Wanted Brush Cutter (Regarding my previous topic: 'Strimmer')

[Mikegtr]

Many thanks for all your the advice on my previous thread: 'Strimmer'. Due to the advice given I need a brush cutter--not a strimmer, mainly ground elder / thistles / brambles. A strimmer not powerful enough. I am not a pro gardener--our garden about the size of a tennis court.
My question is: There is a big choice of brush cutters out there to choose from. Recommendations of make?

 

[imageel]

Take a look on eBay 2nd hand Stihls are good and most can take a brush cutter blade as opposed just nylon twine.
I bought an ex authority one from a dealer in Wales a few years back and it is still going strong and from memory under £200

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

W

 

[Jacob]

Scythe. Shorter and heavier blades available for brush cutting.
They are highly effective
A Quick Start Guide to the Scythe
https://scythesupply.com/bushscytheinstructions.htmlJust given my spare one to my son in law!

 

[clogs]

really depends on how much u have cut.....area......
plus does it have small tree's n bushes or just heavy grass and brambles.....
all makes a difference.....

 

[SLM]

If I we’re buying now, I’d get one of the Makita battery powered ones, as I have the batteries already.

However I’ve been very happy with my Husqvarna petrol brush cutter. It’s made short work of everything I’ve thrown at it. It’s in need of a tune up now, but it has always run well.

I’m going to sell it, as I no longer have need for a big machine.

 

[ian33a]

I have a petrol Husqvarna 525. It works well. As to the need for petrol - it all depends upon how much work it needs to do and how far from a 13A socket you are.

 

[emjaiar]

For anyone who’s got or thinking of getting a petrol garden tool, try using Aspen fuel. It looks expensive but will easily save money on equipment servicing. Cannot recommend it highly enough

 

[recipio]

The U shaped handles are pretty much essential for all brush cutters although they have a sling as well of course. I have the Makita twin 18 v brush cutter and can get about 30 mins out of a charge. You are trading off power for convenience with cordless tools. It's easy to buy cheapish batteries but I have bought complete duds off Amazon and guess what - they don't want them back. !

 

[Stigmorgan]

FS 240 C-E Petrol Brushcutter - Powerful brushcutter with bike handle, for agricultural and horticultural work I have this one at work but when we bought it a few years ago it was half the price shown on their site and came with a harness and blade attachment, I absolutely love it, a tank of fuel lasts just over an hour on average.

 

[Jacob]

FS 240 C-E Petrol Brushcutter - Powerful brushcutter with bike handle, for agricultural and horticultural work I have this one at work but when we bought it a few years ago it was half the price shown on their site and came with a harness and blade attachment, I absolutely love it, a tank of fuel lasts just over an hour on average.

£700
Brush scythe costs about £70. Bit more for heavy brush shorter blade. Faster than a strimmer, zero running costs, last for life, keeps you fit.

 

[aet1]

Your strimmer post said you have a small garden? Would a mains brush cutter do (mind the cable!). I have to go for cheap, the petrol one I had when I was able to buy such things was stolen so I have a Von Haus mains one. It has a metal blade or change for a line, cuts through brambles and 12mm saplings, of course it's noisy by but not as noisy as a petrol one and starts first go with no pulling, it's also lighter.

 

[Inspector]

Have you thought about renting one for the first go around? Presumably after cutting it all down and cleaning up you should be able to stay on top of it with a strimmer, Jacob's scythe or go developing world on your seat/knees with a machete.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

Have you thought about renting one for the first go around? Presumably after cutting it all down and cleaning up you should be able to stay on top of it with a strimmer, Jacob's scythe or go developing world on your seat/knees with a machete.

Pete

Scythe would do it first time around! There's been a revival in scythe use lately e.g. Scythe Cymru - Scythe Cymru
Mine actually was my granpops but my dad bought the shorter brush blade about 1960 I guess. Still going strong 3 generations on. Also a pleasure to use especially on a sunny day in May/June when the weeds and brambles are at their finest, with your shirt off like Poldark!

 

[Lons]

Used my Stihl strimmer today, the nylon cord needed so took the brush blade off, it's part of a combi setup and a pleasure to use. Starts first time, powerful and makes light work of the thickest nettles and weeds. I have hedging all round the field so can't use the brush cutter in case I damage the hawthorn.

 

[Inspector]

Scythe would do it first time around! There's been a revival in scythe use lately e.g. Scythe Cymru - Scythe Cymru
Mine actually was my granpops but my dad bought the shorter brush blade about 1960 I guess. Still going strong 3 generations on. Also a pleasure to use especially on a sunny day in May/June when the weeds and brambles are at their finest, with your shirt off like Poldark!

I have a scythe for grass and watched my father cut 5 acres of hay after work as a kid to put up for the horses. He also said the scythes they used in Denmark had lightweight wooden racks on them to lay the rye and oats in a pile with each stroke that the women would follow, bundle and tie for thrashing later. There being half a dozen or more of them with scythes in a staggered line as they worked across a field. Strimmer works better along fences with sheep fencing etc to the ground and around obstacles, like rocks, especially when the space is confined so they get more use by me than the scythe. I was only offering advice to the OP along the lines of what he was asking rather than sell him on the old school ways.

Pete

 

[squib]

+1 for the scythe, I have a lovely old heavy UK scythe which cuts beautifully but is quite hard work as a non pro.
But I bought an European one similar to Jacobs link to the Alpine one in an Italian boot sale and it is fantastic. I can use it for an hour without any effort,now anyway, and I love sharpening and peening the blade, I have a couple of different blades.
I cut quite an area of bracken on the common, but with the scythe there is no noise,no fuel, no chord that keeps fouling and no fumes it gives me pleasure doing something that connects me to previous generations and to the soil.
I do however have a couple of brush cutters which are excellent for around rocks and wire fences and does a reasonable job whist wearing silly clothes and I never find the labour satisfying although of course the result can be.

 

[Jacob]

+1 for the scythe, I have a lovely old heavy UK scythe which cuts beautifully but is quite hard work as a non pro.
But I bought an European one similar to Jacobs link to the Alpine one in an Italian boot sale and it is fantastic. I can use it for an hour without any effort,now anyway, and I love sharpening and peening the blade, I have a couple of different blades.
I cut quite an area of bracken on the common, but with the scythe there is no noise,no fuel, no chord that keeps fouling and no fumes it gives me pleasure doing something that connects me to previous generations and to the soil.
I do however have a couple of brush cutters which are excellent for around rocks and wire fences and does a reasonable job whist wearing silly clothes and I never find the labour satisfying although of course the result can be.

One of the less obvious advantages of a scythe is that if weeds are non woody like bracken, cow parsley, thistles, brambles etc; the bigger they are the easier and faster they are to cut.
Woody stuff OK if not too thick, and with shorter heavier blade.
Grass is hardest and needs long razor-sharp blade and a good action.

 

[Herr Nilsson]

I bought the corded ‘Bosch AFS 23-37’ 18 months ago, which has proven to be very robust as it’s equivalent to 1.3hp.

Details:-
950W
Brush Cutting diameter (metal blade):23cm
Cutting diameter (nylon line):37cm
Spool:3.5 mm
Extra-strong line:10pcs x Ø 3.5 mm
Weight:5.3 kg
Currently on eBay for £127.50, OR ‘Lawson-HIS’ for £118, which is an excellent price IMO.

 

[Mikegtr]

Many thanks for all your replies--much appreciated.