radios1
Elite Member
they forgot to add they use a plastic camshaft gear so the engine don't last too long before it needs service!. and what happens when that fails?. new gear, new valves, new piston is needed?..:thumbdown:
So what do you know about backpack brush cutters?
- Thread starter tomplum
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I've not heard of cams failing in these myself. Possible. Do they? Not a lot of stress here. Their use isn't unheard of in larger engines w/ little issues. The larger Kawasaki twins get some press. Not many on the little Briggs fail.
radios1
Elite Member
there's plenty of info on that here. plastic camshaft gear failures - Google Search
Guess that it's like anything else you search for on the tubes. Plastic timing gears. Plastic camshafts. The failure rate still seems quite low. They build WPM engines with a decal on the top which states no oil change needed. Deere's 30 second oil change. This is where we are now.
coobie
Super Member
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- 6,402
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- S.Michigan
- Tractor
- Kubota RTV 1100c, JD 740,Kioti DK 40 with KL401 loader .
I have a honda model for the last 12 years that gets a lot of use flawless so far.
oosik
Epic Contributor
I have the Stihl FS 450. With the OEM shoulder harness it's not to bad. Used w/out this harness - it will KILL your back pretty quick. I have many different heads & blades. The best head - the one with the three free swinging nylon blades. I took one of the brand new nylon blades to the local metal shop. They made me two complete sets of high carbon steel, duplicate blades. They are heavier than nylon, cut better and looks like one set might last forever. Their operational limit - around a 2" sapling.
I agree on the head. I bought the Home Depot Rhino. The better blades for that could be a good idea. I suppose that I should check the Oregon catalog. I've used several shapes, reversed saw blades and one that my local shop had which was kind of a saw blade w/ 3 tipped out blades at the bottom. Had high hopes for that one.
2manyrocks
Super Member
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Practically any steel blade will far outlast plastic blades and can be resharpened with a file. Steel will shatter if you hit a rock and will cut up fences or tires or the tree bark of desirable trees or vinyl house siding.
Whatever you cut with, eye protection and a good pair of gloves are recommended.
Whatever you cut with, eye protection and a good pair of gloves are recommended.
One could surmise from your user name that you know of what you speak! Thanks!
oosik
Epic Contributor
I have that tri-lobed steel blade also. I had high hopes for it - but it didn't work out well. I've banged my free swinging steel blades off rocks & my concrete house foundation. No ill effects to the blades.
I ALWAYS wear safety glasses, a safety face shield and gloves when using the FS 450 Stihl. I even tried using the Stihl while wearing shorts - not the brightest of ideas.
At the end of any cutting job I'm always covered from the waist down in "green chaff". I find that chicken wire and garden hoses are fair game.
It's similar to using a brush cutter, I guess. Best to surveil the area being cut, first.
I ALWAYS wear safety glasses, a safety face shield and gloves when using the FS 450 Stihl. I even tried using the Stihl while wearing shorts - not the brightest of ideas.
At the end of any cutting job I'm always covered from the waist down in "green chaff". I find that chicken wire and garden hoses are fair game.
It's similar to using a brush cutter, I guess. Best to surveil the area being cut, first.
ArlyA
Super Star Member
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- Outlander1000 6x6, Ego lawn mower and shopping for tractor
We use steel blade cutting head but prefer not to. There cutting radius is quite small and we hit rocks, left and right with them. Our preferred heads are the .155 string heads that are quite tolerant and can be run right against the rocks or ground, and there cutting radius is quite large. Nonetheless, we get into tree shoots they'll beat up but won't cut them, then the steel heads come out.
Wagtail
Super Star Member
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- St Helens, Tasmania, Australia
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Well it's all down to 'the right tool for the job', isn't it.
I have the tri-blade for my FS85 and I mount it for when I go after (bloody) bracken. The stem is just 'woody' enough that it eats whipper-string for breakfast and asks for more!
Everything else gets the string-head. It's not that much of an embuggerance to swap heads... although, woe betide if you misplace the wee metal aligning pin/rod/shaft thingy!
I have the tri-blade for my FS85 and I mount it for when I go after (bloody) bracken. The stem is just 'woody' enough that it eats whipper-string for breakfast and asks for more!
Everything else gets the string-head. It's not that much of an embuggerance to swap heads... although, woe betide if you misplace the wee metal aligning pin/rod/shaft thingy!
I have the Husqvarna 345FR. It's a forestry saw with the circular saw blade. It requires a backpack which it comes with and has the handlebars. It's 2 stroke and very powerful. I can cut 3" trees in a split second with one swipe. Will easily cut 6" trees and is well balanced. Cuts brush and weeds great also.
Very happy with it.
Very happy with it.
rangerfredbob
Veteran Member
blackberries are jerks, there's very little mechanized that will work on them in rough terrain... If you can't get a tractor with a brush hog in there a Billy Goat or DR is good, I just got a Billy Goat last year and it's a workout, it goes too fast in first gear for extreme terrain... Next you're down to a blade on a weedeater. For passively mechanized I've had good success with taking a choker rope or chain and wrapping it around the whole area of blackberries you are trying to get rid of, attaching it to a vehicle of some form and driving off, you're bound to get most of it... As far as the hand propelled variants machetes are useless, too short... get yourself an axe handle and a decently sturdy 24" machete. Take the handle off the machete so you're down to the bare blade and have the rivet holes available, take a saw to the axe handle and make the cut deep enough to get bolts through all the rivet holes, get some 6mm bolts (most machete's are Chinese so 6mm holes not 1/4") long enough to go through everything, two flat washers per bolt and a nyloc nut and assemble. That is the best as it gives you nearly a 4' radius and you aren't all cut up from the bastage plants that they are...
But how do you really feel about these Himalayan blackberries?! I can tell that you have some PE with these. Blood in the game as they say. Thanks for the tips!
rangerfredbob
Veteran Member
I'd much rather deal with the evergreen blackberries... I'm actually keeping a plant in my front yard for the heck of it, the Himalayan's are trying to take over though like they do... I actually don't have much problem with them at my house, couple areas but not bad. Over at my moms it's much worse of a problem with rougher terrain, my brother has more experience than I but I've helped enough to glean some things and have my own setup. Reed Canary grass is the nemesis on my property...
