Hedge Trimming

[fred.950]

I am the first to admit that I’m not blessed with THE GIFT when it comes to hedge trimming, I find it tiring and monotonous and extremely frustrating when I can’t do a really nice job.
One of the things I struggle with most is keeping a horizontal top especially on a high hedge or on a bank, I want a giant spirit level on the head or I have found a digital Bluetooth one or do I just except I will never be very good

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

What tractor/trimmer set up are you using? What type of hedges?

 

[Henarar]

Just cut them on an angle with the middle of the hedge higher, better job anyway

 

[fred.950]

JD 6150 and an elderly Bomford trimmer, it’s all quite wobbly. I don’t have much trouble with the actual cutting it’s the shape of the top because it’s a narrow head. Hedges range from Beech to Blackthorn

 

[Chuckie]

I've seen a clear plastic bottle fixed to the head on it's side, half full of vimto or similar , makes ideal big spirit level

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

Tidy enough hedges to be cutting then, if its the type of beech I'm thinking of they don't grow much in 12 months and annual cutting of them with a flail can be difficult to get 'neat'. You could leave those ones every other year maybe, as when they're got a bit more growth in them they do trim up nicer.

Otherwise as above, could you get away with cutting the top into a 'slant' rather than a flat top, you should be able to see full width of the head then and make it more uniform.

Another tip for those difficult ones is simply go slower.

 

[fred.950]

I've seen a clear plastic bottle fixed to the head on it's side, half full of vimto or similar , makes ideal big spirit level

That’s actually a really good idea, maybe oil would slosh around less.

 

[Lofty1984]

How many passes are you doing!

 

[fred.950]

Generally two on the top, it’s more the level I’m after than the quality of cut if that makes sense.

 

[Lofty1984]

Try looking at a different part of the head

 

[ARW]

Looks like it’s worth a try

 

[ARW]

We set a camera on the wing mirror to help see if your level on high hedges

 

[milkloss]

I've often wondered the same. Theres gyros in nearly every electronic gadget now so a box that could be fitted to the head that has a light to indicate level plus or minus a couple of degrees should be easy.

 

[solo]

The spearhead hedge cutter has an auto level feature I believe.

 

[Henarar]

Just go with the flow, the more you concentrate the worse it will be, knock it up a gear or two and don't worry and it will get better

 

[mo!]

It's quite astonishing given how simple it would be to build that an auto level system isn't standard on any electronically controlled hedger. You should be able to press a button that goes to a preset angle and then it sits there regardless of what the tractor is doing. The warthog is a step in the right direction but still pretty basic.

 

[ollie989898]

It's gonna grow back, does it really matter? I'd sooner go faster and get more done in a day.

 

[fred.950]

It's gonna grow back, does it really matter? I'd sooner go faster and get more done in a day.

I get what you are saying but I have to look at it and I think it says a lot about the farm if the hedges look good

 

[Ducati899]

Try looking at a different part of the head

I find when looking at my header you think it’s not level at all when doing the top,almost gives the illusion that it’s angled down on the furthest side of header

 

[Henarar]

trouble with half the hedgers these days is the way they are made is crap, the arm is mounted way to far back meaning you are looking at the front of the cutter rather than looking at what you have done, the designers need a kick up the arse, years ago they were much better in this respect