How To Cut Hedge

[rastanesta]

Ok guys help me out. I keep dulling my chains on hedge, especially the older dead branches. I have looked at posts on here thinking maybe carbide chain would help, but unsure now.

What can I do other than replace/resharpen my chains. One guy told me to wait until it is freezing cold outside and then cut it. I don't think that will help the dead branches. Guess I could just burn the whole freakin' tree down?!

Thanks!

 

[Doctor Dave]

Ok guys help me out. I keep dulling my chains on hedge, especially the older dead branches. I have looked at posts on here thinking maybe carbide chain would help, but unsure now.

What can I do other than replace/resharpen my chains. One guy told me to wait until it is freezing cold outside and then cut it. I don't think that will help the dead branches. Guess I could just burn the whole freakin' tree down?!

Thanks!

Maybe you're hitting metal and rocks? Farmers like to toss crap out of their fields into hedgerows. I was 30 ft. up a pine limbing deadwood and almost stuck my bar into a coil of rusty fencewire someone had thrown up there, that the tree had grown around (WTF!).

Question: do the branches of a tree move up as it increases in height?

 

[sawinredneck]

Ok guys help me out. I keep dulling my chains on hedge, especially the older dead branches. I have looked at posts on here thinking maybe carbide chain would help, but unsure now.

What can I do other than replace/resharpen my chains. One guy told me to wait until it is freezing cold outside and then cut it. I don't think that will help the dead branches. Guess I could just burn the whole freakin' tree down?!

Thanks!

Cutting when it's cold won't make any diff., the older and more seasoned hedge is, the harder it is, i it gets near dusk, or an overcast day, you will see sparks coming off the bar and chain!! The carbide chains are VERY VERY expensive!! I looked at the inject-a-sharp chains myself, diamond impregnated, put still pricey. Try a semichiesel, or chipper style chain, supposed to work better. The best thing I can tell you is the greener you cut it, the better off you are!! And yes, I do cut it, it's all I will burn at home!! You think cutting it is bad, just wait till you go to split the stuff!!!
Good luck,
Andy

 

[SmokinDodge]

I've cut my fair share of it and Andy is correct ya gotta cut it green. It is harder than iron it seems sometimes. I file my chain at every fill up and some times that still isn't fast enough. There is no good way to cut those old black limbs other than with a chain you don't like.

I've seen the sparks coming off the bar as well, I thought it was just me!

 

[Adkpk]

Excuse me here a moment, but what is Hedge? Obviously your not talking about privet hedge or something.

 

[sawinredneck]

Osage Orange
Andy

 

[Bermie]

Question: do the branches of a tree move up as it increases in height?

No they don't.
VERY simply - the tree grows up from the tip(s) of the main stem(s), branches, once they are formed/located on the trunk remain in that position, upward growth continues at the apex of the tree.
Does that help?

 

[Doctor Dave]

No they don't.
VERY simply - the tree grows up from the tip(s) of the main stem(s), branches, once they are formed/located on the trunk remain in that position, upward growth continues at the apex of the tree.
Does that help?

Gotcha!

I was just pretending to be clueless. Funny thing, if you ask high school students the same question, maybe 25% think that they DO move up the tree. An even greater percent believe that most of the weight of a tree as it increases in size (not counting water) comes from the ground.

 

[rastanesta]

thanks guys

i appreciate the quick replies on here. that's what i was afraid of. guess i'll just have to keep em sharp or make that the last thing i cut on for the day. it dulls them really fast.

yes, osage orange, also heard it called iron wood. we just call them hedge here, with the hedge apples. yellowish green inside, thorny, hot burning, i want to add worthless to the adjectives, but i'm sure that would offend someone...

i've had them grind off the safety things on my chains, when i have them sharpened, which is so much nicer than the regular chains. that just means i dull them faster though- LOL

what do you mean by the chisel? should i have them sharpened different or use a different type of chain? thanks!!

 

[sawinredneck]

Now we are getting somewhere!
What saw are you using? Where do you buy you're chain at? How big of wood are you cutting and how long is you're bar?

Yes cheisel is a grind of chain, you are better off buying it than trying to make it. If you have a Stihl dealer (I can hear it already) take a loop of you're chain to them and get some RSC style chain. It is way different than what you are used to, but easy enough to learn to file, it is still round. DO NOT BUY sqaure filed chain for hedge, way to hard to sharpen for as often as you will have to sharpen it, stick with the round file chain. If they don't have the RSC the RM will work, just not as well, do not get the RM2, they will try and sell it to you, just say no!! It's my personal belief that Oregon chain is way too soft for hedge.
Hope this helps a little more.
Andy

 

[rastanesta]

such good info

thanks again!
i get to learn something today!

i use poulan pro saws- no laughing. they work ok for my homeowner type use on my 8 acres. i've got an 18" and a 20". mostly poulan packaged chain, not sure who makes it for them. i did just buy an oregon chain at lowes yesterday- looks like i better take that back.

i usually just have them sharpened, but i did buy a couple files today to see if i can keep cutting this crap for a while.

i looked at huskies and stihls today, but can't see spending 3-400 bucks on another saw for what i'm doing.

i really appreciate the info, i'll see if i can find some better chain from the stihl dealer.

eric

 

[sawinredneck]

That helped even more! I won't laugh, my dad used them for a couple years after he bunt up his Stihl, before I introduced him to the Husky 350. And he got tiered of burning up Wildthings, 2 a season. That is Oregon chain, if you can't get Stihl chain, get with one of the sponsers here and get some GB or Carlton chain, Baileys and NWCS should be able to help there
The other thing to wonder about/look for, is the person sharpening you're chain burning them? Are there large burrs on the cutters? The cutters turned blue? If yes to either, don't take them back there!! That softens the cutter and you will never get it to hold a good edge again. We have a guy around here with a CNC grinder, computer controlled, little more expensive, but they were like factory chains when done! I now sharpen my own, I have to many saws and can't wit for the turnaround time, but I miss his chains I must say! Something to look for maybe? For giggles, i you can afford it, try you're new chain vs. one that was just sharpened, I think you will find they weren't ground right, the new one will cut like butter for a half cord or so.
Just some things to try. I thought some of the others would have chimed in by now, anyone?
Andy

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im just going to throw this out there.......



What about renting one of them rescue saws thet the FD uses?


That should cut it pretty good.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im just going to throw this out there.......



What about renting one of them rescue saws thet the FD uses?


That should cut it pretty good.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[sawinredneck]

And we have a suggestion!
Andy

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Two of them actually, dont know why that keeps happening to me.

 

[rastanesta]

FD saw

I was under the impression that the roof saws the f.d.'s use are carbide chain. that would put me back to the same problems with carbide, unless it acutally is good to use on this type of wood.

then i can let the cost and sharpening part fall on the renter. i would probably rent the saw with the dull chain, that the guy at the rental store doesn't want to pay to have sharpened.

anyone have access to TNT? i'll just blow them up and out of the ground and burn them on site. LOL :deadhorse:

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im thinking of the type with the wheel.



Allmost like a concrete saw but with a different type of blade.

 

[rastanesta]

got ya

the k12 saw or whatever it is called. that could work. they are sort of awkward and heavy to work with. guess i could drop the tree with my saw, then section it up with that one....

thanks for the idea, may have to try it.