Morning man,
Up and at it. That pole saw has your name on it and the limbs aren't waiting any longer. Im sure you’re already acclimated but with mine extended to 16ft you have to think about your cut strategy before committing. If you do a quick file every refuel it will also save you on the back end chain wise.
The first time I used it was on a 120 ft White Oak that I pushed down with a neighbors Dozier.
With the tree down and the diameter of the trunk you had to buck the limbs to get the trunk parallel to the ground. The pole saw saved me having to climb around the tree and walk the trunk to do that. The trunk diameter was close to 5 feet and with the limbs attached it was still 16 feet off the ground at the top end when downed.
Yeah, I was out early with it in the back pasture and trimmed down a lot of stuff. Then I stacked it in piles so I can lift it with tractor and forks and pile up. Got an amazing amount of trimming done and as you said yesterday, it has already paid for itself.... Now eating lunch and resting my shoulders, ha. Shortly, I will go get the tractor and move what I have cut.
Man, that must have been a helluva white oak. Although I know y'all have some monsters up there. Five feet in trunk diameter is really something. No telling how much of the nations history that ole gal had witnessed. Was it diseased and starting to die??
As to the pole saw, I did not get one that extended out. It is a Stihl 56 HC and is about 10 feet and should do all I will need, although I may eat those words.