Weeds, nettles, thistles
Discussion
Murph7355 said:
I do this reasonably regularly with the most vicious nettles known to man in terms of the pain they inflict.
My strimmer has the fattest line I can get on (2.7mm or 3.0mm, can't recall which) and it copes OK with most things up to well established brambles (the power of Stihl
).
But a brushcutter would be better to the point I'd also recommend one
OP - perhaps more robust clothing...boots, trousers and overcoat plus solid gloves. Enough to kick down the worst of it.
Bin the line. Poly-cut if you're not expecting anything woody, blade if you are. Design determines the efficiency of the cut, whether you can go low to the ground or whether you want to take down 3" saplings on the way through...My strimmer has the fattest line I can get on (2.7mm or 3.0mm, can't recall which) and it copes OK with most things up to well established brambles (the power of Stihl
). But a brushcutter would be better to the point I'd also recommend one
OP - perhaps more robust clothing...boots, trousers and overcoat plus solid gloves. Enough to kick down the worst of it.
Daft thought, but could you not use a piece of 12/18mm ply, say 4'x3', tied to one edge is a long piece of string to give you a handle, then use the board to flatten the weeds as you go to give you a path?
I know it sounds old fashioned,but it does work... it also means you won't need to keep a strimmer in the boot, the board can go under everything else, it isn't noisy, and isn't as destructive...
I know it sounds old fashioned,but it does work... it also means you won't need to keep a strimmer in the boot, the board can go under everything else, it isn't noisy, and isn't as destructive...
Woody3 said:
Daft thought, but could you not use a piece of 12/18mm ply, say 4'x3', tied to one edge is a long piece of string to give you a handle, then use the board to flatten the weeds as you go to give you a path?
I know it sounds old fashioned,but it does work... it also means you won't need to keep a strimmer in the boot, the board can go under everything else, it isn't noisy, and isn't as destructive...
Not the right answer this time... but sounds like something worth keeping in the car...I know it sounds old fashioned,but it does work... it also means you won't need to keep a strimmer in the boot, the board can go under everything else, it isn't noisy, and isn't as destructive...
surveyor said:
Bought identical one a few years ago and it worked perfectly fine. The downsides are the vibrations are quite high and also the bumper head is a b
d to replace line. You can pick them up on Ebay for around £70 new.For garden clearances I use a stihl FS410 with a metal brush cutting blade which mashes it down in no time. Failing that the next best option would be a hedge trimmer.
Edited by MX5_Nuts on Sunday 31st July 11:01
Edited by MX5_Nuts on Sunday 31st July 11:07
surveyor said:
Be better paying a little more for a 2nd hand Stihl I'd have thought. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROFESSIONAL-STIHL-FS-87...
I have one of these, its a cross between a golfclub and a machete, the "toe" of the machete does the cutting
http://www.coldsteel-uk.com/store/garden-camp-mach...
works great on neglected newbuild sites, just swing it at ankle level in front of you
http://www.coldsteel-uk.com/store/garden-camp-mach...
works great on neglected newbuild sites, just swing it at ankle level in front of you
Issi said:
I'm a bit confused, are you surveying somebody else's property? If so, why aren't they chopping the weeds down to allow you access?
Because life's just not fair. It's usually accessing telephone mast compounds. I can't even get anyone to give me advance warning of obstacles, let alone have them cleared....I am making a rash and foolhardy assumption that the landowner will not care that I've cut down the nettles (actually given the purpose of my inspection I don't think it is a foolhardy assumption).
Funnily enough I bought a long reach hedge trimmer at the weekend, the bloke said people often use them for this kind of clearance. I actually bought the Stihl Kombi engine as it's cheaper than buying a bespoke long reach hedge trimmer from their range. That or a DR Wheeled Strimmer which has 4 or 5 hp engine so is just a lot more powerful than any kind of strimmer you carry also comes with heavy duty cord which in my experiences make light work of heavy brambles etc.
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