Brush Cutter Suggestions?

[SweetErika]

Our weed trimmer is on the fritz, and we really need something that'll chop through good-sized blackberry bushes and stuff, anyway. However, we have no experience with brush cutters (or even other trimmers), and don't have the long-term need or budget for a heavy-duty brush mower. Basically, we just need to clear a smallish thicket and then keep it up, as well as do some other trimming.

Do you have any suggestions for good, fairly inexpensive brush cutters (that can also hopefully be used to trim grass and weeds after the brush is cleared)?

 

[OzoneRed]

There are lawn trimmers available which can double as brush cutters. The one I have has 4 interchangable heads: a string-type lawn trimmer, a blade for light brush or heavy weeds, another blade for heavy brush (looks like a circular saw blade), and a blade for edging. It was made by Homelite, I don't know the model number, but it's 12 years old so it's probably out of production anyway.

Such units are not cheap. Aside from the cost of the extra heads, the motor has to be powerful enough to run the brush cutters, more powerful than what's needed for simple lawn trimming.

Depending on how much brush you need to clear, and how often, consider buying a simple lawn trimmer, and renting a brush cutter for a day.

 

[OzoneRed]

Double post

 

[SweetErika]

On your suggestion, I took a quick look at renting, and I'm not sure if that'll be a cost-effective or possible solution for us. We might as well try to borrow or buy a multitasking trimmer because we anticipate needing to do at least some heavy weed-whacking for a couple of years, and the rental costs around here for even smaller tools like that are rather ridiculous. We could rent a full brush-hog, but running that around the thicket may be tricky (there are some huge rotted stumps and such in there), and at almost 300 pounds, we may very well not be able to get it into the area that needs tending. Well, maybe if we had a bunch of strong guys to help lift it up or something (I'm not sure where they'd come from, though!).

So, yeah, maybe a handheld trimmer/cutter that's under $350 or so? I've read for the kind of work we want to do, we'll want one that takes a metal blade, but I'm not sure if that's correct or not.

 

[twister947]

Do It Once, and Do It Right

I own a ranch, and have some experience with brush clearing.

Can you hire someone with a tractor and a Bush Hog? A trimmer that is heavy enough to take on honesttogawdnoshit brush is not going to be something you want to use for ordinary lawn maintenance.

 

[NippleMuncher]

I'd recommend an Echo string trimmer with either a blade or a flail head cutter on it. Something like that will take out those blackberries with ease. You will need a heavy duty cutter of some sort, as string won't hold up to the berry canes.
http://www.lawnmowershopwoodward.com/EchoDisplay.jpg

This is the head I'm talking about:
http://stringtrimmers.newlysale.com/amazon-images/31CrFyy-biL._SL190_SS200_.jpg

I'd also recommend a straight shaft rather than a bent shaft machine. The difference is that a straight shaft has a solid internal drive shaft and the bent ones use a cable that, in general, is not as strong or long lived. Straight shafts are heavier duty machines.

I've got a Stihl with flail head for brushy weed such as star thistle and it works great, but Stihl is overkill for the average property owner. The most important part of buying a machine is to make sure that it's of good quality that's worth the investment and that it be readily available in your area, which will mean that parts and service will be much MUCH easier.

Machines to stay away from - Anything with Ryobi on the label. Yardman and Yard Machines are also less than good. I'd recommend going to a mower shop that services lawn maintenance companies, as they will only carry good quality products. The brands generally carried by Home Depot and other consumer level stores is all pretty much garbage.

 

[Biker_Type]

I own a ranch, and have some experience with brush clearing.

Can you hire someone with a tractor and a Bush Hog? A trimmer that is heavy enough to take on honesttogawdnoshit brush is not going to be something you want to use for ordinary lawn maintenance.

+1, anything you might find at a 'box store' probably won't do the job you want. around thse parts you can get brush-hogging done fro $35-45 an hour usually with a 2 hour minimum. or you can spend $15-20,000 for a tractor and brush-hog of your own. i try to keep about 40ac cut to improve pasture and enhance deer hunting on the backside of our place.

 

[SweetErika]

I'd recommend an Echo string trimmer with either a blade or a flail head cutter on it. Something like that will take out those blackberries with ease. You will need a heavy duty cutter of some sort, as string won't hold up to the berry canes.
http://www.lawnmowershopwoodward.com/EchoDisplay.jpg

This is the head I'm talking about:
http://stringtrimmers.newlysale.com/amazon-images/31CrFyy-biL._SL190_SS200_.jpg

I'd also recommend a straight shaft rather than a bent shaft machine. The difference is that a straight shaft has a solid internal drive shaft and the bent ones use a cable that, in general, is not as strong or long lived. Straight shafts are heavier duty machines.

I've got a Stihl with flail head for brushy weed such as star thistle and it works great, but Stihl is overkill for the average property owner. The most important part of buying a machine is to make sure that it's of good quality that's worth the investment and that it be readily available in your area, which will mean that parts and service will be much MUCH easier.

Machines to stay away from - Anything with Ryobi on the label. Yardman and Yard Machines are also less than good. I'd recommend going to a mower shop that services lawn maintenance companies, as they will only carry good quality products. The brands generally carried by Home Depot and other consumer level stores is all pretty much garbage.

Good advice, thanks!

I think our local hardware store has Poulon and Echo, though the prices struck me as high compared to what I saw online. We have a Poulon Pro chainsaw that's fine, but I'm not wild about getting a trimmer in the same (not wildly popular) brand. If I can get free/cheap shipping, online will be the way to go to avoid our hefty sales tax, too.

+1, anything you might find at a 'box store' probably won't do the job you want. around thse parts you can get brush-hogging done fro $35-45 an hour usually with a 2 hour minimum. or you can spend $15-20,000 for a tractor and brush-hog of your own. i try to keep about 40ac cut to improve pasture and enhance deer hunting on the backside of our place.

Yeah, well we'd have to get permission from the city to go through its protected property and take down a section of fence to get a tractor or any other kind of big equipment back there, unless it could be crane-lifted over the house. If I could get heavy machinery back there easily, I'd just have my dad come over and rip everything smaller out in a few hours with his big tools.


Anyway, the brush cutter purchase is on hold for a tiny bit because I bought a $200 bidet toilet seat for various reasons at Costco yesterday. Then last night we decided today we need to get and install a new toilet because the current one is always having problems and doesn't fit the new seat very well. So, plumbing will be the name of the game today/tonight!

 

[Biker_Type]

can you get there with a wheeled trimmer? i might not tackle blackberry bushes with it but i have more options!

http://www.swisherinc.com/trimmers.asp

 

[NippleMuncher]

Good advice, thanks!

I think our local hardware store has Poulon and Echo, though the prices struck me as high compared to what I saw online. We have a Poulon Pro chainsaw that's fine, but I'm not wild about getting a trimmer in the same (not wildly popular) brand. If I can get free/cheap shipping, online will be the way to go to avoid our hefty sales tax, too.

I'm of the opinion of buying the right tool that's going to do the job well, safely, and last. Poulan has been around for a very long time, I don't remember who makes it, but IIRC it's got a decent track record. Still, I'd recommend the Echo over just about anything else. My experience with Echo has been great and I wouldn't hesitate to buy just about anything with the Echo name on it. I've had an Echo chainsaw for about 20 years now and it still starts with just a few pulls.

Another thing you may consider is to check out a few of the local rental yards for a weed/brush mower. This would probably run you about $65 a day to rent, it would take care of the brier patch with ease, chopping the canes and debris to mulch. What doesn't mulch can be picked up easily enough. From there, it wouldn't take much of a string trimmer at all to keep up with the new growth of canes, which are very delicate for about the first year. You could probably even keep up the area with your normal lawn mower AFTER the brush chopper has had its way.

Oh, you'll be wanting to invest in some good gloves for handling those thorny canes and some hearing protectors for running whatever equipment you choose to tackle the project. I prefer the ear muff style hearing protection over the foam ear plugs. I think they work better and they're more comfortable for longer periods of time. Don't forget face/eye protection, and you'll probably want to wear work boots, jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Growing up on a 100 acre ranch, I used to mow black berries and Scotch broom by the acre with a tractor and mower. Even "safely" atop a tractor, the protective gear was necessary because those nasty vines went down fighting. More than once one would find a way to wrap around a leg or arm when you weren't watching.

 

[SweetErika]

can you get there with a wheeled trimmer? i might not tackle blackberry bushes with it but i have more options!

http://www.swisherinc.com/trimmers.asp

Probably, since we can wrestle our gas mower up to that area.

But blackberries and other thicker bushes are the main problem. We mow down the grassy weeds with the mower ('cause it's old and was $50 used and seems to be fine, other than needing a blade sharpening), but that's not going to tackle our thicket.

I talked to the rental guy at HD today, and he said the cutters with the metal blade attachments can only be used for about 30mins before they need the same amount of rest. And, no, the push brush hogs won't do for our terrain, according to him.

Our brand new toilet and bidet seat from Costco are now installed and just FABULOUS, though!

 

[NippleMuncher]

But blackberries and other thicker bushes are the main problem. We mow down the grassy weeds with the mower ('cause it's old and was $50 used and seems to be fine, other than needing a blade sharpening), but that's not going to tackle our thicket.

You know what, a small chainsaw may actually be the easiest means of attacking the thicket. You can use a gas or electric saw, your choice. You'd be able to quickly cut into the canes and get to their bases and whack them near the ground, being careful not to get the saw into the dirt or rocks. Once cut, just give them a yank and they'll come free. For the more stubborn ones, just whack them with the saw again, the rest will come out later as you continue into the thicket. Some long handled loppers and hand pruners would also be helpful for grabbing and cutting things.

The debris can be stacked and burned or hauled to the dump, whatever works best for you. Back on the ranch we'd burn what we cleared by hand. Start a fire and burn it as you cut it out, rather than making a big pile to either light or have to handle again to put it on the fire. If you're worried about the fire traveling, dig a small pit to contain it and have a garden hose handy if necessary.

Congrats on the new toilet.

 

[SweetErika]

You know what, a small chainsaw may actually be the easiest means of attacking the thicket. You can use a gas or electric saw, your choice. You'd be able to quickly cut into the canes and get to their bases and whack them near the ground, being careful not to get the saw into the dirt or rocks. Once cut, just give them a yank and they'll come free. For the more stubborn ones, just whack them with the saw again, the rest will come out later as you continue into the thicket. Some long handled loppers and hand pruners would also be helpful for grabbing and cutting things.

Hubby used the chainsaw a lot last time he did a bunch of clearing in there. It'll work for the big stuff, but he doesn't feel safe using our gas saw so close to the ground and it's incredibly hard on his body. Our neighbor has an electric saw, so we may borrow that for some of the major bushes this time around.

We'll definitely get some of the other hand tools you suggest, and I can contribute by using those, holding back stuff to be chopped, etc. In all likelihood, we'll also hire some inexpensive guys to help with the big manual labor tasks and get the project done quicker.

If I have time in the next day or two, I'll snap some pics so you guys can see what we're dealing with. I'm sure we'd get a bunch of satisfaction in having before and after photos as well.

The debris can be stacked and burned or hauled to the dump, whatever works best for you. Back on the ranch we'd burn what we cleared by hand. Start a fire and burn it as you cut it out, rather than making a big pile to either light or have to handle again to put it on the fire. If you're worried about the fire traveling, dig a small pit to contain it and have a garden hose handy if necessary.

That's the other issue. Our neighbor dug big holes around her yard to bury their debris, but that's probably the least viable option for us, apart from burning (fucking stupid city and county ordinances! ). Hauling it away is a big deal, too; besides the expense, it's going to be tough to get the waste down and out to a truck, and we'll need a big truck unless we want to make a gazillion trips in our smaller pickup. If we can time it right and my dad is feeling charitable, we may be able to enlist his help in loading it into his dumptruck with his machinery, but we'll still have to find a way to get everything down the hill before that's an option.

Congrats on the new toilet.

Thanks! Given the ridiculous clogging issues and water wastage with the old toilet, I'm beyond thrilled to have a brand new one that has a 1000 flush rating, two flush options, is higher/more comfy, will be easier to clean, etc. Add the bidet seat (OMG, it's incredible to sit on a heated seat, be able to freshen up without showering and sheer ease of cleaning the munchkin's currently raw bits) and I'm basically in bathroom heaven! Plus, this great commode came with everything necessary for installation for $140, and I might get a $40 rebate for conserving water.

I know, that's probably way TMI, but I seriously never thought I could get so excited over a new toilet, bidet seat, or screaming deals on bathroom fixtures. I suppose we all spend enough time in that room that it SHOULD be very comfy and generally enjoyable, eh?

 

[NippleMuncher]

We'll definitely get some of the other hand tools you suggest, and I can contribute by using those, holding back stuff to be chopped, etc. In all likelihood, we'll also hire some inexpensive guys to help with the big manual labor tasks and get the project done quicker.

That's the other issue. Our neighbor dug big holes around her yard to bury their debris, but that's probably the least viable option for us, apart from burning (fucking stupid city and county ordinances! ).

This does sound like quite the project, and probably why the vines were allowed to take over the area to begin with. You're probably relegated to hand tools if you don't have access for machines, even small ones, though I'd still check with local rental yards for what is available. BTW, Homey Depot isn't the greatest place to look for rentals, they don't usually have that great of selection, particularly of yard maintenance items. I'd check larger yards and even some shops that sell and service machines for the pros, they may have something suitable for rent or know of a yard service that would be able to handle the work for you.

The last thing you want to do is bury black berries, you will literally just be planting them to grow anew. I've heard it said that it only takes a 1" segment of vine to sprout roots and new growth, I don't know that I put much into that wives tale, considering the number of acres that I mowed with a tractor and brushhog mower with no significant regrowth, but certainly longer canes have the potential.

I would recommend consulting with the local fire department on whether or not they'd let you burn the debris, there could be a work-around that keeps everybody happy, for instance using a backyard fire pit rather than digging a hole or setting a bonfire. You may be able to obtain a fire permit for this one instance. It's worth checking into when you don't have too many options for disposal.

 

[SweetErika]

Thanks, I'll check on those things.

I'm not fond of chemicals, but to be honest, I think it'd be great if we could just use Total Kill on the entire area. Unfortunately, there's a huge cedar and some other trees we actually want to keep in there, so that's impossible, too.

Clearly we didn't consider this crappy backyard and thicket when we bought the house (although it's way more overgrown now). Now our grand plan is to deck across the entire back of the house to the top of the yard, and do something with the yard once it's cleared out more, but that'll take at least two more years at the rate we're going.

 

[NippleMuncher]

You don't need chemicals to get rid of blackberries and most forms of brush, just keep it cut back so it doesn't get a foot hold and allow grass or other plants to dominate the area.

Once the thicket is gone, if you can cultivate the soil to disturb and remove most of the root systems, this will further knock them back. It's not a necessity, of course, but it does help.

 

[SweetErika]

Need chemicals? No, but it'd be a hell of a lot easier to spray them and then clear the debris out than brush-whack with handheld tools.

We do have a section of an almost vertical hill that will require some herbicidal assistance, but that's because there's absolutely no other option and there aren't any trees or anything we want to keep around/below it that could be affected by the chemicals.

And, yeah, once it's all cleared, we should be able to maintain it. The big issue with that is my husband is gone for basically all of the growing season, and my yardwork abilities are severely limited by pain and the munchkin. But hopefully Hubby will be getting a new job and I'll be able to do the light work once it's cleared out.

 

[NippleMuncher]

You're making this so difficult!

Actually, dead canes are worse to deal with than when they're alive. Dead wood is hard, stiff, and very stubborn. Live wood is pliable and will cut, bend and break more easily, so spraying herbicide and having to deal with the aftermath won't really be as easy as you might think.

As I mentioned, I grew up on a 100 acre ranch. On that ranch was at least 20 acres of very steep slopes, most of which you could not put a tractor on. As you might guess, these slopes were also covered with blackberries and Scotch broom. What we could manage with a tractor was mowed with a 5' wide brush hog behind a tractor like you see below. The rear tires were 5' tall and my tractor had dual rear wheels. I could get it on some pretty crazy slopes with relative safety. To give you an idea of what I was mowing, the tractor with duels was 14' wide and my head was approximately 9' from the ground. Many of the brush and berry thickets I went into were over my head. I really wish I had some pics to share.

The stuff that was too steep or inaccessible by machine were cleared by hand, which involved chainsaw, pruning loppers and hand pruners. We also enlisted the help of a herd of goats, and lest you think that goats wouldn't touch the stuff, one of the areas we put them in had a bank of berries between it and another field, no fence between. The first thing the goats did was to eat their way OUT of where they were supposed to be. That being said, you may want to think about getting a few goats, my suggestion would be pygmy goats because they're small, the stay "babies" their whole lives, and they're relatively maintenance free. They'll not only keep those berries under control, they'll provide hours of entertainment to boot.

If I still lived in the Portland area, I'd come up and help you.

 

[SweetErika]

Goats...now there's an idea!

I'd love to have them clear out our weeds, Munchkin would LOVE having big animals in his yard and maybe we'd get some milk out of the deal (that stuff is SO expensive, and I do buy it sometimes because the little guy is allergic to cow's milk).

I don't think our neighbors would be too happy with us getting goats (one of them has a huge garden and fruit trees; the other family might be inclined to eat the goats if they wandered across the property line and caused problems!), and they're probably the most expensive option when you add in fencing, supplemental feed and supplies and vet care, though.

I can't recall where it was, but I saw something about a very enterprising guy renting out his goat herd to local cities and landowners for property clearing purposes.

 

[thør]

Our weed trimmer is on the fritz, and we really need something that'll chop through good-sized blackberry bushes and stuff, anyway. However, we have no experience with brush cutters (or even other trimmers), and don't have the long-term need or budget for a heavy-duty brush mower. Basically, we just need to clear a smallish thicket and then keep it up, as well as do some other trimming.

Do you have any suggestions for good, fairly inexpensive brush cutters (that can also hopefully be used to trim grass and weeds after the brush is cleared)?

I picked up a little Stihl FS-130 this year. I can put a saw on it for alder as well as a plastic cutter head for weeds, etc. I like it.

 

[NippleMuncher]

Goats...now there's an idea!

I'd love to have them clear out our weeds, Munchkin would LOVE having big animals in his yard and maybe we'd get some milk out of the deal (that stuff is SO expensive, and I do buy it sometimes because the little guy is allergic to cow's milk).

I don't think our neighbors would be too happy with us getting goats (one of them has a huge garden and fruit trees; the other family might be inclined to eat the goats if they wandered across the property line and caused problems!), and they're probably the most expensive option when you add in fencing, supplemental feed and supplies and vet care, though.

I can't recall where it was, but I saw something about a very enterprising guy renting out his goat herd to local cities and landowners for property clearing purposes.

Goats are actually fairly intelligent and easy to contain with standard stock fencing. Yes, you'll spend a little to put it in initially, but you should have good perimeter fences anyway, not only to keep your own munchkin and critters in, but to keep everyone else and their critters out!

IIRC, our primary fencing was a 6x6 stock wire, with pygmies you might want a graduated wire, meaning the holes are smaller on the bottom and get larger as you get to the top of the fence material. We used a combination of wood posts and steel T-posts. The T-posts are fast and easy to put in, even in hard ground, while the wood posts are more expensive and time consuming, but you need a few of them for corners, gates, and intermediates to be able to stretch the wire properly.

As with any animal, the more you handle goats, the more tame they are and the less they're inclined to try and escape. You'd also want a barn or shed for them to bed down in, again to give them more reason to stay where they belong. As far as supplemental food, that kind of depends on what they have available naturally to eat, from the sounds of it, you could probably maintain 2 or 3 with little to no supplemental food.

If you have a milking goat, then you'll need to supplement her food somewhat, primarily to give her something to do while you're milking her. I've never been a fan of goat milk because it tastes like they smell, which is rather disgusting when you're trying to drink. You can minimize the gamy flavor by controlling what the goat eats, the breed, and how you milk her. On the milking front, if you milk her into a chilled container, preferably through a filter so that no hair, dirt or debris has a chance to enter the milk, then the gaminess is much less than milking into a warm, open container.

Who knew a question about a gas powered weed eater would evolve into a discussion about a grass powered weed eater?

 

[twister947]

The only thing I know of that will kill blackberries is shade, although relentless overgrazing by goats might get the job done.

 

[NippleMuncher]

SweetE, I came across this today and thought you might get a kick out of it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...tland_n_963943.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

 

[SweetErika]

SweetE, I came across this today and thought you might get a kick out of it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...tland_n_963943.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

Yep, that's similar to what I saw awhile back. I checked with one local company and it's between $325 and $487 daily, depending on the number of goats they bring. I think we're looking at clearing about 1/16 of an acre, and it would actually solve most of our problems in terms of access and waste, so I just may give a couple of companies a call and get an estimate.

 

[NippleMuncher]

Wow, that sounds a little expensive, though I guess if you add up your costs of doing it by other means, it's not too far out of line. The only thing is, when you spend $350 on a string trimmer it's yours, you aren't going to send it back to the shop at the end of the day.