Electric pole saw problem

[Muse]

I bought this McColluch electric pole saw at Costco 12-15 years ago. I've used it a fair amount, both on the pole and off the pole. Cost me maybe $80 or so IIRC.

Today, I'm working on a giant old plum tree. Some of its larger branches have collapsed under their own weight. I'd actually like to remove the tree, but for now, I'm just cutting it back quite a bit. There's another smaller plum tree of a different variety, also old and in pretty bad shape. Much of it (up higher) is dead or close to it. I'd like to remove both trees. Over the last 20 years or so I've removed much of them but lots remains.

The saw is stalling when there's basically any kind of load on it, when the motor has to sustain any drag. I can still cut through boughs, but it's taking me 5-10 times longer than it should. I have to remove drag by lifting the saw, let it go up to full speed and then gently drop it into the wood. It immediately stalls down (as if it's lost power) and repeat.

What could be causing this?

 

[NutBucket]

Something must be slipping inside. But honesty I think it's time for a new one. A decade of use is a well-earned retirement!

 

[Muse]

Something must be slipping inside. But honesty I think it's time for a new one. A decade of use is a well-earned retirement!

Just looked in my data. Come Thursday, it will be 16 years to the day since I bought this 1.5 HP chainsaw.

Yeah, it's had a fair amount of use, but I only use it very occasionally. I've never sharpened the chain either but it still seems to cut OK. I try to lube the chain as recommended. I stopped using chainsaw oil a couple years ago and now use canola oil. Works good and is environmentally friendly. I also tension the chain fairly frequently.

Seems to me something like this happened before but I can't remember the details. Maybe I did something that stopped it from happening. I was hoping someone would know what it is.

Pretty much all the use it's gotten has involved those two big plum trees. After cutting off branches I cut them up into firewood sized pieces, and my idea of firewood is pieces no longer than about a foot, usually less. I don't make big fires in my fireplace. Could burn down the house! I make kinda little fires when it's cold.

I'd like to fix it. I'm not one to just throw something away when it stops working. If I think there's a fair chance I can fix it I try to do that. Of course, I try not to be unreasonable about it.

 

[lxskllr]

Sharpening the chain would be a good start. That might actually make it worse as far as stalling goes, but you need a sharp chain, and for as long as you've had it, there's no way it could be properly sharp.

 

[mindless1]

Some of those pole saws aren't even supposed to take bar oil, rather some viscosity of motor oil.

Being electric, check the on/off/throttle switch resistance, motor bearings, motor coil resistance. Switch could be cheap but the rest probably isn't cost effective to repair.

 

[NutBucket]

Might be something as simple as a gear slipping on a shaft. Most of the time they rely on a friction fit.

 

[Sgt. York]

How long is your extension cord?

 

[Muse]

How long is your extension cord?

I think it's a 50 footer. Used to work OK.

Memory banks are telling me I had this in the past. I think, IIRC, the saw will work OK if NOT used on the pole. I'll check that out this afternoon, it's 43F out there now. Should reach 60 or so later. If it does work OK not on the pole, I know the problem involves the pole, probably the electrical connection within it. Don't remember what I did to fix that, must have been 2-3 years ago. Maybe I opened it up, will look into that.

Yeah, the chain's bound to be dull compared to what it was but it still cuts. Sharpening those chains is a project, I've looked into it a few times, never tackled it though. Wonder if it's possible to just buy a new chain and swap chains.

l did cut through a branch that was around 8" thick yesterday, and that plum tree is pretty hard wood. Took a long time with the thing stalling probably close to 50 times before I got all the way through!!!!! At least it was green wood, I think when it's dry it gets a lot harder.

I think I'm going to have to contract out complete removal of those two big plum trees. I don't often contract out work, but do occasionally, of course. Have never even talked to tree guys. There's other serious tree work to be done on this property, much of which is beyond me (e.g. ~30 feet off the ground).

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah, the chain's bound to be dull compared to what it was but it still cuts. Sharpening those chains is a project, I've looked into it a few times, never tackled it though. Wonder if it's possible to just buy a new chain and swap chains.

You can swap chains, but they're pretty easy to sharpen. You basically just put back what's already there, but with a bit less metal. Even if you don't do a great job, it's bound to be better than what you have. Get a round file correctly sized for your chain(probably pretty small), and file the teeth at the same angle it's already at. And hey, if you somehow really screw it up, you can buy another chain, and keep the one you have now for practice.

 

[NetWareHead]

When the motor stalls (as in the rotor is not moving) the electric current running through it is converted to heat instead of motion. You wind up cooking the entire thing (the motor effectively becomes one big electrical resistor) and damaging the motor with every stall. The motor spins under zero load so maybe you could rule out a seized bearing in the tool. Perhaps the issue is not mechanical but electrical in nature - do you hear a humming/buzzing or feel a vibration when running under load?

I suppose you could remove the motor and take it to a shop that rebuilds them; they see this sort of thing alot. But it is really worth it for a 15 year old light duty yard tool from costco? Its time to junk it IMO. You surely got your money's worth

 

[NutBucket]

That actually reminds me of the last time I went looking for motor for the blower in the furnace. The local shop said I should just buy a new motor and it's not worth rebuilding. I appreciate his honesty as they're generic and the replacement was under $100.

 

[Muse]

I feel like the little boy who cried wolf. I was right in thinking that removed from the pole the saw might act normally, and it does. I reassembled the thing to the pole and now it appears to work normally on the pole. Before affixing to the pole again I bent a piece of metal that holds the trigger in place, I think that may have been what made it work again.

When the motor stalled I think it was probably because the electrical connection had been interrupted. Hopefully nothing fried inside. I didn't hear any sputtering or anything like that, it was just as though the switch (trigger) had been turned off

I sawed off a large branch a few minutes ago. The patio has a pretty big pile of plum tree parts now. I'll have to cut them all up. I've done this sort of thing for years. Not going to tackle it today, I'm too tired right now. You don't want to mess with a chainsaw unless you are 100%. Before I bought mine I read some threads full of dire warnings about how dangerous chainsaws are. I have always given mine great respect even though it's a 1.5 HP electric.

Yeah, the chain is undoubtedly kinda dull now. I'll look into sharpening it when I have the time. I take pride in my tools and have lots of experience sharpening. I even made a tool from scratch to set the teeth of my crosscut saw. It's basically like the ones you buy but it's entirely home made! I didn't like the price of what I saw in the hardware store so I made my own. Still have it.

 

[Thebobo]

Probably needs new brushes and armature turned, Probably not worth it.