brush cutters

[bman]

Got about 4 acres of steep slope to clear of black berry vines mostly but also some poison oak, scotch broom and other assorted brush up to about 1" diameter but as I stated its predominately black berry. What would you suggest to clear such a sloped property? I am thinking a brush saw as its too steep and populated by dead falls and standing timber to back my 8N and brush hog up the slope. What would be a good size brush saw to clear and maintain such a tract? Thnx bman

 

[alderman]

Look at Shindaiwa

I've got a Shindaiwa C-35 and a BP-35 that I use around my place which sounds a lot like the property you describe. The C-35 has served me well for 20 years and the BP-35 has yet to be really tested as I recently picked it up off an e-bay auction. I think the BP-35 will prove to be a better set up for the steep hills as the power unit sits on your back like a backpack and the cutter shaft is lighter than moving the regular straight shaft model. Shindaiwa also makes larger models.

I've got decent Shindaiwa dealers nearby and the few parts I have needed have been readily available.

You are likely to get lots of advise from folks on here who have much more knowledge than I do on these matters, but my Shindaiwa equipment has served me well for many years so I recommend it easily.

Just my two cents worth

 

[rxe]

How big are you, and how much time do you have? I fought a similar sized area with a Stihl FS120 for years - took several hours, much cursing and I was dead at the end of it. I borrowed an FS550 (big brute, very heavy) off a friend, and it just ripped through it. So it took about half the time, less cursing (more grinning ), though I was still dead at the end of it. If find the hooked blade the most impressive - though it probably won't deal with 1" thick trees.

If you are big/strong, and can carry a big strimmer for a few hours, then I'd recommend one. With a harness, they carry pretty easily.

 

[ky-homelite]

Stihl 250 with a brush blade would work fine. Not too heavy and has plenty of power. Switch over to string to maintain after you get all the growth cut down and manageable.

 

[logbutcher]

Stihl FS110

Get a real brushcutter recommended by the other posts. Two shoulder harness, handlebars, and a blade that will do up to 1" brush.
Our 21 year Stihl FS85 died last year and was reborn as a FS110 (~ $350.), a mid-range "pro" model . It's a "2 cycle AND 4 cycle" hybrid with enough power without the weight to do hours of fir and spruce saplings up to 1.5", and thick blackberry and rasberry vines that spread after logging patch cuts. Very smooth running. I use a four edged blade that's easy to sharpen when you hit rocks :bang: .
Any heavy use brushcutter is good for the body; you'll be breathing hard particularly on uneven ground or hills. Almost as good as a run, but it builds the upper body also . You do want to look good ?:biggrinbounce2: .
Don't forget the PPE, that blade is deadly.

 

[rxe]

Another thought, though I'm sorry, this does not involve cutting machinery. Once you have cut it back, hit it with weedkiller. In the UK we have something called "Grazeon" which nukes everything apart from grass (Graze-on...geddit?). Killing the blackberries before they start is a lot easier than cutting them back.

I suppose you could buy a mister if you are looking for an excuse to get some machinery....

 

[Edge & Engine]

Shindaiwa makes the best trimmers & brushcutters on the market.

4 acres is a lot to keep clear with a brushcutter though!

 

[Moss_2152]

I have a Honda Brush Cutter. Put a Stihl blade on it, and we really put it through some hell maintaining about 7-8 km's of Old winter logging roads where we moose hunt. Its a 35cc 4 stroke, and what I like about it, is its much quiter, and alot less vibration than the 2 stroke model's. It also is not as thirsty as the 2 stroke model's. I have easily cut through some popular or Spruce the size of my wrist with it, haven't really tried hardwood that big.

We have another older 2 stroke, and the Honda keeps up when we are working.

The reason I went with the Honda is that we can 2 of them for the price of 1 Stihl or Jonsered brusher.

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

Stihl 250 with a brush blade would work fine. Not too heavy and has plenty of power. Switch over to string to maintain after you get all the growth cut down and manageable.

I agree on the FS250. I have one and have used the brush knife a lot in blackberry vine, saw briers, wild roses, saplings, etc. It really excels at that type of work. I have the stihl shoulder harness and handlebar grips on mine.

 

[Timberhauler]

I've got a FS250 Stihl and a FS90..As far as I'm concerned no one else even makes trimmers or brush cutters.

 

[XJWoody]

I'll pile on the FS 250 bandwagon... Like Scoutmaster Rick says, you'll want one with the bike bars.

While I really like my FS360 (slightly smaller engine than a 550, but a similar chassis) it's pretty overkill for much of my needs. And kinda heavy. A lighter weight model like the 250 or a 4-mix 130 would be perfect.

The 360 (or 550) makes a great part of a 'three trimmer plan' : FS80 loop handle with string head for weeds & grass, a FS250 bike bar with both a blade and a string head for most everything, and the FS360 with a chisel blade for big stuff.

 

[SAWITALL]

STIHL FS250 will do anything that you ask it to do.

 

[bman]

Thanks Guys

OK sounds like a lot of folks think highly of the stihl FS250. The only question I have is does that unit have enough guts to power through the black berrys without bogging down? As I have a lot of area to cover I am thinking I need something that I can "wand" back and forth without having to wait for the engine to catch up. I ask this as the other day I saw some southern visitors doing maintenance at the back of a commercial building with what looked like stihl trimmers (orange and white) on some modest black berrys along a fence and it was a constant "stall, rev, recover, stall" pattern. Those units sounded like some sort of 4 stroke (4 mix?) so maybe that was prob? They may have been using string and not blades also, I was too far away to tell.

 

[Lakeside53]

Rent some clearing goats. They love blackberry... and anything else.

 

[2dogs]

I owned a succesful brush clearing business for several years, still have the name but it has reevolved into tree work, and the advice you have received here is valid. We are suffering from broom here too. And blackberries and poison oak. My first suggestion is to mow with a tractor with a Seppi type mower. If the ground is too steep then goats are great though pricey. If you have to attack the vegetation with hand tools then I would go after the light stuff first using a brushcutter with plastic blades or a metal 3 prong blade. Don't hit the heavy stuff with the 3 sided blade as you will ruin the machine. The shaft can break or you can blow out the gearhead. If you can burn there then a helper to swamp for you and burn behind you works well. You need a hot fire to burn green vegetation.

Once you have cut the light stuff then go back with a chainsaw or a brushcutter with a sawblade and stop. You must use bike handles with a saw blade and stop. You will do lots or sharpening for either one. Broom seeds can live for 30-40 years so maintenance will be needed each spring. If you go in early you could do the entire area with a string trimmer and/or an herbicide.

4 acres is a big area to clear by hand so if a tractor can do the work then take that route first.

 

[wood4heat]

I have a Honda Brush Cutter. Put a Stihl blade on it, and we really put it through some hell maintaining about 7-8 km's of Old winter logging roads where we moose hunt. Its a 35cc 4 stroke, and what I like about it, is its much quiter, and alot less vibration than the 2 stroke model's. It also is not as thirsty as the 2 stroke model's. I have easily cut through some popular or Spruce the size of my wrist with it, haven't really tried hardwood that big.

We have another older 2 stroke, and the Honda keeps up when we are working.

The reason I went with the Honda is that we can 2 of them for the price of 1 Stihl or Jonsered brusher.

+1 for the Honda. I got one in '98 and have used it on black berries quite a bit, power hasn't been a problem. I've never done more than an oil change each spring and it still starts first or second pull and runs smooth and quiet. Come to think of it I've never even changed the plug, think I'll put that on my list. Only problem with any of my Honda's is they're so reliable you can get caught taking them for granted.

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

...The only question I have is does that unit have enough guts to power through the black berrys without bogging down?

An FS250 with a brush knife blade will go through blackberrys like a hot knife through butter. I have gone through tree saplings, privet, and wild rose bushes as large as my thumb without any trouble. Stuff like blackberrys and saw briers are no strain at all.

 

[Podaltura]

I have these, but not avaliable in USA. Zed Max-Zenoah have different products in Europe.

 

[tree_beard]

fs400 with three bladed brushknife....

1-2 acres of 5foot high impenetrable bramble (blackberry)

1 days work

all good fun...

 

[computeruser]

I've been running an FS200 (same HP as FS250, smaller non-EPA engine) with a tri-blade and it is more than capable of working through blackberries, grapevines, and other such stuff. It is even happy up to 1" in fresh Ailanthus. I haven't had to swap the saw blade on yet, as the tri-blade has been perfectly adequate.

I also have a walk-behind Billygoat brushcutter, and if you weren't working on a super steep slope I would suggest prepping the open parts of the area with something like that. If that won't work, an FS250 should be capable of working through the stuff you've got. Maybe make one trip through with the tri-blade and then go back with a saw blade installed (or with a saw) for the larger stuff.