Avant questions

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

I have a scanmek hedge cutter on my MO. I doubt there is going to be much between the brands as they are essential the same implement.
 
- Finish is decent, better than a flail. It isnt as clean cut as using a good handheld petrol hedge cutter though. The handheld cutter gets that steady 'up and down' motion which helps gets every bit. The finger bar can push branches a little before it cuts them so you get some bits end up slightly longer than others. Biggest problem is the finger bar is single sided so you can't go back the other way, which I think would solve the problem. Obviously will do vastly more and higher than you ever could with a handheld cutter so probably not a fair comparison. I did a 1000 metre hedge to 4 metres in less than a morning this week.
 
It's a relatively new item to me so I am still getting good on it but I have found you can wiggle the steering slightly on thicker sections and it significantly assists the cutters.
 
I had my go pro on so I have about 2 hours of footage. I'll try and find a few decent minutes of it.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spot on answer. I completely agree. For the right job, it’s an amazing tool - the secret will be deciding which job best suits handheld v machine carried.

[Joe Newton]

That looks to do a really poor job!

[Mick Dempsey]

Not blowing me away either.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

It’s not a silver bullet, it’s a tool in the box. The vid was parts of the first run out after I’d got it so there are elements of user deficiency / inexperience. For long, straight, high hedges or where the finer detail of a handheld can be sacrificed, it delivers output meters. It’s a lot tidier than a flail and a lot quicker than a handheld. Domestic / Mrs Miggins’ privet hedge, not worth the time & effort of loading / unloading etc but on a big, long, high hedge (Industrial estate or the like that needs cost effective ‘output’ over finer detail) well, it has its place....

[woody paul]

A neighbour near me delivers these for Master driers they fit avants and multion and you get more reach and height     https://www.masterfarm.co.uk/machine/tifermec-hedge-cutter/.

[warren]

Thanks guys.. yeah i guess its more suited to hedgerows more than (large) domestic yew and coni. As an aside - how do you price up using  a 'hydrostatic tool carrier' vs man power.. is it simply a case of .. if i was doing it by hand it would take X hours .. with my machine i can do it 6 times quicker but still charge the manual rate or lower .. asking cos i'm getting a 'hydrostatic tool carrier' soon.

 

"Biggest problem is the finger bar is single sided so you can't go back the other way, which I think would solve the problem."

 

The slanetrac sa 800 is reversible .. so you can go back against the cut.

 

My biggest fear is .. one nudge of the steering wheel .. and goodbye years of hard work getting a neat hedge

 

Edited October 13, 2017 by warren

[woody paul]

If you need to cut in both directions you can with the Tiermec TS series ..

 

 

[warren]

How much was the tiermec pls?

[woody paul]

I do not own one but if you want a price give master dryers a ring.They deliver all over  Britain.  

Edited October 14, 2017 by woody paul

[Ian C]

That looks to do a really poor job!

I agree that’s pretty crap imo