# I can't be the only person who ever thought of this...



## madhatte (Aug 20, 2012)

For I think 3 years now, I've had my crews use hedge trimmers for brushing trails and for cutting firebreaks in fine fuels. This is the one I prefer:







We have 4 of them with the 30" blade. It's a great tool for broom, especially; you can walk through the thickest patch of the stuff and cut at a nearly-walking pace. We commonly cut firebreaks with the trimmer, then wet-line behind it for burnout operations. It's fast and easy, and reduces the risk of injury that comes with chainsaws in such conditions. 

Another thing we use it for is releasing over-topped seedlings in plantations. With rotary trimmers, it's easy to cut the seedlings you're trying to protect because you can't see them under the over-topping brush. With the hedge trimmers, you cut from the top down. Even if you nip a branch or two, the seedling is gonna survive. 

We use the "R" models because we only cut nasty stuff and we don't care what the cut-line looks like. The 30" blade gives good reach and makes the most of operator effort. The machine is lightweight and has good A/V, and is pretty easy on the gas. The only problem I've had with them is the spark arrestor. It's a tiny little fine-meshed cylinder and clogs easily. Usually I burn them clean twice before I replace them. It's a cheap part, less than ten bones. 

Anybody else use these, or other unconventional tools, in a forestry/fire application?

EDIT: D'oh! I meant "R", not "T".


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## belgian (Aug 20, 2012)

I have both the 81R (30") and the 81T (22"), not for professional use but for cutting hedges around my property. The R version (Rückschnitt) is designed for the rugged stuff, the T version (trimming) has double blade speed and is designed as such for trimming. The 30" blade gives you exellent reach and has plenty of cutting power for small branches or thick needle hedges ; the only disadvantage is its weight imo ; working with such a long blade is wearing you out in no time. But I am spoiled I guess.


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## techdave (Aug 30, 2012)

*We use the hedgers a lot in trail maintenance.*

Hi Mad' we use them a lot, especially since the Cedar fire, because now we have ceanothus everywhere!


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## madhatte (Aug 30, 2012)

Excellent. I had a feeling I wasn't the only one!


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## Gologit (Aug 30, 2012)

Yup...my little crew of volunteers uses two of them. A couple of the members are chainsaw-challenged but they can really carve up some stuff with the hedge clippers.


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## OlympicYJ (Aug 30, 2012)

Hatte have you looked into the kombi system? they have a hedge trimmer attachment. One of the guys at Madsens says its killer on blackberrys.


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## madhatte (Aug 30, 2012)

OlympicYJ said:


> Hatte have you looked into the kombi system?



Have two KM-130R powerheads, just ordered two more. We have the polesaw attachments, the brushcutter attachments, and the extensions. I definitely like the HS81R's better for cutting brush not-quite-on-the-ground. A long shaft between powerhead and attachment changes the dynamics between cutter and cuttee in ways that I am loath to trust. As with anything, though, there's always a "right tool for the job", and I'm willing to try anything that might make my job easier.


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## floyd (Aug 31, 2012)

I cooked my pole pruner pruning OR White Oak around the house. Too many 10" limbs & no patience. Put too much deflection on it extended. All the gears in the shaft are plastic but the shaft is metal.


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## purdyite (Oct 8, 2012)

*Dang!*

I had not thought of this, but when I saw it something clicked. I went to the local feed store/Echo dealer and picked up the HC-155. (I'm an Echo AND a Stihl fan) Took it out this weekend and used it on greenbriars. It's tough to cut through the briars with a chainsaw(they jump off the chain), and trying to cut them at the ground with a brush blade on my weed trimmer just doesn't work very well. This thing is great! I can cut them to short lengths that fall to the ground--I stick it between the fence wires and then above my head, and run it along the ground. I am dealing with clearing fencerows on Dad's place; sometimes there are 40 stems per square foot. It's impenetrable in some areas. Thanks for publicizing this.


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## madhatte (Oct 9, 2012)

Yer welcome! Glad to be of help.


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## Ax-man (Oct 13, 2012)

I never gave a thought to using a hedge trimmer for cutting brush. Looks like it would be easier to use than a chainsaw.

How big of a stem diameter can a person cut with a tool like this??? Looks like it might have a place in our little arsenal of brush cutting tools like clearing saws and brush mowers if this R hedge saw can cut through some rugged brush like Honeysuckle.

I have a couple of saws set -up with the hedge cutter attachments one is an 015 which we use every once in a great while but I know It wouldn't stand up to what I have to do to maintain a right of way to a corn field we own so the big equipment can get in during the spring and fall. I also have an 020 with the same attachment but it is more of a collectors item because it is in near mint condition and I would like to keep it that way.

What is the average price for a tool like this?????


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## purdyite (Oct 13, 2012)

Lowe's had a Poulan Pro for $200, i paid $379 for the Echo with a 24" snout. I would guess you could cut a stem small enough that it fits between the guards--i did notice that there is some sawing action if it's a little bigger--so I would say 3/4 " and smaller.


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## El Quachito (Oct 20, 2012)

Borrowed one years ago and it was great for berry vines, poison oak and whatever else grows along a dirt road. Worked well on hazel bushes and green stuff about the size of my finger.


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## Samlock (Oct 21, 2012)

I do brushing too sometimes. Sometimes a lot of it. Pre commercial thinning of the young stands, mostly. I don't think a hedge cutter would survive there, though. But maybe that would make a killer tool for releasing the seedlings. I don't do that, but I know guys who do. Definitely worth trying.

HVA seems to have a backbag chainsaw, which I think is a parallel tool for the kind of brush Dahatte is talking about. Expensive and complex tool. And if I may say so, it won't work. Lean brush keeps throwing chain. Just listen that video how tense the chain is. Massive power loss. Plus I predict no power shift will take the strain long. 

[video=youtube;EkRaYwPpOu4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkRaYwPpOu4[/video]


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## 2dogs (Oct 21, 2012)

I like the idea of the backpack chainsaw. I do not perform any true clearing tasks but on occasion while I am using my old Power Pruner I will use it like the backpack saw is being used in the video. I really like the push-pull hook. 

Sam I have an Mac-T with your name on it just waiting for your address (and t-shirt size).


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## Samlock (Oct 28, 2012)

2dogs said:


> I like the idea of the backpack chainsaw. I do not perform any true clearing tasks but on occasion while I am using my old Power Pruner I will use it like the backpack saw is being used in the video. I really like the push-pull hook.
> 
> Sam I have an Mac-T with your name on it just waiting for your address (and t-shirt size).



PM sent


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