Pole Saws and Climbing Skills

[Adkpk]

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You can get lazy with the pole saw and start reaching for stuff that it would be better to climb to.

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Yes, does make for an easier day, lol.

Sometimes a pole saw in a necessity and sometimes it just makes a day a little easier. But I agree that sometimes you got to go out there to make the proper cut.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

It bothers me seeing "dog ear" cuts that were made from a pole saw. I'd rather climb out to make perfect collar cuts... But, with that said, I'll use one when it is a better solution.

 

[Tr33Climb3r]

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It bothers me seeing "dog ear" cuts that were made from a pole saw.

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[willbranch]

I like to use a pole pruner for building clearance. Cutting all those half inch branch tips on a large shade tree would take forever with a handsaw.

 

[Crazy_Jimmy]

Pecans for sure and mistletoe removal,or if im just plain lazy that day.

 

[peteyt]

pole saw good. I use an 6-11 ft zubat with a hook fox on it. I carry it up into every tree and often leave the scabbard on and use it largely to move rope and lanyard around. I certainly don't saw with it in all trees, but it comes out at least once in quite a few. I'll make cuts if the angle is right - usually adjacent branches to the one i'm in, as making proper cuts in the branch you are on can be very difficult to do properly. With practice, however, you really can make some pretty decent cuts with a pole saw. There is certainly a learning curve of skills and strength. I am still not sure about that funny hook fox - it has a nice shape for moving rope and pulling brush, but it is heavy compared to my previous setup (a bent and electric taped bicycle hanging hook) and can also be kind of bulky. I wish there were a smaller one. Sometimes i will take my old handsaw blade and put it on the pole saw when i get a new blade for handsaw. Right now I wish i had a brand new blade instead. But then i would just bend it immediately. Life is hard for a pole saw blade.

x2 on what others said about taking weight out of branches that you want to climb out onto and remove. also cleaning hangers on the way down.

for cuts further out on a tip that i can't get to, I have a 7 ft ARS long reach pruner (the fixed length tougher one). It has the angled head, so you can make a proper cut. It will never be as good as being there in person, tho, so it always depends on the situation, like others said. I put a hook on it so I can hang it in the tree and not drop it all of the time, which i have already done all of the time until that hook went on. I have a planned rant and rave on the long reach pruner coming. pole pruners with the rope still confuse the heck out of me, but i'm trying to keep my mind open.

a huge ground saw can be nice, sometimes it makes for a 2 minute cut instead of a 20 minute climb to get that one pesky branch. also, I have been thinking of getting a little silky nobita for orchard and ornamental - a 4 ft fixed saw (or a 5 ft or 6 ft) with a straight gomtaro blade. I'd like to put a prosentei dual tooth blade or maybe a fine-toothed on it, and wonder if they'll sell it to me like that.

just chiming in from the "pole saws are pretty useful" blah blah blah section.
pete

 

[Frax]

Well made pole pruners and pole saws are like any other tool in an arborist's kit - they are useful or not useful depending on the application. They sometimes make a small dead wooding job more efficient - you can clear what you need to without hopping all over the place. If it's a big tree and you need to move around the tree a lot, like many of you have said, they are usually more of a pain than a help.
The types of trees one works in could be a real factor too. I've never even seen some of the kinds of trees I've heard mentioned in these forums!
Another great use for these things is when you have a storm-damaged limb to remove and can't cut it all at once from behind the damage (i.e from the safe side). The saw lets you tie in and position on sound wood and reach so you can cut it in pieces and take most of the weight off - as long as you can drop small pieces. Maybe cooler people than me would dance out on a cracked limb. It's not the walk out on a cracked limb that bothers me - it's having to lanyard on to the damned thing once out there.
I realize this is actually a new topic. I have heard of people using chainsaw breakaway lanyards as work positioning lanyards when there is a possibility of the piece you are lanyarded to (but not tied into) failing with you attached. Do any of you have techniques for these kinds of situations?

 

[opposablethumb]

Pete - Thanks for the words...I used to live just down the road from you in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. Man, climbing and pruning in the Bay Area - you are set! Unfortunately, I didn't really start climbing till after I left, and I'll always regret not getting to work in the redwoods, Auracaria, California live oak and on and on and on...You've got great trees...

(Derail over)

 

[peteyt]

(derail (mostly) on)

surely, opposablethumb, my lady and i used to live down on 40th and telegraph. then we spent a couple of years in colorado mtns (o how the pole saw comes in truly handy in the brittle willows and cottonwoods that you really don't want to go out on a limb on!!!) and now back in the Montclair area up Thornhill with its trees and trails. Nice hood, lots of trees from all over the world, lots of tight, urban aesthetic work. Coast live oaks are just wonderful to work with. Believe me, tho, when I see the pics folks post of the trees of the east and midwest, i go starry-eyed! them's are real neat, too. Oakland continues to be a strange but wonderful land if you are in the right neighborhood. I'll hold down the fort for you! Enjoy the mighty woods of the east =)

(derail off)

 

[TreeWackers08]

I worked with a veteran climber on a removal once and watched him use a 14' fixed, wooden pole saw like it was an extension of his hand. Not only would he advance his line with ease but retrieve rigging lines, push/pull limbs, finish cuts from a safer distance. All while sitting in relatively one spot. Some might say lazy, but I say smart. Smart enough to know "work smarter, not harder." I guess after some many years of climbing you just know when you have to get way out to that branch and when you can do most work from a central position. Boy did I like working with him.

 

[opposablethumb]

That must have been amazing to watch, but it also sounds brutal, although I'm sure his upper back muscles were ridiculously strong.

Part of the impetus for starting this thread was reading Tom Dunlaps article over in the "Articles" entitled "Technology of Arboriculture." (Nice article, Tom.)

He has an interesting section of the article where he contrasts Traditional and Progressive climbers, and this quote about a "traditional" climber really got my wheels turning:
(bold type mine...hope it's ok to cut and paste here, Tom)

"Uses body thrust to enter tree. Maybe ladder. Worst case, pruning with
spikes. Traditional climbing closed climbing system. No false crotch. Works only the inner two thirds of the tree. Carries two sections of pole saw around ALL of the time. Sits in the saddle most of the time, Rarely works with the climbing rope at more than a 45 degree angle. Clunks when they walk from the steel gear, if any."

Being a young climber, this really struck me...All climbers probably land somewhere on a continuum between "traditional" and "progressive," but it is interesting to me that most everyone who has responded seems to try to not rely too heavily on the pole saw. That said, it seems indispensable in other situations that folks have mentioned (Sean, et al). I'm going to try and leave mine in the truck as much as possible for the time being so that I'm forced to go out to those spots that I might otherwise try to reach with the pole.

cheers.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Since my campus is 125 years old and there's never been an arbo to take care of the trees you can imagine the work I have ahead of me. In this first year plus of employment most of the work has been elevating branches over sidewalks, streets and the high traffic lawn areas. The Silky extendable pole saws are indispensable. Working on the ground makes it very easy to position for a good cut. Leaving 'pigs ear' stubs behind is embarrassing.

We use a Longboy and a Hayate. The roads are cleared to at least 14'. We know how to use either of the poles as a measuring rod as we're working.

I'm totally stunned how much work we can do in a tree without leaving the ground.

When I climb I use the Longboy. It hangs from my harness as you'll see in the following pics.

When I climb I prefer to go to the work and make handsaw cuts as much as possible. My Marvin pruner mounted on a telescoping pole comes along if I'm working tips.

Pole tools or hand tools? It depends on which will leave me feeling least tired at the end of the job. Sometimes I use less energy climbing to the work rather than dragging or moving the pole tools around the tree when I sit in one position.

 

[Blinky]

[ QUOTE ]
I worked with a veteran climber on a removal once and watched him use a 14' fixed, wooden pole saw like it was an extension of his hand. Not only would he advance his line with ease but retrieve rigging lines, push/pull limbs, finish cuts from a safer distance. All while sitting in relatively one spot. Some might say lazy, but I say smart. Smart enough to know "work smarter, not harder." I guess after some many years of climbing you just know when you have to get way out to that branch and when you can do most work from a central position. Boy did I like working with him.

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That's how Guy Meilleur uses one, except not so much on removals. The man has been working a polesaw a very long time, last time I was with hime he was still using a 21' Hayuchi. He practically FORCED me to learn to use a polesaw. I hated it, it was awkward and frustrating, it hurt, took a long time time learn to use effectively... but I don't regret it. Polesaws are great tools.

I like to climb out to the cut as much as anybody, I like climbing in fine stuff, but you have to admit to yourself, no matter how careful you are, you're doing damage up there. The less of that the better and a polesaw or a pruner can save a lot of disfigured shoots and crushed cambium.

I like using one with a fresh sharp blade on a 4' pole for doing crown lifts on landscape trees.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I hang the Longboy on my harness from the scabbard and from the butt end.

Take the rubber bumper off and tie on a swivel snap, there's a hole in the bumper already. I used a double loop of throwline.

A twist lock biner on a lanyard is always on the left side of my harness. The lanyard is just long enough to put the biner in my hand when I put my hand at my side. No fishing around or yarding up the lanyard

 

[Tom Dunlap]

The saw hangs down out of the way. It's much easier to drag it along than to continuously rehook ahead of the climb. By hanging the saw there is no worry about knocking it off a limb.

Remember though...when you descend the saw touches down before your feet! The saw will jack-knife and give you a poke DAMHIKT

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Most of the time I hang the scabbard from my harness on the lanyard. The scabbard hangs with the hook forward so that I can reach down, grab the hook with my right hand, pull it up, hold the scabbard then lift the saw out. Then I drop the scabbard reach over with my left hand and fold out the blade. My right hand stays on the hook while I'm doing this.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

When I'm done using the polesaw I reverse the steps. Hold the saw with my right hand, the blade is pointing away from me, push in the locking screw with my thumb, left hand comes up, folds the blade then reaches down for the scabbard. The blade slips into the scabbard which I keep well away from me. When the saw is secured I set the saw back on the lanyard and move on.

 

[Kathy_Holzer]

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all I can think of is Kathy saying "polesaws are for(meow)!!!" end of story

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lol, come on now bennie, i was quoting mr kraus

we usually have two 10 ft polesaws on hand, and i just bought my second ridiculously expensive and indispensible silky polesaw after i dropped a piece of firewood on the first (no longer telescoping, now permanently 5 ft long). these things rock. my only complaint is the only hole you can tie a tether to is too small for a regular caribiner, and it's on the blade side! of the head.

buy one. you have my blessing, if you need it.

 

[Rocks_and_Trees]

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Sometimes i will take my old handsaw blade and put it on the pole saw when i get a new blade for handsaw. Right now I wish i had a brand new blade instead. But then i would just bend it immediately.

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That's funny, I do the same thing. Polesaws are good for Queen Palms sometimes too.

 

[Steve Baker]

Any other dangers to be aware of?

It's funny you should mention that.A couple month's back as I was descending form an oak to take lunch I forgot that the polesaw was still attached to my lanyard.You can probably guess what happened next...At about 10' off the ground was when I remembered that it was still connected.My right arse cheek was sore for a solid week...