In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Hedge Trimmers

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by firecracker_77, May 19, 2014.

Page 1 of 2
  1. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    What are you guys using for Hedge Trimmers? I don't want to spend $300 on a nice gas unit. I could add a hedge trimmer to the Kombi Unit, but it would be a trimmer on a pole....difficult to use.
     
    firecracker_77, May 19, 2014
    #1 Top
  2. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,648
    Likes Received:
    26,018
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    Do you have electric available? There are good corded electric units that come with less cost of ownership than gas units but still have excellent quality blades.

    You can run one off a very small generator as well.
     
    MasterMech, May 19, 2014
    #2 Top
  3. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    I know Stihl makes an electric for $149. Too rich for my blood. I think I will go electric though. Gas units are too costly.
     
    firecracker_77, May 19, 2014
    #3 Top
  4. w8ye

    w8ye

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2014
    Messages:
    246
    Likes Received:
    409
    Location:
    Mansfield, Ohio
    The better hedge trimmers are double action. The top blade is going out as the bottom blade is coming in.

    I have a Stihl HS80-R-20 double action that I bought used for $75 and I have a Echo HC1500-2E, like new I bought for $100.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2014
    w8ye, May 19, 2014
    #4 Top
    DexterDay likes this.
  5. DexterDay

    DexterDay Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    12,411
    Likes Received:
    31,628
    Location:
    Northeast Oh
    X2.. The better ones are double action.

    But for light use, the single blade moving works.

    I need to buy a Hedge trimmer here shortly. My Sand-cherries are out of control! I will probably go with a gas unit. The Stihl low end homeowners model (45) is supposed to be pretty good. But I will probably go with the (56 C-E).
     
    DexterDay, May 19, 2014
    #5 Top
  6. HDRock

    HDRock

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    17,244
    Likes Received:
    60,314
    Location:
    Grand Blanc, MI,
    I have a 30 year old Black and Decker electric, I bought new, I use round the house, light weight, nice to use, outback I use the gas ryobi, heavy and clumsy, but works best out there, gets the job done and can reach up high
     
    HDRock, May 19, 2014
    #6 Top
  7. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,648
    Likes Received:
    26,018
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    The cheap electric units are not usually sharpenable. The blade assemblies are riveted together and not enough clearance to file the edges. When it ceases to cut well, toss it and repeat.

    If you have very little trimming to do, a pair of manual hedge clippers work very well.
     
    MasterMech, May 20, 2014
    #7 Top
  8. bocefus78

    bocefus78

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2013
    Messages:
    3,694
    Likes Received:
    19,837
    Location:
    Indiana
    For well under 300 you can get a mtd gas variant. I ran a weed Eater brand gas unit light commercial use and it held up surprisingly well for years. Iirc it was 150$ but that was years ago. I still have it but now run a 30" stihl just because I now do more business and speed matters.

    Gas is the way to go. I can trim your hedge before you have your cords unwound.
     
    bocefus78, May 20, 2014
    #8 Top
  9. 343amc

    343amc

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    1,749
    Likes Received:
    5,765
    Location:
    Northeast Lower Michigan
    I use a 13 year old B&D electric that I picked up when I bought my house. I have 6 small bushes. It'll last me for as long as I need it. It's even sliced a couple extension cords and it keeps on going. :whistle:
     
    343amc, May 20, 2014
    #9 Top
  10. w8ye

    w8ye

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2014
    Messages:
    246
    Likes Received:
    409
    Location:
    Mansfield, Ohio
    I wore out a couple B&D electrics and the blade wouldn't move any more.

    Then I had a Homelite for some 12-13 yrs and then got a new Weed Eater/Poulan hedge trimmer. They were both single action with the Weed Eater being noticeably better than the Homelite. The Homelite stationary blade was soft and I had to replace the blades after just a few years. Never any trouble with the replacement blades and never any trouble with the Weed Eater except replacing fuel lines once.

    Then I got the used Stihl HS81 and it was night and day better than the Weed Eater. Very productive and will cut anything you can get between the cutter teeth. The cutting action is very fast as both blades move. They don't make it anymore. I would have never bought it new as it costs too much.

    The used Echo I have is almost as good as the Stihl.
     
    w8ye, May 20, 2014
    #10 Top
  11. cnice_37

    cnice_37

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    14,196
    Location:
    SE Mass
    Now you guys made me go and put in an ebay bid on a combi-tool with the long hedge trimmer attachment.

    It takes me a solid 6 hours to trim all of ours, so I do it once although it really needs it twice or more. I convinced my wife, time = $$, so if I can swing a sweet deal used I'm in.
     
    cnice_37, May 21, 2014
    #11 Top
    DexterDay and MasterMech like this.
  12. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    I can pick up the Kombi attachment new for $179 + tax. I think it will be hard to use such a long tool.
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #12 Top
  13. DexterDay

    DexterDay Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    12,411
    Likes Received:
    31,628
    Location:
    Northeast Oh
    You won't regret it :thumbs:

    I do have a generic unit that I got as a package deal. It's an Extreme 4-n-1 unit. Comes with Hedge trimmer, pole saw, brush cutter, and line trimmer. It was $209 new last year. The hedge trimmer and the pole saw are what I use the most.

    Now that I have a Kombi KM 130 R. I will be buying the hedge trimming attachment and the pole saw. The generic one works, but the power head lacks the torque that the Stihl unit has. I just weed wacked around my pond yesterday for the 1st time with the Stihl. It used to take 1.5 hrs, 2 tanks of fuel, and 2 full heads of line. Yesterday it took about 40 min and I used the 3 blade (light brush) set up, then put the trimmer head back on and did the rest of my property. I still had almost 1/3 of a tank when finished and it didn't take me 1.5 hrs to do Everything.

    The hedge attachment comes in super handy when doing tall shrubs or bushes. If I had to use a hand held unit on my Sand Cherries? I would be on a ladder and need to tape a 4 foot extension to it.
    :)

    1400677532626.jpg 1400677606730.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2014
    DexterDay, May 21, 2014
    #13 Top
    cnice_37 and trx250r180 like this.
  14. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    I have the pole saw, blower, and curved string trimmer attachments for the Kombi. All work well.
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #14 Top
    DexterDay likes this.
  15. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    There goes another $180 out the door. Thanks Dex...I've been talked into more toys. :confused:
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #15 Top
    DexterDay and cnice_37 like this.
  16. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    Stihl just got a little more of my money today. Placed an order for their clippers. Should make quick work of my job.
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #16 Top
    DexterDay and MasterMech like this.
  17. cnice_37

    cnice_37

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    14,196
    Location:
    SE Mass
    I'm hoping its a lot easier than an 8' ladder, extension cord(s), and a whole lot of balancing on one leg while on the "not a step" step :zip:

    Tall arborvitaes, forsythia, and something that eclipses 10' near the house put my money on the PAS or Kombi. Definitely fall off the ladder yearly into whatever random shrub breaks my fall after my balancing act inevitably fails.
     
    cnice_37, May 21, 2014
    #17 Top
    DexterDay likes this.
  18. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    True...whenever I buy a new tool, I go looking for extra work.
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #18 Top
    DexterDay likes this.
  19. DexterDay

    DexterDay Administrator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    12,411
    Likes Received:
    31,628
    Location:
    Northeast Oh


    The hedge trimming heads rotate 180°. So they can conform to help you from any position. This will definitely aid in trimming 10' tall Arborvitae's and the like.

    The 4-n-1 Extreme unit works well, but my KM 130R has 3 times the amount of power. Mind you that is the largest of the Kombi units. They make one homeowners model (56??) Then they make the KM 90R, KM 110R, and the KM 130R.

    After running mine, I probably could have got away with the 90 or 110
    But for the price difference, I went with the biggest one they had. It's definitely the most powerful trimmer I have ran. Period. . . :)
     
    DexterDay, May 21, 2014
    #19 Top
    cnice_37 likes this.
  20. firecracker_77

    firecracker_77

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,481
    Likes Received:
    3,602
    Location:
    IL
    I have the KM56, which works well for my needs. The pole saw is great...just got a couple 12" chains for the 192. They may be the same loops as the pole saw runs....bonus!

    I'm really loving the blower. I used an electric and a push broom. Both didn't do anywhere near as well.
     
    firecracker_77, May 21, 2014
    #20 Top
Page 1 of 2