[drewprops]

I am troubled and confused by all the variations of battery-powered Ryobi hedge trimmers and am seeking assistance on selecting the best pole-mounted model, of which there are 174 and one half. Would there be a way to identify a model that would prove effective for trimming way up high, while impressing the neighbors with its clean lines?

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[Kickaha]

Get out of my head.

We've been looking at these this year, because we have two gas string trimmers, a gas hedge clipper, two gas 12" chainsaws, and finally realized that this is nuts.

What I need:

A pole-mountable hedge clipper, that can also be used in hand-held mode.

What I would *expect* is a pole-mount that is, for all intents and purposes, the shape of the battery. Slap a battery onto the butt end, wires run to the top, slap the tool on the pole, and voila. Pole-mounted tool of your choice.

Does *anyone* make this? Not that I can find.

[drewprops]

Thank goodness that somebody smarter is on this!!!

I have not found a model that allows you to insert a poke between blade and battery/trigger.

Wah!!!

https://ryobitools.com/products/outd...hedge-trimmers

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[drewprops]

Well, I did it.

This weekend I found a "bargain" from Ryobi on its 18 volt batteries. You can buy a special two pack of their batteries for $99 at Home Depot and you get a compatible Ryobi tool "thrown in for free". I picked a cordless hedge trimmer.

I'll circle back around for the pole mounted trimmer in another week or three, once I save up some more mad money! 🤣


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[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Kickaha Get out of my head. We've been looking at these this year, because we have two gas string trimmers, a gas hedge clipper, two gas 12" chainsaws, and finally realized that this is nuts. What I need: A pole-mountable hedge clipper, that can also be used in hand-held mode. What I would *expect* is a pole-mount that is, for all intents and purposes, the shape of the battery. Slap a battery onto the butt end, wires run to the top, slap the tool on the pole, and voila. Pole-mounted tool of your choice. Does *anyone* make this? Not that I can find.

Yeah nobody does that. Different drive shaft setups are typically required for the different types for one thing. The shorter blade setups on the hand held units would take forever on a pool trimmer, and the bigger blades on the extension trimmers need a stronger motor. See the problem? Also weight distribution is an issue. If you have the motor and the blade together at the top of an extension trimmer, I can guarantee you most people wouldn’t be able to hold the thing up. A good pruning blade is heavy, might not feel like it on the ground, but once it’s up 15-20 feet you sure notice. It’s worse with battery tools, batteries are heavier than gas.

I have been using STHEL professional battery tools for a few years, but I’m guessing the batteries I use are overkill for most home owners, who don’t need tools to run for an hour or more ($1000+ for the battery backpack).

[Kickaha]

You misunderstand...

I have found a few that convert between hand-held and pole-mounted, but the pole is unique to each tool. The battery at the base of the pole in each case, as you'd expect, but even from the same manufacturer, the hedge trimmer pole is a separate purchase from the chainsaw pole.

Yes, I said chainsaw. There are battery pole-mounted chainsaws, up to 8", for light work overhead.

Your point about weight distribution would make total sense *if* these 'convertible' tools had the motor in the base of the pole, and just the cutters at the tip, but nope. Battery at the bottom, the rest of it at the end of the pole. An intelligent (to me) version of this weight distribution would be to have a standard battery mount at the bottom of the pole, and a standard battery head at the top. Slap a tool of your choice on top, slap a battery on bottom, done. It's a battery extension, basically. (Controls are transmitted on a side channel to battery mount on tool.)

But no... wacky setups, every damned one of them, and you have to buy So0peR sPeSHul versions of each tool. I have a feeling marketing and sales drove the designs, not engineering.

[turtle]

I have a pole saw but it is really a trimmer head with two extensions on it. Same battery as the regular 40v (Kobalt in my case) just different attachments. There might be a hedge trimmer tip, but I'm not sure about that one.

[709]

Originally Posted by drewprops This weekend I found a "bargain" from Ryobi on its 18 volt batteries. You can buy a special two pack of their batteries for $99 at Home Depot and you get a compatible Ryobi tool "thrown in for free".

That's how they getcha. Now you have to buy all Ryobi tools from now on. Same thing happened to me a while back with some B&D yard tools. I think it was a weed whacker and a free low-powered blower with 2 batteries. Well, not soon after I needed a hedge trimmer, so why wouldn't I buy from the brand I have two swappable batteries from?

Same thing with friggin DeWalt. Bound by batteries.

[Kickaha]

Originally Posted by 709 Same thing with friggin DeWalt. Bound by batteries.

My garage wall is yellow.

turtle, mind sharing what tool setup that is? Sounds like it might work for us.

[turtle]

I don't mind. I started with a specific Kobalt weed eater I got from my mom that was 40v and 2Ah. I also had a gas powered Ryobi weed eater with a number of attachments. I then learn the Kobalt was compatible with the attachments from most other brands. When the Kobalt tools would go on sale with batteries I would buy them, I did require them to have a minimum of 3Ah, though most had 4Ah.



Since this started the gas Ryobi died and I've just stuck with the battery powered heads. In the first picture on the right side below the light bulb is the pole saw head. Near it is an extension piece. They say not to go longer than one extension, but I'm sure you really could if you wanted. The power heads are all interchangeable and since mine all use the same battery, they are pretty easy to get replacements and such. I'm even still using the Ryobi tiller and brush cutter head all the time! The small chainsaw in the bottom of the first picture even uses the same batteries. The hedge trimmers seen hanging use the same batteries too, though it isn't pole mountable.

The one Ryobi battery you can see in the second picture is from the earth auger I just got to make putting poles in the ground easier. There isn't one using the 40v Kobalt batteries so I'm having to branch out in batteries. the charging area in the first picture is a bunch of the chargers plugged into a power strip that is on a HomeKit controlled outlet so my automation turns off every night at 0100. No overcharging the batteries, even though it isn't supposed to be a problem with these batteries.

[drewprops]

Okay, PLEASE elaborate on compatibility with Kobalt?!! (aka Lowes).

Ryobi and Lowes are deep in bed with each other, it seems.


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[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Kickaha You misunderstand... I have found a few that convert between hand-held and pole-mounted, but the pole is unique to each tool. The battery at the base of the pole in each case, as you'd expect, but even from the same manufacturer, the hedge trimmer pole is a separate purchase from the chainsaw pole.

Yes pole chainsaws annd trimmers being separate is common. That said I can use the same extender for both tools, by that it extends the existing poll of each head. Do they need to be? Who knows, but shaft strength for a hedge trimmer and a chainsaw are not the same. The chainsaw is far harder on the unit, I’ve killed a motor with the chainsaw pole attachment. It’s to the point it’s recommended not to run it at the full power of the three stages my tool has. Personally I would not want what you are asking for. I use the Kombi system from STEHL and while it is convenient, I’d rather have separate tools with their own motors, and own polls. The system is weaker, less stable due to the connector, and power is lost in the two pieces. If I was using all those tools ever single day, I would have separate ones with solid shafts for sure.

[drewprops]

Multitools.

I remember when the Leatherman multitools began gaining popularity.

We were shooting a scene in a water tank, with Deep Roy standing in for Elijah Wood.

The tank was supposed to be the inside of an old wooden water tank, the kind you saw up on towers.

Elijah's character is caught in a whirlpool, and in danger of being sucked under and drowned.

They had Deep Roy wired to something when he got in danger - maybe inverted or something.

The Key Grip, Alan Rawlins, hollered for a pair of dikes to cut the wire and free Deep Roy. One of his guys tossed him their Leatherman.

He tried his best to cut the wire, but the thing wasn't up to the task and they scrambled for the right tool.

From that day forward he laid down the law that HIS grips wore REAL tools.




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[turtle]

Originally Posted by drewprops Okay, PLEASE elaborate on compatibility with Kobalt?!! (aka Lowes). Ryobi and Lowes are deep in bed with each other, it seems.

Well, it isn't that they really are in bed with each other, just they use the same connection for accessories. The shaft connection is identical for the Kobalt tools as it is for the Ryobi "Expand-It"

The weed eater head on the left is Kobalt branded while the bushwhacker head on the right is Ryobi. Notice the connection is the same? Craftsman yard tools are the same too IIRC.


This is the pole saw head with the Expand-it branding.


The reason I have so many drive motors for weed eaters is simple, when they go on sale for less than the cost of a 4Ah battery and come with a battery it only makes sense to buy one! I'm really buying a battery on sale and getting a free tool with it. There is a leaf blower somewhere too that uses the Kobalt batteries. My kids use it with their EzyRollers for "Jet propulsion".

[PB PM]

Given that those brands are owned by the same parent company, it’s no surprise they work together. Why waste money on different tooling if you don’t have to? There are only really 4-5 companies (vs the 12-15 they are sold under) that actually make this stuff.

[turtle]

Well, exactly. So you find what is the broadest coverage of accessories and build from there. That is how I ended up with Kobalt heads and whatever else fits my needs now when it comes to attachments.

[Yontsey]

Come on boys…..Ryobi?

[drewprops]

Originally Posted by Yontsey Come on boys…..Ryobi?

I also have Dewalt.

Ima Balkanize mah barn.


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[drewprops]

I'm being bombarded by ads for Ryobi tools that are hilariously sketchy - like an electric garden hoe.


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[PB PM]

Originally Posted by drewprops I'm being bombarded by ads for Ryobi tools that are hilariously sketchy - like an electric garden hoe. ...

Ad blocking is a thing...

[drewprops]

Clicking on crazy ads is a hobby. They show me the weirdest stuff (I can't recall the name of that technique, but it's a real advertising strategy).

This reminds me: the recent purchase came with a fold-out poster showing dozens of 18v and 40v tools.

It is very reminiscent of the little "catalogs" that Kenner included with Star Wars vehicles and playsets – I'll bet there are some diehard collectors out there searching out the most obscure Ryobi tools like a battery-powered can opener, shoeshine kit, coin separator, potato grader, knife grinder, fish descaler, Fortran compiler, etc.

I can't deny being interested in the $60 gizmo that turns my Ryobi batteries into big USB backup battery packs.


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