Any thoughts on Pruning?

[newforest]

It has been several years since that word appeared on any of these forums...

I have a pruning job right now. Though I just came off 5 straight months of running a chainsaw, it has proven a bit tough for me. Any time you are doing work from chest level and above, that seems to be using a new set of muscles. I am hoping I can work my arm into better condition, and have some better hand equipment on the way. I would have never thought a pair of loppers should be judged by power:weight ratio, but they should, though that can't really be actually measured. Nice aluminum set from Bahco due in soon, along with a hand-saw from Silky. I hope these can improve my production, which is so far complete crap.

I am only pruning the first log; I know from just a little past experience I would never want to do 2nd log pruning, all day, every day - ever.

The specs led me to believe it would be a lot of improving insect damaged leaders/forks on trees 2m - 4m tall. Instead, it has proven to be largely trees 4m - 8m tall = much greater stem diameters to cut; very slow. I might have to walk away from this one.

[Scooter]

Are you allowed to use powered tools? Obviously, using a chain saw (even a very light model) above waist height is somewhat dangerous. But what about a saw designed specifically for people that do urban tree doctoring and removal? I was looking at one of those saws last winter. I'm not sure what it was though. Here's a page with the Stihl arborist saws:

https://en.stihl.ca/STIHL-Products/Chai ... -saws.aspx

I think the Husqvarna 435 is probably a great option too. And I believe these saws have different chains and chain speeds to enhance safety when being used with one hand, and to ensure that you're not ripping the bark.

I wish I knew what model I was looking at last year. It was red, which makes me wonder if it was a Jonsered, except that the place that I was in when I was looking at it is a Stihl dealer, and I'm fairly certain that they don't carry Jonsered products. It's on the other side of the country, so I can't go take a look in person.

[newforest]

I have pruned to log height, using a chain saw, every once in a while on a TSI job, say once or twice a day sometimes, just for the improved visual - like right next to a road intersection or something. Doing just a little bit with a power saw quickly shows one that a fatigue mistake (cutting into the bole of the tree) is inevitable and a pruning mistake can often decrease the eventual value of the log rather than increase it.

Pruning is quite a rare task in the Great Lakes states, but there is thought to be a certain ROI on it. It is a common Silviculture task in the U.S. south-east, where Loblolly Pine gets pruned at 4" diameter and harvested at say 30" diameter = that is a lot of clear, valuable layers of ply. But for a pure pruning contract, power saws are never allowed. Hand saws on a pole type, 2 arms handle are used for pruning to 17 feet. The guys that do it come out of it looking like NFL linebackers.

Powered pruning saws are quite useful in the landscape/arborist trade, but that is for doing much smaller amounts, typically in a residential setting. Though mistakes are not welcome in someone's front yard either, there is generally more to such work (debris removal, etc.) than just straight pruning, hour after hour, so there is much less worry about fatigue mistakes.

I have little choice but to rest my arm today. The new loppers and the Silky hand-saw arrive tomorrow morning. I still might need a yet bigger model from Silky, maybe one with a leg sheath so I could easily switch back and forth with the loppers for the easy cuts at chest height and below. &/or something to use with 2 hands to lower the muscle fatigue on the cuts at 7~8 feet in the air, we'll see.