# Hedge Trimmers



## arborguy (Oct 7, 2002)

I know many of you people must do some hedge trimming. What type of setup do you use to get those tall, 20' or more hedges?

We use a setup with electric trimmers on a pole, seems to work but those trimmers seem to burn out, die or the handle cracks. This get to be quite a cost when you need to buy new trimmers every 2 months or more.


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## rborist1 (Oct 7, 2002)

:Eye:


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## Nickrosis (Oct 7, 2002)

In the past, we've subbed JPS to use a machete. Worked great, I'd say.

Nickrosis


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## treeclimber165 (Oct 7, 2002)

Probably not too many guys here that use hedge trimmers. And those that do most certainly don't use electric ones. You might get better feedback on landscaping issues like this at LawnSite. 

I use hand pruners for my shrubs at my house, haven't used hedge trimmers since I sold my lawn business 12 years ago. I was using Echo gas powered hedge trimmers then. Can't remember which model.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Oct 7, 2002)

I do prefer to pick prune a shrub if possible, especialy if I'm reducing it by a siginficant amount. I prefer Stihl gas hedgers, used the extended one alot at a past employer; big privits, yews and the like. One of those and a 12 foot ladder i could do any shrub I've seen here.

Got a buddy who pick-prunes a Tillia Cordata hedge anualy.


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## Stumper (Oct 7, 2002)

Really tall shrub shearing ops bring out the Echo Power Pruner with Hedger attachment but I usually get a higher quality job with the standard gas powered hedgers and my 12'orchard ladder.


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## lhwoodman (Oct 8, 2002)

*hedge trimmer*

hey mate:"red max"long reach trimmer is the only way to go.but the cost for the 2 items is around $600.
jack


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## Acer (Oct 8, 2002)

Much as I hate it, I have to do plenty of hedgetrimming to make ends meet. A lot of tree companies here do the same. There's an awful lot of hedges over here, and it all amounts to easy repeat business if you do a good job. I have petrol Stihl hedgetrimmers, which are a bit awkward. Handles are a bit like a chainsaw. The newer design of handles are a lot better. I've got a step ladder/extension ladder for balancing on to get higher than 7' or so. I don't like ladders, and most gardens in England are so full of crap, like rockeries, gnomes and god knows what else, that setting up and moving the ladders around and getting them stable enough to work on takes forever, and involves planks, wedges, piles of bricks, etc. If the hedge is too big for the stepladder, I convert it to a normal extension ladder and lean the ladder against the hedge. I don't like doing this, because the ladder sometimes twists, or even slips at the bottom, as you get near to the top. I usually tie the bottom to a trunk to make sure it doesn't slip completely. For the tops, and for bits where it's difficult or strenuous, say at the extremes of the ladder, i'll use hand shears. For some hedges/clients, I'll do it all with hand shears; many older clients think you get a better finish with hand shears, and they're probably right. If the time saving justifies it, and if I can get it in, I'll hire a self propelled work platform rather than use the ladder, to save all that messing about.

One neat trick a friend uses on a regular leylandii job: this hedge was topped a while ago, and regrew around 4' above the topping points, so he's nailed planks along the top to form a walkway.


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## rbtree (Oct 8, 2002)

Arborguy,

Could you be referring to the "QuikKut"?

I do few hedges currently, which is fine with me! But even though electric, there is no hedge trimmer that can compare to the QuikKut, aka the Whiz Saw. It has a circular saw blade, turns extemely high rpm, and will cut through a 1.5 inch laurel branch in an instant. If the blade is sharp, it will cut laurel leaves in half, and do as neat a job as any tool, and faster. I've never used the Acklee hydraulic tools, they sound comparable. Probably will soon, as my new friend Greg, lets me rent his bucket truck, and he has a set of Acklees.

The mfr is out of business. I picked up a 6 footer for $150, but cant get parts for it if needed. Seldom use it though. Retail was around $1200. they came in 4, 6, and 8 foot shafts, maybe even 10.

None of the gas powered tools with the circ. saw attachments can even come close to its cutting ability. For small material, the reciprocating trimmers work well, of course, and the extendable stick kind would be good. Dont own any, pick pruning is better anyhow most of the time.


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## rbtree (Oct 8, 2002)

Acer, you said step ladder, surely you dont mean the trad two part, and not an orchard ladder, which will work on uneven ground fairly well. 

A good trick is to use two orchard ladders, and a 12-16 foot long 2x10 or 12 between them. Now you can walk back and forth a ways before moving on.


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## Toddppm (Oct 8, 2002)

we do hedges all the time and use a gas powered handheld unit and a stihl FS85 with the hedge trimmer attachment, can reach a good ways with these. We have a 6ft and a 12 ft stepladder when needed, extension ladder too , whatever it takes!
the tree service I used to work at only had electric trimmers made by Little wonder, they are heavy duty and worked good, more torque than the gas units too. Have to have a portable generator to run em though.


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## Tim Gardner (Oct 8, 2002)

Let's see. Backing the chipper in and firing up the stumping saw comes to mind.


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## Treeman14 (Oct 8, 2002)

Gas hedge trimmers and a bucket truck work for the real tall ones. Also have the HT-75 with hedge trimmer head. And I made a circular saw attachment for the HT-75. I call it a bang saw. BANG! and its cut.


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## nik1978 (Oct 8, 2002)

Treeman I'd like to see a pic of that bang saw sound intresting....


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## Acer (Oct 9, 2002)

> _Originally posted by rbtree _
> *Acer, you said step ladder, surely you dont mean the trad two part, and not an orchard ladder, which will work on uneven ground fairly well.
> 
> *



Rb, I'm afraid I do mean a trad stepladder. By orchard ladder, you mean a ladder with just a pole as support, so it's only touching the ground at three points, don't you? I'd love one of those..it would be much more stable, but I've never seen one over here. They're probably illegal for health & safety reasons!


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## rbtree (Oct 9, 2002)

Gee, I feel for you, Acer.

I wouldn't touch a ladder like that with a 10 foot pole. Why an orchard ladder would be illegal, I couldn't imagine. They are way more stable on any ground.


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## Stumper (Oct 9, 2002)

Acer, the ladder in your pic is certainly a useful design but an orchard ladder is sooooo much better. I hope you can find one -they are difficult to find in the USA but obtainable. Sherrill stocks them-I don't know who is their manufacturer. You might make inqiries over there to see if anyone carries Stokes Ladders products.


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## Acer (Oct 10, 2002)

No, I'm sure you can't get US style orchard ladders here. I did a search, and could only find US companies, so anyone planning a visit here with some space in their suitcase, let me know...

Health & safety here is strange. Someone's probably decided that falling from an orchard ladder is far more dangerous than falling from a normal stepladder...


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