I just paid for this tool in one hour! I have had a bunch of dead branches in a tree in my back yard that have been bugging me for about a year. I meant to call my Tree Guy to come get them out but that usually turns into $250 no matter what.
So when presented the opportunity to put the Sun Joe Saw Joe through a HomeFix test, I jumped at it. After ordering the tool (SunJoe.com) it arrived in just a couple days on UPS in great shape along with another tool I couldn’t resist that I will review soon.
I was all giddy to put together the 8” saw which took all of 4 minutes and that was reading the instructions. Pretty simple, and I see why they do not put these parts together for you. Don’t sweat it, it is really easy. But then I hit the stopping point. I needed Bar Oil. Out to my shelf in the shed where that kind of thing is supposed to be… and no oil. So my branch trimming was looking like it would have to wait till I could make a trip to the hardware store. I know, I was tempted to put some of the gear oil I had there, but I chew out enough of you for using the wrong products and going all “cowboy” on stuff, so I figured I better lead by example. I bought a quart of Bar Oil.
All juiced up, proper outdoor cord into a proper outdoor outlet (seriously) and with a squeeze of the trigger, 6.5 amps came to life and… well… it went Bsuerrrrrrr. Like it is supposed to. Good thing I paid attention to the chain tension adjustment. Enough literary enhancements. Lets cut wood!
The tool is very comfortable to use and I easily lopped off several 3” branches and a couple 2”. I also did some clean up of a bunch of random twigs and shoots. The telescopic adjustment on this is really easy, firm, and if you don’t forget to use it, quite beneficial to letting gravity do the work of pushing through t he wood. Sun Joe claims a 15 foot reach but on tip toes, I think I pushed that a bit. I did learn that you do not want to stand under the branch you are cutting. No, I didn’t get bonked. But I did get a few wood chips down my shirt. Probably should have had goggles on too rather than just my safety glasses.
I had a bad experience with an electric chain saw about 30 years ago and I have stayed away from them since. The Saw Joe has won me back into the camp. I think it is the Bar Oil, I can’t remember exactly but I think that other tool I had in a previous life was a dry chain and it did not last. This one looks and feels like if I keep it clean, lubed, and do not overdo it, this should be quite handy for a long time. There is a 2 year Warranty on it, and parts are available if you hurt something.
So now I want to see what it is capable of. Sun Joe claims up to 7.5 inch branches are possible but in my opinion, that while possible, is probably more than you would want to make a habit out of. Remember, this is a trimming tool and not for cutting firewood. I will stick to branches smaller than my meaty forearms.
The dollars per smile factor here is high. Like I opened with, I not only did the tree in the photos, but several others and even attracted a couple neighbors taking a look. What I cut would have cost me two of these tools. Wanna bet I get a call this weekend from one of the neighbors who wants to borrow it? No problem, this is a safe, easy to use tool. If you are a professional tree trimmer you know this is not the tool for you. It is not designed for someone to make a living with. But for me and my needs around my house, this is a really cool tool and a solid value.
Go shopping for this on line right now. Punch in Sun Joe SWJ802E and find them from about $80 to $130 all over the place.
Now that the branches are down… yup, you guessed it, I’ll be putting my new Sun Joe Wood Chipper through a test. Stay tuned!