brush cutter for string trimmer

[sadams]

I want to attach a Forester 1" arbor brush cutter on my string trimmer. I am told that I will also have to buy a brush blade kit. Can anybody tell me if this kit is really necessary, and why? Thanks

 

[prs]

Not sure what the kit has that you may be missing. The guard? A bolt and the clamping washers that fit the blade? My straight shaft commercial type trimmers have the guard already and the string head and blades interchange. I occasionally use and unstrung string head to "bolt" the blade in place and then the head acts as a ground clearance guide. Work safe!

prs

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

Could be referring to additional safeguards, like a protective device that hangs over your leg to protect from kickbacks, different head shield, etc etc. Lawsuit driven safety measures that some oem's will require you to purchase so they are not liable/as liable for you chopping yourself or someone else up.

 

[JRobyn]

I did this the other way around on my Echo blade trimmer - bought the string head kit. The blade uses a much smaller but stouter guard (aluminum). The guard for the string head is plastic and has the string trimmer/cutter out on the perimeter. The blade also uses a different slip-on arbor with a raised blade-centering pilot where the string head threads on to the output shaft.

Welcome to the forum! :welcome:

- Jay

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

I've got a Stihl brush cutter that came with a three-point blade + kit. I rarely have the 'string' head on due to (bloody ) bracken that eats the string for breakfast, then asks for more.

Anyway... the kit includes the cup/shield to lock the blade underneath and a proper locking nut + an all-in-one tool to do the job. The cup/shield keeps the blade from digging into the ground and crap getting into the head of the cutter.

JRobyn may have described it in different terminology, but yes, definitely get the proper kit for your tool... doing it 'on the cheap' will only result in repairs ($) 'down the track'.

 

[Rustyiron]

I want to attach a Forester 1" arbor brush cutter on my string trimmer. I am told that I will also have to buy a brush blade kit. Can anybody tell me if this kit is really necessary, and why? Thanks

Brush blade kit? I smell "lawyer talk" there.

 

[Wagtail]

Brush blade kit? I smell "lawyer talk" there.

Not really Mate. We're talking about properly attaching a rapidly spinning blade to the end/head of an equally rapidly spinning powered tool that comes into contact with the ground.

It's not that you can't simply bolt a blade to where the standard string 'cannister' goes, it's a matter of attaching the blade safely and balanced.

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

Not really Mate. We're talking about properly attaching a rapidly spinning blade to the end/head of an equally rapidly spinning powered tool that comes into contact with the ground.

It's not that you can't simply bolt a blade to where the standard string 'cannister' goes, it's a matter of attaching the blade safely and balanced.

I have a Stihl FS-250 that works exactly the same way. Here's what the kit for mine looks like:

 

[sadams]

Thanks for the comments one and all. Wagtail, I agree that I surely don't want a projectile blade embedding in my leg nor do I want to destroy my machine. ScoutmasterRick's pic shows how simple this kit is. My problem is really that they want $70 for this thing. Robbery. From a brief search it appears that the simple kits (and presumably the less expensive ones) are all sold in the UK. If somebody knows of a reasonably priced kit here in the US then I will buy it. otherwise I will rig this thing with nuts, washers, sheet metal, and whatever works. I am pretty good at this, but then, I do only have 1 thumb remaining, and lots of scars.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

Stupid people have made what used to be simple and affordable projects complicated and expensive.

 

[Coyote machine]

Yeah, $70 is way to much to make sure the blade stays on the trimmer instead of becoming a projectile. Why not attach it with Silly Putty or Shoe Goo instead?! Duh!:confused2:
Those who complain about safety issues and lawyers are the ones who need the safety items the most, and are the first ones to call the lawyers when some crap juryrigged piece of whatever hits them in the head.
Safety is NO accident.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've been running a 10 inch "not sharp enough for the chop saw anymore" carbide tipped blade for about 5 years now in my old Stihl brush cutter. The little guard is just about gone. And as with any tool, power or not, I use common sense at all times in it's operation, along with proper maintainance. The only safety the lawyers provide is to the manufacturer.
If there is a hardware difference, spacers, washers, etc. involved with this "blade kit" that's a different matter. On my Stihl, it was just a matter of removing the string head, and using the hardware that was supplied to use the blades included when I bought it.:thumbsup:

 

[Wagtail]

Thanks for the comments one and all. Wagtail, I agree that I surely don't want a projectile blade embedding in my leg nor do I want to destroy my machine. ScoutmasterRick's pic shows how simple this kit is. My problem is really that they want $70 for this thing. Robbery. From a brief search it appears that the simple kits (and presumably the less expensive ones) are all sold in the UK. If somebody knows of a reasonably priced kit here in the US then I will buy it. otherwise I will rig this thing with nuts, washers, sheet metal, and whatever works. I am pretty good at this, but then, I do only have 1 thumb remaining, and lots of scars.

I can understand you wanting to save $s and/or get a deal... that's all well and good but in this case it's a matter of the right tool (or 'kit') for the job. I'm also not saying that you don't have the skills to 'knock up' a jury-rig that'll do the job. Heck, your $ saving jury-rig may last for quite awhile too... it's your equipment, after all.

You haven't mentioned what brand of brush-cutter (whipper-snipper, string-trimmer, etc...) you have. ScoutmasterRick's attachment is a bit too small to show it but there's a very important gear-notched plate in that Stihl 'kit'. My strong advice is to get the proper kit. Perhaps you can order the less expensive kit from the UK.

 

[Garycw]

I've used the blade cutters before and found them not to be that useful or practical. IMO

 

[ScoutmasterRick]

I've used the blade cutters before and found them not to be that useful or practical. IMO

I find them indispensable, especially under fence rows. In fact I use the 3 bladed brush knife blade 3-4 times as often as I use the string head. Here are some before and after photos of some fence rows I cleared out using a Stihl FS-250 and a brush knife blade.

 

[Wagtail]

I've used the blade cutters before and found them not to be that useful or practical. IMO

Different 'horses for courses' Mate. I do, on occasion, put the string cannister on if I want to 'tiddly up'* around the house. Otherwise the 3-bladed cutter is on due to the bloody bracken that's around the property.

If you're not familiar with bracken, count yourself lucky. If you are then, other than pulling it out by had, you need a blade as this fern's stock is wood-like.

*Navy slang for fancy

 

[Silvic]

You definitely want the correct kit for the job. Never saw where you posted the type of trimmer you are try to set up.
I have many many hours with both the three blade knife and the chisel tooth blade on my cutters; FS450 and FS250 doing forestry work.

One of the details that I have not seen anyone else address is the harness and the bike handle.
DO NOT try to use the little loop handle trimmers for cutting with the metal blades.
Could it be done, probably, but your risk level goes through the roof.
The cost of setting it up correctly is far less than one visit to the ER.
There is a very good safety reason to have the body of the trimmer attached to you by the harness and to have two hands on opposing bike handles versus the loop handle.



Oh yes proper safety head and eye gear is mandatory as well if you like being around and seeing your family.

 

[Sodo]

RustyIron I used a 10" blade for awhile, but the 7 1/4 skilsaw blade is much better. It's lightweight, thin kerf. It spins up fast, and stops faster too (if you fell, & had to jam it into the ground). Plus I have a stack of old skilsaw blades, so it's almost zero cost.

===========

Skilsaw can cut a branch to 1-foot chunks in seconds, and not have to pick it up. TING TING TING TING. Done.


I recently bought a new echo PAS266 View attachment 396562 with the quick-attach system - and a 3 foot 'extension', I can cut 11 feet high. I have the chainsaw attachment too, for bigger stuff. The skilsaw is much faster and much lighter than the chainsaw on anything less than 2". Out on the end of a 6 foot (or 9 foot) pole the chainsaw weight makes a huge difference, as well as the speed, how long you have to hold position. Chainsaw pole cutter will wear you out in 30 minutes. Skilsaw pole cutter I can go for hours, it's much less strenuous.

Here's how I attached the skilsaw blade. Don't even bother testing echo's 'brush blade', you need carbide. You just touch the branch, and TING, TING TING it's gone.

More description on post 56 of this other thread

 

[Garycw]

Now that skil saw blade looks like it'd do the trick.
My only experience with blade cutter was one that came with a cheap saw & loop handle. It was like a four prong blade. Recently bought a new Sthil commercial trimmer and may get the blade attach for another try on the blackberry around the pond.

 

[Sodo]

Works really good on blackberry. You can chop the canes up into short pieces and they lay flat on the ground. Whats really great about this is you can reach deep into the underbrush (4 or 5 feet) and chop off the blackberry right at the ground level, leaving the other bushes or groundcover intact. That way the other bushes shade out the blackberry. Keep at it and it goes away.

The pics above are the 1" arbor cut to skilsaw diamond. I scratched the diamond with a drywall knofe and then hacksawed/filed it real even centered. I'm good at eyeballing (for the time being!). This blade can throw stuff at your face, such as a 1" diameter stick a foot long! Always think which way it will throw. This tool is not for everyone.

On another unit (the Echo PAS 266 brush kit) the arbor was just a little smaller than the diamond. So I just "peened" four places on the diamond so it centered on the arbor. Its pretty easy just mark the four spots (on each skilsaw blade) with a sharpie and whack them until they squish a little towards the center. I've never had vibration, never loosened, and I work it real hard.

You didn't say what kind/model of string trimmer you have. I think you need a straight-shaft unit to do this. (more heavy-duty). The curved shaft units have a cable inside, like a speedometer cable. I don't think they can tolerate the blade stopping abruptly.