Re: Which Brush Cutter?

Gardening

Which Brush Cutter?

Francie 06/04/2008, 9:37
I need to buy a petrol brush cutter. I am thinking of buying one of the cheaper Ryobi. Any one got any experience of the Ryobi? Any advice would be appreciated in general on brush cutters, bearing in mind that I want to spend a maximum of about 250 Euros.

Thanks as always for your help.

Francie

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

inkflo 06/04/2008, 13:18
We've had years of landscaping for a living & have always found that investing in a good quality brushcutter pays dividends.
We bought the cheaper ones & ended up dumping them after 6 months.
Get something like a Husqvarner or an Allen pro & it will give you great service for years.
Also, we've now changed from the old style heads where you had to wrap the strimming line around the central core to the new type where you cut short lengths of line & just pop them into the head & tighten them. Result; no more ragging up in long weeds & much quicker to change the line.
You get what you pay for!

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

tracteurtom 08/04/2008, 12:26
Depends on what you what it for. 250 € buys one that will is OK ish (and I 'd even be wary about that ) for light work, but for anything more serious you need to be looking at 500€ min, Stihl is my favourite (FS300 up). No such thing as cheap tools, they just bite. A cheapie will be lost at the back of the shed inside 2 years, whereas a proper one will give you service for many years. Also, parts are available for the pro ranges in Stihl, for Ryobi, its a bin job.

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

Martinwatkins 09/04/2008, 15:22
Obviously I bow to people with more expertise, but we've had quite a lot of trouble with our Stihl (one broken flexible drive, replaced with a solid one, also eventually broke), and probably half a dozen returns to the dealer for problems with the motor (it would run fine for half an hour, stall, and then refuse to start until it was repaired; it would then be fine for another half hour, then break down again, repeat the process ad infinitum, mostly the dealer was too kind/embarrased to charge us).

We bought the Stihl on the basis that it was higher cost/better quality, but our old Jonsered (the standby) has been more reliable overall. And it's sixteen years old!

But that's just our experience maybe.

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

Montcigoux 10/04/2008, 21:50

Hi,

Not directly relevant but make sure that it physically suits whoever is going to use it as for a woman they can be achingly heavy after a few minutes and the harnesses seem to be designed for men. Also get anti vibration gloves or you could end up with what I think is called white finger. The better ones give less vibration. Make sure you allow enough money for the safety equipment you will also need especially goggles but I also use my Jonsered chain saw helmet which has attached ear muffs and visor as I got fed up of being hit in the face with stinging bits of vegetation. Long sleeves and trousers rather than shorts are advisable for the same reason. You will need a disk on the end for brambles rather than the cable so buy the disk at the same time.

There are newer ones now that don't need two stroke just unleaded petrol and they are great and seem to start every time plus you don't need to faff about with mixing two stroke. My ex got one last summer from the internet on e-bay but can't remember the make wasn't one I had heard of.

Also depends on where you can get reular support and servicing pays to buy it from that dealer especially if he is your nearest dealer.

This is how strimmimg goes with a brush cutter. Stride purposefully out to barn to get brush cutter. Find that special plastic measuring cup (to work out proportion of oil to petrol )missing . After complicatd maths and use of best kitchen measuring jug to work out proportions again get it fuelled up. Put on protective gear. Try to start it but can't remember exactly what position all the levers should be in. Refer to instructieons eventually get it started. Start strimming, heart as always in mouth in case a) come across a snake or b) even worse cut snake into pieces. After demented hour of strimming in hot sun admit defeat and retire for cold drink with back aching, ears ringing and fingers tingling.

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

tracteurtom 11/04/2008, 12:59
LOL, thats why I said buy up market. If you buy from the amateur end of the range then yes you have all these issues. Buy a professional machine from around 500€ and they are a joy to use, as they say, you'll still be using and enjoying the machine, long after you've forgotten how much it cost. Stihl are market leaders and produce excellent products, but ONLY when you buy from the pro range. Just like any company, they have cheapies and its these machines, even with a Stihl badge on them that are throw away when in need of repair. Buy a machine that will do the job YOU require of it. If its just 30 mins per month during the summer, ok a cheapy. But, if you need to use this thing for hour after hour, you've got to move up market.

Re the 4 stroke machines, its been discussed here before and personally I'd stay away. 2 stroke is ideal for this application. A light simple motor that can be used at all angles, you cant say that about a 4 stroke with its extra bits. More complex head design, cam shaft and valve train, oil pump or splash lube. Lower revving also and you only get 1 power stoke for every 2 revs of the crank compared to the 1 per 1 in a 2 stroke. 4 strokes need a stable platform (mower, rotovator, car etc) not to be waved around in the air like a flag !

Mixing 2 stroke oil with a petrol is easy, come on !

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

JanTy 15/04/2008, 12:15
Hi. I'm new to this forum tho' I contribute to others.

Our experience is that, having bought a Ryobi petrol brushcutter,it was not up to the amount of work required in our garden (ex-horse pasture) in Brittany. We bought it in B&Q & brought it over. We have since learned that, if you want something durable, go to your local garden machinery specialist & explain what you require & what would suit your needs. We now have a Stihl which bears absolutely no comparison with the Ryobi which we have given up on after just 18 months use. There are too many things wrong with it to b other repairing it. The Stihl is efficient & much better balanced. If you need to work for longish periods make sure you get one with 'cow-horn' grips.

House built, permanent by September we hope

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

chascab 25/04/2008, 23:22
In spite of the consensus of opinion on the subject I have a Ryobi back in the UK and it does me very well and has for the last few years. So much so I bought another and took it with me to France. Unfortunately or fortunately, my neighbours took it upon themselves to take on the upkeep of my garden so now, after only one use, I am selling Ryobi, along with protection mask, strap, blade and strimming spool.

Post edited by the moderators as per the forum Code of Conduct. Any advertising without permission will be removed.

charlie

Re: Which Brush Cutter?

tracteurtom 28/04/2008, 11:00
Bang on mods, I thought that post was a joke, asking the same price as new for something 2nd hand - cheek of it, but very french !!

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