Which Hedgetrimmer

[pappuller]

just weighing up the pros and cons of purchasing our own trimmer, needs to be relatively easy to attach and detach, all hedges smallish and square, currently takes approx. 100 hrs per year for our contractor to get round them. we will have a case puma 140 to put it on and our son will operate it.
price and simplicity will be major considerations as we are farming dairy.
all thoughts and suggestions appreciated

 

[essexpete]

Probably useful to indicate new or used and a budget.

 

[feilding]

Don't bother. keep using a contractor and then he can make a living and you can do something else with the time..

 

[pappuller]

Probably useful to indicate new or used and a budget.

Probably upto £15/16k

 

[pappuller]

Don't bother. keep using a contractor and then he can make a living and you can do something else with the time..

That's still a distinct possibility [emoji23]

 

[betweenthelines]

Probably upto £15/16k

How much does the Contractor charge for 100 hrs work? £3k? So that's 5 years to pay for the trimmer, than you've got fuel to pay for, and your son's time (he could be doing something more useful, or is he sat on his arse for 25hrs a week all through September?) Than in a few years time your trimmer is knackered and you need a new one.

Farmers moan they're not making money, then you see posts like this.

 

[FarmerFrank88]

How much does the Contractor charge for 100 hrs work? £3k? So that's 5 years to pay for the trimmer, than you've got fuel to pay for, and your son's time (he could be doing something more useful, or is he sat on his arse for 25hrs a week all through September?) Than in a few years time your trimmer is knackered and you need a new one.

Farmers moan they're not making money, then you see posts like this.

Someone's had a bad day

 

[FarmerFrank88]

You could probably get a medium sized new trimmer for that sort of budget. We sold our 18 year old trimmer last year for 6k and bought it for 12k. They can last a long time of looked after so the original price doesn't seem so bad. Also doing it yourself allows you do do it how you want and when you want.

 

[pappuller]

How much does the Contractor charge for 100 hrs work? £3k? So that's 5 years to pay for the trimmer, than you've got fuel to pay for, and your son's time (he could be doing something more useful, or is he sat on his arse for 25hrs a week all through September?) Than in a few years time your trimmer is knackered and you need a new one.

Farmers moan they're not making money, then you see posts like this.

Contractor charging £35/hr and struggling to get everything done, 5 yrs to pay for a trimmer is my plan, if it's knackered in a few yrs I've bought the wrong brand.
Will have a tractor not doing alot October on and a son who's keen as mustard to bring some operations in house. What do you suggest would be more useful for him to do on my farm ?
Where does my post mention moaning about money ?
Am I not allowed to buy a trimmer being a dairy farmer ?
Sounds like someone has a little McCain oven chip on their shoulder [emoji23]

 

[ARW]

If your contractor is £35 an hour he probably makes about £300 profit out of your job, unless your son lives off fresh air and your tractor uses no diesel, depreciates or breaks down then your only saving £300
I would look for a good used bomford personally, £10k should buy a very good trimmer for 100 hours a year

 

[MF 168]

Interested to see what others recommend as I'm thinking along the same lines myself.

 

[dinderleat]

Find a cheaper contractor?

 

[pappuller]

If your contractor is £35 an hour he probably makes about £300 profit out of your job, unless your son lives off fresh air and your tractor uses no diesel, depreciates or breaks down then your only saving £300
I would look for a good used bomford personally, £10k should buy a very good trimmer for 100 hours a year

Yes, fully agree a good 2nd hand trimmer is an option, very early stages of looking and it would be for next season so plenty of time to look around

 

[pappuller]

Find a cheaper contractor?

Don't think Cumbria contractors come as far south as Cheshire [emoji23]

 

[pappuller]

Interested to see what others recommend as I'm thinking along the same lines myself.

I may be heading back to the dairy section with a bloody nose the way it's going so far [emoji23]

 

[dinderleat]

I may be heading back to the dairy section with a bloody nose the way it's going so far [emoji23]

Just don’t mention the fluffy box

 

[daveydiesel1]

Here in ni youd get contractor for about 27 an hour. Last january i bought a new 5455 mcconnel with cable controls for around 13k I think. Buy somethin like that and you won't regret it, once you get it paid its a job you can do that dont have to hand out big cheque to contractor for

 

[pappuller]

Just don’t mention the fluffy box

[emoji85]

 

[feilding]

£35 p/h is on the lower end of prices. if that all it costs you, keep using a contractor.

 

[ARW]

Yes, fully agree a good 2nd hand trimmer is an option, very early stages of looking and it would be for next season so plenty of time to look around

If you do go bomford then try and get one with a pro cut head not a pro trim, pro cut is heavier made
A hedgecutter doing 100 hours a year will do you for years so get a good one, our oldest bomford has gone well past 12000 hours and we have just replaced the head, a pro cut head should do 10,000 hours