Brush cutter blades

[sir1]

So this post was primarily for discussing the beaver blade. And a few blades mentioned I will try. However it seems most people here have not used the beaver blade. I spoke with a few dealers and sounds like the beaver blade is a PITA to sharpen. My original idea of having one blade with a bunch of chains will not work. The chains (not sure what type of chain it uses) are permanently attached. So to replace a chain you actually have to break it, then respin a rivet possibly a connecting bar. I will go look at one in person. But I don't think this will work as I had planned.

Why hasn't someone designed a round blade similar to a chainsaw bar that comes apart into two sections that a chain can slip on/off with ease...

 

[7sleeper]

Because it would be too easy and no one would make any money...

Further having two disks with the chain in between, I highly doubt that the chain would stay permanently but actually spin between the disks during use. And then you don't have a lot of margin for weight gain, because the max size motors are usually only 50cc. Not alot off uummppfff.

7

 

[ncpete]

So this post was primarily for discussing the beaver blade. And a few blades mentioned I will try. However it seems most people here have not used the beaver blade. I spoke with a few dealers and sounds like the beaver blade is a PITA to sharpen. My original idea of having one blade with a bunch of chains will not work. The chains (not sure what type of chain it uses) are permanently attached. So to replace a chain you actually have to break it, then respin a rivet possibly a connecting bar. I will go look at one in person. But I don't think this will work as I had planned.

Why hasn't someone designed a round blade similar to a chainsaw bar that comes apart into two sections that a chain can slip on/off with ease...

Because chain stretch would be a very bad thing on the spinning wheel?

 

[sir1]

Hard to describe the design I am thinking of in my head but essentially clamping the chain in between two disks would should eliminate chain slip. I don't think it wold stretch that much. Chain is rather short.

 

[7sleeper]

Hard to describe the design I am thinking of in my head but essentially clamping the chain in between two disks would should eliminate chain slip. I don't think it wold stretch that much. Chain is rather short.

Has already been done by a few manufacturers! As I menionend above ALL NON SOLID attachments are forbinden here because blades, chains, etc. HAVE broken and went flying away injuring people.

If people would learn HOW to resharpen AND use the standard circular saw type that would eliminate a lot of the problems they are having...

7

 

[kirko]

Hey sir1
In my opinion I would ditch the whole beaver blade concept, the only positive I see is that you can sharpen it like a chain saw.The real issue is that chainsaws are very powerful machines compared to the average brushcutter and brushcutters simlpy don t have the power to pull that chain through timber as a chainsaw would.Not to mention no dog teeth/spikes to help lock into the cut.The chisel tooth is the fastest and most efficient way to cut large saplings with a brushcutter/clearing saw but its sharpness/lifespan is short lived, although it can also be re sharpened.The scratcher tooth should be chucked in the bin.What you really want is a carbide tipped circular saw.If you keep this out of the rocks and dirt you can cut down a forrest or 2 on one blade.The down side is they don't cut as fast or efficiently as a sharp chisel tooth and they cant really be sharpened, on the up side they seem to last forever. But really , just flog em and when their done get a new one.They're not usually that expensive. I paid $55 aus for mine and am still happy using it 3 years later. Try one you wont be disappointed.
Here is a link to one,,
http://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-to...-63713/Circular-saw-blade-carbide-tipped.aspx
Hope this helps.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Actually, I have wondered if you can sharpen the Carbide blades. Harbor Freight sells a circular saw sharpener: http://www.harborfreight.com/120-volt-circular-saw-blade-sharpener-96687.html

It comes with grinding wheels for steel and carbide from what I understand. I don't own one but have toy with getting one.

 

[Franny K]

Sure I have sent carbide blades out to be sharpened, however the brush cutter blades I use need sharpening due to rocks, wire, fence post, dirt etc, not like an expensive blade for a motorized miter box. How many rocks and how hard or how deteriorated they are surely varies by location.

7sleeper has stated stuff to make me think of a 18 inch or so piece of chain flying off. Balance is pretty important on attachments for the type of device being discussed here.

 

[wde_1978]

Has already been done by a few manufacturers! As I mentioned above ALL NON SOLID attachments are forbidden here because blades, chains, etc. HAVE broken and went flying away injuring people.

If people would learn HOW to resharpen AND use the standard circular saw type that would eliminate a lot of the problems they are having...

7

My sister used something like that on a Stihl weed whacker to clear a small lot of bushes, says nothing else had any acceptable effect but that thing!
I am considering to custom make one for my own purpose.

 

[kirko]

I use this exact brogio on small saplings and woody weeds.I had to make a few mods to make it work for me.Firstly with the 4 chains you need a v8 to keep it spinning,, not even a fs 550 can spin it properly without it bogging down.
I quickly removed 2 chains and then reduced the original 7 links back to five as in the pic.I did lose the odd link from time to time and decided it would be best to change the chains for hardened steel ones instead.It is a great head when finally customized and I would compare it to using a 12mm nylon if such a thing existed. LOL
I did trial a couple of other cheaper versions of the brogio,, they used only 2 chains but I found it was not possible to replace the chains.With the brogio the chains are removed simply by undoing the allan key screws.

 

[kirko]

Hey anewsawyer,
The stihl sales man told me the carbide blades could be re sharpened but that it required a special machine,, something to do with diamonds if I remember correctly.
Dunno much else,, if you do work out how to sharpen em you could be onto something.

 

[ANewSawyer]

I watched this video on it. The gentleman is sharpening a carbide tipped blade:

Like I said, I think the sharpener comes with a grinding wheel for plain steel and a grinding wheel for the carbide.

 

[kirko]

Hey gents,,

Here are a couple of links to what are in my opinion the best alround blade on the planet,, they just need lots of power, They seem to pull woody weeds in and turn them to dust or mulch.
The question is which came first ? the chicken or the egg ?

http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/s...brushcutter-blades/showitem-KP-FGP410068.aspx

http://www.radmoretucker.co.uk/cate...ct/Stihl_Shredder_Blade_320mm_2t_40007133902/

 

[Franny K]

Hey gents,,

Here are a couple of links to what are in my opinion the best alround blade on the planet,, they just need lots of power, They seem to pull woody weeds in and turn them to dust or mulch.
The question is which came first ? the chicken or the egg ?

http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/s...brushcutter-blades/showitem-KP-FGP410068.aspx

http://www.radmoretucker.co.uk/cate...ct/Stihl_Shredder_Blade_320mm_2t_40007133902/

Those well at least the Stihl one are for use on machines with more than 50cc and more than 3 hp. The one I have been recommending doesn't really need a lot of power if you can work off the energy in the spinning blade.

You use them with the ends pointing up? That is what I would think but pictures prior seem to have the ends pointing down. They probably would be great for going down between the rows of berry bushes as the description says. My "brush" is more autumn olive and wild rose. They probably would be good for making a little pathway to wrap a chain around the plant.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Oddly enough I have only been able to find one source for shredder blades in the US: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oregon-Shin...s-12-90-329-/361370768478?hash=item542360545e

I really wonder why they are not available here. Maybe fear of injuries (read: lawsuit) by a kicked up stone?

 

[Oregon_Rob]

Hey gents,,

Here are a couple of links to what are in my opinion the best alround blade on the planet,, they just need lots of power, They seem to pull woody weeds in and turn them to dust or mulch.
The question is which came first ? the chicken or the egg ?

http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/s...brushcutter-blades/showitem-KP-FGP410068.aspx

http://www.radmoretucker.co.uk/cate...ct/Stihl_Shredder_Blade_320mm_2t_40007133902/

These blades are phenomenal for berry vines and the like! Wish I had discovered those years ago. I took out a pretty substantial patch of black berry in about 15 min and it mulched down to almost nothing.

For saplings up to about 3” stuff the $15 chainsaw blades work great and are easy to sharpen.

 

[Oregon_Rob]

Oddly enough I have only been able to find one source for shredder blades in the US: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oregon-Shin...s-12-90-329-/361370768478?hash=item542360545e

I really wonder why they are not available here. Maybe fear of injuries (read: lawsuit) by a kicked up stone?

I’ve been hit a few times with parts coming off this type of blade. Feels like being hit with a paintball at close range and does leave a mark! Think my next purchase will be the full helmet and face shield. I feel like I have been lucky so far…

 

[ANewSawyer]

Just recently purchased: http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=838

 

[Oregon_Rob]

Just recently purchased: http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=838

Have you used it much? Review?

 

[ANewSawyer]

I have the forestry helmet already so I pulled the visor out of the box and put it on my forestry helmet. The visor is huge! Mush bigger than the mesh screen on the forestry helmet. When I look down, the plastic visor hits my chest before my head stops tilting. I have only used it once, and it did fine. I haven't tried to cut with my airecut and the new visor. That will be the test. I did see a lot of grass on the visor. Keeps poison ivy off my face.

I want to save the other helmet for when I am cutting trees. As far as I know it is the same forestry helmet I have used for the past 2+ years just in white. I know plastic helmets degrade so I no longer use the forestry helmet to protect from knocks. I am saving the construction helmet for that.