Hydraulic tools
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MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
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SkwerI
Treehouser
avoid them. Heavy and expensive. The attached hydraulic hoses will restrict your range of motion. It's like attaching two pressurized garden hoses to the back of your chainsaw and trying to move it around. Brett has an old set with low hours rotting away in his shop, last time he mentioned them he was asking $2000 for them.
Line clearance guys use them for safety reasons. They run special nonconductive hydraulic fluid in their trucks (about $200 per 5 gallons) which allows the tools to be non conductive. That is the ONLY advantage.
Line clearance guys use them for safety reasons. They run special nonconductive hydraulic fluid in their trucks (about $200 per 5 gallons) which allows the tools to be non conductive. That is the ONLY advantage.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
They will make you old before your time.
B
BostonBull
Guest
Hard on the body, and promote hack work.
They are great in line clearance for SAFETY reasons. Allowing you to piece down tricky sections, and to reach things you wouldnt want near your body.
They can be tough to make a good cut with, and are expensive. I only see a use for them in Line Clearance and as a linesman.
The di-electric hoses, about $500 a set, get hung up on things too and break.
They are great in line clearance for SAFETY reasons. Allowing you to piece down tricky sections, and to reach things you wouldnt want near your body.
They can be tough to make a good cut with, and are expensive. I only see a use for them in Line Clearance and as a linesman.
The di-electric hoses, about $500 a set, get hung up on things too and break.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I've got a couple a buzzsaws came with my truck, never used 'em for work, great for scaring little kids though.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
I remember trying to cut out of range limbs... I would rev it up and throw it like a saw spear at the target, then catch it by the hoses.
its like any tool it has its place I like a wizz saw and as far as it prmotes hacking thats, well thats like saying its the gun that kills people
haha me toooI remember trying to cut out of range limbs... I would rev it up and throw it like a saw spear at the target, then catch it by the hoses.
B
BostonBull
Guest
Sorry............encourages lazy people to be lazy!
D
doggonetrees
Guest
I used a hydraulic chainsaw when I worked on the right of way crew- and bought a hydraulic pole saw( skil saw blade) thinking that life would be so much better. Hoses get in the way, not user friendly in a one man bucket, have to either dis-connect from fittings when going down the road or strap it to the boom, and yes, use the special hydraulic fluid. Lot of money for the wrong kind of work, imho.
F
Frans
Guest
I don't know anything about them, but Wesspur has some in their catalog which say they are very light....
SkwerI
Treehouser
Yes, the tool itself is very light. It's the pressurized hoses full of hot hydraulic fluid that weigh so much and restrict movement. With a chainsaw you can reach and adjust the saw angle with your hand(s). With hydraulic tools you need to turn and twist your entire body to adjust the saw angle. It's a major workout.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
one thing ive found helpfull in my bucket for big hedges is a weed eater with a circle saw blade. get the blade you can sharpen with a chain file
non hyd of course
non hyd of course
bahhhhhhhhhh bunch of haters 
The hoses are not $500 a set, the older hoses we have are pretty stiff when new, we got some new ones that are made by goodyear I think?!? They are alot softer. It takes a while to get where you don't fight the hoses or the saw. I work line clearance and use one all day. Alot faster and easier to use than a 200 for trimming. Granted a 200 has its place but, you can reach alot more with the polesaw. Also can stay further away from your work, not getting hit by stuff. When working out of a bucket your always in the way so its nice to be able to get back away from things sometimes...
The hoses are not $500 a set, the older hoses we have are pretty stiff when new, we got some new ones that are made by goodyear I think?!? They are alot softer. It takes a while to get where you don't fight the hoses or the saw. I work line clearance and use one all day. Alot faster and easier to use than a 200 for trimming. Granted a 200 has its place but, you can reach alot more with the polesaw. Also can stay further away from your work, not getting hit by stuff. When working out of a bucket your always in the way so its nice to be able to get back away from things sometimes...
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
They have their place in vegetation management, but not so much in average treework.
N
NeTree
Guest
Hydraulic tools are great for line clearance work.
Never had them on my own truck, and never missed them, either.
Never had them on my own truck, and never missed them, either.
M
Mr. Sir
Guest
Yup, they're perfect for line clearance. Not so good for general pruning or removals. Like Brian said, I used mine once or twice, now it sits in the shed collecting dust. Make me an offer.
B
BostonBull
Guest
Just bought a set of hoses and fittings on Thursday. Hoses were 350, fittings came out to 150. So yes they are 500.
As far as I know Goodyear doesnt make DI-ELECTRIC (non conductive) hoses?.........but they could be a new product.
As far as I know Goodyear doesnt make DI-ELECTRIC (non conductive) hoses?.........but they could be a new product.
I think the goodyear stuff is called Saflex? Feels like it has a nitrile cover, real soft. The old stuff we use is called synflex..
You need to shop around, I can get 4 flat face quick couplers, 4 crimp fittings, and 16 feet of hose for what you paid for the fittings.
Edit, I got the prices out of my 2007 catalogs. I don't think prices went up that much in a year tho..
You need to shop around, I can get 4 flat face quick couplers, 4 crimp fittings, and 16 feet of hose for what you paid for the fittings.
Edit, I got the prices out of my 2007 catalogs. I don't think prices went up that much in a year tho..
N
NeTree
Guest
If you're cutting wayyy over your head like that, how are you controlling the limb?
No problemo when the only thing below is the truck with a rack, but over houses and skylights it's a bit more risky, doncha think?
B
BostonBull
Guest
I thats the case, send me the web address. I like going to my guy because I go in wth the old hose and fittings, and 5 minutes later I have a brand new hose, and fittings all crimped and ready to go.
How much did it cost to setup your shop with a crimper? I looked at one to put in the shop, they are 15-20K!
I don't have a crimper but know several people that do. Used crimpers on ebay prolly. I buy all my hydraulics stuff up in indy, theres several places and all the prices are fairly close. Id look around at other shops and see if you can't find another with better prices. Takes a different set of dies or crimper all together to crimp the synflex I THINK...