Powered saw for the palm gardener

[GMann]

I need to get some sort of chainsaw / powered saw to clean up my garden. I need something that is delicate enough to be able to clean up the trunks on Sabals, Phoenix, Bismarck, etc. without damaging them. But also robust enough to go up against a grove of banana plants that are growing out of control and simply cut them down at the base.

Should I get a traditional chainsaw or a smaller powered hand saw type thing?

Edited June 26, 2016 by GMann

[Danilopez89]

...

I'm looking into buying a good trimming tool for my palms too. I want to give my CIDP the pineapple cut. Or even better a clean cut like this

 

I tried a small gas powered chainsaw and it did a horrible job at trimming the palm fronds on pretty much all my palms. My hand saw worked much better so I haven't even used my chainsaw again. I think my chainsaw is only good for trimming branches off my trees. 

[Laaz]

Get a 20v sawzall...

[DoomsDave]

Just now, Laaz said:

Get a 20v sawzall...

Agreed!

 

[Ben in Norcal]

Yep, 18v sawzall comes out every weekend here...

[Patrick]

Blade recommendations? Low tooth wood, bi metal, "The Torch"?

[Ben in Norcal]

41 minutes ago, Patrick said:

Blade recommendations? Low tooth wood, bi metal, "The Torch"?

Pruning blade!

[oliver]

Agree with Laz, Dave and Ben. Although I grew up with a chainsaw in my hand in Canada, it is not a good tool for palm trees. The fibers really gum everything up! I moved to Texas 20 years ago and brought three Stihl chainsaws with me. I thought that cutting through a Sabal would be like butter, but it dulled my chain in 1 tree and took longer than cutting through a 24" Maple. Especially no good for fronds. I have used both 36v and 18v Dewalt reciprocating saws, but the new 20v is lighter and seems to run longer. I have one in my truck at all times. Works well for cutting brush at the ranch ( as well as quartering deer, pigs and nilgai - just gotta wipe off blood and bones after, so my gf doesn't suspect that I am the Texas chainsaw dude!) I would get a simple 6" or 8" coarse blade for your purpose. Bi-metal/carbide etc is for metal. The shorter that the blade is, the better for cutting fronds, as the longer the blade is, the more it will whip. You won't be able to cut down any trees with more than 4" of trunk effectively, but for fronds within reach of the ground, the reciprocating saw is the way to go. If you need to go higher then your ladder will reach, then you will need a pole saw.

 

http://www.dewalt.com/en-us/products/power-tools/saws/reciprocating-saws/20v-max-cordless-reciprocating-saw-kit/dcs380p1

[DoomsDave]

The sawzall is the best thing for removal of old stems in palms like Arenga engleri, which die after they flower, then linger to form this dead mess. Use a chain saw in there, and you'll cut EVERYTHING, including the live stems you don't want to cut (yet).

Alas, my sawzall is kaput, so I use a long hand saw instead. Arenga wood is hard, but engleri trunks are skinny.

Oliver's comment casts a light on the fact that palm wood varies in hardness all over the place. Archontophoenix can be felled with little more than a cutting remark (or a machete). Dypsis are a lot harder. Once you get through the b ark, Washies are soft and spongy as are Royals (so I've heard). Washie fibers clog the chain saw, but don't dull it much.

Syagrus and Phoenix are tough and fibrous.

Caryotas are supposed to be the hardest of all. I have three giant urens, one of which is blooming, with the others to follow, and it will me more fun than herpes to remove them. Even now the wood knocks like stone.

Oliver, I'd fly you out here to test and see which is harder - Sabal or Caryota - when the time comes. But those Caryotas are huge, 70 feet. Ouch.

Maybe I'll chop a sabal out here and see how hard they are and compare.

[oliver]

I doubt that Sabals are very hard as far as wood goes. I guess I should have said that they are very hard (difficult) to cut, due to the fibres. I also think that the chain does heat up more than regular wood due to those fibres - may even cause the teeth to de-temper and thus dull faster. I noticed a similar problem with my wood chipper - palm wood and fronds gum it up and once even caused a fire!  And Dave, if you have money to fly me out there with my chainsaw, it would be better spent on a shiny new 20v reciprocating saw! LOL!

[Peeples]

I have a Stihl HT75 and its the best apparatus I've at any point gotten It does all that I need it to do! An expression of caution, however; never cut palm fronds out on the town palm from the underside (the voice of agonizing knowledge!) the mutts slide straight down the shaft and the spikes hit your hands/fingers/arms at fast. I've had 2 dreadful mishaps with them and never again do date palms! I had one go straight through my pointer and into my second finger and snap off. The other one went straight into my thumb joint and snapped off. Some portion of it is still in there and the doc can't get it out (Karen got the one out of my fingers with forceps! it hurt for a second or 2 lol!) recently I bought a sharpener for it from https://topreviewedten.com/best-electric-chainsaw-sharpener/, don't forget to get it along with the saw. It is really necessary for maintenance.

[Walt]

For trimming palm fronds I use a battery operated reciprocating saw with wood cutting blades up to 12" long. I normally use an 8" long blade, but for extra reach (like when I'm cutting into bamboo clumps trying to reach some dead culms) I will us a 12" long blade. With as many palms I have to constantly prune, cut of dead hanging fronds, etc., and tree limbs,  I find there's no tool better than a good reciprocating saw. My brand just happens to be a Black and Decker as I have many battery powered yard tools that all take the same battery.

For cutting down palms, trees, and big limbs, etc., I have  40V WEN chain saw with 16" bar that gets the job done. I was skeptical when I first bought this saw that it would run fast enough (chain speed) to cut down a tree fast, but that skepticism was put to rest the first tree I felled.

I've totally converted to battery operated hand tools and got completely away from 2 cycle oil-gas tools (chainsaws, string trimmers, etc.) What a PITA they are compared to clean, quieter battery operated tools. 

[Laaz]

Harbor Freight sells the pruning blades in a 5 pack.

[Peeples]

Go for husqvarna120i its best in the market and you can also check out at this guide

Edited June 11, 2019 by Peeples

[weldertom]

I can't speak for all brands but our cordless Hitachi reciprocating saw is the bees knees. We use it for all trimming/ pruning/ cutting in the garden. Where Felco pruners reach their thickness limit, the saw takes over. It came with an assortment of blades and we have cut everything from washingtonia roots to mango limbs to  metal fence posts with it. By far the most useful powertool in our kit. You know those pesky tree roots you have trouble pushing your sharpshooter shovel through when digging an hole for your new Licuala? Yeah- it goes through like butter. Best hunnert dollers i've spent in a long time.

[NatureGirl]

Thanks Tom, 

Sounds like something I can really use. I hate those branches that are just too big for clippers. And loppers are equally strenuous if you can’t get good leverage.

[hbernstein]

Regarding Sabals vs Caryotas: I don't know about Caryotas, but a non-irrigated Sabal palmetto growing over limestone in South Florida can seem as hard as stone, especially near the base. 

Chainsaw + fresh Sabal stump = sparks.

[Pedro Martin]

To purchase chainsaw / powered saw to clean up your garden, you should get help from toolsbros. I bought Dewalt chainsaw with the help of toolsbros.