Looking for recommendations on a pole saw. I'm looking for a gas unit, preferably something that will last forever with the proper maintenance. I do have a local Stihl and Husqvarna dealer, nothing but good experiences with Husqvarna.
Pole Saw
- Thread starter SpaceBus
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The beauty with Stihl is that no matter how old and crappy it is, someone will always pay a crazy amount of $'s for it......
My local dealer carries Husqvarna and Stihl under one roof. He used to prefer Husqvarna but likes Stihl now. I have no brand allegiance and just want what will work the best and fatigue me the least.
I own both and am happy with both. I can tell you that whenever I upgrade, Stihl is much easier to sell as a used item.
maple1
Minister of Fire
We have the Stihl Kombi. Works great, powers thru stuff better than I was expecting.
Same here. My Kombi comes out to slightly more weight than some of the nicer dedicated pole saws, but it makes perfect sense for how often I need the saw and the number of attachments I use (a half dozen). It will torque its way through a lot of wood that I wouldn't expect a similarly sized 2-cycle chainsaw to do.
I have a sthil and runs great first pull every time and has gotten lots of use on the property... Go with the kombi unit then you can change heads as needed and add a extension if you want to go higher.. I would have went that route but the boss bot this before i got to put in my suggestion
therealdbeau
Burning Hunk
My friend has a Stihl Kombi as well and really likes it. Honda also makes a Kombi-esqu system called the Vet I've heard good things about. The Honda is 4-stroke vs. the Stihl 2-stroke
Distinction:
Stihl's pro line KombiMotors are not 2-stroke engines. The "4-Mix" engine essentially is a 4-stroke engine that lubricates from 2-cycle fuel mix instead of the oil splash or pressurized oil system found in other 4-stroke engines.
therealdbeau
Burning Hunk
Correct, but the way I see it one takes 50:1 mix and the other straight gas and you change the oil like a vehicle. I'm not sure how the Stihl 4-mix motors handle valve jobs but i guess that's another consideration.
Just like any other small engine valve job. Use a feeler gauge to adjust the clearance on the intake and exhaust valves (lots of videos on YouTube showing this). Stihl sells a valve clearance setting kit with the feeler gauge and replacement valve cover gasket if one is needed.
In addition to their nice torque, I actually like Stihl's 4-mix engines because there's no oil to change and the valve system remains clean and reliable if the recommended 2-cycle oil is used.
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That is pretty clever actually. Less weight to lug around when weight is at a premium. I'll definitely give the Kombi a look.
Yeah, the Kombi looks like a winner, especially since I'll be needing a lot of tools for my property.
We have a Stihl that is 11 years old and it has never been in the shop, I'll get the model number before noon.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Ditto. I am normally NOT a fan of combination tools like this, but for tools that get used as infrequently as my pole saw or bed edger, they’re perfectly suited. No need having an engine laying around that only gets run once per year, as would be the case with my bed edger.
Stihl Kombi is done right, IMO. I just bought the biggest engine they made (KM 131 R), and all the attachments I needed to go with it. So what if my string trimmer is 1.9 hp? Doesn’t everyone need that? [emoji12]
BTW, with only one exception (the smallest model), every one of the Kombi motors weighs exactly 4.4 kg. So, there is zero reason to even consider buying any but the largest one. I don’t know why they even make the other models.
maple1
Minister of Fire
I just wish their swiveling hedge trimmer attachment wasn't so expensive. That would be real handy for way more than hedges - but holy yikes. Almost $400 here.
If you anticipate infrequent use of a pole saw, to trim lighter low limbs (up to ~25 ft) from trees, why not get a manual pole saw with extension rods, like this one from Jameson, with three 6-foot poles and 16" blade: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0077S1ASO/?tag=hearthamazon-20
A 21-minute Jameson video on their tools (poles and attachments) is here:
A 21-minute Jameson video on their tools (poles and attachments) is here:
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I have one of those. Also Jameson, very old with wooden poles, but still uses the same end fittings. I have about ten of those 6 foot extensions, but have found it becomes pretty unwieldy beyond 42 feet. I think I used it once at 48 feet, and almost broke a socket “getting it up”.
I have the saw blade, hook, and lopper attachments, they may make others.
That does seem like a nice tool, but I would want a gas unit for more regular use. This would be a great saw to have for really high up stuff.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Agreed. I only use it for stuff that my powered one can’t reach. Of course, a LOT of what I’m cutting seems to be stuff my powered one can’t reach, so I do use it quite a bit.
I just checked, it is the HT 101 from Stihl we have, we bought it to limb up a bunch of old dead pine branches for walking trails after our house was built almost 16 years ago. It has never been in for any type of repairs.
https://www.woodmagazine.com/review...ws/pole-saws/stihl-gas-powered-polesaw-ht-101
