A pair of bypass loppers is the perfect tool to trim tree branches, especially branches you can easily reach.

But what happens when you want to trim a branch that’s 10 or 12 feet in the air?

You can’t easily reach it with the loppers — but you can extend the handles with a PVC pipe.

Go out and buy a 10-foot-long PVC pipe and cut it in half. Then simply take the handles of the lopper and slip them inside the pipe. For this video, I used a 1 and a quarter-inch diameter pipe and it fits perfectly.

You can very easily extend the handle; there’s no need to tape it or put a screw it in to hold it in place.

Now, you have 5 feet of reach. You can go up and easily trim branches that you could only reach if you had to bring out a ladder, but there’s no reason to do that.

Snip the branch, and then, because the loppers weren’t screwed or taped in place, you can very easily pull them out of the pipes and go use them to trim some low branches!

Watch the video above to see Joe’s Simple Solution.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Joe Truini

Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

Learn More