Know nothing about this tool but like to get one from what i see it can do. I would like to get the lightest weight ( which means most likely a battery one ) and prune some shrubs. I know there are pruners for this, but the branches are much thicker than a typical pruner can do. Someone mentioned a Milwalkee buzzsaw.
Don't know what a milwalkee buzzsaw is.
You can get pruning hand saws.
Battery saws are not always the lightest because they have both batteries and a motor. Many do compensate for this with a smaller motor and ligher case. Personally I find the battery powered saws to be too weak and the battery run down to quickly to be of any use for extended work. I have one of the small battery circular saws and i's handy when you just need to make a couple quick cuts. But if I have a lot of cuts to make I get out the extension cord.
There are powered pruning saws. A "sawzall" with a wood blade would also do the job. And there are very small chain saws that go on the multi tool trimmer gas motors. I have one of those and I like it because you can reach up high with it..
Having had both, I recommend Fiskar compound pruners. Unless you are taking down big limbs, then I would use a hand buck saw. The Fiskars have gears that multiply your effort, making it easier. The buck saws cut great. Be sure to cut the underside first on anything big so that it doesn't break off a strip of bark when you cut the top, and it lets loose.
Steve
I have a DeWalt battery recip saw. I like it a lot. Because it is battery, it's not the lightest weight unit. But, I do use it with a long "wet wood" pruning blade. My wife also uses it for light pruning on our property. It's much better balanced than the old unit I had which was a no-name china built saw. The blades change real easy without using a wrench or Allen wrench. It's also good for normal recip jobs. It seems to have plenty of power. I also have a small electric chain saw on a stick for higher pruning. It was from HD (I think) and works ok. The only complaint might be that it is heavy out at the end of the stick. I've used a similar gas unit (Stihl) with the engine at the bottom. I didn't like it because there wasn't enough weight at the top to push through the branch and it didn't have the reach that the electric one has.
A reciprocating saw like a U.S. Marine. You use it when you have to destroy something immediately. It WILL work in your application and a few others.
I suggest the Harbor Freight MultifunctionMiracleTool - either the corded or wired model - which will do the job you have in mind and about 877 others. This tool, however, probably won't work too well on branches over about 4" in diameter.
What I cant trim with a hedge trimmer I do by hand with long regular or compound shears,a sawsall type will not have a solid surface , the branch will shake and I dont think its right for the job of 1/2" - 1" branches. I have gas, 120v ,18v hedge trimmers, sawsall, chainsaw and pole chainsaw, and handtools, you might be in the middle size where a chain saw is to big, I dont know how safe it would be, you would be holding steady a small branch with one hand and have a sawsall in the other ready to slip. I think B&D make a cheap power lopper. But a good
2ft compound lopper works great from 1/4" 1" thick wood of hardwood shrubs, and no batteries to wear out, and faster than any sawsall. There are alot of different, good handtools for the stuff a hedge trimmer wont do
My corded reciprocating saw is lousy for pruning. Also poor for quartering a deer. Get tool for intended use.
A reciprocating saw is fine for 1-3" stuff if you buy the pruning blades (big teeth). I also use mine where I fear there is metal in the wood because a $3 blade is much cheaper than a new chainsaw blade.
A battery one is usually a litter heavier than a corded one. If you have a HarborFreight close I would look at one of there cheap models for such a limited use. I am pretty sure they had a $20 one in the last ad I saw.
If your branches are bigger I would look at one of the electric chain saws. I think I paid about $45.00 for one last year at Lowes.
re: "I suggest the Harbor Freight MultifunctionMiracleTool - either the corded or wired model"
What's the difference between "corded" and "wired"?
I do 90% of my pruning with a DeWalt 18v recip saw with a brush blade. We have orchards and groves, and it is a constant chore. The other 10% is split between hand snips, Chain saw and, a long reach pruner with a blade like the recip but able to reach 10'. I'd use the pruner more, but it is a gas engine and that involves more prep than grabbing a recip and a fresh battery.
I heard of Harbor Freight but was told to stay away from them...their products are so cheap and wonder why....anyway I don't want to buy one for each season. In that case I might as well buy a more expensive one. I want the tool to do all the work and save my arm and back muscles that get saw after a long winter.
Shrug... Your loss.
At least 50 people on this newsgroup have bought the HF MultiFunction tool and are tickled to death with it.
If you don't like anything you buy at HF, take it back. I doubt there is any company with a more liberal returns policy.
Bingo. I've been real happy with the 15-buck McCullough electric chainsaw I bought at a garage sale (Older guy moved from a house to condo where you aren't allowed to touch the common-area trees.)
It's just a baby with maybe a 16" bar, and would be useless for production work. But for the occasional storm-dropped limb or widow-maker over a walk, it works fine. And if I happen to screw up and trash it, no big loss. It has more than paid for itself with the 2-3 times I have needed to use it. I have a couple bow saws, but never had any luck with them cutting green wood. New blade, sharp enough to draw blood, and well lubed, but still gets bound up as soon as the teeth get buried. I have loppers, too, including a pole mounted one, but they top out at thumb diameter. And the blade on the end of the pole lopper is close to useless if pole is extended- like trying to cut a spring with the end of another spring. At full reach, it is mainly only useful as a hook. I'll probably take the blade off this year, to make it easier to steer. It was only 30 bucks or so, but it still owes me money.
Well, can you tell me why their products are so cheap? Are they refurbished? Any how i just read their ad in my latest Reader's Digest and there are none close to me, so the coupons that are offered in the RD ad, are only for in store purchases to get some of those low prices.
Chinese imports. You really don't know who is making what and they do sell a lot of junk.
You need to only kill deer is subzero weather. After gutting, leave it hanging on the pole overnight. The reciprocating saw will work fine for quartering then. My father lives alone, but likes to cook turkey several times a year. The grocery stores around there sell the 22 pound ones for the same price out the door as the 10 pounders. He has a sawzall.....
So what's the opposite of junk? Their MultiFunction tool is $40. The Fein equivalent is $400. HF sells a dozen 1" foam brushes for 98¢ - Home Depot sells them for $1.98 each. HF sells functional handcuffs for $4.95, Smith & Wesson offers theirs for $39.95.
My last trip to HF, I bought an assortment of 20 hose clamps for $3.95. They're $1.95 EACH at the auto store.
I guess the opposite of "cheap" is "overpriced."
There's a store right down the street from you in Madison.
In the cases of hose clamps and handcuffs, quality is more important than price. They downside of the item failing far outweighs any savings. I've never seen handcuffs at my local HF, BTW. Or were you just tugging our chain?
Ya gotta walk into HF with your eyes open- some stuff is a great deal (like the same-as-Sears air compressors for half the price), and some is crap (like most of the precision hand tools.) But plenty of the stuff is 'good enough', at a very good price. And I love the free flashlights. I'd feel guilty not buying anything, so I am spreading out my buys of shelf stock consumables to make it look not TOO obvious why I am really there. (HF is half a block off my usual Saturday errand route...)
Hi, For that Swedish hand saw works pretty well. Batery won't last much for the task.
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