Stihl Trimmer = Poor Man's Sickle Bar?

[cold1313]

Long story short, I have a large pond and I cannot get remotely close to it with any of my equipment....except my Stihl professional grade weed wacker. It does pretty good but when I get around to do the trimming in a few locations (just to fish and to keep it looking 'ok') the grass could be 3 foot tall.

I've got the string head, two different style metal blades and the 3 poly blade system. They work okay but I am fighting it because it all falls back onto the weed wacker and the back and forth motion starts to wear you out after awhile.

I was on Stihl's website and their professional series hedge trimmers with the angle adjustable head gave me the idea that I could basically use it as a sickle bar and "ideally" just walk right through the grass and weeds that grow up, letting everything lay down like a sickle bar.

Anyone tried this? I am curious whether the trimmer would cut the grass or if it would jam up, wrap, etc? If one of those would let me just walk right along and make a 24" cut while doing it....I would save a ton of time and a lot of energy.

Not going for a golf course, just a farm pond and only trimming in a few spots so it looks decent from the house and along the dam where it slopes to the water.

 

[bcp]

Can you rent one to try before buying?

Sometimes I get something that should or will work, but some minor, overlooked thing makes it too awkward for me to use in my situation.

Bruce

 

[Silvic]

I do a tremendous amount of brushcutter work with both a FS250 and a FS450 (about 100 gallons of fuel a year). I use the triangle three prong metal blade as well as very heavy duty large diameter line for the vegetation you describe. I use other blades for other vegetation. I like it as the vegetation get removed and somewhat mulched all at the same time.

Since you have been using 2 different metal blades I would presume you are using the bike handle bar version with a full harness. Stihl required that with any metal blade. If you are doing it with a "normal" handle Stihl weed wacker I can only imagine the strain it puts on you. The back and forth you describe I do for hours on end and I am not even close to being young or even middle aged anymore.

The hedge trimmers on a pole I saw on the website were all hand held that I believe would be a very tiring device to use for your purpose. If they made them with a bike handle and harness then I would view it differently. As far a jamming I have no idea but would speculate that coarse grasses would be different from finer blade grasses and that would effect your results.

 

[CobyRupert]

Interesting concept. The few times I've taken a hand held hedge trimmer through grass, it did act like a sickle bar and didn't clog. hmmm...

I use the "4 prong" blade, which I don't think is a good in grass a 3 prongs, or as good in brush as a the "circular saw" style, but a good compromise when going in between.

I find that in tall grass or tall brush where the cut material is going to snag or get in the way of the "back-sweep" , cut the stalk down in 2 or 3 sections instead of 1 cut at the base. Yes, more sweeps, but easier, less energy in the long run than fighting tangles.

I'm going to follow this to see if your idea works.

 

[rekees4300]

I have Stihl FS240 and also trim around my 1 acre pond. I use a triangle three prong metal blade for long (more than 1 foot tall) and a string head for less than 1 foot tall vegitation. Recommend increasing the frequency of cuts, much easier to do multi times rather than fighting the tall stuff.

 

[TnAndy]

I mounted a 12" circle blade from my Dewalt chop saw on an FS90....hole diameter for the blade fit perfectly. Then made up a 'cradle' out of 1/2 copper pipe to harvest a small lot of hulless oats I grew one year as an experiment. Gas version of a hand scythe with cradle. Worked good, except the FS90 was a little underpowered for the blade.

 

[newbury]

I think the trimmer is a rich man's scythe.

Lot's of you tube comparisons. I had to use a scythe when I was in my teens. We had a 1 acre pond that needed trimming around. Didn't have a tractor, had a scythe. Good arm building exercise. Now I would use my FS250.

 

[atsah]

I do a tremendous amount of brushcutter work with both a FS250 and a FS450 (about 100 gallons of fuel a year).

A 100 gallons of fuel a year, WOW I guess you do do a tremendous amount of brush cutting work..

 

[joecoin]

I've used a hedge trimmer to cut weeds numerous times. As long as you are not in a hurry it works just fine. Put on some knee pads and walk on your knees.

Or go to Rural King in Norwalk and get a manual weed whip.

 

[Wagtail]

The upside to your proposal is that it will work, and work well.

The downside is the amount of bending over you would have to do, with the accompanying vibration from the tool, to accomplish it. That in itself will wear you down.

 

[cold1313]

I do a tremendous amount of brushcutter work with both a FS250 and a FS450 (about 100 gallons of fuel a year). I use the triangle three prong metal blade as well as very heavy duty large diameter line for the vegetation you describe. I use other blades for other vegetation. I like it as the vegetation get removed and somewhat mulched all at the same time.

Since you have been using 2 different metal blades I would presume you are using the bike handle bar version with a full harness. Stihl required that with any metal blade. If you are doing it with a "normal" handle Stihl weed wacker I can only imagine the strain it puts on you. The back and forth you describe I do for hours on end and I am not even close to being young or even middle aged anymore.

The hedge trimmers on a pole I saw on the website were all hand held that I believe would be a very tiring device to use for your purpose. If they made them with a bike handle and harness then I would view it differently. As far a jamming I have no idea but would speculate that coarse grasses would be different from finer blade grasses and that would effect your results.

I haven't tried the 3 prong metal blade yet, but I do use the large diameter X Line...0.110" or something - I'd have to go look. I have the good harness and bike handles. The part that gets me (besides the heat) is when I have to clear my dam. So that would take about 8 - 9 hours, on a very steep incline. With the tall vegetation, I end up pushing around what I cut.

The trimmers on a pole saw have an attachment for a harness, but I agree, I do not see bike handles as an option. I am hoping if the trimmer works as I am hoping - I can just do a nice slower pace walk and really speed things up.

 

[cold1313]

I've used a hedge trimmer to cut weeds numerous times. As long as you are not in a hurry it works just fine. Put on some knee pads and walk on your knees.

Or go to Rural King in Norwalk and get a manual weed whip.

Someone else from Milan! Probably have crossed paths...not a ton of Steiners. The hedge trimmer I was referring to is on a pole, so no bending over required.

 

[cold1313]

The upside to your proposal is that it will work, and work well.

The downside is the amount of bending over you would have to do, with the accompanying vibration from the tool, to accomplish it. That in itself will wear you down.

HL 94 K 145 Degree Range | Gas Powered Hedge Trimmer | STIHL USA

 

[4570Man]

I have one of those except the blade on mine is about 10” long. I found it to be far to much work to pull it through thick weeds. Maybe a 24” long version makes it more worthwhile. The one use I did find it good for was cutting cat tails off under water. I don’t have a big high powdered trimmer and it runs short on power running a blade under water.

 

[Wagtail]

HL 94 K 145 Degree Range | Gas Powered Hedge Trimmer | STIHL USA

Yes, that may work... as long as it adjusts to to the angle of a Stihl brush-cutter... and at least has an over-shoulder harness.

I use a 'bicycle handle', chest harness Stihl brush cutter with a triple blade for the (bloody) bracken around here. This would probably suit the OP and is readily available.

However, the OP is specifically asking about using a trimmer for that purpose. Hence my answer to his question.

 

[oosik]

I've got one of the big Stihl weed whackers - FS400. I've got five different heads for it and have found that any of the three that use "string" are pretty lacking for my uses. The head that uses the three poly blades had possibilities.

I took one of the new poly blades to a local welding shop and they made me six new blades( two sets) out of high carbon steel. Substantial improvement - a far greater rotating mass for superior cutting and after three years there is no noticeable wear on any of the three blades in the first set.

With the shoulder carry harness properly adjusted I'm able to go thru my small field of grass just like a scythe. It lays down just right and cuts cleanly on both forward and reverse swing. Unfortunately - I'm an old fart and this activity does stress my back. I'm only good for this action for about an hour or so - then its time for a little Jack and a little rest.

 

[PandDLong]

I have the Stihk Kombi and bought the adjustable hedge trimmer end for exactly this idea. Being able to walk around my pond and have the grass lay down las opposed to being thrown around and into the pond. I also wanted to be able to "scythe" areas of tall grass and pitch into the field for my donkeys to eat.

Overall, It hasn't worked out as planned. If the grass is relatively thin it works nicely but typically the grass is too thick and the trimmer struggles to get through it so I end up using a lot of muscle power to get the task done - which kinda defeats the purpose of a power tool. The one area it works well for is the parts of my pond edge where I mow within 12-18" of the water and the grass/rushes/weeds aren't to thick and I can just walk along the edge effortlessly - that 150' walk along isn't enough to have justified the cost for me.

 

[Silvic]

These are the two blades that I use most frequently. The three prong "knife" is great on grasses and other herbaceous vines and woody stems. The other is great on woody stems larger than 2 inches up to 8-10 inches. Beyond 10 inches it is a but much and I switch to a saw. It is really nice for doing PCT but that is not what the OP is trying to do so I won't go into details.

 

[JimP]

I have a Stihl Kombi with multiple heads including a 12(?) inch hedge trimmer head. Just finished trimming fence lines today. The hedge trimmer drags through heavy grass making it tough to use. It is also tough to cut through 1/2 inch or more woody stems. The 3 lobe blade is much easier to use. Its zips through grass and shreds it like a tiny brush hog. It will also cut through 1/2 inch woody stems in one push. The string trimmer head is ok for trimming a lawn but burns through string in heavier brush. I use the 3 lobe blade as its the fastest and easiest to use. Jim

 

[cold1313]

Spoke to the dealer yesterday - Stihl Kombi with the "Power Scythe" attachment, which is designed for what I want and should not tangle up like the hedge trimmer option. Sealed gear box so you can cut cattails under water without issue.

Trying to see if I can get a unit to demo.