Cutting hedges

[maybelateron]

Due to some of our more horrible regular hedge jobs (only kept them on because they are decent customers, usually with trees) I have ordered a finger bar cutter to go on the back of my Kubota STV40. Don't fancy a flail without a cab, and a 1.9m bar should give me a chance of a reasonable finish as opposed to an uneven one due to learning curve with a (narrow) flail head.

[Blackbriarwoods]

1 hour ago, Mark Bolam said:

 

4 of us normally do it in 3 days, but we lose Macca tomorrow.

He’s off biking round the Highlands because he’s had a gut full of hedgecutting!

Macca is a very intelligent chap 

[Blackbriarwoods]

2 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

I wish.

 

 

I had a hedge similar, only took a couple of days but the customer managed to book it in on the hottest days of the year, it was a proper bar steward. Also the main reason I sold my hedgetrimmers

[AHPP]

54 minutes ago, Will C said:

Big brush cutter with a shredder blade will make 95+% of that blow able back into the hedge base, if you sell it right you can charge extra for mulching it 🤣

Can you recommend a particular blade please.

Edited July 24, 2023 by AHPP

[Will C]

15 minutes ago, AHPP said:

Can you recommend a particular blade please.

I just use the stihl one. Before that had a generic Chineseium one from Amazon. You want the one with the ends turned down 90deg, they will smash most things to not much!

[AHPP]

5 minutes ago, Will C said:

I just use the stihl one. Before that had a generic Chineseium one from Amazon. You want the one with the ends turned down 90deg, they will smash most things to not much!

Does two or three blades (tines?) make any difference?

[Brushcutter]

Hedge cutting is a rewarding yet soul destroying job. When your done it looks great but getting there is very hard work.

 

If you are starting out then get a battery hedge cutter the vibrations are significantly reduced making it more pleasant and will give you some longevity doing the job.

 

Really you need hand held and a long reach one. Normally just a rough cutting one will do but if you get some nice tight yew or layland a fine trimmer does make a difference.

 

The tidy up is the hard bit. A tarp leaf blower rakes and brushes are a must. If your trimmings are leafy a low cut on a good mower can make a big job to easier.

 

[Will C]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

Does two or three blades (tines?) make any difference?

No idea, I’ve only used the 2 tine ones

[AHPP]

28 minutes ago, Brushcutter said:

Hedge cutting is a rewarding yet soul destroying job. When your done it looks great but getting there is very hard work.

 

The last time I had a decent run of it to do I had a skinful the night before, hit it hard at seven something with a three-hour New York hardcore playlist in the earmuffs and felt amazing by the time I was finished at about ten. Just blasting at it through a headful of noise yielded zen. Brought myself back into the world with a quick bath and a massive BLT and felt great all day. Life presents you with this kind of profundity at the weirdest times, like when I found albion in a traffic jam on the M1.

[Donnie]

On 23/07/2023 at 13:46, Blackbriarwoods said:

Second what Mr Blair said. I used to cut all week and get home weekends to hedge cutting and firewood. At the time I got used to it and didn't notice any issues, took it for granted I was tired but extra cash was always welcome. 

Not saying I resented any of it but I'm certain it cut short my ability to work on later, when age stuck it's awe into the equation. 

I miss felling like hell, and if I'd known back then, when I was younger, what effect hedges would contribute to me wearing out, I'd of never bothered

Aye. Always wanting to make more that's my bother. 
 

Maybe I'll stick to cutting as everyone here has nothing really good to say about it. Glad I asked tbf!!