Hedge cutting

[neilo]

Why don't more hedge cutters have blowers on the back of them.....?

I used to have a lad here who cutting hedges had one, and it did a great job.

Maybe the thorns are doing a good job of deterring Lycra invasion?

 

[serf]

Looking to get another hedge cutter tractor and seen a couple of 3000 series MF but they have the wide pillar at back of cab and wondered if this would block view of head, anyone running with one of these?

Your 3000 series is right but a deere not a fergy , recon these are a job to beat for the job on an older tractor , big side window too

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Maybe the thorns are doing a good job of deterring Lycra invasion?

Go to church

 

[steveR]

2 things to add ,I have a blower on my McConnell which is about as useful as a chocolate teapot so wouldn't bother with that expense again unless they have been altered in the last 5 years and running a NH T7 in 1000 PTO to get 500rpm has twice knackered the add blue sensor as the exhaust is not getting hot enough ,hope that helps

Mconnel..... My contact said their blower was crap too.... Cannot recall what he had fitted that worked though!

WTH they cannot get something as simple as a big fan and spout to work is a mystery!

 

[Bury the Trash]

Go to church

well hes tried a few times but the doorman wouldn't let him in ,said "sorry , you're not dressed smart enough "

 

[goodevans]

Mconnel..... My contact said their blower was crap too.... Cannot recall what he had fitted that worked though!

WTH they cannot get something as simple as a big fan and spout to work is a mystery!

It needs a kongskilde grain blower, I tend to do roadsides late in season when the leaves have gone and I think that is why they don't work as there is nothing for the wind to get hold of.I tried modifying with extra flaps but still no good

 

[Barleymow]

You can chew a 6" sized tree to the ground with care ,remove top carefully then gently lower head down trunk . Can look a mess quite satisfying though

 

[Derrick Hughes]

well hes tried a few times but the doorman wouldn't let him in ,said "sorry , you're not dressed smart enough "

Did he give him the traditional I hate cyclist one - finger Salute

 

[Kevtherev]

I have a McConnell blower here never use it now as long as the flail head rubbers are in good condition very little gets on the road.
They also have a tendency to get squashed backing into corners.

 

[Flat 10]

You dont need a creeper box and first gear will be fine.if you have a 540/540e/1000 pto you can run in 1000 speed shut down to 540 rpm that will give you a big choice of gears.I run in 1000 at 540 pto speed and run my tractor in B1 or B 2 which is fine but got 4 gears in A range if needed.linkage mounted is fine and they are handy to drop on and off as needed.I allways start at top of hedge and work down to the bottom but others may be differant.take your time and you will be fine.
nick…

I’m surprised at your speed. I run a very similar trimmer to you on a similar tractor and on lots of hedges I’m in A1

 

[Flat 10]

Looking to get another hedge cutter tractor and seen a couple of 3000 series MF but they have the wide pillar at back of cab and wondered if this would block view of head, anyone running with one of these?

I’ve used a case ih with the similar XL cab and I found it far from ideal. Had to perch on the edge of the seat to see round it

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

Our Bomford blower (as far as I can see is identical to the McConnell) is a hell of a tool. It must be 12 or 15yr old I expect.

1000pto at 540rpm, engine only doing 1160rpm

With regards trimming technique, go as fast or as slow as you feel comfortable, personally, 98% of the time I will do the side first, people argue that if you do it last, whatever falls off the top and hangs on the side you will mulch up, but I can honestly say I very rarely ever have anything hang on the side.

So if you do the side first, you can see the knuckles of where to aim for in the top, plus you are using the head to full capacity, where has if you do the top first, you will incline to hang it off the side too much, as the side growth not only grows out, but up, and you can end up taking the top off the side growth, which is a colossal waste of time, money, diesel, etc.

If you more or less aim for the cut line straight away, give or take a few inches in case you cock up, you should take annual year growth off in 2 swipes, 1 rough pass, 1 tidy pass. In fields/hedges with verges, then tidy the floor up last so much any rubbish. Obviously everywhere is different if you need to run tight to the hedge then you may want to do the floor pass first so you aren't trampling it all down.

Do a good few hours of trimming in all sorts of environments so learnt a trick or two!

 

[Deepseaman]

Our Bomford blower (as far as I can see is identical to the McConnell) is a hell of a tool. It must be 12 or 15yr old I expect.

1000pto at 540rpm, engine only doing 1160rpm

With regards trimming technique, go as fast or as slow as you feel comfortable, personally, 98% of the time I will do the side first, people argue that if you do it last, whatever falls off the top and hangs on the side you will mulch up, but I can honestly say I very rarely ever have anything hang on the side.

So if you do the side first, you can see the knuckles of where to aim for in the top, plus you are using the head to full capacity, where has if you do the top first, you will incline to hang it off the side too much, as the side growth not only grows out, but up, and you can end up taking the top off the side growth, which is a colossal waste of time, money, diesel, etc.

If you more or less aim for the cut line straight away, give or take a few inches in case you cock up, you should take annual year growth off in 2 swipes, 1 rough pass, 1 tidy pass. In fields/hedges with verges, then tidy the floor up last so much any rubbish. Obviously everywhere is different if you need to run tight to the hedge then you may want to do the floor pass first so you aren't trampling it all down.

Do a good few hours of trimming in all sorts of environments so learnt a trick or two!

Thanks , good advice

 

[Flat 10]

Slightly off topic but anyone any experience with a blade type trimmer? I have inherited a a massively overgrown hedge and my question is if you use a disc to put a top in it (ie cut in half from about 18ft to 9ft tall) how does the brash fall? Can you angle the head so it falls the side of the hedge the tractor is operating on? Otherwise it would all fall in the remaining bottom hall of the hedge and be a nightmare to tidy.

 

[tullah]

It needs a kongskilde grain blower, I tend to do roadsides late in season when the leaves have gone and I think that is why they don't work as there is nothing for the wind to get hold of.I tried modifying with extra flaps but still no good

I don't know why but I find the belts on the kongskilde last no time if its not under load sucking grain.

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

Slightly off topic but anyone any experience with a blade type trimmer? I have inherited a a massively overgrown hedge and my question is if you use a disc to put a top in it (ie cut in half from about 18ft to 9ft tall) how does the brash fall? Can you angle the head so it falls the side of the hedge the tractor is operating on? Otherwise it would all fall in the remaining bottom hall of the hedge and be a nightmare to tidy.

Could you not shear it off and let it grow up properly again? I've never actually seen the tops of hedges done with a saw blade but could imagine it falling in itself in all different ways and being a hell of a tangle.

 

[Lofty1984]

Slightly off topic but anyone any experience with a blade type trimmer? I have inherited a a massively overgrown hedge and my question is if you use a disc to put a top in it (ie cut in half from about 18ft to 9ft tall) how does the brash fall? Can you angle the head so it falls the side of the hedge the tractor is operating on? Otherwise it would all fall in the remaining bottom hall of the hedge and be a nightmare to tidy.

You need to have your wits about you so as not to drop stuff on yourself

 

[nick...]

I’m surprised at your speed. I run a very similar trimmer to you on a similar tractor and on lots of hedges I’m in A1

Must take you weeks.normally in a1/a2 when doing final fine top cut but normally b1.
nick…

 

[goodevans]

I don't know why but I find the belts on the kongskilde last no time if its not under load sucking grain.

Blower with motor straight onto fan shaft won't, kongskilde suck blowers need to have the valve on side freely moving to restrict air intake,we couldn't work out why our 50hp one kept cutting out when just sucking empty till we freed it up

 

[ARW]

The first cut I take a fast rough cut off the top of the hedge especially if it’s a strong hedge to take the bulk out of it. This also helps doing the shoulder as if it’s a strong hedge and you start with the side the long branches can bend up and miss the cutter
Then I do the shoulder, then I cut the top, then bottom side. If you are doing hedge just from one side I hang it over and cut the other side shoulder, if the hedge is wider than your head in places then cut the sides in where it needs it so next year the top is just one hedgecutter head width
We have a blower and it’s ok but it’s not that good