Hedgelaying pics

[Guest Gimlet]

8 minutes ago, nepia said:

Unusual choice for a hedge.  It looks really good.  The client's in for a busy time dealing with the regrowth!

I've told him to invest in a long reach trimmer and keep a day free every August for a full on attack. He's going to let it get to about five feet high and keep it there with tight trimming. 

In theory...?

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by Gimlet

[openspaceman]

On 14/10/2020 at 11:35, gary112 said:

Welded some threaded bar on to them,makes it easy to change handles,they are Ellwell 10and12 " and hold  a sharp edge brilliantly

@gary112 do you buy your handles and ferrules or make your own?

 

Reason I ask is that when looking around for a rasp I came across my old pickaroon and the rusty Brades billhook I found in a fire site, they haven't seen the light of day in over thirty years and I think I'd like to replace the handle  which came off when I snapped the tang.

 

This billhook was the one I used when sorting PSR for TDUB as I picked them up and drimmed the odd snags that had been missed when snedding. You can just make out the file marks used for measuring.

 

[gary112]

2 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

@gary112 do you buy your handles and ferrules or make your own?

 

Reason I ask is that when looking around for a rasp I came across my old pickaroon and the rusty Brades billhook I found in a fire site, they haven't seen the light of day in over thirty years and I think I'd like to replace the handle  which came off when I snapped the tang.

 

This billhook was the one I used when sorting PSR for TDUB as I picked them up and drimmed the odd snags that had been missed when snedding. You can just make out the file marks used for measuring.

 

I buy them from my local hardware/ironmonger shop in town,they get them for about £3 for me

[openspaceman]

23 minutes ago, gary112 said:

I buy them from my local hardware/ironmonger shop in town,they get them for about £3 for me

That's about half the price of what I can see online and the ones most similar to my Elwell from Slovenia are a tenner.

[gary112]

10 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

That's about half the price of what I can see online and the ones most similar to my Elwell from Slovenia are a tenner.

Last time i bought 5 and they were £17.00(£3.40ea)

[Guest Gimlet]

On 16/10/2020 at 20:41, Gimlet said:

And the next one got underway today.

Big, dense and wide field hedge, mostly hawthorn. And a sodding tree guard on every one...

Nice spot though.

 

It's spiteful stuff and the crowns are very congested from repeated flailing so it's a fiddle as there's loads of thinning out to do, but I do like big hawthorn like this. It makes you work but produces a lovely hedge. 

Will post finished pics in due course.  

 

 

All done.

A lot of this twisted stuff in it, and trees fused together. Result of flailing I reckon:

 

All down ready for binding:

 

And another job jobbed:

 

 

 

 

[gary112]

4 minutes ago, Gimlet said:

All done.

A lot of this twisted stuff in it, and trees fused together. Result of flailing I reckon:

 

All down ready for binding:

 

And another job jobbed:

 

 

 

 

Nice looking job that,i think your right about the twisted being caused by flailing,i did one last year on a roadside just the  same?

[Dan Maynard]

That does look great.

"like" and "hawthorn" not two words I put together very much, you hedgelayers are a rare breed.

[Guest Gimlet]

Worse at this time or year. It's been so mild I'm working in a short sleeved shirt. Shirt is covered in blood spots and my arms are like a pin cushion. Occupational hazard. 

 

I reckon you do build up resistance to whatever it is in hawthorn that makes the wounds so sore. They seem to get less painful as the season goes on. 

Briars and rose prickles are worse for me. Hate the things. Like having a fight with a wild cat.

Edited November 7, 2020 by Gimlet

[Guest Gimlet]

24 minutes ago, gary112 said:

Nice looking job that,i think your right about the twisted being caused by flailing,i did one last year on a roadside just the  same?

I like to get bigger hawthorn done at the beginning of the season if possible when it's still sappy, especially if they're older stems that are starting to get lobed at the base. Those ones are a lot easier to lay when they're got a bit of sap in them to help them bend.