Need a better weed wacker

[xman23]

For years I've been keeping the weeds maintained in 300 feet of drainage ditch. Four or more times a year. My Stihl weed wacker does it well, but it slow going. I'm looking for a reasonable priced machine that could do this job much quicker. What you guys use?

 

[Babaganoosh]

How much you lookt to spend?

What size is the stihl line trimmer you have now?


I bought a km 130 from stihl. It's part of the kombi system. It's got a lot of power. Might want to consider the scythe attachment. It's like a hedge trimmer but for the ground.

 

[heat seeker]

I forget what model my Stihl is, but it takes down grass and weeds about as fast as I can swing it. It is a 4-Mix, lots of torque. It uses .095 line that has an "X" cross section. I was warned not to use it near wood that I cared about (like house siding) because the line is so aggressive. It will chew into wood fence posts, etc. Maybe a change of line would help you out. It's worth a try.

 

[Babaganoosh]

I forget what model my Stihl is, but it takes down grass and weeds about as fast as I can swing it. It is a 4-Mix, lots of torque. It uses .095 line that has an "X" cross section. I was warned not to use it near wood that I cared about (like house siding) because the line is so aggressive. It will chew into wood fence posts, etc. Maybe a change of line would help you out. It's worth a try.

I need to get a different line as well. Mine is a 4 mix and it's stupid powerful. Not sure what line I have because I'm still on what the dealer loaded it with but I do need something a little less aggressive.

I'm a fan of 2 strokes because of how quickly they rev and how simple they are, but I will admit that I am enjoying this 4 mix. Definitely overkill but with the extra attachments it will be worth it. Plus only one powerhead I have to worry about maintaining.

 

[begreen]

We've had a Stihl FS90 for several years now. It's the best trimmer I've owned. With it strapped to the vest and the bicycle handlebars I can cut for hours.

 

[webfish]

Ditto on the FS90. Love mine. With attachments I can take down small trees , buckthorn, etc...

 

[xman23]

I have a Stihl fs45. It has enough power. But with about 6 inches of string doing the work, it takes two hours to do my road frontage. I was thinking of a brush hog type machine. I've never owned or used one, I'm in need of guidance.

 

[mzadrick]

I had an old fs 35 curved shaft then not to long ago upgraded to a fs 85 straight shaft. What a difference! Good luck

 

[NickDL]

What about your current trimmer is not performing the way you want?
I have a Stihl 110 & I love it. It has a ton of power, I do need to be careful where I'm hitting. It also has the ability to use the combi system.

 

[drz1050]

Echo SRM-266T here, no complaints. I've only ever bogged it down when I got it tangled in some rope. Goes through tall grass/ small trees like nothing.

 

[Ashful]

We've had a Stihl FS90 for several years now. It's the best trimmer I've owned. With it strapped to the vest and the bicycle handlebars I can cut for hours.

+2 on the FS90... if you want a real trimmer. A buddy left his at my house for about 5 years, and it became my go-to machine. Best trimmer I've ever used.

Then again, if you're talking brush hogs, you're in a different realm altogether. I've not used a walk-behind brush hog, but I'm very familiar with the 3-point jobs:

 

[sportbikerider78]

What is it exactly that the trimmer is doing when you get into the heavy stuff? Is it bogging down,,,going through too much line?

Is is possible to kill the weeds?

 

[Highbeam]

300 feet of drainage ditch is all we have to go on. I've created ditches like this with a tractor and had the sides just steep enough that I could run the mower (brush hog or riding lawn mower) on the banks for maintenance. You can do this with a pretty steep bank. Think long term. If the ditch does not contain water for part of the year you can also poison the veg dead in the dry months with no worry about the poison running down the ditch and killing veg offsite in the wet times. Round up is quite effective here.

No way would I plan on weedwacking a 300 foot long ditch long term.

 

[xman23]

It's a easy drainage ditch. Not very steep sides and not to many rocks. I need to keep the weeds cut, so when I'm cutting it's less than a foot high. I'm going to find a junk mower that runs. Set it as high as it goes and give it a try.

 

[Hogwildz]

Stihl or Echo would be my top 2 choices. Of course my cheap Ryobi reman has been doing duty here for 9 years. Def got my money worth. Even runs the brush cutter attachment.

 

[Ashful]

Is is possible to kill the weeds?

That's usually a bad idea. Townships used to spray them with weed killer, but found this resulted in all the soil washing away, sometimes at the detriment of the road edge.

 

[maple1]

I might try one that you can put different attachments on, and run it with a hedge trimmer head on it. Maybe the Stihl Kombi mentioned above, Echo makes one, Troy Bilt & Ryobi do too but not sure on quality.

I've never tried one on grass, and we're not sure exactly what you're dealing with - but it would have a wide swath and you might be able to just hold it in one spot & walk along with it. Like a mini sickle bar mower. I didn't know there was a scythe attachment as mentioned above - might be another possibility.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Pics!

 

[Lake Girl]

Sounds similar to the ditch we have to cut here ... Problem at our yard is the highway is off set way too close to the property line leaving a very steep side. The province would brush it out every 3 years or so until they decided to go snooping on our land to check out our equipment stored there. In the process, they cut along the way and took out about 20 small white pines (tallest about 6'). We maintain it now. The Stihl FS90 with blade for keeping the poplar and willow trees in check. An Echo for trimming the weeds. Lawn mower used where I can but rocks, tree stumps and steep sides make it limited. Prepped the yard for a wedding and the week before was in the 90s and humid... not a fun job for me as the guys where busy moving equipment around and general clean-up of 15 years of construction left-overs too. Weed eating needs to be done again Guess I don't need a gym membership

 

[xman23]

Update. I did a search on you tube, and I'm not the only one that has tried to convert a mower to brush hog. One guy took two mower blades, cut of the two ends off and bolted two swing blades on the ends. he says it has worked well to save the blade and motor shaft when you hit a rock.
My daughter had almost new Sears 21 inch push mower she donated to the project. Maybe 20 minutes to do 300' of the ditch. What a time saver over the weed walker method.

Now the issue. On section is almost rock less so I got carried away and lowered the deck, for a manicured look. Bad move, another section has a lot random size rocks. After hitting one after another I started hitting every one I went over. What had happened was the blade ends.bent, straight up and down. Jammed a rock between the blade and the bottom of the engine. Luckily it didn't go thru the engine. I took a trailer load of rock out of the ditch. I will replace the blade a raise the deck and give it another try. If I find time I will make a swing blade for it. Any one know if they make these type of blades for mowers?

I

 

[Ashful]

Swing blades are standard on any brush hog, but never seen em for mowers.

 

[Highbeam]

Swing blades are standard on any brush hog, but never seen em for mowers.

I own a brush hog with swing blades. I've broken blades before and they go shooting out. Do not try and put swing blades on a walk behind mower.

 

[xman23]

I own a brush hog with swing blades. I've broken blades before and they go shooting out. Do not try and put swing blades on a walk behind mower.

Thanks for your advice. I'll stick with the single mower blade.

 

[Grateful11]

Use what the pros use around here, Shindaiwa. I had a Shindaiwa T27 for over ten years, never done anything to it but a couple spark plugs and air filters, paid $300 for wholesale as my BIL was a dealer, used for over years and sold it for $200. My back no longer allows me to weedeat, that back and forth motion just isn't there anymore, a fused spine. Bought my son a Dolmar MS-22, one of the lightest ever made but the power is nothing like the T27. The T27 practically hovered over the ground it turned so many RPM's and nothing slowed it down.

Don't know if the quality is still there or not as they were bought out by Echo but Echo makes some great stuff too.

http://www.shindaiwa-usa.com/Products/Trimmers.aspx

 

[sportbikerider78]

I own a brush hog with swing blades. I've broken blades before and they go shooting out. Do not try and put swing blades on a walk behind mower.

Brush hogs are also driven by a PTO and not a direct link to the shaft.

Some smaller walk behind brush hogs actually have thick string like an industrial weed wacker.

I think it is a horrible idea to swing a blade that was not meant to be swung at speeds like that of a mower. Think about how fast a mower spins. Now think a bout that mass breaking off and going into your ankle. That could sever a foot.