USA based "Chainsaw" type brush cutter disc - anyone seen one in the UK

[Rich Rule]

Surely if it is a circular disc it will have a 100% kickback zone?

[Mark Bolam]

It’s American Rich, they would argue it must have a 100% non-kickback zone.

[Jcarbor]

You can get legal fixed tungsten carbide discs, these type are potentially lethal.

[scbk]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

But these aren't " flail - type " cutting attachments . No swinging chains . Cutters are riveted to the disk .  Not saying the wont fly off if they take a knock  but this is not what is described in the European Commission document that you quoted .  

Yes I know, I was meaning in reply to dumper's post

 

Here's the link:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/brush-cutters.htm

 

IIRC the guy who died wasn't even using the strimmer that the piece flew off, he was a "bystander" on another machine.

 

 

I will read any literature but I don't really care if something is classed as legal by the HSE or not - they pretty much say only to fit blades that are OEM.

 

To me the blade in the first post doesn't look safe, after some hard use, how much will be left of the rivet heads

[Stubby]

8 hours ago, scbk said:

 

 

To me the blade in the first post doesn't look safe, after some hard use, how much will be left of the rivet heads

May be , maybe . At the end of the day they are riveted the same as a chainsaw chain and they can take some abuse .

[lurkalot]

11 hours ago, Stubby said:

But these aren't " flail - type " cutting attachments . No swinging chains . Cutters are riveted to the disk .  Not saying the wont fly off if they take a knock  but this is not what is described in the European Commission document that you quoted .  

The ones I saw about 30 years ago were just saw chain joined together same as you would for a chainsaw..  The disc had a bar groove around its edge, and a few drive tangs in side to stop the chain slipping.  Cut the correct length of chain, and wrap it around and join it.  Plus they used to go out of balance when warn.  I was always uncomfortable with the idea to be honest.

[Stere]

There are so many didfferent styles of  blade cutters with different shapes out there seems hard to decide what is best design?

 

https://www.oregonproducts.eu/site/6_flipbooks/2017/EN_EUR/GARDEN_2017_EN_EUR.pdf

 

Has a bit of infos on page 29 of catalogue what oregon recommends for cutting different types of vegetation etc.

 

Anyone tried theese different types?

 

Thinking of trying the 8 tooth  one  as they recommend for coarse grass & I want to reduce plastic trimmer line use, though looks like it would be  slow & less effective compared to the 3 tooth as less length of cutting blade?

Edited August 23, 2019 by Stere

[dumper]

15 hours ago, Stubby said:

But these aren't " flail - type " cutting attachments . No swinging chains . Cutters are riveted to the disk .  Not saying the wont fly off if they take a knock  but this is not what is described in the European Commission document that you quoted .  

If you read the document it states metal blades made from more than one piece this blade is covered by the HSE statement

[lux]

I would imagine the blades that look more like skill saw blades would be a better bet.

[The avantgardener]

20 hours ago, Rich Rule said:

Surely if it is a circular disc it will have a 100% kickback zone?

Kickback zone would be between 12 and 3 O’clock on the disk as long as the head rotates anti clockwise as normal.

I use tri blades for coarse grass, it allows you to row the vegetation up if you want to collect it in, I use a Husqvarna shredder blade for bramble and small saplings, it has down curved edges and smashes everything to pieces, larger wood I use a Scarlett Clearing saw blade, easy to resharpen with a standard round file.

Edited August 23, 2019 by The avantgardener