fendt-man-matty Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 what are the best tips to doing well with hedge cutting? i already know that need a tractor with a strong cab, bonnet covered up and other parts protected. and 100% concentration what the best advice can give for doing well at hedge cutting?? \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massey Boy Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 a mcconel hedge cutter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fendt-man-matty Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 advice on what to do with it........ on how you cut hedges \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massey man Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 what are the best tips to doing well with hedge cutting? i already know that need a tractor with a strong cab, bonnet covered up and other parts protected. and 100% concentration what the best advice can give for doing well at hedge cutting?? \ drive at 1mph all day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fendt-man-matty Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 and a sore neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deerepower Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 get somone else in to do it :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerstarâ„¢ Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Keep it level! Avoid telegraph poles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 what are the best tips to doing well with hedge cutting? i already know that need a tractor with a strong cab, bonnet covered up and other parts protected. and 100% concentration what the best advice can give for doing well at hedge cutting?? \ Get a 6 cylinder tractor as it will be more stable, cab strength is irrelevent but needs to have good side visibility, best of the older tractors for it is an SG2 cabbed JD As for the actual job it is a highly skilled job where you need to keep your wits about you, always looking out for hazards in hedgerows and the undergrowth, not always possible, I myself have had inch thick wire left by BT tangled up in the machine. It is a slow job which cannot be rushed, a good finish on a hedge may take 2 or more passes over the same bit so you need patience. It's not something I would recommend a complete novice going into, it is a job where if you get it wrong and make a balls up it will be visible for the next year at least and you'll never be invited back. Some farmers will only use a contractor for the jobs they won't or can't handle so your equipment will get a lot of abuse. As for choice of machines, the older B range Bomfords have a poor head design but a strong arm whereas the McConnels are the other way round with weak arms and excellent heads, older Spearheads aren't worth bothering with, although they were built well the heads were under powered. Now though all these machines are on an even keel with eachother but for contracting you will need a machine with between 5 and 6m of reach, new something of this size will cost over ?10k, second hand hedgecutters require a thorough going over due to the sort of life they lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM190 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 You thinking off Contracting Hedge cutting then Matty ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcher Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Well i find that each hedge is different from the last there is a good side and bad side to each hedge south faceing having more to cut than the north I start with a good look at the hedge to see weather the sides are vertical/or angeled .Is there any brambles if you are not carefull you will drag the brams along and not cut anything and make a mess speicaly in the ditches. How high is the hedge same as last time or bringing it up to the new 2 meters . Best to keep up with the rules and regs and always ask the farmer what he wonts done That out the way this hedge is 3 years old so needs a few passes otherwise you end up with a lot of debre better to chop it up gentley as you go and much kinder on your trimmer first cut finding out where the edge is then the vertcal cut then genty bring the top down one thing that i find helpfull for a tidy finish is to do both sides before you finish thetop otherwise the debre from the side will land on the top And as for tractor/ trimmer anything will do with older kit might take a bit longer but will do the job time and practise helps you soon learn to read the hedge and which is the quickest and easest way hope this helps steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fendt-man-matty Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 thanks guys You thinking off Contracting Hedge cutting then Matty ??? well ive been told it is a good job because not many people want to do it, but i was also told if you make a balls of it your told to f*** off ha ha! its just a thought at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich.new holland Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 from what ive done its a very boring job \ if you can try and get in with the council as they need hedge cutters we got three out with them sometimes four in the busy times we use ford 4600 on a small bomford (very little goes wrong with that tractor + hedgecutter, brillant for small lanes and cycle tracks ) a ford 7610 on a mcconal this one has had to have a weld on it prity much every week this year \ and a nh 7840 on a mcconal with a bomford head this one goes out at the start of the season and stays away only comes back if a pipe bursts or when we change the oil the fourth tractor is a 8210 ,it depends what job its on as it can go on a mcconal the same as the 7840 or it goes on a 25ft bomford i think the make is \ but we ont use the 25ft one much now \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIWINZ Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 allm of the above and dont start on a single track road all the f ing cars in the end i gave up and went out early on a sunday morning before rugby no cars absolute blis!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere-est Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 I love hedgetrimming. Take your time, sometimes it is good to make an extra pass to get a better finish but bare in mind ground conditions. As a farmer, you will want a nice looking hedge but not at the cost of a rutted verge, headland or pasture!! I always take one swipe down the side, high up - this exposes the knots where the hedge was last cut (hopefully!!) then I do the top and then tidy up the lower/bottom. If you start at the bottom and work up, all the rubbish falls opver what you have cut. If you get to something like an elm which want's to be taken out, don't go into it with the full width of the header. Turn the header vertical and then turn it a bit further so the bottom of the head is closer to the trunk, push the header in by way of extending the dipper, don't fo it all at once but feather it in and out. The trunk is cut with a 4 or 5 inch cut and usually looks ok after, any other way it can split to the base looking awful!! Drive slow enough to move the arm/head in accordance with the tractor swaying over bumps/ruts. .. Traci's dad has a Case 4210 we use for hedgetrimming and it doesn't go nearly as slow as we need. It's a pain in the bum so choose your tractor carefully. Your not recommended to turn the head so far over that you can see the flails, sometimes you have to - do so with EXTREME care and awareness as to what and who is around the area you are working. Raise out of the hedge for passers by, cars etc whenever possible. Listen to instructions - it isn't "Yeah every hedge please, flat tops" nowadays. It is a lot of map work with hedges alternating their cuts each year, different styles.. . . Above all else - if ever in doubt - ASK!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 I love hedgetrimming. Take your time, sometimes it is good to make an extra pass to get a better finish but bare in mind ground conditions. As a farmer, you will want a nice looking hedge but not at the cost of a rutted verge, headland or pasture!! I always take one swipe down the side, high up - this exposes the knots where the hedge was last cut (hopefully!!) then I do the top and then tidy up the lower/bottom. If you start at the bottom and work up, all the rubbish falls opver what you have cut. If you get to something like an elm which want's to be taken out, don't go into it with the full width of the header. Turn the header vertical and then turn it a bit further so the bottom of the head is closer to the trunk, push the header in by way of extending the dipper, don't fo it all at once but feather it in and out. The trunk is cut with a 4 or 5 inch cut and usually looks ok after, any other way it can split to the base looking awful!! Drive slow enough to move the arm/head in accordance with the tractor swaying over bumps/ruts. .. Traci's dad has a Case 4210 we use for hedgetrimming and it doesn't go nearly as slow as we need. It's a pain in the bum so choose your tractor carefully. Your not recommended to turn the head so far over that you can see the flails, sometimes you have to - do so with EXTREME care and awareness as to what and who is around the area you are working. Raise out of the hedge for passers by, cars etc whenever possible. Listen to instructions - it isn't "Yeah every hedge please, flat tops" nowadays. It is a lot of map work with hedges alternating their cuts each year, different styles.. . . Above all else - if ever in doubt - ASK!! A good way out of that one if you are unfortunate enough to get a tractor like that and are able to is to stick the PTO into 1000rpm and the run the engine slower, gained another 32 gears when I done that on my Renault, made a hell of a difference to speed and fuel consumption, the revs dropped from 2200rpm to 1200rpm on the engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON. Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Quick question what would you expect/charge for cutting by the hour framer by us has had 2 tractors in for the last 2 weeks and charged him ?3500 which work out at ?18.50 hr and he was moaning but can't see how they can do it much cheaper \ \ \ \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere-est Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Quick question what would you expect/charge for cutting by the hour framer by us has had 2 tractors in for the last 2 weeks and charged him ?3500 which work out at ?18.50 hr and he was moaning but can't see how they can do it much cheaper \ \ \ \ ?22 up my way Si. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 It's between ?17 and ?22 around this way as well Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabh7840 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 our contractors only ?15 wit a white roof ford 7740 and a new mcconel last yr, its no easy task ill tell you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMON. Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 cheers guys seems to varie around this way from ?17-?25 so i didn't think it was expensive i think he's just cheesed of cause he's spending ?16,500 on a new engine for his w reg TM165 but they can't find a enigne to fit in it :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabh7840 Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 you could buy a fairly decent tm165 for that price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noel Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 i've done a fair bit of hedge cutting in my time and it does get boring after a while!!! I was using a Bomford (not sure of model) on a fiat 88-94. You do tend to get a sore neck after a while and it requires a lot of concentration!!! As others have suggested, pick a suitable gear and use 1000RPM if you can. I knew the farmers ditches well so that helped a lot. Though i detested doing hedges on the road, even with signs well placed motorists still hammer on. We got permission from the police to close the road for an hour or two to do a gedge as it would be down right dangerous otherwise and the amount of grief i got from people!!! I told them that in the end of the day its for your benefit as well regarding briers and paint work, they just didn't care!!! long story short keep to fields and stay off roads ha ha! cheers Noel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow legs Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 well im a hedgecutting contractor, you need to be very observant of were you are working, look out for traffic, wire, metal, signs etc. i dont get a stiff neck as i use an sg2 cabbed jd, ya sat well back on them, great view! ive been flailing for 5 years and am still learning, you cant just get on a tractor and flail and make a good job, it takes time, like tris i cut the side to expose were the last years cut went to, then take a run on top and leave a stubble of about 3 to 4 inch (on one years growth) then go over it to leave a good clean level cut, i then cut the side at the top again to remove debrie form doing the top then the bottom break, when ive done the hedge i cut the floor to chop up any debrie ALWAYS LIFT YA ROLLER OUT OF WORK WHEN DOING HEDGES! it makes a much better cleaner job/finnish a tip also, never hire ya tractor and flail out on self drive, damages can happen repairing my cab tomorro after getting it back from self drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow legs Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 re price, 3 local contractors round here all charge ?17.50 per hour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massey man Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 well im a hedgecutting contractor, you need to be very observant of were you are working, look out for traffic, wire, metal, signs etc. i dont get a stiff neck as i use an sg2 cabbed jd, ya sat well back on them, great view! ive been flailing for 5 years and am still learning, you cant just get on a tractor and flail and make a good job, it takes time, like tris i cut the side to expose were the last years cut went to, then take a run on top and leave a stubble of about 3 to 4 inch (on one years growth) then go over it to leave a good clean level cut, i then cut the side at the top again to remove debrie form doing the top then the bottom break, when ive done the hedge i cut the floor to chop up any debrie ALWAYS LIFT YA ROLLER OUT OF WORK WHEN DOING HEDGES! it makes a much better cleaner job/finnish a tip also, never hire ya tractor and flail out on self drive, damages can happen repairing my cab tomorro after getting it back from self drive! neva hire anythin out,ive a friend who hired his mini digger out,he swears never again it comes back wit sumthin else wrecked everytime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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