The Chain Saw vs Pole Saw
Two of the most popular tools used for cutting trees are the chainsaw and the pole saw. While they’re both versatile power tools, choosing the most appropriate saw for the job is best determined by what you need to cut.
Mark Odell, Husqvarna South Africa’s Product Manager weighs in on how to choose the perfect saw for the job. “Traditionally, chainsaws were only used by farmers and tree fellers, but today’s homeowners use them for anything from cutting firewood, to felling trees and building wooden fences. While chainsaws and pole saws are both powerful and easy to handle, and will get the job done, select your saw based on what you’ll be using it for most often. A chainsaw is best for heavy-duty work like cutting large trees and thick logs at eye level; a pole saw will do the trick for light-duty work like cutting twigs, branches, or other vegetation in hard-to-reach, higher places.”
Similarities between chainsaws and pole saws
- Single purpose: Unlike other types of saws which have different blades that can be used for cutting a range of materials, chainsaws and pole saws are exclusively designed for cutting trees, branches, and vegetation.
- Motors and power: Both have motors, and are either petrol, battery or electric-powered.
- Chains: Both use special types of chains to cut, that are fitted with teeth, which spin around a guide bar to cut wood.
- Handheld: Both are handheld tools, meaning that they cannot be fixed to a table or any kind of base when operating.
Differences between chainsaws and pole saws
- Handle: A pole saw has a long handle, allowing the user to cut and trim branches in places that you cannot reach with a chainsaw. A chainsaw’s handle is short and fixed in place, best for working close to your body, to cut trees or logs at eye level.
- Weight: A chainsaw is usually bulkier with a more powerful motor, making it much heavier, as it is designed to cut thicker pieces of wood, whereas pole saws need to be lightweight so that users can lift them up to cut the branches above their heads. While pole saws are longer than chainsaws, they’re much lighter.
- Blade: Generally, a chainsaw will have a larger/longer blade than a pole saw, which enables it to cut thicker pieces of wood. Choose a chainsaw to cut down a tree, and a pole saw for cutting smaller branches around 25cm to 40cm thick.
- Power: A chainsaw is bigger and more powerful than a pole saw.
- Purpose: Chainsaws can be used for many things, like cutting down trees, cutting apart logs, and cutting branches at ground level. Pole saws are designed specifically for superior reach, balance, and performance, to cut branches off trees at great heights.
- Safety: While cutting yourself is the biggest risk to your safety when operating a chainsaw, branches falling on your head is the biggest concern when using a pole saw.
- Price: Depending on the make and model you choose; chainsaws are slightly more cost effective than pole saws.
“Regardless of whether you’re a farmer, forester or simply an avid gardener, when choosing which saw suits your needs best, it is important to look at the tasks that you’ll tackle most frequently, and buy your preferred saw based on that,” Mark concludes.
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