Good point. The hawthorn has multiple trunks now - rigging the frame round a trunk would be a pain.
We make a lot of use of these:
Look good. Would they manage 3" trunks?
Easily. The blade is 24cm and they go through a 3-4 inch trunk like a knife through hot butter. The only potential problem is sap making the blade sticky and causing drag. You can prevent that by oiling the blade before use and also by washing it in water from time to time.
Are you completely insane? How did you type that post without fingers?
That does not really sound like the best choice of tool IMHO....! Of the powered options, a chainsaw or reciprocating saw seem most useful.
Right, many thanks to all, I'll get one of these and leave the bowsaw until I need one - if I do.
If you get one, remember that the blade is high carbon steel and doesn't tolerate a lot of bending. Always pull and push in a straight line. With practice you'll find out how much you can bend one of these blades before they break. Doing so involves breaking a few blades, unfortunately.
When you have finished with it, clean the blade with water. Dry it throughly and then oil it. When you store it wrap the blade in oiled newspaper. Tie the nespaper to the blade with string and then hang it up in your shed or garage or wherever you store tools.
I've got a cordless thats so lower powered that kickback is easily held. It opens up new uses like plunge cutting and tree felling.
NT
held. It opens up new uses like plunge cutting and tree felling.
You could sort out your piles with that if you were careful.
Bill
Operations for those are getting expensive due to soaring costs.
Thanks Steve, hadn't realised that (used to modern bendy tools). I learned many fortnights ago that it's easier to let the tool do the work and guide on the easiest path, but still break a blade occasionally due to assuming that it's hardpoint.
I might use WD40 on it.
PeterC expressed precisely :
I have had my bow saw for twenty odd years, it has helped in the felling of several trees and lots of branches in that time. It has never needed a new blade.
Hardly use mine, as the frame gets in the way too much. So mostly I use a folding pull saw.
My own is a Japanese Arse brand (yes, that's why I bought it!) and is lovely. However Tesco have recently been selling some very good ones for under a fiver - the trick is that the blade is taper-ground, unlike most of the cheapies, so doesn't bind in wet timber.
Because if it's like my one in Chepstow, it's green wellies for the Rangie and horsebox set, and I can't even afford their catfood.
Admittedly Abergavenny's is a bit more sensible and sells foot-rot cures for sheep.
I inherited (wouldn't have bought it full price!) a B&D Alligator scissor-action chainsaw.
Up to its limits of needing a cable and only cutting 4" diameter, this thing is brilliant (albeit ultimately pointless). Easy to use, much easier / safer / lighter than another chainsaw, even electric, and even quicker than the usual chainsaw as the jaws make it possible to saw a branch overhead or unsupported.
For most stuff I'd prefer a hand saw (lightness) and 4" is quick enough to hand saw anyway. If you don't fancy the effort, or your lengthing felled branches, then it has its virtues.
Damn! I was in Tescrot this p.m.
The other one I have found quite handy is a small pruning chain saw on the end of a petrol trimmer, with an extension bar you can trim fairly high stuff safely from the ground. There is also little danger of kickback type accidents since the pole puts the dangerous bit well out of reach. (just make sure you don't drop a branch on yourself!)
Not enough to warrant a powered tool and I prefer not to use them in the garden anyway (mowing about 250m^2 is useful exercise). I'll pop back to T's.
Buy a Bahco (used to be called Sandvik) bow saw from your local garden centre DIY shed or tool shop.
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