet) and move closer to the wood you're cutting. You also have to be very careful not to drop the stuff on your own head.
 
I have been thinking I want to get a battery operated extendable power polesaw to start earlier at times etc. They are front heavy as a result of having the motor out there. When I have rented lifts I have got a lot more done with an extendable gas version.
 
Jehinten said:
NO experience with the battery powered pole saws, but I think the gas powered stihl (I think I have the ht131) maxes out at 16' it's also a bit cumbersome to take up in a bucket with you. Also if it rolls, which the powered being top heavy tends to do, you can dump a good bit of gas out through the carburetor. For a 20' reach, I'd lean towards a manual pole saw. Lighter and easier to haul up with you.
Click to expand...

Already take the Silky pole saw up there, and it’s very effective...just looking at a power solution for a few more options.
 
I can get a lot more done by adding in a power polesaw in my market. I have only rented a lift rarely but every time I have it made a big difference. I just let it hang below basket on a lanyard for short spurts not in use and then sent it to the ground when done with it.

When I buy a lift I will look for a way to boom mount it.
 
A couple of years ago I bought one of the Oregon PS 250 battery polesaws more for a lets see than anything. But I've used it both on the ground and in the tree a lot the last couple of years - for limbing spruce/ birch/ maple from the ground before climbing up, for limbing tops on busted/ shakey conifers to get the weight down a bit before blocking a piece longer than first planned maybe and for limited pruning. It doesn't have a big bar so for utility work, dunno. For general pruning work, it's been really useful. A battery in the summer lasts 3-4 hours so with extra battery I could go all day but never have I needed the two batteries. Other thing is that I've used it for limbing branches before hauling - on stuff up to three inch - sometimes it saves the 'ole back a bit after three days of felling, bucking and limbing with gas saws.
http://www.wesspur.com/items/saw760.html
 
Bought the Husky battery version, torque filled sun of a gun. I like it. (Very short bar,10 inches?, as compared to 12" on most of my Stihls and I put 14" on the Stihl HT131.)
 
I have the Echo PPT 2660 and extended it's 12'. I wouldn't want any more than that with me in a bucket, it's just too awkward. But its a great saw and has paid for itself many times over. If your looking for really light weight Redmax has one that is super light but it's not telescoping.
 
Merle, Now that you've had it a while, how do you like that husky battery pole saw? We have a hydraulic on our bucket but I'm looking for something to replace my old PPT280 at some point. I already have one of the T536lixp saws so I know how the batteries are.
 
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