Brush saw

[Amber Gold]

I think the property I tap grows pricker bushes as good as maples. I've been dealing with it up till now, but I need to do something about it, so I'm looking to get a brush saw. I know nothing about them, so looking for advice on what to get and look for? How big to go? I have a Stihl MS310 that has been extremely reliable, so I would lean towards a stihl again, but open to suggestions.

The extent of its use would be running through the woods once a year cutting back that year's prickers, and weed whacking the lawn edge a couple times a year. Since I wouldn't use it much, I was hoping to find one used on c-list, but been looking since last maple season and they don't pop up.

Looking to get something in the next week or so, so I can make a quick pass through the woods before the season starts.

Thanks for the input.

[SSFLLC]

are you looking for a weed wacker or a chainsaw? We run the fs 460 c-em they work good. Would recommend this or if there is space brushhog it way faster. Thanks Keith

[Amber Gold]

Basically an oversized weed wacker with a blade on it. Cut down prickers and small brush. During the summer, I'll put a string attachment on it to weed wack around the yard. I have a Ryobi P.O.S. weed wacker with no nut. Need something bigger than that. Thinking something with the two handles so it's easier to hold it walking around the woods.

Working around mainline and tubing, so no room for a brush hog.

Thanks Keith.

[MISugarDaddy]

I have a Stihl FS90 that I purchased a brush blade for doing just what you are dealing with in your woods. It will easily cut through 1" saplings. The blades are about $20 and you will have to buy the device to convert the weed whacker head to hold a brush blade, which I think was around $15. I use it a lot to do just what you are talking about doing.
Gary

[Michael Greer]

The briars and berries grow in respose to available sunlight. They always pop up after a logging or thinning, but will diminish after the crowns grow back and cover the sky.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We also have the Stihl FS90 with a brush blade. It works very well on prickers, and the string head is good for electric fence and trimming around the yard.

[twitch]

Always thought it was interesting how the prickers come after a cutting were there were no prickers before come to find out there roots can lay dormant for 50 years or so till the ground gets churned up and the sun gets to them they grow right back clover is the same way.


The briars and berries grow in respose to available sunlight. They always pop up after a logging or thinning, but will diminish after the crowns grow back and cover the sky.

[doocat]

A friend of mine sells Husqvarna, Stihl, and Echo. He recommends the Echo weed wackers every time. I have two, a 280 with blade and a smaller one with string. They are excellent machines.

Craig

[Russell Lampron]

Another vote for the Stihl here. I have an FS85 Pro with the blade attachment and it works good. It has the bicycle type handle bars and a vest with a hook on it so that you don't have to hold it up just steer it so to speak. It will cut through 1" brush with a quick whack when the blade is sharp.

[maple flats]

My saws are all Husky, but I use Stihl for small brush (up to 3/4"). I have a couple of them that have about 12" cut, FH 135° Power Scythe Attachment , link: http://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/accessories/gearbox-attachments/fh135pwr/ This works well, it cuts up to about 3/4 easily and with some pressure on one side of a stem, then move around 90 degrees to finish, it will do 1.25" and even 1.5". I had a couple of units with brush blades and others with 3 or 4 sharp arms but I find the power scythe better and by far safer. If you have hedges at home you trim, it also does them, buy changing the head angle to bend down rather than upward. I use mine in my blueberries because it will cut brush that is close to the bush but it is easily controlled to avoid cutting a cane off the blueberry that I don't want to cut.

[Big_Eddy]

What are pricker bushes? Raspberries or blackberries, or prickly ash?
I have an EFCO brush cutter that I use for clearing trails and brush up to 2". Works well for me. Uses a circular saw style blade with hook teeth that I sharpen like a chain saw. Sharpening makes a huge difference and is needed regularly. Handlebars and a harness are highly recommended if you're going to be cutting anything over 1/2"

[BreezyHill]

I use Stihl for the last 20+ years. What ever you get one that will handle super string. This is very tough heavy duty string and works great in heavy weeds and some rose bushes(prickers), We use it to clean black berry canes. For thicket on trails and to cut down sweet corn the three point blade.

Spend the little extra for a large enough machine. It will last along time.

Ben

[Amber Gold]

To me, anything with prickers on it is a pricker bush. That's what we've always called them. Not sure what they are, but they grow everywhere.

Thanks for the help and ideas. Now I have some researching to do looking into models and companies. I borrowed my dad's for now, so that'll give me some time to pick out the one I want. Although, now that we're getting 2' of snow tomorrow, it may put a damper on my pricker trimming this weekend.

[unc23win]

We have a Stihl Kombi and we use 2 different trimmer attachments the metal blade and the 3 plastic blade trimmer we also have the regular line trimmer, a tiller, and the chain saw attachments and probably will get the sickle bar attachment this year.

I hope what your dealing with is not multiflora rose they are a PITA.

[maple flats]

One of my sickle bar attachments is on a Stihl Kombi 4 Mix, the other is on a lower priced Stihl unit (I don't know the model). Both seem to work equally well. I had a blade on an older pro Shindaiwa model, but didn't like it as well as the sickle units, they cut well, but seemed dangerous.

[Amber Gold]

So I'm looking at a Stihl FS350 (40cc's) or a Husqy 250RX (50cc's). I've always had stihl chainsaws, so partial to them. Is the RX Husqy's professional level brush cutter? If it's a 200 series, is it pushing 20 years old? I know my dad's 272XP and 257 chain saws are from the 90's and I know at some point the new 300 series came out. Based on pics, they're in comparable condition. Is one better than the other?

Thanks for the advice.

[Diesel Pro]

I have all Husqvarna. I'm not sure which model I have, but this looks like a nice choice:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/345fr/

or

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/336fr/

You really want something with a good harness.