Hedge Trimmer

[Geoff]

I've just bought a battery hedge trimmer for the first time, not tested it on anything difficult yet.

I notice in the manual under "Lubrication" it says:
1. After use, carefully clean the blades with resin solvent
2. After cleaning, apply a light film of lubrication to the exposed blade
3. Turn the trimmer vertical with the the blade toward the ground and run the trimmer for a few seconds to fully disperse the lubrication

I searched for resin solvent and thought it looked expensive though I have no idea how long a can would last. Online people are often disparaging about it and there is a range of advice from do nothing, give a quick spray with WD40, use a bit of old engine oil or do as it says.

What do you do please?

[Westi]

Can't answer your question Geoff but would be interested in how you are finding your new machine when you test it out on other things. I can see no respite from the railway works behind the plot for some time so the hedge row is not being trimmed & totally out of control.

I hoping I won't need to play with one as my track record is not great with machinery! I'm still trying to catch a garden guy that has moved in down the road & comes into the close to turn around but he's gone before I can get out the door but I will continue to stake him out as want the top cut off the ornamental pear in the front garden & this I definitely won't tackle as thorns, very tall blocking the light upstairs & very thick branches!

[snooky]

I,too,Geoff have just bought a Hedge Trimmer but a mains model and it is recommended that after cleaning blades lubricate with light lubricating oil.So,I guess,WD40 or 3in1oil would be good.

[oldherbaceous]

I use the Stihl resin solvent, (other makes are available) it is expensive but does keep the blades clean, I use it on all my hedge-trimmers, but especially on my battery one, as the cleaner the blades are, the more efficiently it will run.
A large can lasts well over a year, and I use one of my hedge-trimmers quite a few times a week.

[Geoff]

Thanks for that, I won't be using it a lot so a can to make sure it stores well sounds like a good idea. I've just got to work out how to do the job. I have been cutting the hedge with shears with extendable handles ever since I had it laid a few years ago but my shoulders and tendons don't like that method anymore. I've let it get too tall but more problematically too wide, I only cut from one side the other being a neighbouring field. I've proved the machine is capable of cutting through what I need to remove but it is taller than my step ladder so I've done a bit by leaning a ladder rather unstably against it but I'm still struggling to reach across the width (perhaps I needed a longer trimmer). I'm going to experiment tomorrow by cable tying a piece of ply to the ladder so it leans against the hedge better. I might have to try from the field side but the ground drops away so it is even taller on that side and I may have an audience of curious ponies (though they do keep it trimmed up as far as they can reach). I'm hoping that if I have a hard year this year it will be easier in the future.

[Geoff]

Slowly hacking out a measure of control, not very pretty or professional but hopefully I'll be able to improve it when I've go the bulk off. Luckily there is only about 20 yards of it.

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[oldherbaceous]

You are doing so well, Geoff…..I wish I lived near you and I would have cut it hard back with my long reach petrol hedge cutter for you!

Hedges soon respond to a hard hair cut….unless it’s a Leylandii….

[Myrkk]

Geoff can I ask what you bought? I’m looking at battery powered trimmers at the moment but unsure which to buy. We have a predominantly ivy hedge but with a lot of other stuff growing through including some cherry tree saplings.
The one I looked at could do up to 5cm stems. It was just a little heavy to lift as I have a shoulder impingement and I can’t raise my left arm very well.

[Geoff]

All my DIY tools are DeWalt as is my chainsaw saw so I bought their DCM563 without battery (from Lawson HIS who seem to be cheapest this week). It has a 55cm cutter hence my comment about width of hedge. The hedge is mainly hawthorn with a few other bits mixed in. I haven't measured what it has failed to cut but as the hedge has been let grow too big I have been using loppers and the chainsaw as well, particularly on the field side. I've got on well enough with it despite a dodgy shoulder from falling out of a tree some years ago. Back to the second half shortly!

[Geoff]

Well I got there eventually. When I went round into the field I realised how much had grown through my deer fence. The nosy neighbours did come to inspect what I was doing. Our side doesn't look too bad. It fulfils my long held philosophy, if a job needs doing buy the tools rather than employ someone.

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[oldherbaceous]

A perfect job, Geoff!

[Myrkk]

Looks great

[retropants]

Good Job Geoff! I've just bought a makita battery trimmer, mainly because most of my DH's tools are makita and we have the batteries etc already. It does a fair job so far, but I will giving it a proper test soon with the front Bay hedge. My dad has a long reach stihl petrol trimmer. What a beast, I can hardly lift it, and he was cutting an unruly hedge with it not long after some quite serious surgery. He won't be told!!

[oldherbaceous]

Your Dad sounds like me in many ways, Retropants!