Re: pruning cuts

I use a bypass with an offset lever, which accomplishes the same thing a ratchet does--creates extra leverage. This lopper is actually a Martha Stewart special that I found at Kmart about 5 years ago. It's all metal, which is the main reason I decided to try it. I had just broken one of the wooden handles on a Corona. And it has been excellent. I wish I knew who really made it; I'd look for more of their tools.

On Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 01:03 PM, Fort Wayne, IN wrote:

Ratchet can be easier for those of us with less upper body strength, carpal
tunnel syndrome, etc. It makes the cut in increments, increasing torque or
something like that. Not necessary, but nice. I think most gardeners
prefer bypass to anvil. The anvil type can tend to mash the wood.
Kitty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cathy Carpenter" <cathy.c@insightbb.com>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] pruning cuts


My loppers are bypass, but not ratchet. Are rachet loppers a better
choice?
Cathy
On Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 10:21 AM, Fort Wayne, IN wrote:


Cathy,
Are your loppers anvil or bypass?  Ratchet?
I use an old ratchet bypass lopper, never sharpened, that still seems
to cut
cleanly. Don't try to cut anything larger than it can handle.  If
there is a
little bit of stripping  left on the removed side, I clean it up with
pruners. I haven't had that happen on the attached side.
Sometimes I cheat and do use my loppers on something larger than I
should.
In that case, I cut only so far, then flip the loppers over, or move
myself
to a different angle. I position the loppers in the same grooves made
from
the previous cut, but now the blade is in a new area.  I may only
reposition
once, sometimes 2 or 3 times.  I know - I should go get the saw, but
I'm
kind of lazy that way.  But I do seem to still get a clean cut.

Kitty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cathy Carpenter" <cathy.c@insightbb.com>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 8:56 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] pruning cuts
I have a problem with loppers - they never seem to cut cleanly for me
(even when brand new), so end up with the same tearing of the lower
edge of the cut that would happen if I attempted to saw through
without
making three cuts. Any helpful hints?
Cathy, west central IL, z5b
On Monday, March 7, 2005, at 03:47 PM, james singer wrote:

Me too.

Except it depends on the diameter of the limb. If I can get my
loppers
around it, I usually make it in one cut. If it's a job for the bow
saw
or the pole saw, then it's a series of cuts.

On Monday, March 7, 2005, at 11:03 AM, Fort Wayne, IN wrote:
If I'm cutting a long limb, I cut it off about a foot out from where
the cut
should be made to get rid of the weight. Then I go in and make the
actual 3
required cuts.
Kitty

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net]On
Behalf Of pdickson
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 7:46 AM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: [CHAT] pruning cuts


I see so many people that don't make the cut at the right place on
the
collar. He talked a lot about how that long piece will have to rot
down and
when it gets going that sometimes it doesn't stop at the collar...
just
keeps on rotting until it kills the tree.
Another big point is to ALWAYS make several cuts to complete one
cut.
Start
with a little cut from underneath... so that when you cut from the
top the
weight won't drop the limb and pull a strip off the tree from
underneath.
Lots of good information that I am remembering in spurts!
Tricia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 9:23 PM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] pruning question


one thing mentioned in the pruning talk here was that narrow
crotches
collect more debris.  More material sits in the crotch and rots.

Kitty
neIN, Z5
----- Original Message -----
From: "pdickson" <pdickson@sbcglobal.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 9:23 PM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] pruning question



Donna,
One tip that has stuck with me from a pruning talk is to hold up
your

hand,
then bend down the little finger and the ring finger. Now the 3
fingers
left are your tool to know which is the strong and the weak crotch
angle.
The thumb and the first finger represent a good strong angle. The
pointer
finger and the middle finger represent a weak angle. He gave lots
of
reasons why that is so... like the first one has more room for
cells...
but

really all I retained is which one is a good angle and which one
you

should

try to prune out.
I hope that made sense!
Tricia

----- Original Message -----
From: "Donna" <gossiper@sbcglobal.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 7:37 PM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] pruning question
Well grab your favorite pruning shears and come on down :)

LOL! If you think that tree needs pruning, you should see another
one!
I
am
seriously thinking of digging it out and trashing it since it is
a
very
small tree. A storm last year about took it out. It lost so many
branches

I
should have put it out of it's misery then.

Donna


Pruning is one of my favorite garden chores.
    Ceres
--------------------------------------------------------------- --
--
--
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
---------------------------------------------------------------- --
--
-
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
----------------------------------------------------------------- --
--
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
------------------------------------------------------------------ --
-
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT

------------------------------------------------------------------ --
-
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT


Island Jim
Southwest Florida
27.0 N, 82.4 W
Hardiness Zone 10
Heat Zone 10
Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
Maximum 100 F [38 C]

------------------------------------------------------------------- --
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
-------------------------------------------------------------------- -
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT



Island Jim
Southwest Florida
27.0 N, 82.4 W
Hardiness Zone 10
Heat Zone 10
Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
Maximum 100 F [38 C]

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index