Ive purchased a Honda Brush / Weed Cutter – Looking for advice .

[tomgreen]

 

I have purchased a Honda 4 stroke petrol brush / weed  cutter to cut down tall grass and small bushes on some land.( see photograph D )  The Honda brush cutter is working well , but I’m now looking for some advice .

 

One problem I’m having is finding decent cutter blades that last more than a few hours . So far Ive used some cutter blades purchased off Lazada +  some given to me ( see photograph C ) those cutter blades were not that expensive. Those cutter blades shown on the photograph worked fine for a short period of time , but all of them eventually stopped cutting and became useless. I suspect that the problem may be in the fact that those cutter blades were cheap in price. 

 

I’m wondering if paying more money for a better cutter blade would be the answer and the more expensive cutter blades would last longer, or could it be that some how I’m using the wrong type of cutter blade for the job.

 

With the now worn out and not cutting very well cutter blades , would it be possible to re sharpen those cutter blades and would it be worth the effort.

 

After now cutting all the tall long grass down , it leaves a bottom stump ( photograph A ) where the long grass is rooted into the ground . The cutting blades ( circular type ) can cut those long grass rooted stumps out of the ground , but its hard work . I’m wondering if theres another easier / better way / cutter blade to deal with removing  the long grass rooted stumps. 

 

Along with the long grass that needed cutting theres also some old small lemon trees that need to be removed ( see photograph B ) . Ive tried cutting those small lemon trees at their base , but the circular cutting blades struggles to cut into the lemon tree wood , and the circular cutting blades start to get hot and some smoke appears from the circular cutting blade. I’m wondering if using a different type of circular cutting blade to cut the small lemon trees would be the best option.

 

Currently all the tall long grass has been successfully cut down , leaving only a lot of tall grass bottom stump areas that need to be removed along with the small lemon trees. 

 

I’m still learning so any advice , suggestions or recommendations very welcome .

 

Tom

 

.

[Dolf]

Blades need to be sharpened with a grinder or file. Generally though tough cord works better then blades for most tall grass. Use a top down approach to create a hole then swept out. 

 

For small trees use a machete.

 

What cc is your honda? The 35cc is much better than the 25cc.

 

 

[sirineou]

29 minutes ago, tomgreen said:

Ive tried cutting those small lemon trees at their base , but the circular cutting blades struggles to cut into the lemon tree wood , and the circular cutting blades start to get hot and some smoke appears from the circular cutting blade

I use an angle grinder to sharpen the flat blades. Then I heat them up with a propane torch and quench them in water. Not sure if it's the right thing to do. but it seems to work for me.

Why  cut a Lemon tree? Are they in the way?  I am of Greek descent. we put lemon in everything LOL 

A couple of years ago I finally got my Greek passport , One of the questions in the application was "do you cut down lemon trees?" 

If I had said yes, I am sure I would have got a denied stamp, 

[ningnong]

I use blades like the one on the left (rectangular) in image C above bought from Shopee. The blades will dull quickly. You need to flip them over occasionally so both sides wear evenly. I just use a flat file and touch up the edges frequently while taking a break and sipping some Chang on ice. Along with the beer and a file I bring along a rechargeable fan to help cool down some during the breaks. In the heat if I cut for about 15-20 minutes and take a 5-10 minute break I can get a lot more cutting done than trying to cut non stop.

 

The wife will sometimes dig out the root wads with a mahjok.

 

Here's a great on video of a Thai supposedly demonstrating how to remove a blade. Haha, wonder why the he can't get the nut off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS3KMWEvn7Q

[Dolf]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

I use an angle grinder to sharpen the flat blades. Then I heat them up with a propane torch and quench them in water. Not sure if it's the right thing to do. but it seems to work for me.

Why  cut a Lemon tree? Are they in the way?  I am of Greek descent. we put lemon in everything LOL 

A couple of years ago I finally got my Greek passport , One of the questions in the application was "do you cut down lemon trees?" 

If I had said yes, I am sure I would have got a denied stamp, 

Why Greek good is so bad I guess

[Dolf]

Also for tall grass it is much quicker to take off the protector and just use cord. The protector just gets in the way and not needed when using cord.

[ningnong]

1 hour ago, Dolf said:

Also for tall grass it is much quicker to take off the protector and just use cord. The protector just gets in the way and not needed when using cord.

Cord will not work for cutting the stuff in image D above. And you should use a protector/guard even with cord as the cord will hurl pebbles or chunks of hidden metal at your feet, legs and groin area.

[Dolf]

1 minute ago, ningnong said:

Cord will not work for cutting the stuff in image D above. And you should use a protector/guard even with cord as the cord will hurl pebbles or chunks of hidden metal at your feet, legs and groin area.

Nonsense. All the experienced cutters take the guard off. Guards are for novices. Cord will cut image D. Ive cut thicker stuff than that. Blades are very overrated. 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, tomgreen said:

 

I have purchased a Honda 4 stroke petrol brush / weed  cutter to cut down tall grass and small bushes on some land.( see photograph D )  The Honda brush cutter is working well , but I’m now looking for some advice .

 

One problem I’m having is finding decent cutter blades that last more than a few hours . So far Ive used some cutter blades purchased off Lazada +  some given to me ( see photograph C ) those cutter blades were not that expensive. Those cutter blades shown on the photograph worked fine for a short period of time , but all of them eventually stopped cutting and became useless. I suspect that the problem may be in the fact that those cutter blades were cheap in price. 

 

I’m wondering if paying more money for a better cutter blade would be the answer and the more expensive cutter blades would last longer, or could it be that some how I’m using the wrong type of cutter blade for the job.

 

With the now worn out and not cutting very well cutter blades , would it be possible to re sharpen those cutter blades and would it be worth the effort.

 

After now cutting all the tall long grass down , it leaves a bottom stump ( photograph A ) where the long grass is rooted into the ground . The cutting blades ( circular type ) can cut those long grass rooted stumps out of the ground , but its hard work . I’m wondering if theres another easier / better way / cutter blade to deal with removing  the long grass rooted stumps. 

 

Along with the long grass that needed cutting theres also some old small lemon trees that need to be removed ( see photograph B ) . Ive tried cutting those small lemon trees at their base , but the circular cutting blades struggles to cut into the lemon tree wood , and the circular cutting blades start to get hot and some smoke appears from the circular cutting blade. I’m wondering if using a different type of circular cutting blade to cut the small lemon trees would be the best option.

 

Currently all the tall long grass has been successfully cut down , leaving only a lot of tall grass bottom stump areas that need to be removed along with the small lemon trees. 

 

I’m still learning so any advice , suggestions or recommendations very welcome .

 

Tom

 

.

I have been using brush cutters for 15 years or more now, both 2 stroke and 4 stroke. I would never use a 2 stroke any more as they are messy, unreliable and often a PITA to start.

 

IMHO, of the 4 strokes, Honda is the best every time, spares both genuine and copies are easy to get in most villages and there are usually several good repair shops as well. As for blades, I normally use the double ended blade, on the left of your photo, either 14 or 16 inches long.

 

They are what you need for long grass, scrub and small trees. For the concrete edges, rocks, base of trees, blue plastic pipe etc, I use 3 mm/sq nylon.

 

Every day when I finish work, I wash all the dirt, dust, mud, grass etc from the machine, remove the blade (if I am using one) and sharpen it on both sides with a bench or angle grinder. If I am using nylon I generally cut it to a 60 cm length, and put 2 pieces in a cross shape on the disk. You will see when they wear down so just replace them. In the photo I have drilled and pop riveted the disk, as after a while they tend to open up and the cable is no longer at 90 degrees. the disks are about 80 or 90 thb at a hardware shop. The nylon is about 250 thb.

 

I use the blade when the grass and scrub is long, wet or think. The nylon works best on long dry grass, short wet or dry grass and around the edges of trees and concrete.

 

Remember to check the sump oil every day until you know how much it uses, and grease the head once a week. That way your brush cutter will last many years.

 

For protective wear you will be best with knee length Wellington rubber boots with a steel sole and toecap, knee length thick socks, football or Scout leader socks are OK, thick trousers or jeans to give some protection from flying stones, gauntlets that cover your wrists, a Thai style balaclava to protect your face, safety glasses or goggles and depending on the time of day, I also wear a leather cowboy hat to keep the sun out of my eyes and give some semblance of shade.

 

At 79 I may look stupid wearing that but it is better than being covered in plasters. On a good day now I can manage about an hours working. 10 years ago 2 hours was no big problem and 20 years ago 3 hours was easy. 

 

[recom273]

44 minutes ago, Dolf said:

Nonsense. All the experienced cutters take the guard off. Guards are for novices. Cord will cut image D. Ive cut thicker stuff than that. Blades are very overrated. 

 

Every Thai workman / handyman / etc takes off the guard / handle / protection.

[VocalNeal]

9 minutes ago, recom273 said:

 

Every Thai workman / handyman / etc takes off the guard / handle / protection.

 

And attaches a grinding wheel to the shaft so he can sharpen blades "in the field"

[billd766]

6 minutes ago, recom273 said:

 

Every Thai workman / handyman / etc takes off the guard / handle / protection.

Every smart person leaves the guards on as they understand the concept of safety. In the users manual it tells you about the safety equipment and recommends that you keep the guards on.

 

I can't remember how many stone guards I have replaced because that have been split or holed by stones.

[Dolf]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Every smart person leaves the guards on as they understand the concept of safety. In the users manual it tells you about the safety equipment and recommends that you keep the guards on.

 

I can't remember how many stone guards I have replaced because that have been split or holed by stones.

Only novices do that. These machines cut far better without guards. You can buy shin guards if you have soft skin.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Dolf said:

Nonsense. All the experienced cutters take the guard off. Guards are for novices. Cord will cut image D. Ive cut thicker stuff than that. Blades are very overrated. 

Only stupid people, like you, take the safety guards off. The guards are there for a specific reason and it is called SAFETY.

 

The rest of your post is simply BS.

[Dolf]

Just now, billd766 said:

Only stupid people, like you, take the safety guards off. The guards are there for a specific reason and it is called SAFETY.

 

The rest of your post is simply BS.

You have no idea. All the pros who do this work take the guards off. 

[sirineou]

2 hours ago, ningnong said:

The blades will dull quickly. You need to flip them over occasionally so both sides wear evenly. I just use a flat file and touch up the edges frequently while taking a break and sipping some Chang on ice.

I use to use Chang for sharpening blades. Which is good for amature blade sharpening But if one is to get serious about their blade sharpening , 

I  know there has been a lot of debate over this,

But 9 out of 10 professionals suggest   Carabao Lager. 

Three lamps of ice, two not enough to maintain proper temperature , four will make it to watery. 

[Dolf]

 

[sirineou]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Only stupid people, like you, take the safety guards off. The guards are there for a specific reason and it is called SAFETY.

 

The rest of your post is simply BS.

The removal of the safety guard and subsequent hits to the head explains many of his posts. and is a cautionary tale to all you kids out there. ,

Unless you want to end up the same, do not remove the safety guard. 

[Dolf]

6 minutes ago, sirineou said:

The removal of the safety guard and subsequent hits to the head explains many of his posts. and is a cautionary tale to all you kids out there. ,

Unless you want to end up the same, do not remove the safety guard. 

My IQ is higher than yours by far.

[Dolf]

34 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Only stupid people, like you, take the safety guards off. The guards are there for a specific reason and it is called SAFETY.

 

The rest of your post is simply BS.

I've done 7 hours of cutting in a day. Cleared a large block of land. 

 

It would take 3 days for a novice like yourself to clear that block.

 

People with limited experience like yourself should not give advice when you don't know what you are talking about.

 

Guards are great for beginners but all the experienced operators I know take them off. The machine is better balanced, lighter and cuts quicker as you don't get tangled as much.

 

The video explains how rocks will likely go in what direction and other reasons for removing the guard. You should watch it as he is a pro giving you free advice.

 

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, sirineou said:

I use an angle grinder to sharpen the flat blades. Then I heat them up with a propane torch and quench them in water. Not sure if it's the right thing to do. but it seems to work for me.

Old engine oil would be better IMO.

[recom273]

46 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Every smart person leaves the guards on as they understand the concept of safety. In the users manual it tells you about the safety equipment and recommends that you keep the guards on.

 

I can't remember how many stone guards I have replaced because that have been split or holed by stones.

 

Absolutely. I wasn't advocating it, more suggesting that in Thailand there is no boundary between experience and stupidity.

[Dolf]

2 minutes ago, recom273 said:

 

Absolutely. I wasn't advocating it, more suggesting that in Thailand there is no boundary between experience and stupidity.

It's not stupid though. Rocks fly off in the direction of the spinning head which is away from you if you stand in the right position. The biggest danger is working near a window and smashing a window. When working wear glasses to protect your eyes.

 

 

[Korat Kiwi]

I've found the circular blades with tungsten tips are brilliant on small trees, as long as it has heaps of holes in the blade so it doesn't bind while  cutting. 

 

Otherwise the line style cutter is great for grass.

 

Triple blade I found cut better than either straight or 4 blade.  Yes they do need sharpening but a cordless angle grinder takes care of that. 

[billd766]

17 minutes ago, recom273 said:

 

Absolutely. I wasn't advocating it, more suggesting that in Thailand there is no boundary between experience and stupidity.

I understand that.  If Thais want to remove the safety equipment it is up to them. The guy who does my tatya work does not remove any of the safety equipment.

 

Thank you for responding to his post. He is on my ignore list and I would never have seen the post otherwise.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

I use to use Chang for sharpening blades. Which is good for amature blade sharpening But if one is to get serious about their blade sharpening , 

I  know there has been a lot of debate over this,

But 9 out of 10 professionals suggest   Carabao Lager. 

Three lamps of ice, two not enough to maintain proper temperature , four will make it to watery. 

^^^ Lumps not lamps 

So 

By the way, I just rook my honda apart to change the primer bulb, (it got a hole in it)  .and discovered that the fuel lines and filter looked brittle .

Tomorrow I will go get the parts and put it together again.  

    I think it's at least a two Carabao job.Any more and the Honda might never work again

[transam]

2 hours ago, Dolf said:

Nonsense. All the experienced cutters take the guard off. Guards are for novices. Cord will cut image D. Ive cut thicker stuff than that. Blades are very overrated. 

Expert advice from the Aussie Dolf, "First remove the safety guard"..................😂

[sirineou]

Just now, transam said:

Expert advice from the Aussie Dolf, "First remove the safety guard"..................😂

also good advise when cleaning a gun.

Disengage safety, look down the barrel and pull the trigger to make sure the chabler is empty.

If it is continue with cleaning.  

[transam]

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

also good advise when cleaning a gun.

Disengage safety, look down the barrel and pull the trigger to make sure the chabler is empty.

If it is continue with cleaning.  

"Dolf can be seen out cutting down brush, safety guard safely removed, just slipping into his older pair of flip-flops".............................😂

[Dolf]

15 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I understand that.  If Thais want to remove the safety equipment it is up to them. The guy who does my tatya work does not remove any of the safety equipment.

 

Thank you for responding to his post. He is on my ignore list and I would never have seen the post otherwise.

Thanks for proving you are a novice who needs somebody else to do it.