attachment for cutting brush alongside trail?

[hobbyfarm]

Hey froggy,
Did you happen to look at the PDF file? If you study the machine a while, it looks like it could adjusted hydraulically to clip the ceiling of a hedge! (Or arbor.)
Cool stuff! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
It may be difficult to find a dealer here in the colonies, though.
That's either an opportunity or a pain in the @ss /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif depending on how you look at it!

 

[Wesdor]

McConnel sure has some interesting looking equipment. I've seen equipment like it working when in Europe. Just wondering what the shipping charges would be to bring it here from England?

Are there any American dealers? I checked on their website and it doesn't look like they are over here. Too bad since there are a lot of CUT machines on the other side of the Atlantic.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Alamo Industries carries the SwingTrim. Careful....you can get really excited about this attachment until you find out that it is about $8,000.00.

 

[hobbyfarm]

See dukenyc?

TBN can track down just about anything but the <font color="green">GREEN</font> /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

dukenyc,

From your location and your description it sounds like you want to control hawthorn. A viscous looking shrub, 3 inch long thorns, grows about 15' tall, grows best in damp areas, and flowers in springs producing small fruits. Ruffed grouse and rabbits love them. If that’s what you’re dealing with they aren't too tough. Only the tips of the thorns are hard the rest of the shaft is flexible. They grow like weeds at my cabin in the Adirondacks.

For years we've just mowed the smaller bushes, up to about 3', with lawn tractors and I can't recall them ever puncturing the tires. I wouldn’t intentionally drive a tire through them, but after even a light duty mower chews on them the thorns are history. When they get taller I put on a heavy canvas coat and break out a chainsaw. KiotiJohn's suggestion of backing into them with the cutter would work well for the smaller bushes, up to the cutter's rating. The larger stuff could be pulled out with a loader, or just cut down with a chainsaw.

 

[dukenyc]

Wow, I am blown away by all the responses. This thread has really been helpful. The swingarm is just about exactly what I need, but I am not sure I can come up with $8,000 for such a specialized piece of equipment. If I could find one from another source that was more reasonable, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

I will probably use a combination of the techniques listed above. A pole saw is a good idea for some branches I want to trim off the apple trees, so it will see soem double duty. I definately need to get a string trimmer for yard work anyway, so that will be used (I just need to get one good enough to accomodate a blade) . I had also planned on getting a roughcutter, and at around $700, it is affordable (alot cheaper than the belly mower on the tractor now). Lastly I am adding an FEl for other tasks, so maybe it will help out some.

One question, what exactly is a tooth bar? Is this something that mounts on the FEL, or is it someting that rear mounts off the 3ph. Any input on good choices for the string trimmer, pole saw, chainsaw and rough cutter is helpful as well.

I really appreciate all the responses. Thank you.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

A toothbar is a device that mounts to the lower lip of the bucket on the front end loader. It typically has a series of "teeth" spaced about 4" apart and each is about 1" wide and extend out about 4" in front of the cutting edge. They typically cost about $300 to $400 and typically are installed by 2 bolts that attach through the sides of the bucket.

Basically they make the cutting edge of the bucket a super cutting edge the same way a serrated knife blade makes cutting a tomato easier.

See this thread for pictures of a toothbar working:
TOOTHBAR IN ACTION

 

[jeffinsgf]

Re: Pole saws, chain saws, etc.

Make it orange of some shade. I am a big fan of both Husqvarna and Stihl equipment. I have some of both and wouldn't buy anything else in a small engine tool.

Take a close look at Stihl's new interchangeable head system. It's pricey, but it is cheaper than buying a pole saw and a string trimmer and a brush cutter. If I had not already invested in a top quality Husky string trimmer, I would have gone that route last year when I went shopping for a pole saw.

Don't underbuy on your chain saw either. A small saw looks so nice in the store and feels so good in your arms....until you start tackling some serious cutting and then it is like digging a ditch with a tablespoon. Both Stihl and Husky have mid line saws with "Farm" or "Ranch" in the model name. That's about where I would suggest you look. I have a Husky #55 that I have abused for 15 years, and it still starts on the third or fourth pull of the rope every single time.

 

[viking65]

jmc, I have a Stihl FS110R trimmer that I bought the hedgetrimmer attachment for. The salesman told me the very same thing, "anything that you can fit between the teeth it will cut". Well, it could not handle some of the brush I was trying to trim back and a lot of it was less than 1/2" thick. I took it back to the store. However, the pole pruner (chainsaw on a stick) attachment is fantastic. I cut down some fairly good size trees with that thing and a lot of briar bushes.

I'm sure the hedge trimmer attachment would work great for exactly was it is made for, hedges, not tough to cut brush and briars.

 

[jmc]

Viking65,

Thanks for hedge trimmer report. I was considering buying one of their dedicated hedge trimmers with a gas engine but it probably would have similiar limitations.

John