Cutting under fences - using 17-18 PTO hp?

[smilingreen]

A good gas line trimmer will out cut a electric anyday. I have used both. I have puchased the cheap Weedeater brand and Homelite, but I now own a Stihl. In my landscaping business, we need something powerful & quick. I am getting ready to buy a second Stihl line trimmer because my first one runs so good and does an excellent job. You won't get them for $99.00 bucks, though. They run around $350.00 bucks. Worth every penny!!!

 

[bnixon]

Just bought a Honda 4stoke line trimmer. This thing is awsome! Runs very quiet compared to the 2 stroke trimmers. It has a ton of power. I have used Stihl and echo trimmers in the $300-$400 price range and this Honda blows them all away and for $389. It eats through the field grass I have around my oak tree that the limbs are to low to get a tractor under. Beautiful 100 old tree...I'll post pics some time. Now back to the subject...

I think that a hydro motor would work best for this application. No gas motor to maintain, can start and stop it from the tractor seat, don't have to worry about running out of gas, should last a lifetime. Just my $.02.

 

[Ozarker]

If your comparison is to those cheap 2 or 3 amp units put out by Weedeater and Toro you are correct. They have small motors on the end down in the dirt and have little power.

The Ryobi has a 5.5 amp motor up top just like the gas units and is every bit as powerful as any 2 cycle gas unit. It is a quick change system and I also have the cultivator and hedge trimmer. The cultivator on the electric works better than the Sears gas engine cultivator I have.

I also have Sthil and Poulan trimmers and they are better at making you tired of carrying them than they are at trimming.

I use to think the same way you do about electric's, and for good reason. They were cheap, under powered and didn't last long. Then I saw a demo of the Ryobi unit and the differences in the motor type and location over other electric units...and decided to try one. That was 4 years ago and I have never looked back. The gas units can't hold a candle to the 132R and it runs all the same attachments the gas units do.

 

[looch]

Do a search on fence AND trim. link I found from a post here. Unfortunately it doesn't give much more inforation than just confirming that it is a good idea.

 

[Fly_Rodr]

If it will cut ditches, sign me up. I have 350'+ that needs trimmed.

 

[TresCrows]

That Ryobi does look like a nice unit but no way can it hack weeds like a gas powered tool. I saw them and may get one for a quick touch up, but for extended day in and day out use in heavy grass and weeds stay with gasoline. I saw some of the new 4-stroke trimmers, they look like they would be real bruisers. Something like a Sthil or Echo or Husky would also be a good choice. I have come to like my big wheel 6 horse Swisher string trimmer for long fence lines and cutting sunflowers down where I cannot get into with my tractor.
Yeah, an offset capable 54 inch rotary cutter would be nice. J

 

[Slamfire]

I have a 6' Swisher tow model, and it is all I can do to start the blade moving with my 18 pto hp. This one looks a bit smaller but I would try it before I bought it.

 

[Ozarker]

<font color=blue>That Ryobi does look like a nice unit but no way can it hack weeds like a gas powered tool.</font color=blue>

Why can't it? It has the same trimmer head, uses the same trimmer line and has more torque than the average gas powered trimmer in it's class. It uses all the same quick change attachments as the Ryobi gas units. I use the term "class" because I am comparing it to what the average homeowner uses, $125 units and lower, and not the high end units typically used for commercial landscaping/lawn service people. And of course it won't cut like your 6hp walk behind. But neither will the average $100 gas trimmer.

I probably wouldn't choose an electric for commercial use as well. But I also wouldn't choose about 90% of the gas units that the average homeowner uses for that purpose. None of the low end units will stand up well to extended day in and day out use. And the low end units, gas or electric, aren't designed to have brush cutters attached to them. You need to step up to the larger straight shaft units for that.

I have nearly 3 acres that I cut and then it takes me between 2 and 3 hours to trim along fence lines, drive way, rural road ditch and outbuildings. I've been doing all that with the Ryobi for 4 years and the only difference between it and the Sthil is that the Ryobi is lighter to carry, makes less noise, is easier to replace line and I don't have to mix fuel for it.

About 2 years ago I bought the cultivator attachment for it because I got tired of using the hoe in the garden. Best money I ever spent. It will flat dig some dirt. But my wife didn't like it because she thought it weighed too much. So about a month ago she came home with a Craftsman 49cc 2hp cultivator. It has wheels so she thought it would be easier to use. It has the exact same 10" tines that the cultivator head on my Ryobi has.

So how did they compare? The Ryobi beat the 2hp gas unit hands down. Digging dirt they both do the same except the gas unit tends to bog down occasionally. But I can get more done in a shorter time with the Ryobi. It hangs from my shoulder on a strap and I can move it from side to side as I go and I can slip it between plants as I go down a row. The Gas unit is on wheels and can only go straight. Go down, turn, go back, turn get between the plants IF it fits. Can't go sideways between plants with it.

I use my Stihl for light touch up when I have a little to do and am too lazy to get out the extension cord. I haven't even started my Poulan for about 4 years and not sure if it still runs or not. But, for the record, I also have a straight shaft 4 cycle Ryobi with a brush cutter blade on it. I got it last year when I had a place with a lot of brush and small trees I wanted to clear. The electric can't cut the brush and small trees.

 

[Bird]

Ozarker, I found it hard to believe, but will certainly admit that I've never used one of those Ryobis, so I could be wrong. I do like the light weight, quiet operation, and not having to mess with gas and oil, but on my place, at least, there's no way I'd want to mess with enough extension cords to use an electric string trimmer. In fact, I spent about 3.5 hours with the DR trimmer/mower today and wouldn't want to even think about what that job would have been with an electric and extension cords./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Ozarker]

You probably would't want to give up the DR. If I could use a walk behind I probably would. I borrowed one once to see if I would like it but my terrain made it impossible to use for me. The ditch is too deep and the sides too steep.

I solved the extension cord problem with a 500W inverter. I have a small trailer that goes behind my lawn tractor and I just throw the trimmer, 50 Ft cord and the inverter in the trailer. I park the tractor about 50 foot down a line I have to trim, clip the inverter leads to the 12v battery and plug the trimmer into the inverter. Instant 110 volts where ever I need it. I trim 100 feet and move the tractor. Only have one 50 ft extension cord to deal with.

And of course the inverter allows me to use power tools anywhere on my property I need to. Never have to worry about a dead battery in a rechargable tool.

And finally, I use the inverter for emergency power when a storm knocks out the power. A frequent occurrence here. If the power goes out, I grab the deep cycle battery for my trolling motor, hook the inverter to it and instantly have 110 power to run a couple of drop lights.