Brush Cutter: Features Of Garden Brush Cutters. Characteristics Of Hammer KST 600, Ryobi, Gardena And Others. How To Choose A Telescopic Brush Cutter

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:33

Work in the country and in a suburban area in many cases is complicated by a large number of small shrubs. It is already laborious to use a knife and a pruner against them, and saws (conventional, gasoline, electric) are extremely inconvenient. Specialized equipment comes to the rescue, but you need to know how to use it correctly.

Specifications

For an auxiliary tool to really help, you need to carefully understand its technological parameters.

• In all motorized variants, the power of the machine is decisive. After all, it is inextricably linked with the overall performance of the device.
• The total working speed depends on how long the cutting bar is supplied. But we must understand that the lengthening of this tire turns into a drop in maneuverability.
• As for the speed of the gasoline and electric motor, everything is simple: the faster they work, the less accurate the manipulations are. No wonder: when cutting quickly, the evenness and smoothness of the cut gradually fade into the background.
• Ergonomic parameters are no less important, because gardening should, if not be enjoyable, then at least not cause physical and emotional stress. Therefore, you should always pay attention to the convenience of movements, ease and balance.

Device and principle of operation

The handmade brush cutter is very simple. It differs little from ordinary scissors, except that sometimes electric and gasoline drives are used in its design. But there are more powerful machines of the same kind that can handle even small forest.

They are used:

• when laying railways;
• in road construction;
• for the formation of clearings in the forest;
• to facilitate reclamation work;
• with snow retention and in some other cases.

The working body can be made according to a passive or active scheme. In the first case, mainly wedge dumps are used.

Active working parts can be:

• knives like those found on lawn mowers;
• milling cutter;
• saw;
• spinning discs ending in knives;
• knife-like elements secured by flexible ties.

The choice of a particular option has a lot to do with how difficult it will be to cut the bushes. So, even the relatively low energy consumption of active hedge trimmers is greatly overshadowed by their lack of efficiency when clearing thick bushes.

The basic structure of passive brushcutters includes, in addition to the working body:

• frame of universal type;
• dismountable head;
• the system that controls the working part;
• sharpening element;
• enclosing contour.

The blade of a passive brush cutter is formed by welding. This metal structure on the right and left is always sheathed in sheet steel. The cutting of plants itself takes place with the help of knives located below. The dump brings down cut trees and bushes. Of course, the quality of knife sharpening is of great importance; it has to be repeated every 150-180 minutes.

Some hedge trimmers are equipped with hydraulic blade lifters. Then the abrasive element receives energy from the gear apparatus. In the case of a vertical-block design, this problem is solved by a combination of V-belt drives and flexible shafts.

A set of rubber shock absorbers is used to reduce the impact of the blade on the push frame. A detail must be provided that sets a specific height for the cut bushes.

The main types and their purpose

Manual

This tool, aka hedge trimmer, is advisable to use if there are few green plants in the garden. In appearance, such a device looks like a large pruner. The blades reach a length of 25 cm, there are no special differences in the dimensions of the handles.

To make it convenient to use the tool, you should check it, try how it holds in your hands. It is recommended to use an attachment with corrugated blades; in hard-to-reach places and for working with high branches, mechanisms with a telescopic handle are useful.

Electric

An electrically driven hedge trimmer can have different wattage, but usually it does not exceed 1000 watts. The number of revolutions in 60 seconds varies from 1300 to 4000. These parameters unambiguously indicate the high performance of the device. The natural result of an increase in the number of revolutions is an accelerated movement of the blades. Therefore, they manage to more accurately maintain the cut line.

The device of the electric brush cutter is close to the gasoline counterpart, but there is no chain. A pair of parallel knives do their job by reciprocating.

Network-driven devices are lighter than ICE devices. They are also noticeably more efficient, and vibrate less, and do not create toxic exhaust during operation. But the wire is inconvenient for most garden work, in addition, often the network units have unsatisfactory low power.

Rechargeable

The developers of such devices say they were able to solve the problem with the wires. This is true, but other difficulties arise in return. So, it becomes necessary to constantly charge the battery, which is not very good for professional equipment that has to work for many hours in a row. Breaks after 20-40 minutes complicate the work significantly.

In addition, batteries add from 1 to 1.5 kg to the device weight, which makes them less convenient for working at heights.

Petrol

A mower with an internal combustion engine can be significantly more powerful than an electric machine. It has the mobility of a cordless hedge trimmer, but at the same time lasts much longer on a single "charge". It is not for nothing that such equipment is preferred to buy when it is necessary to process shrubs in a park or in a public garden. But we must remember that gasoline-powered machines are heavy and deserve careful handling. Not everyone can manage them, because it requires technical literacy.

A mounted hedgecutter is no longer a hand tool, but an attachment added to a tractor or other serious machine. The base can be both road tractors and hydraulic excavators with both wheeled and crawler tracks.

At home, in a small garden, brushcutter mowers with a manipulator can bring significant benefits. They are much more efficient than rotary devices.

Brush cutters on a bar with active working bodies are widely used if you need to trim bushes growing along asphalt, concreted or covered with compacted soil paths.

Rating of the best models

Hammer KST 600

Not a bad option for an electric brush cutter. With its help it is possible to:

1. trim the lawn edge;
2. remove small grassy areas;
3. give the desired shape to shrubs;
4. cut off single branches and curly shoots.

Engineers were able to provide protection against inadvertent launch. Consumers note that the mass of the device does not create discomfort. It is done quite well. A 600 W motor drives a reversible knife with a 61.5 cm blade. Cutting branches up to 2.7 cm thick is allowed.

Ryobi

Good reviews are consistently received for the products of this brand. Among them there are battery, and electric (driven from the mains), and gasoline, and even hybrid systems. Some options are designed for high-altitude work, others successfully cut shrubs vertically. All models are characterized by high performance.

Many petrol versions are equipped with a quick start function.

If we talk about electric Ryobi models, then all of them are equipped with a system that indicates the presence or absence of current in the network. The manufacturer completes its tools with diamond-sharpened knives. This makes it much easier to cut even sturdy shoots. Since the sharpening runs on both sides, vibration is minimized. A special nozzle discards cut shoots.

The manufacturer claims the Ryobi hedge trimmers are designed to be highly ergonomic. A special coating is applied to prevent the hand from sliding off the holder. All models are equipped with a guard that effectively blocks the cut branches from flying back to the operator.

Gardena

Gardena brushcutters have also received good reviews. Rechargeable models from this manufacturer help you perform spot pruning, leveling the lawn in hard-to-reach places, including near trees. They are also used to clear vegetation around curbs.

Importantly, such a tool helps to clear the soil from clogging wherever simple lawn mowers and standard trimmers cannot pass.

Shrub pruning is done using special attachments. Judging by the reviews, Gardena products are lightweight and compact. The scope of delivery invariably includes the latest generation of lithium-ion batteries.

The company's engineers were able to create a very ergonomic design. It is configured to work comfortably in all positions. For sharpening knives at the plant, modern laser devices are used. There are models equipped with non-removable blades (allowing you to mow the lawn). The most complex modifications allow you to quickly change working attachments.

Greenworks

The company supplies cordless brush cutters for 24, 40, 60, 80, 82 volts.

DP-24

Such a brush cutter is very popular in Russia. This device helps to clear areas densely overgrown with bushes and small woods. Also, with its help, it is possible to reconstruct insufficiently valuable plantings.

Such devices always contain:

• push frame;
• protective parts for tractors;
• wedge-shaped moldboard elements of double-sided design;
• A-shaped functional frame;
• a socket element connecting the cross beam with a ball head;
• wedge-shaped nose knife;
• frame, sheathed with durable steel sheets;
• trunnion parts associated with track bogies.

When the device moves, its knives can cut trees with a cross-section of up to 10 cm. The dump block of the DP-24 brush cutter pushes them to the side. If the trunk is slightly more than 10 cm, it must initially be cut on one side, and then, having moved back a little, repeat the cut on the other side. The hedge trimmer can clear up to 0.6 hectares of small forests and up to 1.4 hectares of shrubs in an hour. The harvested lane is 3.6 m, and the largest diameter of the harvested trees reaches 12 cm.

Fiskars

The company offers its customers universal loppers. With their help, the processing of tree crowns and growing bushes is greatly simplified. At the request of the consumer, garden saws or baskets for collecting fruit are attached.

Using the device, it is easy to reach branches located at very different heights. A carefully designed mechanism allows you to cut the shoot of any stiffness.

Stihl FS 450

Brush cutter with a total power of 2100 watts. The device is more efficient when pruning forests and mowing large areas.

If the device is supplemented with auxiliary accessories, it will be easy to do:

1. primary thinning;
2. a cut of bushes covered with knots;
3. trimming of increased complexity.

Interskol

This company also supplies similar garden equipment. It is represented for the most part by the so-called brushcutters. Basically, these devices cope with light, as thin bushes as possible. Trees cannot be felled in this way.

The difference between the individual versions is due to:

1. width of the cut strip;
2. the volume of the combustion chamber;
3. mass;
4. total power.

But there are also specialized brush cutters. They have two modes of operation: line cutting and knife cutting. The rest of the differences between the models are the same as already described.

AL-KO

A good result can be shown by these brush cutters. The manufacturer claims that its products are equipped with long-lasting sharp knives and look very elegant at the same time. High-quality cutting elements and a built-in level allow you to trim the bushes as smoothly as possible. A special fuse helps prevent damage to the cable.

The design makes it impossible to unauthorized inclusion. Thanks to the clever control elements, it is possible to trim even high shrubs as easily as possible. AL-KO manufactures electric, battery-powered and gasoline brushcutting systems.

Bush-cutting machines BL-2

They have become quite widespread in the utilities sector. This device is also in demand when working in logging, in land reclamation, in agriculture and road construction.

The design provides compatibility with tractors MTZ-80, MTZ-82 … The mounted mower can cover a strip of up to 150 cm. The maximum thickness of the harvested plants is 15 cm.

Important: if the remains of the bushes are less than 4 cm in height, they will not be removed. For 8 hours of work BL-2 can process from 3 to 4 hectares. The total weight of the brush cutter is 400 kg.

Champion

For landscaping the garden, it is recommended to use these brushcutting systems. The electric model HTE410 is a good example .… The company gives a 12 month warranty. The device is equipped with a 520 W motor; thanks to this motor the blade is 41 cm long. The working voltage is 50 or 230 V.

The designers took care of a high-quality cast handle that is comfortable to hold. The telescopic handle is not provided. Product weight is 2.1 kg.

Echo CLS-5800

This model deserves attention in the review. This brushcutter is equipped with a two-stroke petrol engine, which allows you to solve a variety of tasks. The device copes well with rather dense thickets. Small trees (up to 7 cm) can be cut . The developers have equipped their product with reliable rubber buffers.

When creating the carburetor, it was possible to come up with a design that could work in an arbitrary position. A knife, a fishing line, and a disc element can act as a cutting part. The adjustable bar is not installed.

The gasoline tank has a capacity of 0.76 liters. The hedge trimmer handle is made in the shape of the letter U. The total weight of the product is 9.6 kg. The width of the stripe to be cleaned is 20 cm.

Oleo-Mac

In the segment of professional tools, the products of this company deserve attention. The gasoline unit model 753TS has a capacity of 2.8 liters. with. A rod with a diameter of 3.2 cm is installed on it. The dry weight is 8.4 kg. Trimmer attachments and special knives are used for cutting bushes.

The engine, which drives the rigid shaft, receives fuel from a 1 liter tank. The cylinder capacity is 46.2 cubic meters. see A carefully designed clutch is used for clutch. The rod is made of aluminum. The working handle is made in the form of a classic rudder, which is very convenient.

Zubr

Brush cutters of this brand are designed for powerful and quiet operation. The manufacturer declares that the sharpest knives are used on its products. Shields are provided to prevent hand injury.

If control of the cutterbar is lost, work stops immediately.

For the manufacture of knife teeth, steel of impeccable quality is used.

Mr. Logo

Among Russian firms, this company deserves attention. The model 26181 hedgecutter is equipped with special blades with a length of 55 cm. These blades are made by forging. To obtain them, steel with a high carbon content of the AISI 1065 brand is used.

Even handles made of solid ash are unusual in this product.

Patriot CSH 372

It is worth completing the review with this model. This is the name given to lawn brush cutters with an extended handle. The manufacturer claims that they can work for 20 minutes without interruption. It is allowed to use them for cutting both shrubs and grasses on the lawn, and climbing crops.

The elongated handle is of great benefit, thanks to which all work does not require tilting.

How to choose?

Even a cursory acquaintance with the market for hedge trimmers shows that it is full of many different versions. But still you can make the right choice if you consider the basic principles.

• In a domestic environment (garden, cottage), there are enough devices with a capacity of up to 500 W (with an electric drive) and 700 W (if an internal combustion engine is installed).
• It should be borne in mind that the length of the cutting part of the tool is directly related to the required power of the installation. If you need to cut only small bushes, 20 cm long blades are enough. But in order to be guaranteed to cope with any bushes, you need to choose products with knives from 40 to 50 cm long.
• If the hedge trimmer makes a double-sided cut, you can straighten the line, trim the corners. This tool allows you to work faster.
• The lightest models are equipped with electric motors, the gasoline drive is always heavier.

• The limiting thickness of the branches removed is determined by the distance between the knives or teeth.
• It is useful to have a corner that collects cut branches. He will not allow even one of them to fall outside the border of the site.
• As for the handle, it is worth choosing options with a built-in pivot mechanism and an anti-slip coating.
• Of course, you should carefully study the reviews about the model you like before buying.