Limbinator

[PoTreeBoy]

Having mulled/developed a manual pole saw replacement plan for quite a while, I finally started. Warning, like most of my retirement projects, this one will probably be drawn out and may end up not working at all.

There are 3 varieties I see:
* Battery/ electric chain
* Hydraulic chain
* Hydraulic circular
Since I started mentally doodling before I had a third function, I decided to pursue the battery option first. Besides, I have already modified my Ryobi 40 volt chainsaw with a relay and jack to allow remote starting. In the end, I think multiple tools could be mounted on the mast.

Some folks nearby had adapter plates for not much more than on-line price, so I picked up a couple of 5/16" solid ones. These are from Landhonor (Chinese version of Land Pride?) and fit my SSQA correctly. There's a lot of stitch welding which I may use welding practice to complete. For the mast, I chose EMT conduit. 2-1/2" trade size is 2-7/8" o.d. and 3" is 3-1/2" o.d. Both are 0.072" w.t. and come in 10' sticks. This is cheaper and more readily available for me than mechanical tubing. I bought a stick of each for ~$130, and decided to use the 2-1/2" for this project.

I had thought that the mast would be mounted perpendicular to the plate, but before proceeding I mounted the plate on the loader and took it out to eyeball how that would work. Turns out, I would have to disconnect the self-levelling linkage in order to curl the loader enough to get the mast get much above horizontal.

So I mounted it as shown in the first picture below. Those two angle brackets are left over parts I didn't need from the 3 pt hitch kit. They're bolted to the plate with 3 - 1/2" studs each (had to be studs to keep the back of the plate flat). The whole thing is mounted on the right side of the plate to keep the saw bar flush with the right side of the tractor. The mast is bolted to the brackets with 2 - 7/8" bolts, which should make it easy to disassemble.

The mast lugs are 1/4" x 3-1/2" flat bar. The end of the mast is flattened and welded to the lug at the ends plus a couple of slot welds. The upper lug is just welded to the wall of the tube for now. I'll fit a couple of reinforcement rings to strengthen that area.

I was running out of farm time, so took it out to check progress so far. The second picture is with the loader fully raised and curled. I think that is fine for max. angle.

Next trip I should have plans for reinforcement rings and upper implement connection.

 

[drygulch]

Good stuff.

I've been eyeing the LandHonor plates for a couple of my glacier-paced projects, so I'm glad to hear they fit your Kubota without mods. I really don't want the plate itself to be it's own project, I've got enough to do...

If you're going with battery powered, will you call it the eLimbinator?

Greg

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Good stuff.

I've been eyeing the LandHonor plates for a couple of my glacier-paced projects, so I'm glad to hear they fit your Kubota without mods. I really don't want the plate itself to be it's own project, I've got enough to do...

If you're going with battery powered, will you call it the eLimbinator?

Greg

Same here, the plate would cost me about as much as the finished product. And I don't have a torch or plasma, so cutting is typically via disc or . . .

Yes, I just didn't work it into the write-up!

 

[D2Cat]

Good project! You're going to have to be real real gentle on the loader controls to keep from getting the saw stuck or bending the tubing. Every little twitch at the controls is greatly amplified where the saw is.

Be sure to only cut from the top of a limb, because if you try to notch the bottom of the limb then cut the top to get a clean cut, if you misjudge and go just cut a tad too far the limb pinches your bar and you're caught!

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Good project! You're going to have to be real real gentle on the loader controls to keep from getting the saw stuck or bending the tubing. Every little twitch at the controls is greatly amplified where the saw is.

Be sure to only cut from the top of a limb, because if you try to notch the bottom of the limb then cut the top to get a clean cut, if you misjudge and go just cut a tad too far the limb pinches your bar and you're caught!

I'm not sure how well this will work, or if it'll work at all. I'm planning to pivot the saw assembly so that it's fed by its weight or spring pressure. Hopefully, a future picture won't be me on a ladder retrieving my saw. An advantage of the hydraulic saw is that it can be reversed to possibly clear a jam. An advantage to the battery saw, I think, is that it doesn't rely on the third function hydraulics which tend to interact with the other controls.

 

[Old Machinist]

This aligns with my latest hair brained idea. I just picked up a hydraulic sickle bar mower for a mini excavator I am going to try to adapt to my LX3310.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I'm not sure how well this will work, or if it'll work at all. I'm planning to pivot the saw assembly so that it's fed by its weight or spring pressure. Hopefully, a future picture won't be me on a ladder retrieving my saw. An advantage of the hydraulic saw is that it can be reversed to possibly clear a jam. An advantage to the battery saw, I think, is that it doesn't rely on the third function hydraulics which tend to interact with the other controls.

I would include a separate actuator at the top of the pole for the cutting itself, for example an electric one. This would give you better control over the saw compared to using tractor hydraulics motion amplified by the long pole.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Looks good so far.

I’m not sure how the E-saw works or actuates, but I would keep in mind that if somethging breaks, is there some sort of safety chain to stop it from falling?

Or possibly some way to engage a “blade brake”?

The last thing you need is a running saw, falling onto anything or anyone.

 

[Old Machinist]

Before I bought my pole saw I used to zip tie my cordless reciproal saw to a piece of aluminum T bar. I zip ties the trigger on with the battery out and shoved the battery in just before extending it to the limb I was going to cut

 

[Yooper]

I like your concept so far!

Use caution when welding the emt tube. The fumes from the coating is nasty!

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I would include a separate actuator at the top of the pole for the cutting itself, for example an electric one. This would give you better control over the saw compared to using tractor hydraulics motion amplified by the long pole.

An electric actuator to control the feed isn't a bad idea and could be easily added. I'm planning to start with gravity feed, which is what the commercial saws I've seen do.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Looks good so far.

I’m not sure how the E-saw works or actuates, but I would keep in mind that if something breaks, is there some sort of safety chain to stop it from falling?

Or possibly some way to engage a “blade brake”?

The last thing you need is a running saw, falling onto anything or anyone.

My intent, subject to change, is to mount the saw, using the bar studs, to a stub pole pivoted to the mast. A stop will control its travel. The idea is to get the saw close, start it, then lower it so that only the weight of the saw is on the bar.

I have modified the saw by installing a 12 volt relay in the control circuit. The finger trigger is a pot., giving variable speed. The relay gives on-off, but the control logic ramps the speed up. There's a power port in the saw wired to the relay coil. It requires 12 volts to run. Anything that breaks that stops the saw (as long as the relay contacts don't weld). The saw can still be used as before. This saw doesn't have a mechanical brake, it stops pretty quickly. It may have some electronic braking.

Your concern is why the circular blade option will probably never be built. I have visions of something breaking or coming loose and launching a spinning disk of doom. The 9" one on my brush cutter is sobering enough.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Before I bought my pole saw I used to zip tie my cordless reciproal saw to a piece of aluminum T bar. I zip ties the trigger on with the battery out and shoved the battery in just before extending it to the limb I was going to cut

The pole saw has been real useful, but my body has just about outgrown it, IYKWIM.

 

[Old Machinist]

The pole saw has been real useful, but my body has just about outgrown it, IYKWIM.

I DKWYM! If I cut anything high with my pole saw I have to balance it straight up and look down while I get showered with saw dust.

I like your front and rear supports for the canopy. That should help if the limbs fall on it. I have considered doing that on my JD.

That is one heavy duty looking grader blade. What brand is it?

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I DKWYM! If I cut anything high with my pole saw I have to balance it straight up and look down while I get showered with saw dust.

I like your front and rear supports for the canopy. That should help if the limbs fall on it. I have considered doing that on my JD.

That is one heavy duty looking grader blade. What brand is it?

The L35 came standard with the 4 post FOP, the canopy is steel. Keeps the spider webs out of your face.

I've never seen a brand on the blade. It's about 30 years old.