Brush Cutters...

Todd W · May 23, 2009

Anyone own a brush cutter like the Husqvarna 235FR?

Now that the heat is here, and no more rain, waist high brush, weeds, etc has sprung up in <2 weeks.

I have approx. 2 acres of sporadically grown weeds, tiny shrubs, even some black berry bushes.

The "homeowner" trimmers sold @ box stores are not cutting it (lol).

Anyone know if the Husqvarna 235FR is strapped to the back for support ? I know their bigger one is but I can't seem to find info on this one in that regard.

Thanks!
-Todd

pdqdl · May 23, 2009

You won't be able to use that properly without the harness. Bicycle bars need a 3rd suspension point to control. That unit comes with an OEM harness, as listed in the spec's. That should be a good brush cutter with lots of power.

Throw away the saw blade after you dull it. (That should take all of 5 minutes). The best blades for cutting brush are 4 tooth design, and work more like spinning hatchets than a saw blade. You can hack down 4" trees with them, but the real advantage is that they hit underbrush with a loud PING, and then it is cut off. The saw gets easily pinched in the cut, and then you just burn up the clutch.

Stihl makes several similar units, as do other makers. My company uses Maruyama brush cutters. Excellent machines, they have the best warranty and an exceptional harness to work out of. Not many dealers for them, though.

They used to demonstrate how tough their shafts were by taking a brand new machine, setting it on the ground, and then jumping up and down on it. Unfortunately, that type of aircraft aluminum shaft is discontinued.

http://www.maruyama-us.com/products/default.aspx?id=214

Todd W · May 23, 2009

pdqdl said:
You won't be able to use that properly without the harness. Bicycle bars need a 3rd suspension point to control. That unit comes with an OEM harness, as listed in the spec's. That should be a good brush cutter with lots of power.

Throw away the saw blade after you dull it. (That should take all of 5 minutes). The best blades for cutting brush are 4 tooth design, and work more like spinning hatchets than a saw blade. You can hack down 4" trees with them, but the real advantage is that they hit underbrush with a loud PING, and then it is cut off. The saw gets easily pinched in the cut, and then you just burn up the clutch.

Stihl makes several similar units, as do other makers. My company uses Maruyama brush cutters. Excellent machines, they have the best warranty and an exceptional harness to work out of. Not many dealers for them, though.

They used to demonstrate how tough their shafts were by taking a brand new machine, setting it on the ground, and then jumping up and down on it. Unfortunately, that type of aircraft aluminum shaft is discontinued.

http://www.maruyama-us.com/products/default.aspx?id=214

Thanks for the info.

Swamp Yankee · May 23, 2009

Have the Jonsered equivalent to the 235R, the GR2036

Works great. I use a Beaver Blade for most cutting. Handles anything 3 inches and under. You'll need to learn the angles as the blades are easy to pinch. Good news is the stuff is small enough to be easily moved to free the machine.

I also fit mine with a Trimmy Fix head. Use 9 inch lengths of good .155 dia. line. This makes an ideal set up for cleaning around stone walls where any blade or the plastic tri-heads are useless.

If you're going to be using it for long periods of time, like I did when we were cleaning up the range at the gun club, I strongly recommend upgrading the stock harness to one that also distributes weight to the hips. Much more comfortable.

Though you can, these machines are not the best for routine trimming after mowing. The handle bars are no where near as maneuverable as a standard D handle trimmer.

Hope this helps.

Take Care