Hydraulic Stick Saw

[brendonv]

Anyone use a hydraulic stick saw for a bucket truck on occasion? I found one brand new on the cheap (5 bills).

I've seen some guys use them a lot (I'm talk non line clearance), then some not at all. Good to have in the tool box? Or not worth it?

 

[Al Smith]

I've never used one but some say they are a tad heavy depending .Aspludh seems to use them and from what I've seen they seem to do okay .You'll need the hyraulics outlet in the bucket though to even think about one .

 

[cory]

I had one for years and used it maybe once. Only good for line clearance afaik. Sold it back to aerial lift.

 

[MasterBlaster]

"Not worth it!"

 

[Al Smith]

Most of the trimmers in these parts use some version of a gasoline powered Stihl pole saw .With a gasser you don't need the hydraulics .Damned things aren't cheap though .

 

[brendonv]

I thought as much. Probably be better off putting that $$ towards the fixed length Stihl pruner. More versatile.

 

[cory]

How bout an adjustable length Echo power pruner? We use ours pretty often.

 

[brendonv]

Out of the bucket?

I've got the Stihl extender. It surely wrenches my back reaching out with it on the ground. Figured the fixed length 9' would bring me to over 70', and can live in the box.

 

[flushcut]

Not worth it, I use a fiberglass pole saw for the small cuts and a top handle for the big cuts, after all you are in a bucket.

 

[cory]

Couple times per year out of the bucket

 

[brendonv]

Oh ok. Same trees/same bucket, probably shouldn't make special arrangements then.

 

[cory]

 

[SkwerI]

Late to the party but definitely not worth it. The hydraulic stick saw uses hydraulic fluid as bar lube, so in order for it to be non conductive you need to run the special hydraulic fluid which costs about 4x as much as AW46. It would be like running a gas pole pruner with two pressurized garden hoses attached to the motor. You cannot twist and turn it with your hands and arms, you need to swing your whole body. That gets old real quick, which is why line clearance guys make such lousy cuts.

The reason you found it for sale cheap is because nobody wants it. For $500 you could pay for 80% of a Stihl gas pole pruner and be ahead of the game. You would use the hydraulic saw once or twice and then put it up for sale in a year, looking for some sucker to give you $500 for it.

 

[brendonv]

Good to know. There is a guy a couple towns over, who uses his all the time for resi. tree work. Wonder why he likes it so much, sounds like it sucks.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I remember (back in the early '90's) the bossman buying one of the first hydraulic power pruners. That thing was a BEAR. You had to wear a bulky backpack and IIRC, it didn't extend - just one long, fixed length. I'm proud to say that never operated that thing once. I let the other guy - he seemed to like it.

 

[SkwerI]

I think you'll find that the guys who like it are the ones who aren't particularly adept with a chainsaw. They 'like' that the sharp part is further away from their body.

 

[MasterBlaster]

My boy? Naw, he was an outstanding treeman: he just liked doing the hard stuff.

I sure don't!

 

[Tucker943]

The asplundh crews is my area are using them lately. Those idiots make some of the ugliest most piss poor cuts I've ever seen with those. It's pathetic. Those slobs are brutal enough when they are 2' from the tree but with that stick saw they've switched over to 6" stub cuts with a pointed end like a spear.

I just don't get it. What is so damned hard about making a proper cut? It's no more work then a stub cut. Both ways you have to exert some sort of effort and cut through wood. What so hard about doing it in the right spot? I've come to think very little of the various line clearance companies in my region. Those companies are a breeding ground for shitty tree workers.

 

[flynhigh]

Hydraulic saw has way more power than a stihl gas pruner,I would get it IF you have outlets to run it from the basket..

 

[cory]

Way less reach, though.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Power pruners have plenty of power.

 

[squisher]

I agree.

I have two hydraulic saws I never use.

Stihl power pruner is always on the truck.

 

[sotc]

Not to mention they get hot hot hot

 

[MasterBlaster]

And, sometimes, leak, leak, leak...

 

[canadiantreeman]

I like the circular saw, its great for clearing lines IME...and can cut some beefy wood if you are crafty. I've worked with guys that set themselves in a spot and then look like the Tasmanian Devil while cutting for the next thirty seconds, calmly move to their next station, flip switch and repeat whirling dervish. Hilarious. Never tried the stick saw. Anyone use the hydraulic loppers?