Super POWERFUL (Handheld) Brush-CUTTER Weedwhacker thingie.

[Sourdough]

Is there a problem with BATTERY powered HANDHELD brush cutters...?? I am shopping for a powerful weedwhacker that takes a 10" carbide circular saw blade. Need to clear brush up to inch and half diameter.

Yes, I have several decades of operating them, never owned a battery powered unit.

 

[backlash]

I bought a Ryobi 40v system. Edger, weed whacker and brush cutter.
I was not impressed with the power so I returned it and bought a gas unit. It also takes the different attachments so I can edge, weed eat and cut small trees and large weeds.
I'm not sure how long the battery would last before it needed to be recharged but I suspect not a long time.
I do have a DeWalt 20v weed whacker that I like but I only use it to trim around the yard so it's not heavy usage.
There are systems now that have 60v batteries so maybe they would last long enough to get the job done.

 

[Sparky_D]

There are so many "protections" in battery powered tools today (especially Lithium Ion) these days to prevent catastrophic battery failure (I.E. flames shooting out) that their effectiveness in questionable.

I can stop my Ryobi 18V rotary tool with my fingers, it's so sensitive.

My old NiCAD powered 8.4V cordless Dremel would take off my fingernail before it would stop.

I was looking at battery powered 21" mowers and was disheartened to read on most that the "40 Minute Run Time" was using BOTH batteries. With a 2 hour charge time per battery, it would take me almost 7 hours from start to finish to mow my smallish residential yard.

Don't get me wrong, I love cordless power tools for most handyman jobs, but yard work? Gas or plug in are the go-to for me.

 

[Caribou]

I have a Stihl cordless weed trimmer that I am happy with. I don't know if it will take a saw blade. I wouldn't try it on small trees, or large ones for that matter. I have their cordless chainsaw, that takes the same battery, and I like that for light work. I have cut 4" trees with no problem and feel it would cut twice that. I also have their cordless lawnmower, with 2 of the same batteries, it runs just fine on one, only not for as long.

I think Stihl makes a cordless tree trimmer which is a small chainsaw on a long pole. That might save you from bending over.

 

[Magus]

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=makita+...&originIGUID=501487AD8AC74133BAAE2262A74E420E

 

[Neb]

There are so many "protections" in battery powered tools today (especially Lithium Ion) these days to prevent catastrophic battery failure (I.E. flames shooting out) that their effectiveness in questionable.

I can stop my Ryobi 18V rotary tool with my fingers, it's so sensitive.

My old NiCAD powered 8.4V cordless Dremel would take off my fingernail before it would stop.

I was looking at battery powered 21" mowers and was disheartened to read on most that the "40 Minute Run Time" was using BOTH batteries. With a 2 hour charge time per battery, it would take me almost 7 hours from start to finish to mow my smallish residential yard.

Don't get me wrong, I love cordless power tools for most handyman jobs, but yard work? Gas or plug in are the go-to for me.

I love my Dewalt 20V battery string trimmer. The only time it doesn't start on the first try is when I forgot to put a battery in it. I don't miss the gas trimmer.

I would not try a saw blade on it. That is what the battery saws all and chainsaw saw are for.

I accidently did something right when I got into the Dewalt battery power tools. I got in on a "buy tool get free battery and charger" and then got some bigger batteries on sale. I was looking at more batteries during Amazon days a week or two ago. Battery prices have gone way up. Glad I got them when I did!

Ben

 

[Hardcalibres]

The terminology with stihl machines (listed by increasing power) like the one you seek is:

grass cutter/trimmer
brush cutter
clearing saw

If you want to fit saw blades then you need a clearing saw.

As far as I can tell, Stihl does not make any clearing saws that are electric. The gas powered clearing saws range in displacement from 38-57cc.

These days they are 4 stroke engines that run a dry sump (and oil in the fuel to lube the engine). The clearing saws all have "bike handles".

The FS561 is the biggest/most powerful at nearly 4 HP.

 

[Bacpacker]

I have a Stihl cordless weed trimmer that I am happy with. I don't know if it will take a saw blade. I wouldn't try it on small trees, or large ones for that matter. I have their cordless chainsaw, that takes the same battery, and I like that for light work. I have cut 4" trees with no problem and feel it would cut twice that. I also have their cordless lawnmower, with 2 of the same batteries, it runs just fine on one, only not for as long.

I think Stihl makes a cordless tree trimmer which is a small chainsaw on a long pole. That might save you from bending over.

Thanks for the report Caribou. I've been looking into what I call a hedge trimmer, not sure of the correct term. I have some bushes that are 20+ years old and have grown huge, burning bushes in particular. I want to get them shaped up and try to get a lot of new growth going to make them look nice again, instead of spread out all over the place.
Sthil was the prime one I was looking at, choice was between gas and electric. No more than I would need it I think the battery power would do just fine, and it a good deal lighter.

 

[Sourdough]

Thanks for the input.......I just ordered this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097P7K9VX/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[backlash]

Don't forget to give us a range report.

 

[Neb]

Thanks for the input.......I just ordered this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097P7K9VX/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The "purchase together" option shows bar oil but the Qs say no oil required...

Don't all chain saws use bar oil?

Ben

 

[backlash]

I can't imagine a chainsaw that doesn't need bar oil.
I have an electric pole saw from Harbor Freight and it has an oil tank just like a normal chainsaw.

 

[Woody]

Watched the video. I can see where that kind of brush cutter or Clearing saw would be useful with those 1” to maybe a bit larger brush/scrub trees. But he is whacking at a 6” or so tree. Seems to me a chainsaw is the more efficient tool for those larger scrub trees. Fire it up, kneel down.. bam - Done. You can even easily knock the branches off so it lays down to decompose faster, or cut some firewood from the trunk. He is walking around pecking at it, seems like more of a pain than efficient. That blade seems to get bound up a lot.

 

[Alaskajohn]

@Sourdough, I am surprised that Amazon will ship that battery up to Alaska. Hopefully that doesn‘t cause shipping issues.

 

[Sourdough]

They might ship it surface to Alaska on the barge, from the Seattle warehouse.