Heavy Duty Brushcutters

[scbk]

You'll want a few paths cleared, but gorse can be good for keeping the deer off the new tress. In 10-15yrs time the trees will be smothering out the gorse!

[richyrich]

The 555fx is a clearing saw rather than a brush cutter. I've only used with saw blade and it's awesome. Not sure what it'd be like with mulch blade. 

For trees and saplings it beats a chainsaw.

I don't think available UK. GPL shop Sweden. Maybe a bit too specialised for general clearance stuff.

[DrewDoug]

28 minutes ago, scbk said:

Mini digger with a grab and pull the roots out.........

Yeah the roots are a problem.

Can't use chemicals (officially) due to local regulations.

Someone told me to drill a hole into the stump and put a drop of diesel in.?

[Stubby]

6 hours ago, richyrich said:

The 555fx is a clearing saw rather than a brush cutter. I've only used with saw blade and it's awesome. Not sure what it'd be like with mulch blade. 

For trees and saplings it beats a chainsaw.

I don't think available UK. GPL shop Sweden. Maybe a bit too specialised for general clearance stuff.

I have a 545 and a 555 and they are indeed great machines . The 555 has the normal finger trigger as opposed to the thumb trigger of the clearing saw version .  The harness does have 2 mounting points though if you want to use the clearing saw blade .

[roys]

9 hours ago, DrewDoug said:

Yeah the roots are a problem.

Can't use chemicals (officially) due to local regulations.

Someone told me to drill a hole into the stump and put a drop of diesel in.?

I drill a 8 or 10mm hole and put in a little glyphosate. I do this with gorse and rhoddy stumps. I put the GP in a fairly liquid bottle as it is nice and accurate getting it into the hole so to speak.

[ChrisNewport]

A good harness also needs to be considered, i progressed from a Stihl FS400 with just a shoulder strap which was fine to a Stihl FS560 with the same strap, the extra weight of the machine made using it for anymore than half an hour a strain on my shoulder and back. I bought the Stihl RTS harness and can now use the machine for a full day with very little aches and pains.

[Johnpl315]

10 hours ago, scbk said:

You'll want a few paths cleared, but gorse can be good for keeping the deer off the new tress. In 10-15yrs time the trees will be smothering out the gorse!

 I second this, gorse can be a good nursery crop for young trees. I would clear the immediate are around the trees but leave the rest, unless you have a tractor or skid with a mulcher. 

[openspaceman]

Our planting sites were too poor for gorse to be a problem but generally gorse is an indicator of good potassium and phosphorus status but poor nitrogen, as it is a legume it makes its own.

[Welshfred]

If chainsaw use isn't an option then going through an area with the clearing saw blade followed by a run through with the mulcher to break down the bulk a bit. The lower you cut the stems the easier it'll be to top off the regrowth. The Stihl 461 or huskie equivalent will do the job fine.

[Jamie Jones]

I have both Stihl and Husqvarna brush cutters...

I originally started out with a couple the Stihl FS460 Brushcutter (Now FS461).
They are good and I use a mulching blade set up on one and the old style (all black) twin line feed head with 3mm Vortex Chord on the second machine that I some times swap out for the 4x chord head of fixed lengths of 4mm Vortex Chord. I hate the new style strimming head with the white base plate.
 have been very reliable.

I also have the Husqvarna 454rx (husky equivalent to the Stihl FS460/FS461) and the Husqvarna 555RXT.
Personally I prefer the Husqvarna Brushcutters.. They were harder to get used to compared to the Stihl's and you have to use them slightly differently. 
The Husky strimmer heads a way better and longer lasting the the Stihl heads.

My view on what to get for brash, brambles etc that will require the the Mulching blade is the biggest engine possible option. This is because it will drive a bigger mulching blade that will cut down the amount of time spent doing the same job. So I would advise that you opt for either the Stihl FS561 or the Husqvarna 555RXT. Both will require the different deflector guard set-up as an added extra.

If I am doing a big brash or long grass smash down my first option is always the 555RXT. 
Grass I always use Vortex 3mm chord, and tougher brash the Mulching blade. The 555RXT is the first machine I will go to for big area grass cut downs for two reasons; The power of the cut as it also helps smash the waste better, and the key reason was the diameter of the cut, from the two ends of the separate chord. This means I can cover a bigger area quicker.

If I have a second operator it will be the FS460 or the 454RX with 3mm for long grass, and if it is light brash it would be the Stihl FS460 with the 4mm Vortex Chord on the four-chord head. But that is only because I don't have a four chord head for the Husky 454RX.

Both brands are very reliable. Although the Husky 555RXT has had a couple of gearheads replaced. but that is just down to the amount of use they get.

 Grass and light brash and brambles the FS461 or equivalent Husky will be grate. But for hard brash, brambles where constant mulching blades are required... Just go straight for the biggest engine machine possible... Stihl FS561 or the Husqvarna 555RXT.

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the FS460 with the Mulching head set-up

Stihl FS511 with Shredding head set-up video:  The FS561 will just be even better...

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Jamie Jones