Clearing Weeds and Light Brush

[CaptainCarp]

Hello,

Joined this site today to see if anyone could tell me if a "perfect" tool exists that can help me in my yearly winter / spring weed and light brush cleaning?

I've attached pictures representative of quite a few areas that I try to take down to ground level (and lightly rake clean) before new growth starts.



In the past, I've used my Echo SRM-260 with an 8 point brush blade, or just left the string head on and used bypass lopper for the bigger stuff.
It works, but fairly often dirt / rocks / leaves / stuff gets flung around everywhere and every once in a while, I have to "unwind" stalks that get wrapped around the head.

I recently ran across some info about using an articulating head hedge trimmer for this purpose.
While I do have a cheap Black Decker 20V one, it is quite head heavy, and with an 18" long bar probably a bit too long / unwieldy for the task but will try it out once it gets a little warmer and see how it goes.
Guess I could also try my handheld 20V 20" hedge trimmer and see how it goes, but being bent over for hours isn't too appealing.
I tried searching for something like a mini (6" - 10") articulating pole hedge trimmer but only could find mini handheld hedge trimmers (e.g., Makita XMU04ZX).

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you

 

[gggGary]

Following;
was just out in the back with an FS130 and

It works but would like better.
I'm kinda bought in to the M18 battery/tools.
So thinking along this line.

 

[BeatCJ]

Still makes a hedge trimmer attachment for it's Kombi line. The angle between shaft and cutting head is adjustable. It is a fairly heavy unit, but is about the best tools going for cutting briars I have used. I think it's a lot better than any kind of saw blade. They one we have at work doesn't have any kind of shoulder harness, I am sure that would make doing much work with it much more pleasant.

 

[Mad Professor]

A beat up lawnmower will take that down. Look on CL for "free". Raise the deck up.

 

[GenXer]

I have a brush shredder on my spacing saw for stuff like that.

My saw is a bit bigger though.

 

[J D]

I have a brush shredder on my spacing saw for stuff like that.

My saw is a bit bigger though.

Care to elaborate... not sure what either the "brush shredder" or "spacing saw" is, but it sounds interesting

 

[GenXer]

Care to elaborate... not sure what either the "brush shredder" or "spacing saw" is, but it sounds interesting

https://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-t...ools/21223-63713/ShredCut-Shredder-blade.aspx

And I have an FS560C for a saw.

 

[Bill G]

I have a Stihl FS130, F350, and FS550. I will tell you from real life experience I prefer clearing small stuuf with the FS130. I am not a fan of the lower RPM but it gets the job done and at the end of the day at the fire who cares.

 

[Bill G]

https://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-t...ools/21223-63713/ShredCut-Shredder-blade.aspx

And I have an FS560C for a saw.

How do do like the 560? I just cannot get a decent balance on most.

 

[J D]

https://www.stihl.com/STIHL-power-t...ools/21223-63713/ShredCut-Shredder-blade.aspx

And I have an FS560C for a saw.

We tend to refer to those as brush/scrub cutters.
I'd love to give one of those blades a whirl (sorry, bad pun intended)... wonder if the old Oleo-Mac 746T would be up to the task

 

[GenXer]

How do do like the 560? I just cannot get a decent balance on most.

It's big and heavy. I'm tall myself, so the added length of the shaft is good for me, it seems to balance out good for me. I have around 5 different blades for it, even got the whipper snipper head for it, with the HD square type string. **** goes flying with that head on.

 

[Bill G]

It's big and heavy. I'm tall myself, so the added length of the shaft is good for me, it seems to balance out good for me. I have around 5 different blades for it, even got the whipper snipper head for it, with the HD square type string. **** goes flying with that head on.

I have never ran a 560 but my 350 and 550 I just cannot seem to balance. I fully understand that is a personal issue not an issue with Stihl....... I am just a short cranky ole bass turd....

Let me tell ya folks when the 550 is rolling she is rolling It is a helluva machine and I mean that in a good way

 

[capetrees]

Hello,

Joined this site today to see if anyone could tell me if a "perfect" tool exists that can help me in my yearly winter / spring weed and light brush cleaning?

I've attached pictures representative of quite a few areas that I try to take down to ground level (and lightly rake clean) before new growth starts.

View attachment 1140654 View attachment 1140655

In the past, I've used my Echo SRM-260 with an 8 point brush blade, or just left the string head on and used bypass lopper for the bigger stuff.
It works, but fairly often dirt / rocks / leaves / stuff gets flung around everywhere and every once in a while, I have to "unwind" stalks that get wrapped around the head.

I recently ran across some info about using an articulating head hedge trimmer for this purpose.
While I do have a cheap Black Decker 20V one, it is quite head heavy, and with an 18" long bar probably a bit too long / unwieldy for the task but will try it out once it gets a little warmer and see how it goes.
Guess I could also try my handheld 20V 20" hedge trimmer and see how it goes, but being bent over for hours isn't too appealing.
I tried searching for something like a mini (6" - 10") articulating pole hedge trimmer but only could find mini handheld hedge trimmers (e.g., Makita XMU04ZX).

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you

rent or borrow a mulching mower like a Billy Goat or a DR mower and then keep it low by cutting more often with a simple weed wacker.

 

[GenXer]

I have never ran a 560 but my 350 and 550 I just cannot seem to balance. I fully understand that is a personal issue not an issue with Stihl....... I am just a short cranky ole bass turd....

Let me tell ya folks when the 550 is rolling she is rolling It is a helluva machine and I mean that in a good way

With 57cc's what mine doesn't cut, it burns it's way through.

 

[kenmbz]

I have a Stihl FS110 with bicycle handles and a Renegade blade.
I have used it to take out acres of brush up to 2"
Light enough to go a few hours straight.
Cuts through autumn olive and berry brambles just fine.

Pole saw for the bigger stuff.

 

[fields_mj]

If you have a straight shaft string trimmer that's at least 30cc, I'd recommend the Forester 9" brush blade. It will zip through a 2" sapling in about as long as it takes to blink. Speaking from experience, they DO NOT hold up well when they come in contact with a steel T post though...

https://www.amazon.com/Forester-Cha...F2Us55NNCgmWTOUq_YUq5eQzzjgaAvhPEALw_wcB&th=1
There is a smaller 7" version as well. I presume they are a better choice for smaller CC trimmers.

 

[cookies]

I'd use fire

 

[dboyd351]

I use an articulating hedgetrimmer with adjustable head and like that much better than any saw blade.
Rigging up a shoulder harness helps greatly with the weight
Mine is a Tanaka dedicated unit, not combi style.

 

[telecasterfool]

I use a Ryobi Expand-it 8 inch brush cutter head. It's a three lobed cutter. I have a 2 cycle power head and a 40v power head.

I think it depends on if you have rocks/logs hidden within the weeds, and how large the area is.

A bush hog type string trimmer is good for rocks and logs, etc. if it's a big area, a flail (sp?) and tractor is the way. good luck.

 

[computeruser]

SRM-260 and the 8" chisel tooth blade (here, one from Stihl: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/trimmer-heads-and-blades/circularchisel/) will do fine on that and it is easy to sharpen yourself. I have an SRM-260 I converted to a PAS and run that particular blade on it just fine for smaller stuff (1.5" on down). For bigger stuff my SRM-410u gets used with a 9" Oregon Maxi blade.

With a bit more engine (35cc+), a tri-blade would be effective in getting the stuff down if you do not need to cut through actual trunks. Ditto the shredder-type blade. I used to run a Stihl FS-200 with the tri-blade and it was super effective on that kind of brush.