[Closed] Reciprocating saws for tree pruning/deadfall clearing?

A reciprocating saw revolutionised my sneaky trail building so go for it.

You need a couple of batteries so it quickly gets expensive if your not using it that much though.

2 X 5Ah batteries would do a lot of work. Should get you through a few hours.

Take care though I find my reciprocating saw a lot scarier to use than a chainsaw, especially on things that can move or pinch like tree fall. It's also a lot less comfy to use than a chainsaw.

Silky is lot easier than a bow saw. I can't see any 'Sawsall' blades listed that look aggressive enough. I've some Bosch blades for my ancient saw that I use for rough hacking of small logs (at home) and the silky knocks the spots off the Sawsall.

Clearing a log from 'Toboggan' in CPW.

Quality pruning saw like a Silky. Curved blade maintains more contact for more cutting. Available in some quite large sizes. Can get straps to thigh mount if they don't fit pack.

I'm a big fan of a decent folding saw. I use a reciprocating saw for roots when doing stump removal but I don't like them for branches. They move around too much. I have recently picked up a mini chainsaw and that's great on smaller branches. It has the potential to be dangerous so needs to be used with care. It's a cheap Chinese tool, mine uses Makita batteries but I'm sure others are available. Won't do massive branches but takes all the work out of smaller stuff

This sort of thing

Reciprocating saws isnt usually a smooth cut, it has a habit of jumping about the place. It needs the back plate to be against the timber and even then.

I'd opt for the above a silky saw because ive got one and they are really good, just takes more effort than a powered saw.

The silky Bigboy folding pruning saw has a 360mm blade and can be used single or double handed.

However....

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Another vote for the Silky, haven't used a bowsaw on anything under 8 inches for a long time (36 inch bowsaw for big stuff). Reciprocating is bulky and hard work in comparison.

I tried using my reciprocating saw in the garden, it was hard work and just causes stuff to bounce around. Those curved pruning saws are much better.

dyna-ti
Free Member
Reciprocating saws isnt usually a smooth cut, it has a habit of jumping about the place. It needs the back plate to be against the timber and even then.

Yeah this is what I find with it. Had a few "oh shit" moments. Also mine is an erbauer thing which has a lock on switch that is easy to press by accident in use. So not only is it a bit unpredictable, it won't always cut out if you lose grip or fall. Hate it.

DeWalt alligator saw is the best kit for the job, though I've not used one I have seen the small Black and Decker one in action and it is quite a smooth cut.

Dewalt do a mains and a cordless version but they aint cheap.

I recently got a recip saw for some DIY tasks and chopping smaller (dry) logs as it seems a bit less faff than the chainsaw for this.
It's OK but needs the foot holding firmly on the branch. Fine with a log holder but I don't think it would be easy on a one inch branch as it has quite a big back and forth so can bu jumpy. I'm using pruning blades for this from Toolstation. Smaller ones for other DIY jobs mainly cutting up old fencing etc that has some nails so not great with chain or circular saws.
For pruning small branches my favourite tools are long handled loppers (probably a bit big for lugging around) and a bacho Laplander folding saw. It's very quick to cut green branches up to 3 or more inches thick and folds I to a pocket when gardening (or path clearing). Possibly not as great as a silky but good and not too expensive and I've never used a Silky to compare.

Edit: just reread OP and misread 1 foot as 1 inch. Don't think recip would like that big but 3 to 5 inch (maybe a bit more) could be a good tool. Below 2 inch probably the hand saw is easier.

I've used mine quite a lot for little stuff, it's obviously got a size limit but it speeds up general clearance, tree dismantling etc, mostly though it just saves the arms for the big stuff. Also great for roots when you're digging. It's always a second tool really but that's OK. Did think about a small electric chansaw but I like the simplicity and safety of the reciprocating saw more

(I have a little Draper 12V one that is more easily portable than most so it's no hardship to stick it in a bag)

I'm going to buck the trend here by saying that our makita sabre saw is one of the most used bits of kit in the van, it does all our fruit tree pruning, small clearance jobs and loads of other pruning stuff when its not worth putting the kit on and getting a chainsaw out. It is worth buying good quality blades for them though. Also after blunting two silky's I wouldn't waste the money on them again, Bacho make a great fixed blade pruning saw and these are the ones we use now.

2 X 5Ah batteries would do a lot of work. Should get you through a few hours.

I've got a DeWalt 18v one with 3x2Ah batteries for my firewood. Its great but the batteries really don't last. Much less than in the drill and also quite a lot less than in the jigsaw.
I wouldn't take mine far from a charger for big jobs, carry to top of hill, use for twenty mins, all batteries dead and then use hand saw anyway
What sort have you got which lasts so long?

Depends what you mean really. I can't saw for a couple of hours with mine, but I can clear deadfall for a couple of hours with it- the saw's only running for a fraction of the time.

I’ve got a DeWalt 18v one with 3x2Ah batteries for my firewood. Its great but the batteries really don’t last.

2 x 5Ah batteries doesn't perform the same as 5 x 2Ah batteries. For stuff that need a lot of power for long periods the bigger batteries perform better. Also some got some DeWalt kit, the chainsaw will overheat a 2Ah in a few cuts. Yesterday I managed to fell a 8m sycamore and have it in bits with 2 x 5Ah.

Found my recip saw to be considerably slower than my bow saw..... Blade no where near as aggressive

Infact thinking about it .... Recip was great for demolition but not much else.

Bought it for firewood years ago avoiding chainsaws . Was a stupid idea not good for the job at all took ages for anything bigger than my wrist ,even with the most aggressive blade I could find and wanted to bounce the wood around no matter what was on top of it.

I use an old Makita one at home in the garden for branches that long handled loppers won't cope with and for roots (using old blades).

All of the observations above resonate. It doesn't cope with >4" very well and can struggle with <1". But great for stuff in between if you use a pruning / green wood blade.

I spent a lot of yesterday clearing fallen trees/branches etc on the local trails with a bowsaw. Some of it was pretty chunky – up to about 1′ dia, and I’m feeling it today.

For stuff like that a good set of loppers will be miles better, and safer, than anything suggested above.

For stuff like that a good set of loppers will be miles better, and safer, than anything suggested above.

Which loppers will go through stuff one foot diameter?

Which loppers will go through stuff one foot diameter?

ah, tis too early for me, not used to working in imperial 🙂

Wait til it's windy as **** again, and get the chainsaw oot, no one will hear you!

really very pleased with my hand chain saw.
Its not super speedy, but its taken a section out of a fallen trunk about 12" dia easily enough.
Almopst worth keeping in your bag, certainly good to keep alongside a silky saw.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hand-Saw-Essential-Equipment-Emergency/dp/B00DX8HRRU

Thanks all.

I'd not thought about the resonation of smaller stuff, or the fact that when the blade binds/jams, it'll be me reciprocating instead! Scratch that idea...

I've had various (folding) pruning saws in the past - they all seem to go blunt quite quick. Current one is Spear & Jackson. On that basis I've never ponied up for a proper spendy one like a Silky.
@dropoff - what model is your Bahco one?

I've got one of those hand chainsaw things as well. Only ever tried using it solo, which means it jams up as the bend in the chain gets too tight - guess I ought to try between two people next time. (except I'm usually on my own). Easy to carry in a pack though, that's for sure!

I find that bow saws tend to stick on deeper cuts. Best thing I have found is a standard carpenter's hand saw with a suitably coarse blade. Seems to cut a wide enough slot that the blade doesn't stick.

Silky + felling wedge FTW. If you use the wedge to stop the (quite fat) blade sticking in the cut it will cut really fast. To be fair though I have a Lidl folder thats nearly as good on smaller stuff and it folds up neatly for back pack carrying.

Good call on the wedge. Seen 'em used on upright trees, but hadn't occurred to me for laying down ones!

silky sugoi here too. amazing up to 8", slower going after that. If 12" is going to be regular occurrence, buy the bigger 420mm one. belt/leg sheath is handy for climbing, but I've never ridden with it. Got a 12" fiskars telescopic job for trail clearing - never done anything bigger than 5-6" with that.

https://www.frjonesandson.co.uk/products/silky-sugoi-curved-pruning-saw-x-large-teeth/

The sugoi has a tapered blade (thinner at the back than the teeth) which helps resist sticking to some extent. Not going to help if it's getting pinched through, but for lying on the ground stuff, a bit of forethought about where the compression is and going at it another way is probably going to be better bet than using a wedge? i guess a wedge is still hady for resisting a little bit of sticking, though

Heh, my early tree clearing trips always involved at least one totally stuck blade after I misjudged how the wood would move. Had to ride home and get another saw once to extract my big bowsaw, at least I didn't have to worry about it getting nicked, anyone pulling it out'd be crowned king of england

Also of course a good education in why so many people get hurt and killed by fallen trees.

Its one of these BAH3396T available for around £18. Comes with a holster so fits in a camelbak.

Another +1 for a silky

2 x 5Ah batteries doesn’t perform the same as 5 x 2Ah batteries. For stuff that need a lot of power for long periods the bigger batteries perform better. Also some got some DeWalt kit, the chainsaw will overheat a 2Ah in a few cuts

Thanks. That does make sense, they do feel really hot after use.
The reciprocating saw tends to be be constant use, the jigsaw much more on and off and that does last longer, I guess it has chance to cool down between uses and prolong the battery life a bit.
The drill seems to manage prolonged constant use though (eg with a whisk on and mixing plaster) but I don't think thats as powerful.

It's the internal resistance that causes that.the Bigger battery's can have less as a design feature in a way than little battery's can't.