Cannon Pole Pruner / Saw Guide Bars

[Philbert]

Saw these mentioned in a thread a while back, and bought one to try. Anybody use one?



Shown here: 12" Cannon Pruner Bar alongside the 10" OEM guide bar from an Oregon 40V pole saw.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Hopefully, it will let me cut more of the limb from the top, reducing the risk of pinching a bar at elevation. It is significantly heavier (19.3 ounces) than the OEM bar (11.7 ounces). Might make the pole saw unwieldy? Maybe that weight will help at elevation?

Philbert

 

[CR888]

They look heavy which is not what you want on a long pole saw however...they do fix Stihl's kinda poor design that puts you in a bad position using the pole saw. I have a Solo pole saw which has the same head as Efco which is articulated allowing a range of adjustment. Spending many hours on the end of both style of units I can tell you which one is best. I think Stihl offers a similar bar to the cannon as well, but it was over $200 msrp here so I did not buy it.

 

[Dub11]

Saw these mentioned in a thread a while back, and bought one to try. Anybody use one?

View attachment 88738

Shown here: 12" Cannon Pruner Bar alongside the 10" OEM guide bar from an Oregon 40V pole saw.View attachment 88739

Philbert

How does it look with a chain?

How do you like that polesaw?

 

[Philbert]

I have a Solo pole saw which has the same head as Efco which is articulated allowing a range of adjustment.

Photo?

It seems strange that more powered pole pruners don't have a pivoting head. Since most are driven by a worm gear, it would seem to be a simple mechanical design to let the guide bar mounting plate rotate and index independently against a plate that the drive sprocket is mounted on.

I mean, we had chainsaws for the first 30 years that required guide bars to rotate horizontally for bucking or felling, right?

This bar just seemed like a simple 'fix' to use with an existing tool. We will see!

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

How do you like that polesaw?

The one pictured is part of the new, Oregon, sectional / multi-attachment, 40V system (similar to STIHL Kombi idea) that works with different tools. I have not used it much yet. I was planning on using the Cannon bar with the telescoping, single function, 40V pole (Oregon PS250) saw that I have used for a few years. It also fits the STIHL 130/131 pole saws that I occasionally use (but do not own), so it seemed like a good thing to try.

I have to spin up a chain to fit, so no photos yet.

Philbert

 

[Dub11]

Thanks I'll be waiting for an update.

 

[sawfun]

Saw these mentioned in a thread a while back, and bought one to try. Anybody use one?

View attachment 88738

Shown here: 12" Cannon Pruner Bar alongside the 10" OEM guide bar from an Oregon 40V pole saw.View attachment 88739

Philbert

I have one for my Stihl but haven't gotten around to using it yet.

 

[Philbert]

I suppose that the bar would still pinch if the branch twisted on the way down.

Trees are good with surprises like that!

Philbert

 

[sawfun]

I suppose that the bar would still pinch if the branch twisted on the way down.

Trees are good with surprises like that!

Philbert

The pinching issues would still be the same, but at least you are standing at an angle to the branch rather than under it and so your vision of the cut may be improved. Certainly safety would be a benefit.

 

[Philbert]

Good news (I called Cannon to verify):

I ordered this bar to work with narrow kerf chain (Oregon Type 90, 3/8, low profile, .043 gauge), and the entire bar is thinner than the .050 gauge models. They could have just made the groove different, but they did it right, and the entire bar is thinner (and lighter?).

Philbert

 

[RI Chevy]

Cool! [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[stihl livin]

@Icepick69

Anthony what can you tell us about this cannon bar.

 

[Icepick69]

@Icepick69

Anthony what can you tell us about this cannon bar.

We have a couple in stock

 

[Philbert]

* UPDATE *

As noted, I bought this angled bar to use with some of the powered pole pruners ('PPP'!) I use, and happy to find that the same mount fit my personal powered pole pruners ('PPPP'!) - 40V Oregon, battery-powered models, as well as the STIHL HT131/133 models that I sometimes use.

Heartbreaking to find that although the bar fit the mounting slot, adjusting holes, and oiling holes for the Oregon products, the angled design did not clear the covers, and would not work without significant modification to the pole pruners.



It did appear to fit the STIHL models when test fit at my local dealer.




So, I still like the idea of this bar, but want to caution purchasers to verify the fit with their pole saw, and not just the mount pattern, unless they are willing to modify the saw head.

If Cannon would make a full-size template of the bar available (via PDF download), it could save some time and returns, even if they have not test fit the bars on every pole saw on the market.

Philbert

 

[sawfun]

* UPDATE *

As noted, I bought this angled bar to use with some of the powered pole pruners ('PPP'!) I use, and happy to find that the same mount fit my personal powered pole pruners ('PPPP'!) - 40V Oregon, battery-powered models, as well as the STIHL HT131/133 models that I sometimes use.

Heartbreaking to find that although the bar fit the mounting slot, adjusting holes, and oiling holes for the Oregon products, the angled design did not clear the covers, and would not work without significant modification to the pole pruners.

View attachment 100312

It did appear to fit the STIHL models when test fit at my local dealer.

View attachment 100314
View attachment 100313

So, I still like the idea of this bar, but want to caution purchasers to verify the fit with their pole saw, and not just the mount pattern, unless they are willing to modify the saw head.

If Cannon would make a full-size template of the bar available (via PDF download), it would save some time andreturns, even if they have not test fit the bars on every pole saw on the market.

Philbert

I had to modify mine to fit my Stihl. Though all that was needed was to cut the back out of the studs slot.

 

[Philbert]

*** Offering mine, NEW, unused in the Trading Post, since it did not work with my personal pole pruners. ***

http://opeforum.com/threads/cannon-angled-pruner-bar-new.11491/

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

What also gets me about most pole pruners is that they use narrow gauge .043" bars and chains rather than .050" that the top handle saws use. To me that seems pointless, but it does allow Stihl dealers to ask about $25 for one chain to fit a 10" bar. Give me a break.

 

[nohoff]

Here those .043" chains cost about 18 dollars and a .050" chain 24 dollar

 

[Philbert]

What also gets me about most pole pruners is that they use narrow gauge .043" bars and chains . . . it does allow Stihl dealers to ask about $25 for one chain to fit a 10" bar.

Here those .043" chains cost about 18 dollars and a .050" chain 24 dollar

I don't know Where you guys buy your chains. 0.24 a link at Baileys for 3/8, low pro, narrow kerf (Carlton) chain. 43 links for this bar is $10.32. Oregon 90PX is 0.36 per link, or $15.48. Amazon has Oregon R44 Advance Cut Saw Chain 12" loops, for $15.06 (34 cents a link). Add a few cents for a preset to spin it down a link.

The NK chain puts less load on the smaller motors that most pole saws have. As I have noted elsewhere, the Oregon Type 90 chain also cuts fairly aggressively, and holds up well. Another one of my pole pruners uses 1/4" chain, but it does not cut as well IMO.

Philbert