Tractor mounted hedge trimmer.

[wrsni]

On the winter shopping list!

 

Other than the occasional wee job for a friend or neighbour it'll just be doing our own work but will be kept pretty busy. All hedges around the farm, we live in a lane over half a mile long so both sides of it two or three times a year, river banks, etc, etc. It'll be cutting weeds, grass, brambles, a lot of that sort of stuff frequently as well.

 

Nothing would be that long a reach so I kinda fancy something suitable for our little 30hp Kubota, but equally can go bigger for one of the other tractors. Quite like the look of the McConnell "Swing Trim" but wouldn't want a lot of clearing up to do if you let something get away from you for a year.

 

The main reason I'm posting here is that most of the compact tractor stuff is Italian made and not known to me so don't know how robust, reliable, or effective they'd be in operation. Would appreciate any experiences people have of them either on their own or versus the conventional agricultural stuff.

 

Thanks.

 

PS, I have considered a flail head for the digger but on balance decided against it so that's been ruled out.

Edited September 26, 2016 by wrsni

[benedmonds]

We hired a finger bar cutter on a tractor once.. We have never done again... It might work on neat hedges with perfect access but didn't work for us..

[Stock]

Forget the mini stuff. Seem to remember that full sized hedgers of 14- 16 is available for 60 hp +

Exercise caution with the Italian made hedgers and try and get one with parallel arm movement.

[richy_B]

I cant comment on the tractor mounted but as you mentioned excavator i thought of this -

 

http://www.augertorque.com/product-range/hedge-trimmers.html

 

I've heard good things about them. You need enough flow to track along and run the cutter. Probably 5tonner plus ideally.

 

Think the bigger one is about £2750.

[Wainy]

Wouldn't bother with compact machine for normal hedge/verge work, ok for specific narrow access. If you've got a conventional tractor available you might as well use that, a compact hedge cutter will probably cost more too. Full size machine will give you reach and weight which is a lot nicer to work with. Go for a flail over a cutter bar as no clearing up afterwards. I've got an orsi machine which I'm sure is Italian and to be honest very well built. Only 5mtr but does most hedges I've come across.

[Brushcutter]

I've recently picked up a 3 year old Bomford Kestrel for £6500 ex council and only done one years work. Has a float and on a joystick too rather than cables. 5m parallel reach as well. They had a Spearhead as well for an extra grand but that only had a finger bar cutter getting the flail was more than the whole set up.

 

Having done many many miles of roadside verge around hundred or so miles a year. I wouldn't want to do it in a mini tractor as your not visible to other road users. Even my 6800 with a 1.2m head on is a little tipsy out a full reach. For what you'd pay for a new alpine size flail you could get a very nice used full side one.

 

Oh make sure you have a cab on your compact or it's not even a goer.

[Treemover]

Im considering the same for my 35hp kioti. I'd rather a finger bar machine as the flails are too aggressive. Anyway, I don't mind hiring a flail for flail work. But I do see potential where we trim hedges by hand and don't have the reach.

 

I wouldn't recommend a swing trim as it will absorb too much hyd power, especially when you lift or tilt sapping hyd flow from the head. Go got a tandem pump unit.

This is what I was after.

[wrsni]

Thanks for all replies so far, much appreciated.

 

Probably worth saying that at the minute I have a very old (but in good nick) Twose finger bar trimmer that is used for a few wee bits of hedge around the house and yard that get kept well trimmed, and on these it does a nice job. But you would really need to be disciplined for regular use, and on the field hedges with a compulsory "no cut" period from end of February untill mid-July, I worry that even a better finger bar might still be a bit messy after cutting.

 

It is a much less violent operation compared to a flail though, no doubt.