Tools of the Trade: Pole Pruner - Vermeer Pro tips

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For a tree care company that does not want to use a climber for basic pruning and tree trimming jobs, a pole pruner can be a good option; and if properly selected and used, can impact the efficiency and economics of the tree service business.

“A pole pruner allows operators who are not trained tree climbers to be situated in a secure position and safely, selectively and efficiently remove tree limbs that are out of reach by a chain saw and, by doing so, allow trained climbers to focus on limbs that can only be reached by them,” says Kent Hall, senior product manager for STIHL Inc., a leading manufacturer of saws for the tree care industry. “Firms without a trained climber on staff can still handle pruning and trimming jobs by using a pole pruner from the ground or from a lift bucket. This type of tool gives a tree crew some flexibility on handling all or part of a job.”

The typical pole pruner, according to Hall, is an “extended-reach power tool equipped with a saw chain and guide bar of 10 to 14 inches (25.4 to 35.6 cm) and powered by an engine in the 25 cc to 36.3 cc range that produces 1-2 horsepower (.7 to 1.5 kW).”

“When purchasing a pole pruner, key factors to consider are engine power, cutting length of guide bar, reach of the pole pruner and saw chain configuration,” says Hall. “The choice of which model to purchase should be based on your business and how you plan to incorporate use of the pole pruner into your regular operations. It’s best to discuss specific needs with your local dealer to find the best tree care product for your application.”

Options include fixed-length or telescoping shaft models. In evaluating a telescoping unit, you should look for one that is easy to control and that feels well-balanced.

These attributes pay off when a tree care job requires extensive pruning. To maximize pole pruner productivity, you may want to buy a harness to help with the weight and maneuverability and a sharpening device to help ensure your saw chain is at peak performance. It’s also best to use engine oil and bar and saw chain lubricant recommended by the manufacturer.

Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) recommended in the product’s instruction manual when using any power tool.

Depending on your specialty, the power pole pruner or pole saw might be one of the most used cutters on a tree care truck.

Photo courtesy of Echo.

“I’ve heard of some climbers who climb with (power) pole pruners and that’s all they use, because they can work in one tree and prune three trees around it,” says Jack Easterly, product manager for Husqvarna, a 28-year TCIA corporate member company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It depends on the creativity of the operator, I would say. With a resourceful, creative and skilled operator, pole pruners can be one of the most important tools in the toolbox.”

Note that, while some manufacturers differentiate between pole saws and pole pruners, or loppers, some companies use the word “pruners” for their pole saws as well. In this article, we’ll try to differentiate where it matters to the point being made.

If you’re a tree care professional, says Jerry Morgan, there’s an excellent chance you’ll buy your powered pole pruner from the same company you bought your chain saw from.

Photo courtesy of Echo.

“Most of the professionals in the tree care industry are pretty brand loyal,” says Morgan, saw and product manager for the Chain Saw Division at Echo, Inc., a 20-year TCIA corporate member company with U.S. headquarters in Lake Zurich, Illinois. “If they have a certain model of chain saw they are using regularly and they like it, they’re probably going to stick with the same brand.”

In addition to brand, some arborists may also be swayed by the power source, as states adopt new regulations about battery- vs. gas-powered tools. Photo courtesy of Echo.

Which doesn’t mean they won’t do their due diligence before making a purchase.

“I think a lot of them do comparisons,” says Morgan. “They look at weights, they look at fuel capacities. They look at things like the auto dust-boat oiler on the bar and the chain. They look at air filtration. If it has a nice air-filtration system, one that’s going to keep that engine cleaner longer or need fewer maintenance intervals, that might come into play, but it seems like those users are pretty brand loyal. A lot of times they stick with the brand, unless that brand has failed them in some way or caused them problems.”

In addition to brand, some arborists may also be swayed by the power source, as states adopt new regulations about battery- vs. gas-powered tools. Also, with the amount of use a pole saw gets, arborists put a premium on both durability and dependability of the tool, according to those spoken with for this article. They also consider length of the pole it sits on and the bar length at the end of that pole, to determine reach.

A tool’s power source – gas, battery or hydraulic – is among the highest priorities for arborists, according to Stihl’s Mike Poluka. Photo courtesy of Stihl.

What should a commercial tree care company owner consider when it’s time to think about a new power pole tool? Five leading manufacturers weighed in with their observations about what tree care company owners prioritize and what should be considered. Not surprisingly, their preferences ran to their own products, but many of the things they cited were universal.

“It really depends on their needs,” says Mike Poluka, product manager for battery products at Stihl, a 28-year TCIA corporate member company with its U.S. headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “We have pole pruners that are fixed length. We have pole pruners that telescope, the longer lengths. And then the power source is really the big thing to look for. Do they desire a gas piece of equipment? Do they desire battery? Secondly, I would say, you’re looking for durability. These are pro users. Their paycheck depends on the service the tool offers. So when they go to a job, the product needs to do the job and do it completely and minimize their downtime.

“Then there’s also the service behind it,” Poluka adds. “Any time you buy a piece of equipment, having that service network to support the product after the sale is also important, in my opinion. Whether it’s replacement parts such as spark plugs, fuel filters or air filters, extra chains, bar and chain oil or the right personal protective equipment, that’s all supported through the Stihl dealer network. And those are the things I would think are important when considering your purchase.”

Size matters

Not surprisingly, size matters when it comes to these tools. As Morgan describes it, tree care professionals consider the length of the handle and the chain saw on the end, as well as the size of the motor and the fuel tank (to do multiple jobs without stopping), along with features to determine durability and dependability.

Echo offers four models of its power pruner, a trademarked term for its pole saws, three in the 2620 Series (25.4 cc powerhead with a 12-inch bar) and one in the 225 Series (21.2 cc powerhead with a 10-inch bar). The company offers fixed-shaft lengths, starting at 94 inches, and telescoping shafts.

“Our telescoping one, when you extend it, gets you about 146 inches,” he says. “Just over 12 feet of reach there. Another 4 feet of reach is, obviously, important. It depends on how broad your tree care business is and maybe the area you live in, things like that.

“I’m looking for fuel-tank capacity, so I can fill it up and have long run times,” Morgan says. “Our 2620-series models right now have fuel tanks on them that hold just under 21 fluid ounces, which is about 40% bigger than our biggest competitor’s models.”

Quite often, as with automobile or truck purchases, customers will make a choice based on reasoning, but also because they are drawn to it for reasons of touch and feel. In the case of powered pole saws or pruners, one tool might feel better in their hands or they might like the sound of the engine, or one might remind them of a tool they liked or disliked.

“I think prior experience comes into play a great deal,” Morgan continues. “That’s why it’s very important to us to make sure we’re keeping current customers. We’re confident in what we’re doing in pruners and all of our products. We have a product that can go toe to toe with anybody else’s in the market right now.”

New regulations, new technology

As some states consider or adopt new clean-air regulations, some tree care companies are changing power sources – to batteries.

“In the field right now, you have government organizations or local municipalities putting restrictions on the use of gas-powered equipment,” Poluka says. “When you have an outside factor such as that driving the change, then the user really doesn’t have a choice, and they have to seek alternatives, such as battery-powered equipment. That’s what we’re seeing now. (Clean-air legislation is) going to drive a lot of change in California in the coming years. And then, of course, you have states that tend to follow suit.”

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Stihl boasts a wide array of pole saws, including both gas-powered models and battery driven, which launched in 2021.

“We have two telescopic ones really for the pro user; the model name is BHTA 135,” Poluka says. “If you look at an HTA 135 (battery-operated), it uses the same drive shaft and cutting components as the truly professional gas-powered pole pruners. Same gearbox, same bars and chains. So Stihl is recognizing this trend in the market, this initiative to electrify things. And we are investing in new product development as it relates to battery equipment.

Echo’s telescoping pole saw extends to about 146 inches, just over 12 feet. Photo courtesy of Echo.

“When you talk to a lot of pro users, they recognize the change and the legislation that’s driving it. But there’s also part of the market that wants to make the change. They recognize the benefits that battery equipment offers. It’s lower noise, it’s less disturbing. If these tree care users are working in a neighborhood or near a hospital, college or university, they don’t want to make a lot of noise. Yes, battery powered has zero exhaust emissions, but it’s also low noise. And for the user, it’s easier to use. If you think about it, they don’t have to worry about flooding the machine; they put the battery in the unit and it’s essentially ready to go. So the learning curve is far less than for that of a gas-powered piece.

“We’re adapting, and we’re still supporting the gas side as well. We have options. From my perspective, that’s what makes Stihl an attractive supplier for the pro user for their needs. If they want gas, we have many gas-powered models. And if they desire to have a battery piece, we have several models, and that battery product portfolio continues to expand.”

EGO’s pole saw is an attachment that is part of the EGO Power+ Multi-Head system. Inset: The company’s 56-volt ARC Lithium battery. Photos courtesy of EGO.

Better mousetrap

At times, a company has to resist the market’s push for new technology.

“Anybody who buys anything for their business wants to invest in something that’s going to last,” says Gerry Barnaby, who carries the whimsical title of director of excitement for EGO, a two-year TCIA corporate member company based in Naperville, Illinois, that specializes in battery-operated outdoor power tools. “A lot of our devotees are like, ‘Come on, we need one of these.’ We’re just like, ‘OK, we’re working on it.’ I mean, just to develop the battery for our tools took us eight years.”

That battery, which fits any outdoor tool, is a source of pride for EGO. Its patented, 56-volt ARC Lithium battery is shaped like an arc instead of a brick. The design of the battery and its “Keep-Cool Cell Technology” is intended to keep the battery working or recharging.

“It’s Consumer Reports’ top-rated line of what they call cordless OPEs (Outdoor Power Equipment),” says Barnaby. “We have the longest-running, fastest-charging and longest-living battery on the planet at this point when it comes to OPE.

“We fan the battery cells out,” Barnaby explains. “The second you pull the trigger and put a tool under load, be it a drill, a saw, whatever, it’s going to generate heat, because there’s work being done. With a human, you start to heat up and then you would perspire, and that’s radiating heat. What happens with a brick battery, all the cells are stacked up one on top of another, so they heat up very quickly. That’s why sometimes batteries stall, because they overload. Then you have to let them sit and cool down, and then they’ll start again. Or before you charge them, you have to wait for them to cool. With ours, they’re fanned out, so they have access to air all the way around the battery.

“(Keep-Cool cell technology) is essentially a phase-changing jacket that goes over each one of the cells,” Barnaby says. “It softens, if not liquefies slightly, under heat, so that allows ‘perspiration,’ if you will, of the batteries, (passing) heat out to the vents, whereas others are just trapped and they just sit and get hot, and that’s bad for batteries. We also have a great power-management system that will always manage the loads inside the battery. It’s going to give you a longer run time and, importantly, a faster charge time, because they’re always ready to charge. They’re never hot to where they need to sit and cool. If time is money, you want to have a battery that cools.”

The powered pole saw works with fewer fumes and less vibration, he says, and the battery stays charged for a long time. It telegraphs to 13 feet, 2 inches, and the bar length is 10 inches.

“With the run time on it, because everybody wants to know how long it’ll last on a single charge, you can cut 230 limbs the size of four-by-fours on a single charge,” Barnaby says. “Because they charge faster than any other battery, you can take one battery off, put it on a charger, then continue cutting with a second battery. By the time this second one is done, the first one will be fully charged, so it’s endless run time with two batteries.”

Protective pole

Battery-powered technology isn’t the only advancement in the world of powered pole saws.

“This is a good topic for us because we just launched the industry’s first dielectric pole pruner, the MADsaw,” Easterly says. Husqvarna’s MADsaw (minimum approach distance saw) made its debut in 2021. “It is individually tested to meet the OSHA standard, which is OSHA 1910.269.

“Whether it’s storm cleanup, everyday tree work or performing tree trimming for line-clearance or utility workers who may need to trim trees or branches around power lines, this is the tool designed exactly for that,” Easterly says.

“The (alternative) tools on the market right now are either the manual pole pruners, which are extremely tiresome to use, slow cutting and can be potentially dangerous – but are dielectric, or non-conductive – or the hydraulic saws, which are generally all dielectric, with fiberglass shafts and dielectric hydraulic fluid,” Easterly says. “So you’ve either got this expensive, fast-cutting tool that’s not versatile at all and has to stay in the bucket of a bucket truck, or an extremely tiresome manual pole pruner. We’ve made what we think is the most versatile tool; we’ve improved productivity and safety by making a more versatile, dielectric pole pruner.”

Easterly is cautious in his assessment of how much safety can be improved by the tool, but also is optimistic about enhancing safety for workers, as much of a worker’s safety depends on the worker themselves and their training.

Husqvarna’s MADsaw (minimum approach distance saw), a dielectric pole pruner, made its debut in 2021. Photo courtesy of Husqvarna.

“Storm cleanup is the number-one application for this tool,” he says. “This allows operators to work faster and further away from the strike zone. They’re able to stay far away with a dielectric tool and do it quickly, instead of a manual pole