Cutting back trail sides. Lane shark/sickle/flail?

[wendlingknives]

Looking for recommendations on something for keeping the growth back. This is maintaining a few times a year, not creating trails. Mostly blackberry vine, some yaupon and pine branches that we get tired of slapping in the face when going by on an atv. Been doing it with a hedge trimmer on an ATV but have a couple miles to do and its tiring. Ive seen the lane shark and variations that look good at about $5k. Also seen a couple front mounted sickles like agrishield and samurai that are much cheaper and lighter. I like the idea of having something on the front to watch while doing it. Never used an offset flail, seen a couple videos using them vertically, but they dont seem to do a clean cut on small stuff from what it looked like, but never used one. Id think it would also be easier to see what im doing in front instead of behind me. While the sickle isnt the most robust of the 3, it is the cheapest and im thinking if i normally do it with a battery powered hedge trimmer, the sickle should be enough? Also guessing i can raise a front mounted sickle way higher than an offset flail on the rear. Tractor is a 55hp 2555 mahindra if that matters...and soon to be a TYM 574 which is essentially the same.

 

[2manyrocks]

Hedge trimmers dont usually throw things back in your face like a front mount rotary cutter.

 

[RjCorazza]

My articulating flail throws debris at the tractor in the vertical position, plus it only reaches about 6-7' high.
I would definitely prefer a loader mounted hydraulic sickle cutter for vertical trimming.

 

[Sportsman762]

The biggest issue with a sickle is that they don't like larger diameter stuff, if its bigger than your pointer finger, then there is a risk of breaking a section or guard. However for black berries, and new growth they would work well as long as its kept up. I am thinking that if your currently using a hedge trimmer, then a sickle would work great. I know that the Sabre Samurai cutter claims 1-1/2" capacity, that would be a very high chance of damage. However a 1/2" would be doable.

Sabre Samurai Cutter attachment

Here is my version of the Sabre Samurai cutter. I researched this attachment on this and other sites,saw what others had done and came up with this set up to work for my trail clearing needs. I made a quick attach frame for my FEL, modified the supplied mounting bracket and added a hydraulic ram...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[404nouser]

Minor derail.
Does anyone have a comparison of the samurai saber cutter from Canadian agri tech and procut from agrisheild

 

[leonz]

Looking for recommendations on something for keeping the growth back. This is maintaining a few times a year, not creating trails. Mostly blackberry vine, some yaupon and pine branches that we get tired of slapping in the face when going by on an atv. Been doing it with a hedge trimmer on an ATV but have a couple miles to do and its tiring. I've seen the lane shark and variations that look good at about $5k. Also seen a couple front mounted sickles like agrishield and samurai that are much cheaper and lighter. I like the idea of having something on the front to watch while doing it. Never used an offset flail, seen a couple videos using them vertically, but they don't seem to do a clean cut on small stuff from what it looked like, but never used one. Id think it would also be easier to see what I'm doing in front instead of behind me. While the sickle isn't the most robust of the 3, it is the cheapest and im thinking if i normally do it with a battery powered hedge trimmer, the sickle should be enough? Also guessing I can raise a front mounted sickle way higher than an offset flail on the rear. Tractor is a 55hp 2555 mahindra if that matters...and soon to be a TYM 574 which is essentially the same.

The coupeco folks have a boom mounted hydraulic drive
triple circular saw that is mounted on the three point hitch.
The model is the Cosmos 101 arboriculture pruning machine.
Model 4500 has 4 circular saws that can be used at ground level
and also raised to 3.8 meters and rotated to horizontal to cut at height.

www.coupeco.com/en/produit/arboriculture-pruning-machine-cosmos-101/

 

[paulsharvey]

Selective herbicide, light trimming, and selective removal of larger stuff is probably your best approach.

 

[Jack Yuan]

The answer depends on your budget.

Best performance should be suitable size boom mower like this, see the below video at 0:06

The next choice is ditch mower like this:

The cheapest solution is that you fix a hedge trimmer on your tractor front loader, you need DIY a bracket to hold on the trimmer.

 

[airbiscuit]

STOUT DESIGNS, LLC – TRAILBLAZER TB-2022 – OVERHANGING LIMB AND BRUSH CUTTER

 

[Jack Yuan]

STOUT DESIGNS, LLC – TRAILBLAZER TB-2022 – OVERHANGING LIMB AND BRUSH CUTTER

Yes, this is what I mean, the cheapest solution, just need a little skill to DIY it.