Beaver blade "chainsaw" thickness

[brush]

I have searched and even called DR technical support to find out the thickness of the double blade with chainsaw "Beaver Blade" -
at the shaft/arbor- not the kerf/cut thickness
the reason being that some of the brushcutter shafts are barely long enough to handle even a single blade.

About to order a beaver blade to help with clearing four acres for an orchard planting . . .
Am I going to have to change or mod the left hand threaded flange nut or the washer to fit this on the brushcutter shaft ?

Anyone that has a beaver blade able to give me an idea of the thickness at the shaft/arbor ? . . . 1/8" ? or more ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lakeside53]

Bad idea for non-fixed machine applications. There was a thread on this and similar blades a month or two back.

 

[brush]

Bad idea for non-fixed machine applications. . . .

I sincerely appreciate the advice and will consider what you advise and search for the other threads . . .

But even the picture on the package shows it used "at the end of a stick" . . .

Some cheap brush cutter blades have reportedly chipped off bits and caused some injury (maybe incorrectly used) while the chainsaw type may have less kickback.

But I'll search for more info . . . thanks . . .
btw, check out this use of a brush cutter - in shorts - no eye protection - and he almost slips in the water near the end of the youtube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmwaXqcnvRo&feature=related

 

[CentaurG2]

I have never used a beaver blade but I have a lot of experience with the alternatives. Shindaiwa makes something called a Tornado Blade that uses sets of chainsaw teeth attached to the blade. I think they come in 6 and 12 tooth blades. They run smooth and sharpen like a standard chainsaw. My preferred brush blade is the redmax sst229. Teeth are just like chainsaw teeth, but are cut out of the blade so there is no chance of them flying off. Either way, this is a dangerous tool. Be sure your trimmer is qualified to run a brush blade. Four acres is a LOT to clear with a brush saw. If possible, try to get/rent a tractor mounted brush hog. If you need a new trimmer, the stihl fs130R or 250R with the bike handles is about the minimum I would recommend for a job this size.

 

[Lakeside53]

That picture is a bordering on a joke.. try it and you'll see why... Kick-back is wicked, and in a tree like that, binding is a bit?h.

Losing tips? real brush blades don't do that. Carbide tipped as per conventional saw blades are not for brush cutters.

Dig up the other thead. many opinons voiced.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

It's not much thicker than any other weed blade, at least the ones I have. The arbor hole is 25mm, but comes with an adapter to fit smaller 1" arbors.

Works like a champ but make sure you match the size of the blade you buy with the trimmer you're putting it on. My 32cc trimmer should have had the 8" beaver blade, but I had the 10 and it took 2 or 3 seconds to spool up properly. These things are a bit heavier than a weed blade.

Also, the bicycle handle is a must. Don't run one of these things with a ring handle. Lake is right about kickback... wicked.

Ian

 

[brush]

. . . Either way, this is a dangerous tool. Be sure your trimmer is qualified to run a brush blade. Four acres is a LOT to clear with a brush saw. If possible, try to get/rent a tractor mounted brush hog. . . .

It's not much thicker than any other weed blade, at least the ones I have. . . .
These things are a bit heavier than a weed blade.
. . . Lake is right about kickback... wicked.

Ian

I looked at the brush hog rental . . .
And while a small stand of about 30 smaller oaks remain -
- the old, huge 3 foot wide live oak and a dead oak I already chainsawed down near where the well was drilled -
this won't be used for that.

The rest is mostly thick, large - up to 7 foot pigtail and waterhemp weeds -
no trees or even saplings would be cut with this - it used to be a cornfield.

Still, this scares me much more than my chainsaw . . .
a wizzing blade at 10,000 rpm at the end of a stick . . .
with alot of leverage for any kickback if the blade gets caught.

I may feel safer with the chainsaw teeth and some slippage . . .

All the advice and comments greatly appreciated and looking more into your good suggestions and recommendations further.

 

[CentaurG2]

A trimmer/saw with the bike handles with a quality harness help lessen the danger of kickback. If the land cannot support a full size tractor, see if you can rent/buy a 21” brush hog on wheels. A billy goat outback, snapper/simplicity field and brush mower or an old BCS or gravely can go along way at helping you out. The 21” mowers have a lot of limitations but if the ground allows, they are usually better than a brush trimmer. Good Luck with your land reclamation.

 

[cuttinscott]

kick back is worse with a regular stamped brush blade

Lake have you ever used a beaver blade?? I HAVE and Had Sold Alot of these blades the design of them makes less kick back because they self clutch... when excessive contact is made to the blade the loop of chain will spin within the disk assembly. They are some of the smoothest cutting blades I have EVER USED just remember you need big power behind them if you use a 10" stamped blade now you will want a 9" BB if you use a 9" stamped blade you will need a 8" BB and so on. My problem is the company that made these got bought up the BB went to DR. Co. and the Weed Butcher Flail heads went to Oregon. By Far for a disk blade these have been the best I have used. Just make sure the brushcutter being used is up to the job ex. bike style handles. shoulder harness and enough power.




Scott

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I used mine in heavy chest high, reedy/woody stuff and on some smaller 1-2" saplings. Mowed the reeds down as fast as you could safely swing the trimmer. Small saplings up to one or two inchs only slowed it down a little.

What slows you down more than anything is the tall heavy stuff falling over on the trimmer. You have to back out of it and move cut stuff out of the way.

I loaned it out and they did some trenching with it. End of story.

Ian

 

[teacherman]

I used mine in heavy chest high, reedy/woody stuff and on some smaller 1-2" saplings. Mowed the reeds down as fast as you could safely swing the trimmer. Small saplings up to one or two inchs only slowed it down a little.

What slows you down more than anything is the tall heavy stuff falling over on the trimmer. You have to back out of it and move cut stuff out of the way.

I loaned it out and they did some trenching with it. End of story.

Ian

KInd of like my old Echo chainsaw/post-hole digger. MY neighbor used it to cut roots out of a post hole........ You should have seen the chain, it had small round nubs. He is still my neighbor, and I believe he now uses a MS 390 to dig his post holes....we still laugh about it sometimes.

 

[Lakeside53]

I have used these on both weedeaters and as wood carvers on angle grinders, and never seen one "self clutch". If that's the safety mechanisum, good grief... ever seen one that wasn't crusted with carp after the first use? I've also used them on the DR machines.. For that use they are acceptable.


But you're right - all cutting blades kick back and they probably aren't much worse than any other type.

 

[AOD]

Man, that thing looks awesome! Imagine mowing down a hoarde of zombies with that!

Bring on the FS250!

 

[Frank Boyer]

You want to remove the roots to clear an area to plant. 4 acres by hand is a lot of work. A good sized loader/dozer will clear that in 4 hours or so. Beaver blades do work well.