Had to pick between a pole pruner and a handsaw for that tall oak last week

I was up on a 40ft oak in a tight backyard near downtown Austin. The homeowner wanted a dead limb removed right over their kids playset. I brought both tools but ended up going with the handsaw because the pole pruner kept getting tangled in the lower branches. Took me 45 minutes of careful cuts but I got it down clean. The pole wouldve been faster but way riskier with all the limb rubbing. Has anyone else run into this where the smaller tool was actually the safer call?

3 comments

3 Comments

barbaraw4724d ago

My buddy tried that once and dropped a limb through his neighbor's greenhouse.

the_margaret24d ago

...and to be fair, that's on him for not paying attention to where things are gonna fall. You can do the same job with a handsaw if you're careful and know what you're doing. A pole pruner adds weight and can throw your balance off, especially at 40 feet where every little wobble feels like a big deal. I'd rather have one hand free to grab the trunk and steady myself than be wrestling with a long pole that's gonna snag on branches. Just my two cents, but I get why some folks stick with the simple stuff.

caleb_thomas9324d ago

Wait, 40 feet up with a handsaw? Honestly man that is nuts. I've done some sketchy stuff in trees but 40 feet up a single oak in a tight backyard scraping against the house the whole time? I wouldve had the pole pruner just to keep some distance from the trunk. 45 minutes of swinging that saw one handed too, your arm mustve been shot.