 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I hate cutting hedges.
I have an electric hedge cutter which seems to weigh a ton and is a pain to use because of the extension cables etc. plus doing the top of a 6' hedge hurts.
I'm considering getting a s/h petrol long reach trimmer (Stihl HL100K) - are these better and will it make cutting the hedges easier?
Aldi have petrol ones in today. Looked ok to me. If i was buying again it would be petrol, gave our electric one away for the same reasons you have and eventually got rid of the bushes.
Hmmmm, I've had cheap stuff before and it was false economy for me. My strimmer and chainsaw are both Stihl and not had any issues.
They'd be better for me as I cut through the cable most times I use mine 🙂
Short length privit or similar a good electric is fine
The long reach pole stihls are a world apart. I can happily swing one all day cutting high hedges without a ladder
Your not so much swinging as using their own weight to let them pivot , i have an hs75 at home and your very much moving that throw its stroke entirely with your arms.
With the long pole be sure to keep the shaft greased propperly. - surprisingly short intervals on the pole.
I used to trim hedges during an inbetween jobs phase.
Getting the pole trimmer was worth fighting for.
Problem is you start looking for more stuff to trim 😀
I've got 180m of mixed hedging, much of it 2.2m high. I persevered with an electric trimmer for a few years until the final one burst in to flames in my hands. the grease combined with stray leaf dust ignited. I went out and bought a Stihl HS86R.
It makes short work of the hedge now, a lot quicker, but the time spent cleaning up is just the same. But it's no easier. It's a lot heavier than an electric, I still have to use a platform to reach the tops. I've used a pole trimmer and as above you tend to swing it from the harness, so the weight is hanging from your shoulders rather than from your arms. It was easier to use my trimmer to do the tops, because once it's up there you can take short rests by putting it on the hedge, and the blade length is a lot longer so you're cutting more with each stroke.
In short a good petrol trimmer is quicker but no less hard work. I'm still knackered after doing the hedges, but I've got more time to be knackered in.
I always got given the petrol cutter at work because I had a habit of cutting the cable on the electric ones 😳
petrol
I like shindaiwa.
Also, depend on how much hedge you got to cut or constantly trim . 600feet plus, circa 10ft tall for me.
I hate cutting hedges.
Don't forget you can get really good cordless electric hedge cutter now. I just got the professional grade sthil one and the long reach too. Lighter and less vibes than petrol and so much quieter and no fumes in your face so generally less tiring.
Cordless electric for the win, after the p#ssing about I've done today on the petrol lawnmower trying to get that running to no avail I'd go new tech battery power!
Well an update on this is that I've bought a used Stihl HL75 - my god what a difference, so much quicker and no [s]bloody[/s] cable!
I will still hate cutting hedges (until the clippings collect themselves) but it's now a bit more bearable.
I have three: a cordless electric Bosch, a petrol Echo and a no name pole. All have the uses but the electric ones is great for trimming, the petrol for the yearly cut back and yew, and the pole for the six foot wide mixed hedge, if I failed to collar the farmer to do it with his tractor, and the tops of the high yew.