Weed "Flamethrower"

[AjarnP]

Years ago, it was possible to buy a small flamethrower type tool that was great for burning down the weeds without the effort of piling them up and waiting for the neighbors to put their laundry on the washing line. I think they used kerosene or paraffin to us pommes which was slightly less dangerous that 91 octane gas.

Anyone seen any of these flamethrowers around?

[villagefarang]

One would hope they are in short supply and difficult to acquire.

[Cobalt60]

I know this is a link to a UK supplier, but I offer it to show they are available and use gas now.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/gbt1-grass-weed-burner?da=1&TC=GS-010113414

[dindong]

One would hope they are in short supply and difficult to acquire.

One would, I wouldn't.

[AjarnP]

Particularly useful for TV members making useless comments LOL

[kaspercat]

If you find one or will import, I'm interested.

[apetley]

One would hope they are in short supply and difficult to acquire.

Alot friendlier to the environment than Roundup or Gramoxone.

Used to use one on my mums old allotment back in the UK years ago.

Never seen one in LOS.

[villagefarang]

There is something ironic about expats touting the benefits of burning in Thailand.

[Naam]

If you find one or will import, I'm interested.

what is there to import? buy a gas bottle and a burner and burn your heart out.

[apetley]

There is something ironic about expats touting the benefits of burning in Thailand.

You have obviously never used one.

It doesn't cause a fire but scorches the plant to an extent that it kills it and any seeds so stopping regrowth.

[dindong]

[villagefarang]

You are right. I don't burn stuff.

[sceadugenga]

I too wasn't aware of such devices being used as a viable weed killer and if we could move on from point scoring on others who doubted the environmental advantages of such equipment I would personally wonder at the safety of it in the hands of overenthusiastic or unskilled users.

Maybe they have been removed from the market for this reason?

[canuckamuck]

If you find one or will import, I'm interested.

what is there to import? buy a gas bottle and a burner and burn your heart out.

Naam did you buy that here? I am looking for a torch, although not as a brush cutter alternative.

[Naam]

If you find one or will import, I'm interested.

what is there to import? buy a gas bottle and a burner and burn your heart out.

Naam did you buy that here? I am looking for a torch, although not as a brush cutter alternative.

i didn't buy it, shipped it with my tools. but all sizes are available in Thailand.

[Paul888]

I too wasn't aware of such devices being used as a viable weed killer and if we could move on from point scoring on others who doubted the environmental advantages of such equipment I would personally wonder at the safety of it in the hands of overenthusiastic or unskilled users.

Maybe they have been removed from the market for this reason?

I think that is exactly the point VF was making, and I also agree with it. The OP may be a sensible, responsible person, but a lot of people are not and this sounds like in the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

[villagefarang]

I too wasn't aware of such devices being used as a viable weed killer and if we could move on from point scoring on others who doubted the environmental advantages of such equipment I would personally wonder at the safety of it in the hands of overenthusiastic or unskilled users.

Maybe they have been removed from the market for this reason?

I think that is exactly the point VF was making, and I also agree with it. The OP may be a sensible, responsible person, but a lot of people are not and this sounds like in the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

Thank you Sceadugenga, Paul888, Canuckamuck, Necronx99 and Morakot for understanding my intent. Just look at the havoc they wreak with no more than a little Bic lighter. Edited August 20, 2012 by villagefarang

[TongueThaied]

I use both a 200,000 BTU weed burner (LPG) that I ordered from the US through True Value Hardware (Pattaya, Bangkok) and spray. You know I got over here and was opposed to all this stuff, but find myself on several rai with an elderly father-in-law that can't do the work he used to do. I need to keep the weeds down and had to come to Jesus. I mean, if you greenies living in town have an idea bout weed control in the country, I am all ears. Please don't say cut them. They grow back almost instantly. Hitting with a wed burner, as the guy said above, kills them and stops the seeds. So does herbicide. I can burn or use herbicide once every three months or so, or I can hire somebody to cut several rai every single week (and burn gasoline in the weed cutter). The latter just doesn't fly.

You sure can tell from the comments on here who lives in the country and who lives in the city!

By the way, is anybody familiar with the giant True Value Hardware chain in the US? You may like to know that you can go online and look at the online catalogue of any True Value Hardware store and get the SKU of any product you wish to order. Call the true value here in Thailand and you can place the order. With shipping and mark-up things typically cost more than double, but if you want it bad enough, at least there's a source. It's where I got my heavy duty contractor's wheel barrow with pneumatic tire, my Weber BBQ and my weed burner. And the weed burner really does work!

Edited August 20, 2012 by TongueThaied

[sceadugenga]

Of course the flamethrower the OP mentions may not be quite this big.

[villagefarang]

You sure can tell from the comments on here who lives in the country and who lives in the city!

Really?

[sceadugenga]

I use both a 200,000 BTU weed burner (LPG) that I ordered from the US through True Value Hardware (Pattaya, Bangkok) and spray. You know I got over here and was opposed to all this stuff, but find myself on several rai with an elderly father-in-law that can't do the work he used to do. I need to keep the weeds down and had to come to Jesus. I mean, if you greenies living in town have an idea bout weed control in the country, I am all ears. Please don't say cut them. They grow back almost instantly. Hitting with a wed burner, as the guy said above, kills them and stops the seeds. So does herbicide. I can burn or use herbicide once every three months or so, or I can hire somebody to cut several rai every single week (and burn gasoline in the weed cutter). The latter just doesn't fly.

You sure can tell from the comments on here who lives in the country and who lives in the city!

Village Farang and I both live in the country on large pieces of land.

I lived in the country (bush) in Australia all my life and never once saw flamethrowers used as weed control.

[villagefarang]

My big city neighbors at work.(Being facetious)

Edited August 20, 2012 by villagefarang

[dindong]

So now you live in the city.

Don't exaggerate. I have never heard of foreigners burning land in the countryside or in the city.

[villagefarang]

Village Farang and I both live in the country on large pieces of land.

We only live on four of our five rai. The fish live on the other rai. Not exactly a large piece of land but big enough.

[Naam]

I too wasn't aware of such devices being used as a viable weed killer and if we could move on from point scoring on others who doubted the environmental advantages of such equipment I would personally wonder at the safety of it in the hands of overenthusiastic or unskilled users.

Maybe they have been removed from the market for this reason?

I think that is exactly the point VF was making, and I also agree with it. The OP may be a sensible, responsible person, but a lot of people are not and this sounds like in the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

it doesn't take a weed burner to cause a forest or another dangerous fire.

[villagefarang]

I too wasn't aware of such devices being used as a viable weed killer and if we could move on from point scoring on others who doubted the environmental advantages of such equipment I would personally wonder at the safety of it in the hands of overenthusiastic or unskilled users.

Maybe they have been removed from the market for this reason?

I think that is exactly the point VF was making, and I also agree with it. The OP may be a sensible, responsible person, but a lot of people are not and this sounds like in the wrong hands it could be very dangerous.

it doesn't take a weed burner to cause a forest or another dangerous fire.

Agreed, but they already do so well with a Bic.

[Naam]

Village Farang and I both live in the country on large pieces of land.

I lived in the country (bush) in Australia all my life and never once saw flamethrowers used as weed control.

the shittiest way of weed control are herbicides.

[villagefarang]

Village Farang and I both live in the country on large pieces of land.

I lived in the country (bush) in Australia all my life and never once saw flamethrowers used as weed control.

the shittiest way of weed control are herbicides.

Sometimes they use the herbicide first and then burn it.

[billd766]

I live in the countryside and have about 3 or 4 rai to keep the weeds down plus my wifes shop of about 1 rai..

I used a brush cutter of about 1 1/2 hours a day 3 or 4 days a week and it took about 3 weeks to clear it allthen I would take a week off and start again.

It was good exercise for me. Now I have a local guy to do it and it takes hi 3 days a month to keep it down.

I have to keep banging on at my wife to make sure he doesn't use weedkiller which to my mind kills the land too.

The other advantage of cutting and leaving it to lie is that it goes back into the soil and enriches it.

Weedkilling is easy, just mix it, squirt it and forget it.

A month later it comes back.

At least if you cut it down and keep it down it looks as though you care about and have pride in the land and not a scorched wasteland.

Edited August 20, 2012 by billd766

[sceadugenga]

I too hire a local gentleman with his noisy brushcutter.

I doubt burning would do a better job, apart from smoking up the area it looks terrible and the worst weeds seem to grow back from the roots which only poisoning gets rid of.

Do you know there are plants that need fire for their seeds to germinate?

I'm not sure there are any in Thailand though.