Among Friends

[Nataliesgramma]

I got hubby one of the Sun Joe tree trimmer here and he loves it. It is too heavy for me to use though. I can cut up the branches once they are on the ground.

He was going to try using a chain saw on a ladder and when I saw this Sun Joe...I couldn't order it fast enough...

[SeaMaiden]

Hire someone. It is safer than you doing it, and they will probably do a better job. It is worth the expense.

[hckynut]

@Mom2Dogs

Any pole saw that is going to cut through branches over 1.5 or 2" is going to be top heavy. Just physics not matter how you do the math. The longer the pole, thus the further the weight? Ain't gonna be easy.

If I can't reach a branch from the ground the only way I am going to cut it, is leaning my ladder in a rock solid position against the tree. I cut mine with a reciprocating saw, and it works fine. Not as fast as a chain saw, but less maintenance and I am close to what I am cutting.

With my recently discovered balance issues (my fractured rib), no way I am gonna trust myself with a heavy weight on the end of a long pole. I do that in the winter to clear the snow from our satellite dish on the roof. There however I can rest my forearms on the edge of the roof, and the ladder is leaning against the house.

Can't help you much with this deal. I do use a Fiskers branch cutter and it works for some smaller branches, maybe about 1.4" max. It extends out arms length plus the 4+' of the pole itself. I like this brand for that purpose.

hckynut(john)

[Mom2Dogs]

I appreciate the responses...guess  am stuck, I will have to have the tree trimmed again...or take it down.  It is costing more that the enjoyment we get from it!

[noodleann]

I have a pole saw but I'll use it only on relatively small branches, or on a branch I know is attached to a larger dead branch. Reason? You can't undercut the branch the way you really should to prevent the limb from tearing away bark from the tree when it falls, creating a bigger wound than necessary. Maybe someone designs a pole saw with a blade that reverses from serrations on the bottom to serrations on the top to make that possible, but I've never seen it.  And maybe physics would work against it anyway.

I have a great tree jockey and save up my tree work until I can get my money's worth from him.

[patbz]

Don't know where you live but in my small city off-duty fire fighters often do these kinds of things; why not call your fire station and ask (and you know they have insurance).