What to harvest poles with?

[ThatCompostGuy]

Sorry if this has been hashed out already, I've been looking and searching and didn't see it in the last couple years of posting that I know of...

What tool is recommended for harvesting bamboo poles cleanly? Without crushing them and splitting the bottom 12 to 18 inches?

I have a friend that has wild bamboo growing in her yard. 2 inch diameter, maybe more or less. 30 feet tall or more. I went in the spring to get some for tomato stakes. Started with a manual bow saw and gave up after two poles. Used bypass loppers on a couple dozen more before I had to leave. Shoulders sore the next day. So I got to thinking about getting a battery powered reciprocating saw. Not sure how many poles I can cut with one, but I think that sounds like a decent idea. And I won't kill my shoulders and arms like I did with the loppers. Metal blades with smaller teeth would work if I find some bigger and better bamboo to cut. And I can use a demolition blade on lesser quality bamboo that I just want to use as stakes.

I thought about a small chainsaw, too. Not sure I want another motor to maintain.

Thank you for your input.

Chris B.
Clemson, SC

[ShmuBamboo]

I use a cordless Sawzall. Works great with a metal cutting blade.

[Alan_L]

Agree -- hacksaw blades make a very clean cut, so metal-cutting blade in sawzall is perfect.

[jd.]

A metal blade that cuts with an abrasive will likely yield the smoothest cut.

I've an angle grinder, but I use a geared lopper with a 2" capacity that slices through bamboo easier than hardwood. A cut near a culm node tends to yield less splitting on the piece that includes the node. To salvage a little extra length, you might clear away the mulch or dig down a bit to include the lowest node.

Used bypass loppers on a couple dozen more before I had to leave. Shoulders sore the next day.
[...]
Not sure I want another motor to maintain.

Some bypass loppers are constructed to add extra leverage. However, the tools with a greater mechanical advantage often require more space to operate. Less commonly you can find a hand lopper with a ratcheting action that allows operation in a tighter space while still providing more leverage than a single fulcrum. If you can't easily make the cut in one go, you can use the ratchet to add more leverage on a subsequent power stroke. Here's an example:

Fiskars Ratchet Drive 27-Inch Anvil Lopper

[stevelau1911]

I'm currently using a fiskars lopper, not that model, but one thing I've found is that a fiskars blade is nowhere near as sharp as the hand shears I have from xenport. I can basically cut 1 inch thick branches with as much ease as I do with my fiskars loppers, using the xenport hand shears.

They have a few models at this link. I think the 36 inch one should be able to handle 2 inch culms. If the culms grow too close together to get leverage on them, then I guess a hand saw may work.

http://www.zenporttoolsonline.com/Agric ... index.html

[spiros123]

A Machette?

[ThatCompostGuy]

OK. Thanks for the ideas. Now to talk to someone where the big stuff grows and see what I can collect.

[terrabamboo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwB_W4_venE