Either the safest tree saw or the deadliest jump rope
The oak tree in my front yard recently required some aggressive pruning to remove some high dead limbs. Unfortunately, no one makes a 40-foot pole saw.
There is the High Limb Chain Saw, though—a 48-inch chain saw blade that cuts in two directions as the user pulls a pair ropes back and forth (LEFT; that's not me). You feel pretty ridiculous while you're doing it. But at least you're standing safely on the ground.
To get it up there, you throw a weighted bag up over the limb, then pull the blade into position. (Side note: this step took as long as the actual cut. I nearly threw my shoulder out trying it baseball-style, and had much more success using centrifugal force to fling it like up like a lasso.)
After 2-4 minutes of easy arm swinging, the branch came down while I stood several feet away.
The blade cuts surprisingly quickly and rips through soft and hard woods. I cut limbs about 20 feet up, but you can increase that number by increasing the length of pull rope. If you’ve got the energy, this tool can really eat some wood. They sell 24-inch blades that cost $30, and it's $50 for the 48.
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How Michelangelo might have cleared brush
Posted by Sal Vaglica | Categories: Yard & Garden | Permalink
(10) Comments
one issue i have is, when you get it up there, you'll have a 50-50 chance of getting the blade upside down. how are you supposed to flip it over so the teeth cut the wood, if that happens?
Without the ability to make an undercut on the limb being cut, using this saw will likely result in a long length of bark being stripped off the trunk as the limb falls to the ground.
That rectangular metal bar is used to flip the blade if it is upside down. By tugging this over the limb, the blade rights itself. I bought one of these 5+ years ago. After using it quite a few times, I attempted to take down a high-large limb. Well, the limb snapped before the cut was complete, pinching the saw in the cut. Needless to say, the cords are still dangling in my backyard. I think I'll hook them to a planter or something.
Ray: This pinching happened to me too on a bigger, longer branch, after I wrote the post. I tried to cut a 12” diameter tree limb and the saw got pinched. It took me close to 20 min of fidgeting with the blade to knock it loose.
Wrique: The little I know about pruning trees tells me to cut the branches close to, but not flush with the trunk. To prevent what this comment addresses, I started my cut about 10-15 inches away from the trunk. I’d cut the branch off, then go back and cut the short section of stump—no damage to
the bark of the tree.
Jason: this is all in the directions, but once you toss the line over, you’re supposed to pull it into position while standing back at a 45 degree angle to the limb. Moving away at an oblique angle gives the blade the best
chance of setting itself correctly.
I first saw the knock-off version ($7.00?) of this at Walmart before a camping trip, Oct ‘07. Having never seen one before, I considered it a great find. I stood on a healthly stack of kindling and cut through it in seconds. It was "like butta." But as you all know, you get what you pay for and this was definitely a one trick pony. I returned the mangled and broken knock-off to Walmart the following week. Now its camping season again and I’m glad that I found the real deal.
have owned a tree limb saw (like those pictured) for 30 years--cut a lot of limbs-always had trouble flopping the chain over to cutting position--hard to file--. why has not somone come up with a round. carbide toothed, flexible blade-that way it cut all the way around and in both directions
Instead of tossing the weighted bag over the limb, I use a telescoping 18' cane pole and gently place a weight with a light line attached over the limb in question at exactly the place I'd like, then use this line to pull up one of the lines attached to the chain saw. Works great!
I used this tools to cut branch no more than 8 inches and it works great, my problem is that i just get the cheaper version "made in china" at the harbor freight tools, and after a couple of cuts it broke , i just fixed and keep cutting, later i get a replacement on warranty and keep cutting until it broke completely, im looking for the pro unit cause after you get all the tricks it really works. one good thing to do is to keep your arms open so the chain works as in U and make the cuts easier. i did not have any problem to flip the blade in the right way. i save $400 bucks with a tool that cost me $14.99 , also i use a trimmer plastic line to pull the rope it slide really easy over the limb, and then you pulled the rope and the chain over it.
Could you recommend a decent brand?
Harbor Freight is nearby, and the price is $16.95... will this work?
I'm trimming about a dozen six inch limbs from an elm.
Instead of tossing the weighted bag over the limb, I use a 3/4 to 1 ounce lead sinker tied to 30-lb test monofilament. I throw or shoot the tethered sinker into the tree I'm working on and then use the monofilament to pull the saw's rope up and over the branch. If you get the kinks out of the line, you can simple lay it on the ground in loops of about 4' diameter. You can toss this lead sinker underhand up 20' easily. Or, you can shoot the sinker with a sling shot up 40' (probably a lot higher too) with a little practice. Or you can take up the monofilament line on an open face spinning reel and use it to unspool the line as the sinker flies through the air - however this method tends to get tangled.
Once the sinker is over the branch you want to cut, it will nearly always fall of its own weight to the ground. Tie one end of the saw to this sinker & pull it back over the branch. If the sinker gets tangled in the tree, cut it free & use another one, sinkers & monofilament lines are cheap.