Not a Stihl Pole Saw

[Magicman]

It's a Ryobi.  I have a ~16' or 18' Echo pole saw but it is a beast to handle, especially since I have had a few birthdays since I bought it.  It's now for Grandsons only.  Sooooo


 
This is on the same 40 volt platform that my weed wacker, hedge trimmer, and chainsaw are on so it should fit into the herd quite nicely.


 
It's first limb.  The electric motor is a bit heavy but I had read about that on the reviews and it is not unreasonable.  It has an extension pole so it will reach about 6½' and 9½'.  

[Tom King]

I keep the 18V version of that in the toolbox on my truck.  I've had one of the telescopic Stihl's for a couple of decades, but it's very heavy to use when you don't need the extended length.

Even the 18V one does a fine job of light limbing.  I'm sure that one is a good one.

It's nice how they break down so easily, and you don't have to use all the extension pieces, if you don't need that height.

[samandothers]

I have an Echo 2 cycle pole saw that uses the same power head as the brush saw and weed whacker.  I use it a lot to clear briars and brush and with out the extension it is a work out.   If I add the 3' extension it does not take me long to feel the burn and give in to the rest time.  I also have this fear of getting it in a pinch point and the extra work that would mean.  I have not started down the electric higher voltage yard tools yet, but I can see a day for it and not to far off.  My grandson is about 15 years out on being able to do this for me!

[SwampDonkey]

Looks like a fun tool to prune fir limbs up. Easier than manual push/pull. ;D

P.S. fir limbs don't get big diameter unless a tree is in a field. A field tree ain't a log tree. ;D

[thecfarm]

I could use one of those.

[HemlockKing]

I could use one of those.

Get the stihl one and you'll have popeye arms in no time lol 

[axeman2021]

I bought a SunJoy since i just have a Ceder Bush that is hanging over my back fence, an 100 foot ext. cord gets the SunJoy where it's needed.

Cost was around $80 from Amazon and with it's 10 inch chain head had the branch's cut off quickly.

[aigheadish]

I bought my wife a cheap, corded China-made pole saw and it works fine but they are a bit unwieldy. 

Does that fat battery pack help balance it a bit? I like the bend at the saw, mine is a straight shot out and it seems like the bend would be useful. 

[Magicman]

Yes, the bend is much better than my Echo which is straight.  It allows the bar to be horizontal when sawing.

Also yes, it is much better balanced with the battery inserted than without.  (runs better too)  ;D

[petefrom bearswamp]

I second the like of the head turning.
My straight Husky is straight and it binds fairly often.

[SwampDonkey]

The Stihl one is big bucks, they know how to charge, a little pun. No charger included, and batteries can be $150 to $1500 bucks. Which works out to $150 bucks every 2 hrs of power. Pass! :D

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, even a good hand pruning saw is curved. Works a lot better. ;D

[SwampDonkey]

CND$258 at Home Depot Canada, seems reasonable, includes charger. ;D

You can get 6 aH and 7.5 aH batteries to, but that adds more weight.

[SwampDonkey]

You're a very bad man Lynn, just snagged one off Home Depot with the 7.5 Ah battery. :D :D

Free ship

[SwampDonkey]

Hmm, new pole saw, cup of tea out at the lean to at a fire during breaks. 8)

Snowshoes just shipped today, hopefully I can prune some before the snow adds up. ;D

[Tom King]

I was seriously thinking about getting the fixed length Stihl for this one job.  It's about an acre, and a half, behind a rental house.  I wanted to limb up the trees, so I didn't have to lower the rollbar on the big mower.  I don't need it lowered anywhere else.

I decided to try the lightweight 18V Ryobi that I keep in the truck for getting limbs that would scratch the truck or trailer out of the way.  It did much better than I thought it would.  I only needed to swap batteries once.  

I forgot to take a before picture, but thought about it when I had a bunch of limbs on the ground.

One good thing about the angled head is you can undercut a larger limb easier than with the straight Stihl.

Another thing about the straight Stihl:  When you are at max extension, cutting a big limb almost straight up, you'd better be capable of moving fast enough to get out of the way before it gets down low enough in its fall to hit you.



 

 

[SwampDonkey]

I got the bigger capacity battery because I like to work out there at least 4 hrs straight when pruning. We'll see how it holds up, battery charge. It's off the road at least 300 yards and deeper.  ;) No way I could leave it out there, no shed. The bears would eat it for lunch. They love plastic. :D

[Magicman]

Mine came with the 2ah battery but I already 3 of the jumbo batteries with the 3 other tools plus the chargers so I should be OK battery wise.

I am super pleased with the 3 other tools and I have never run any of the batteries down while using them.

[SwampDonkey]

Don't forget the bar oil though. ;) If the motor get's overheated it will blow the fuse. And it is inside the pole. ;D

For longer reach the larger batteries help balance tip weight more.

[Magicman]

If the motor get's overheated it will blow the fuse. And it is inside the pole.

@SwampDonkey Help me with this.  My Owner's Manual makes no reference to a fuse that I can find.

[SwampDonkey]

It's not user serviceable Lynn, it's inside the pole. So rivets in the pole where the connections are have to be removed. Just keep that chain oiled good. If the thing ever stops working when batteries are fine, dead motor, it's likely that fuse blown. It's one of them cylindrical glass fuses (barrel fuse).

BROKEN Ryobi Pole Saw Fix - YouTube

10:40 in. This is the 18V model in the video. Might never happen on the 40V, but something to check if it fails. ;)

Another thing I found out is, if the battery won't charge, make sure it isn't hot before trying to charge. The battery could be fine, let it cool for an hr, try again.

I should have my saw in my hands by Wednesday this week. ;D

[thecfarm]

What trimmer you got? Do you have to buy the pre wrapped spools of string?
I do A LOT of trimming and that would be a deal breaker for me.
I am thinking about buying the pole saw and chainsaw. Buy it as a set, chainsaw is only $60 more.

[SwampDonkey]

My trimmer isn't a Ryobi, it's a Husqvarna gas one. I can wind my own string. I actually don't like it as well as my old $99 MTD one I used for over 10 years. So maybe I'll get a battery trimmer head attachment some day. I hate trimming grass so it ain't a priority. :D

[thecfarm]

I have about a ½ mile of stonewalls to trim around. Have to remember both sides on most of the walls. Was a mile at one time. I hauled off 3 stone walls, so cut it down to a ½ mile. ;D  I'm a working on another 100 feet now.
Trim around the walls or cut bushes, take your pick. But saying that, I use a vegetation killer around the rocks in the fields now. No more walking through the fields with a trimmer. Just carry a sprayer around once a year. Well I say carry, I drive the truck through the field and do 4-5 rocks than move the truck, repeat until done. I spray about a foot around each rock. That keeps the chock cherry bushes from growing around each rock.
I am experimenting with the vegetation around the walls now. I did it under the chain link fence for the dog and that has worked great. But that has only been one year. The stone walls treatment is not working out so well.  ???

[SwampDonkey]

I've pretty much gotta use Roundup on burdock. One squirt and it's over. Takes a couple weeks to see a brown shrivelled up plant, but she's cooked, dead. :D