Pruning the easy way!!!!

[Edwin Hackleman]

I hate to come in so late on this thread, but my solution might be better except for the bending over problem. I use a top handle chain saw with a 10" bar. A retired guy gave me an old Craftsman XXV (made by Poulan) that he couldn't start. All it needed was a carb adjustment. Best part about these saws is that they were made when Poulan made good stuff in Louisiana (circa 1980). It will pull a 16" bar upon command.

Heck, he even threw in a spare chain that was brand new. Total weight with all liquids and B/C attached is just under 10 lb, so you can use it with one arm.

[JosephP]

1980 saw...does it have a chain brake?

NEVER use a chainsaw with one hand.  Just because they are balanced in a way you can doesn't mean you should.

[daddo]

Yearly rose bush/ornamental grass/etc. trimming usually takes several hours with hand loppers and pruners.

Getting too old to bend over, so had a better idea. Have a Homelite weed eater. No blades to fit, so I bought a 5&1/2" cordless saw blade(80 tooth? 120 tooth?) with a 10mm arbor hole. Adapted that to the weedeater.

Less than 5 minutes and DONE!!!!!!!


Took out the string carraige:





Less than 5 minutes:

 It got the job done- good job!

[K. L. McReynolds]

Trying to cut rose bushes or any thin stalk plant with a chainsaw is dangerous.
  Trimming off a sucker from a tree/branch is a bit different.

[Edwin Hackleman]

1980 saw...does it have a chain brake?

NEVER use a chainsaw with one hand.  Just because they are balanced in a way you can doesn't mean you should.

No chain brake. Back then all hey had was a guard attached to the outer handle. Chain brakes are about the first things that break off a top-handle saw. Professional tree trimmers do a number on them. I have an the bench an Echo 355T given to me for repairs and it has both the outer handle and the brake handle broken to pieces.

I usually use two hands, but I'll have to tell your one-hand advise to the climbers and then watch them all laugh up in the tree. They seldom use the top-handle saw with two hands.

[Edwin Hackleman]

Trying to cut rose bushes or any thin stalk plant with a chainsaw is dangerous.
  Trimming off a sucker from a tree/branch is a bit different.

Agreed if they are that small. That's when I use lopping shears.

[JosephP]

.......Professional tree trimmers do a number on them. I have an the bench an Echo 355T given to me for repairs and it has both the outer handle and the brake handle broken to pieces.

I usually use two hands, but I'll have to tell your one-hand advise to the climbers and then watch them all laugh up in the tree. They seldom use the top-handle saw with two hands.

Do you know what I do for a living






I'll agree the "hacks" laugh.  However, those of us who value safety, professionalism, our workers, the law (ANSI Z130 would be the standard OSHA uses) and our own appendages use 2 hands and only saws with chain brakes.  All the time.  I got a cheap reminder of that last year...and a small scar on my left hand to keep as a momento so I won't cheat again.

[Edwin Hackleman]

Do you know what I do for a living


  

I'll agree the "hacks" laugh.  However, those of us who value safety, professionalism, our workers, the law (ANSI Z130 would be the standard OSHA uses) and our own appendages use 2 hands and only saws with chain brakes.  All the time.  I got a cheap reminder of that last year...and a small scar on my left hand to keep as a momento so I won't cheat again.

I must admit (knock on wood) that since 1976 when I first used a chainsaw, I have never cut myself with a running chainsaw, chain brake or no chain brake. That's over 50 years. I credit that record to using two hands on the saw almost all of the time.

I suppose you have to forgive a few tree climbers that when 70 to 80 feet up, they think twice about using two hands to run a chain saw and thus having only their legs and a rope to keep them from saying goodbye to the world.

[JosephP]

1)  Tied in twice when cutting.  I've made plenty of cuts with no hands on anything except the saw.  That is when you darned better have 2 hands on the saw...if it kicks and gets your rope, then you've got nothing to hold you up.
2)  If I can't get to it with 2 hands, it is a handsaw cut.
3)  No - I don't 'forgive' unsafe practices that can take your life in a hot minute.  When you work in an industry that puts out a calendar like the one below every month (first one I found...I'd say it is typical), you had better figure out real fast the safe way vs. the lazy way (and this just comes from news articles they find - there is no industry reporting system):

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I use a similar set up myself but I've retrograded a Sawstop cartridge in mine.