gas or electric pole trimmer?

[DiscoInferno]

The recent wet and heavy snow here in the DC region did the most tree damage I've ever seen at once - my neighborhood is a mess of trees and branches. The big mulberry in our backyard was always angled towards the house (away from the shade of the woods behind), and the snow load uprooted it. Luckily it came to rest against our retaining wall, and seems to be stable, but now I need to get it on the ground. It's all branches everywhere, even after cutting what I could reach from the ground and the deck. So I figured I'd get a pole trimmer to clean up the 3 main branches before dropping them. For about $100, my home depot options are a 6-amp electric or an attachment to my ryobi gas trimmer (31cc 2-stroke):
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100615512/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100044833&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&cm_sp=BazVoice-_-RLP-_-100044833-_-x&locStoreNum=2551#BVRRWidgetID)

I'm inclined to go with the gas attachment, I'm assuming it has better power and of course is cordless. Anyone have any thoughts/experience?

 

[smokinj]

I would run the attachment. Maybe modd. that roybi lol 31 cc should do pretty well. Keep the chain sharp!

 

[Thistle]

Go with gas,you wont regret it. You'll have a nice pile of Mulberry when all finished.

 

[RNLA]

If you already have the gas trimmer and you know it will fit you really have no other option! GAS~ ;-)

 

[DiscoInferno]

Got the Ryobi attachment. Was cutting real nice until the 10 year old fuel lines gave way (pretty much all of them). A temporary setback.

The one drawback is that the gas unit is a little less than 8' from tip to trigger (advertised as a 12' reach), while I think the electric was closer to 10' (advertised as 15' reach). I could use that extra 2', although frankly it's tiring and awkward enough as it is.

 

[WhitePine]

Wish I had seen this thread earlier. I just picked up a Black & Decker rechargeable pole saw at Lowes ($125 inc tax). I normally won't buy any B&D product, including the high priced stuff with yellow paint (DeWalt), but this thing was recommend highly by a mechanic relative who really knows his tools. It cuts wood like a starving beaver, mainly because it comes with an Oregon bar and chain. Plus the rest of the construction seems a cut or two above the typical B&D crap.

The biggest downside is the weight, but thats what you get when a good sized electric motor is out on the business end and the rest of it is notyour typical junk construction, but isn't aluminum either.

FWIW, there are many, many positive reviews for this product on Amazon. It's well worth the price IMHO.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I saw that one in my searches, but admit I was skeptical that a rechargeable (NiCad at that) would have a lot of power or endurance. Of course with all the troubles I had with my Ryobi powerhead perhaps I should have gone that way.

 

[Beowulf]

I am very pleased with the Echo PPT 265 gas pole saw... I had a Remington electric one that I wore out in a couple of seasons of pruning the pines and cedars around the yard. The Echo is a serious saw; I cut through 8-12" dead oak limbs with it, no problem. Picked up the 5' extension, so the reach is about 16', maybe 18' above the ground for a short person. It goes along on most wood cutting expeditions, these days.

(broken link removed to http://www.echo-usa.com/product.asp?Model=PPT-265)

PS You'll love the Mulberry... it's about the closest thing to Osage Orange you can find. Lot's of btu's in that!

 

[WhitePine]

I'm with you on the Echo brand. Pretty much everything else I own is Echo. The only reason I didn't buy an Echo is transportability. What was available locally was a fixed shaft model that was too long for me to transport. I'm at an out-of-state property, needed a pole saw bad, and had no way to get it home. The B&D breaks down into three pieces and comes with a carrying bag.

One of these days, I'll probably bite the bullet and buy an Echo pole saw too.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

I'm with you on the Echo brand. Pretty much everything else I own is Echo. The only reason I didn't buy an Echo is transportability. What was available locally was a fixed shaft model that was too long for me to transport. I'm at an out-of-state property, needed a pole saw bad, and had no way to get it home. The B&D breaks down into three pieces and comes with a carrying bag.

One of these days, I'll probably bite the bullet and buy an Echo pole saw too.

Another one for Echo, these are quality units, Randy

 

[billb3]

For 1 tree I'd get a Fiskars or equiv hand pruning saw.
I prune fruit trees every year along with cutting up dead fall and storm downed trees' branches making smaller branches to rot faster after dragged into the woods.
A good hand saw is pretty darned quick.

I had a little gas one (whatever Sears sold ) and I got tired of maintaining it and it gave a bit ragged cuts for fruit tree pruning.


I have this one ( http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/17/178139fe-33ab-4efb-8254-908d038de4cc_400.jpg ) because I like that kind of handle ergonomically rather than a fold up one.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I already had the manual Fiskars pole saw, and it got a good deal of use on the branches I couldn't reach with the gas one. But the gas one was so much faster and less tiring when cutting 4-8" branches. Plus it was an excuse for a new toy.

 

[gpcollen1]

I bought the ECHO String Trimmer and the Pole saw attachment with the extension bar. The trimmer is great and the pole saw took care of all my branch work in the entire yard.