What did you do with your Chinese baby digger today?

[2manyrocks]

Until he puts some kind of cutter on the hydraulic motor, I don't know what the actual cutting performance will be.

I suspect there is enough power to run a hedge trimmer cutting head, but I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper just to attach a two cycle trimmer and use the minix hydraulics to adjust the cutting angle as needed. You could have a pretty long reach provided you didn't get too aggressive and end up bending the trimmer shaft.

I've used a hedge trimmer attachment on a 2 cycle trimmer to mow briars and some light brush. It works, but it is tiring to wield the thing by hand for very long. It not only works, but it is very effective at chopping up a briar patch as well as vines. The minix hydraulics are certainly powerful enough to hold this kind of a cutter all day.

I'm not sure that the hydraulics could spin up a spinning cutter head enough for this kind of work, and it could throw debris at the operator where the hedge trimmer wouldn't do that.

 

[oldrustysteel]

Until he puts some kind of cutter on the hydraulic motor, I don't know what the actual cutting performance will be.

I suspect there is enough power to run a hedge trimmer cutting head, but I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper just to attach a two cycle trimmer and use the minix hydraulics to adjust the cutting angle as needed. You could have a pretty long reach provided you didn't get too aggressive and end up bending the trimmer shaft.

I've used a hedge trimmer attachment on a 2 cycle trimmer to mow briars and some light brush. It works, but it is tiring to wield the thing by hand for very long. It not only works, but it is very effective at chopping up a briar patch as well as vines. The minix hydraulics are certainly powerful enough to hold this kind of a cutter all day.

I'm not sure that the hydraulics could spin up a spinning cutter head enough for this kind of work, and it could throw debris at the operator where the hedge trimmer wouldn't do that.

I agree.. I sometimes drive up and down the trail while holding my 18v Ryobi hedge clippers with my left hand, steering wheel in right hand. works good for 15 minutes or so, then my left arm feels like its going to fall off. HaHa dont laugh at me. I will try almost anything to help me win the war against the MultifloraRose that takes over the trails.

 

[2manyrocks]

Hedge trimmers are very efficient cutters. It's very nice to use them on a gas trimmer that puts me at some distance from the thorns, but the weight and leverage of the cutting head tires me out.

I would think it wouldn't be that hard to fabricate something to attach a trimmer to the bucket and then be able to tilt the trimmer to the appropriate angle. This style of cutter also has a ratchet head at the cutter that can also be adjusted for angle.

One possible attachment method would be to use a tube that can be pivoted and locked into position, and then insert the shaft of the trimmer into the tube. The tube could also protect the trimmer shaft from bending. You could also experiment with using extensions on the shaft.

The "slow" forward travel speed of the miniX may in this case be ideal for running a hedge trimmer type cutter. Fast enough to make progress, but not so fast that the travel speed overwhelms the cutting speed.

Once you get the miniX carrying the weight, it wouldn't be that hard or expensive to see how this would work in reality. Most people already have some kind of trimmer that accepts these trimmer attachments, and the hedge trimmer attachment itself is something like $80 on Amazon.

 

[oldrustysteel]

Hedge trimmers are very efficient cutters. It's very nice to use them on a gas trimmer that puts me at some distance from the thorns, but the weight and leverage of the cutting head tires me out.

I would think it wouldn't be that hard to fabricate something to attach a trimmer to the bucket and then be able to tilt the trimmer to the appropriate angle. This style of cutter also has a ratchet head at the cutter that can also be adjusted for angle.

One possible attachment method would be to use a tube that can be pivoted and locked into position, and then insert the shaft of the trimmer into the tube. The tube could also protect the trimmer shaft from bending. You could also experiment with using extensions on the shaft.

The "slow" forward travel speed of the miniX may in this case be ideal for running a hedge trimmer type cutter. Fast enough to make progress, but not so fast that the travel speed overwhelms the cutting speed.

Once you get the miniX carrying the weight, it wouldn't be that hard or expensive to see how this would work in reality. Most people already have some kind of trimmer that accepts these trimmer attachments, and the hedge trimmer attachment itself is something like $80 on Amazon.

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You may be on to something! I can see how this may work without a lot of $$. Maybe a small hyd motor could replace the 2cycle powerhead.

 

[oldrustysteel]

It won't be long now. I have my doubts, but I really hope it works.

 

[2manyrocks]

It will be interesting to see how this goes. He's done a lot of fabrication work to find out. I hope it works for him.

 

[dfkrug]

I'm not sure that the hydraulics could spin up a spinning cutter head enough for this kind of work, and it could throw debris at the operator where the hedge trimmer wouldn't do that.

A small displacement motor direct-driving a carbide-tipped miter saw blade (10 or 12") would work here. For woody stems. For grassy stuff, I would go for the metal swing-blade trimmer head.

Surplus Center has a 0.8 ci motor for sale now for $30 plus ship and tax. It would give you just over 1000 RPM at 4GPM. Not a ton of torque (300 in-lb), but it would work. A 0.5 ci motor would be better, but hoo boy, prices are way up.

 

[oldrustysteel]

I wonder how much power a 24" sickle bar mower would need? I don't know if anyone makes one that small. seems like I recall a DR trimmer that was a walk behind 36" SB mower.

 

[Sonny580]

That stinks. I was worried about cross- threading the hydraulic lines when I did the switch yesterday. The hydraulic lines were very stubborn and difficult to align properly. They wanted to stay where they were. I think the fact that they are run inside the boom made it more difficult.

How many hours on your L12? Have you changed the hydraulic fluid yet?

Probably 20 hours total. hour meter showed 4 hours when it came out of the shipping container and I left the damn switch on for several hours shows 35 now but I know its 15 too high!

 

[oldrustysteel]

Probably 20 hours total. hour meter showed 4 hours when it came out of the shipping container and I left the damn switch on for several hours shows 35 now but I know its 15 too high!

Let us know what happens with the leak on the track motor. I hope it's something simple. You have certainly had your share of problems with it. But, you have also found some creative ways to get more use out of it.