Brushcutters/Clearing Saws

[Randall]

I'm going to buy a brushcutter to cut everything from grass to 1 1/2" sablings on a 40 acre plot that was logged pretty hard about 6 years ago. Lots of junk. Is a 40cc Stihl FS250 or a 31cc Husq. 232R overkill?  :P

[GAV64]

HAVE A HUSKY 245RX, ABOUT 10 YEAR OLD, NEVER A PROBLEM, IT WILL RUN ALL DAY, I WILL NOT. ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH HP. THE SHAFT IS A LITTLE SHORT FOR ME I AM 6 ' 1", AFTER A COUPLE OF TANKS , BACK PAIN!!. I BELIEVE THE R SERIES (MORE BRUSH CUTTER, WEED WACKER) HAS A LONGER SHAFT AND YOU CAN ADD THE SAW ATTACHMENT AFTER. MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE SHAFT LENGTH IF YOU ARE TALL. GLENN.

[Tillaway]

I have a 165 Husqvarna, it could be for sale.  65 cc's will turn a up to a 16" blade.  12" or 14" works the best.  It will mow through trees up to about 6" with the bigger blades.

[Woodhog]

I have a Husky 345 F/R and would not want one any smaller.
I have the whipper snipper attachment, the bush blade (looks like a lawn mower blade and 2 saw blades.
I use it on small trees up to about 2-3 inches if the blade is sharp it snips them off very easy.

As mentioned in a previous post pay good attention to the
balance of the saw, try it on test it out, the blade should come
close to the ground when the saw is balanced on the harness
pivot point and it should be level.

Try a few models at your dealers, put on the harness and
fool around with the harness adjustments and the saws
pivot point adjustment.

If you are tall the pivot point on the saw may not have enough adjustment range for your height.

I am 6 feet and the 345 R wouldnt balance properly...

I would also recommend the best harness you can get,
one Husky model includes the TRIO delux harness and the
other has the cheap one,  make them give you the deluxe
harness.

If you dont get set up properly with the right saw and harness
the 40A job will be pure torture, set up right it will only be
slight torture....

good luck...

[JN68]

Hi everybody; i would agree with woodhog, I have used a RS45
johnsred thinning saw ,worked for 3 seasons thinning for irving and SNB wood coop. Watch for rock's barbwire, they are hard on blades.I still use my saw for my own use. Make sure the saw is comfurable and enjoy the work out !!! JN68

[Randall]

Thanks, are there any opinions about the Stihls or are Husqs. just the thing to have?

[Tillaway]

All the bigger clearing saws I have seen are Huskies.  I know Stihl makes them and I suspect they are as good as any Stihl product.

[rebocardo]

I have used my boss's Stihl to cut grass and it pretty much stinks at it if the string hits anything. Got so I carried around two heads for when the string got jammed inside the head. A pain clearing stuff after a while since I am almost 6 feet and have to lean down too much.

The circle blade attachment is nice for doing saplings and such. Works great on brush.

I would look into a field mower, the Dr. Field or the $800+ ones they sell at northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company. I think to do 40 acres it would be better money spent.

I think going over 40 acres (acre -218 ft x 218 ft) with your back bent over would be extremely slow and painful. Plus, the field mowers mulch what is cut down. When you use the hand helds it just flops over and lies there and when it is sumac or something, it is like not cutting it at all.

[8386]

ive got an fs 420, works great, im 6'6" and its long enough for me when on the highest harness hole itll run as long as you itll keep up.

[oakiemac]

Randall, maybe I'm missing something here but if you are clearing brush on 40 acres-why would you do it with a back breaking-arm aching weed wacker? I'd highly recommend a walk behind brush cutter like an old Gravely or a DR all terrain mower.
I have one of each and they both will cut sapling up to 2 inches, will plow through the thickest briars and brush. Much easyier then the best weed wacker. And they are just as manueverable. I can go around saplings and small trees that I want to leave and pulverize the junk. The Gravely that I have is my grandfathers and it still works great. Check on e-bay they sell lots of them for under $500.

[wiam]

If I was clearing 40 acres of brush I would have a seat.

William

[Randall]

A good question Oakiemac. Alot of my place has more than 45degree slopes and was I guess, "nuked"  : as they say around here before I bought it. Lots of rotten old logs on the ground and such. An ATV couldn't get through it and I have no wish to have it look like a golf course anyway. Mostly I'm trying to reduce the fuel load. I need something to carry. I'll burn the slash piles in the fall. Also, I need a grass cutter for trails and around the house.

[Ed_K]

 I run a husky 240r with a skill 7 1/2" carbide blade. works on anything up to 6". When I have a multi flora rose to do, I turn the head vertical, and erase it  ;D. Its a good trimer, but it will out last me  : 6 tanks is a day of work  :(. The only problem in 3 yrs of use was the clutch, it had the clip type, I had it changed the springs with no more problems.

[Keltic]

I've had a Jred RS51 for a long time and can recommend it. Sharpen every tankful and you can buzz through alot of area. I spaced 30 arces of very dense property one summer in my spare time and it was almost fun. Cheers FMK

[Randall]

I've thought I might buy a Polan straight shaft, 31cc for about $140 at WalMart and rig a circular saw blade on it. It would probably last till I get the 1.5" stuff cleared out. I'd then buy another to keep for weeds and any small future saplings. Two of those would cost less than one Stihle or Husq.. Just a thought.

[beenthere]

Have a Stihl FS120 and have both the saw blade and the weed whip. It keeps going year after year, and has been virtually trouble free. I've had real good luck with the string head, just tap it on the ground and more line feeds out. Cut a good number of acres of buckthorn. Now am turning to spraying the stems to kill it. Hard to keep ahead of it with just cutting. If, and when I buy again, it will be a Stihl - - just because this one runs so good.  

[SwampDonkey]

I use the Stihl FS 550 for thinning and its great for spacing. Keep your blade sharp, teeth set and clean your air filter often and its no effort to cut stuff up to 3 inches; stuff 4 to 6 inches require some stationary sawing. But, just 2 - 5 seconds. Its not overly heavy to carry around either. Those big Huskies are heavy, but have more torque for dense hardwood saplings. You wouldn't think so, but wild willow shrubs are some dense and hard. Poplar is like cuttin cheese. Strike a pin cherry patch and the sparks fly like barbed wire, I hate those Dang things. ;D