Hedge Chopper

Just wanted to know whether any of you have used the Stihl Rollomatic Light Bar and how it compares to the Oregon pro lite for longevity and the difference in weight if there is any?I know there is a price difference between the two for bars and chains. I have changed one of my little saws for an ms250 and it came with an 18 inch bar which is great for coppicing and fencing but a bit big for general hedgelaying work so was going to go for a 16 inch bar but it would be helpful to make the saw a bit lighter as I am forever picking it up and putting it down.I seem to think Stihl claim a 30% weight difference between standard and light bars,not sure if that is true. Thanks.

Due to having lost a couple of contracts through the Government cuts I'm looking for a bit more work in the future. Own tools and Vehicle Chainsaws and gear experience on tractors and all kinds of plant Cs30 Rough terrain flt Cert HGV class 2 Pa1/2 I realise that I do have a lack of CS's but am more than happy to take more if I'm going to use them.Have a real interest in arb so would be good to move more in that direction rather than back into agriculture.I'm located In the Nottingham area but am used to working away so that would not be a problem. If you are interested please Pm me.Thanks:001_smile:

Nice!I've done my right index finger twice now,always carry some superglue with me as for the more minor nicks its just as easy to stick it together rather than go to the hospital.Not that the Mrs agrees with me:001_smile:

Indeed,though I have a habit of shaving my fingers off with them as well.

Mattplace,Graham is spot on with what he says-its best to have a look at someone doing it as its hard to explain.If you have the Forester mate to show you that would be good.Not sure if rover and graham have found this but if its old and big you are best off getting a good axe as the chainsaw isn't the most accurate of things,better to nibble the last of it off with the axe rather than risk making it too thin with the saw. If you want a bit of training or any other info go on NHLS - Home page Its the website of the national hedgelaying society and would probably be useful to you too.

Thanks Megatron,thats what I was after-if i want to richen the saw after modifying the muffler I need to do as you say and remove the limiter cap.If i've got a wet day I may put it on the bench and tinker about with it.

I've done big stuff like that before,you have to be a bit careful as the older and bigger it is the drier and less flexible it becomes and this means its much easier to snap it off. You need to leave plenty on the hinge too as the bigger the stem the more sap it needs to keep it going. Di this one last year which was not originally part of the job but they didn't know what to do with it.it was choked with ivy and most of the stems were 8-10 inches wide and it was 20 feet tall.not the easiest job I've ever done!

Cheers spud,just found the handbook on line-if you go down to page 43 of the manual it shows the two different options for the carb. http://www.stihlusa.com/stihl_ownersmanuals/ms210230250_manual.pdf

Just wanted to satisfy my curiosity more than anything else,bought a MS250 as I needed something a bit bigger than the 171's I normally use.Reading the book I noticed that there seems to be two options for carbs on the saw, H1 and L1 where you turn the screws clockwise until stop then back one turn H3/4 and L1 where the H is turned counterclockwise until the stop and the L screw clockwise until stop and back one turn. With the first option I'm assuming you can make the H and L screws leaner or richer but with the second you can only make the H screw richer as its on the stop with the standard setting? I'm guessing that it depends which country you are in as to which one you get.Was hoping someone who knows more than me about these things(not difficult)could enlighten me! I'm considering doing a muffler mod on it more out of the fact that I like tinkering than anything else and wanted to be sure about the carb settings before I did anything as I haven't got a Tacho.

Stakes hold the hedge in place when you have laid it,you don't really need the binders on the top as some styles don't have them but I cut the midland style which traditionally had the binders on the top to stop cattle pulling the laid hedge apart with their horns.

I try and eat a fair bit of cake too The rest of the time its mostly work like fencing and subbing out to a mate who's a dredging and drainage contractor.Also go back on the land a bit now and then as I've got a lot of experience on big farming kit.

:biggrin:It is hard work but like everything there's only so much you can charge.Most of my work comes from environmental schemes on farmland where Natural England pay a contribution towards it otherwise the landowners and farmers wouldn't have it done. The hard bit is finding work to do for the rest of the year,hedgelaying is only done between October and March.

Not sure what software he used to be honest,but the camera was a Canon 10D with a 35-75mm Canon lens at 2 frames/minute.I'd like to do another one sometime.

I'm dragging the Mrs along,thought it would be interesting to have a look.

Cheers