Brushcutter blues

[the village idiot]

the echo brush cutters are mustard not cheap but good

 

Do they do a 40-50cc clearing saw?

[Stubby]

Thanks for all the advice folks, and the kind offer of a loan Felix.

 

Not too keen on buying an older Stihl as the previous owner may have treated it even worse than I appear to have treated mine.

 

Think I will probably go for the same machine again but be anally careful with it in terms of oil choice and throttle control. Turning it down a bit on the 'h' screw sounds like a sensible idea too.

 

The import only husky's look very good, but the advantage of buying the same machine is that I will have plenty of spare parts.

 

Thanks again for all your thoughts:thumbup: TVI.

 

To be honest I prefer the 545RX over the 355RX purely on the weight / maneuverability aspect . I think if you get a new 545 and do a bit of periodic maintenance and watch your fuel age ( or use Aspen ) you will be good matey .

[littlerob]

Do they do a 40-50cc clearing saw?

yes they do a 42.5cc and a 50.2cc

Echo srm-520es Brushcutter

Echo srm-420es Brushcutter

[SteveA]

Have you been felling small to medium trees with that brushcutter again? tsk

cheers, steve

[Logan]

S'funny you say that 'cos I've got a big Stihl brushcutter that I've had (trouble free) for 12 years. On the odd occasion I've used it commercially I've had an employee use it to clear brambles or the like whilst I'm doing something expensive like climbing trees etc.

It astonishes me how they think the throttle is an off/on button and that on a "empty" sweep it still has to be flat out.

Not saying that's you of course (is that you?)

 

Hello Villain,

 

I am with Mick on this one.

 

When using a bramble blade in bramble type growth you should "pulse" the throttle, basically hold full throttle on and off in rhythm with when you drop the blade down into the growth. You develop a timing, and you can be aggressive with it and have it fully tuned up and all that, stihl red etc, no probs, but full throttle on just before and as you're going in, then a quick release of throttle, then on again. It helps cool it and lube it, while keeping the revs up and power on. I've personally seen a Husky in good condition, held on full revs while doing this job, overheat and jam up. A hone and a piston set and it was recovered luckily, and still runs fine a year later, full power and used aggressively, but pulsed. Try it. I'll give you demo when I next am over if you want to put up with more of my sonorous lecturing.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

X

[stabjw]

I have had my stihl fs490 for two years has had a hard life bramble clearance and council strimming it hasn't skipped a bit

[the village idiot]

Hello Villain,

 

I am with Mick on this one.

 

When using a bramble blade in bramble type growth you should "pulse" the throttle, basically hold full throttle on and off in rhythm with when you drop the blade down into the growth. You develop a timing, and you can be aggressive with it and have it fully tuned up and all that, stihl red etc, no probs, but full throttle on just before and as you're going in, then a quick release of throttle, then on again. It helps cool it and lube it, while keeping the revs up and power on. I've personally seen a Husky in good condition, held on full revs while doing this job, overheat and jam up. A hone and a piston set and it was recovered luckily, and still runs fine a year later, full power and used aggressively, but pulsed. Try it. I'll give you demo when I next am over if you want to put up with more of my sonorous lecturing.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

X

 

Thanks John,

 

A three day in depth demonstration on the finer points of brush cutter throttle management would be just the ticket, and would pretty much finish off my bramble management for the season!

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

I've got an Echo CLS-4600 surplus to requirements...

 

Proper stock tubed clearing saw, not a brushcutter.

 

Old but very little used, very clean.