Multi Attachment Tools

[lxskllr]

Considering getting a gas hedge trimmer, and it would be convenient being able to use the powerhead for a polesaw also. Light duty use, a few times per year maybe. I'm looking at the echo system...

Pro Attachment Series™ | Interchangeable, Multi-Task Tool, Outdoor Power Equipment

The Pro Attachment Series is the perfect multi-task tool without buying a dedicated unit-Multiple Attachments feature a tool-less hook-up to an ECHO Powerhead. ECHO Power Source,

www.echo-usa.com

I was thinking the PAS-225 powerhead, then the polesaw and hedge trimmer attachments. It would be ~$600 for all three. Does that look like decent package? Anything better for light non pro use?

 

[SeanKroll]

I've used Stihl KombiSystem for years.

None of the attachments are regular use, some use here, some use there. Pole saw, brush cutter, string trimmer, blower.

It's been good to me.

Echo have long warranties.

Part of pro models is being durable to handle the 'care' of employees.



Part of pro models us

 

[stig]

We have switched all our hedge trimmers to electric.
Quieter, lighter and you don't breathe fumes all day.

 

[lxskllr]

The reason I was interested in gas is my old B&D corded trimmer sucks. Every once in awhile I pull it out, then revert to using a chainsaw when it doesn't cut. The chainsaw sucks too. It leaves ugly imprecise gashes in the bushes, but it at least removes material. Maybe newer electrics are better?

 

[stig]

Newer electrics don't have cords.

Look at Stihls battery powered multi tool series.

The smart thing about that is, they have a series of tools, where some come in a homeowner version and a pro one, but all are powered by the same size battery.

Which again come in 3 series, each of which costs more and lasts longer.

We do hedges for a month every summer ( Except this summer I got out of it by logging instead, while the rest of the gang did hedges) and since we switched to the expensive batteries, we are not looking back at gas power with anything but loathing.

 

[biggun]

Yeah. The batter powered hedge trimmers are almost a delight to use. I say delight, because hedge trimming still sucks balls. But at least the new ones don’t rattle your knuckles to death as well as mess with my tinnitus from the rattling of the engine.

 

[lxskllr]

I'll look into the Stihl system and run some numbers. I have a bush out front I'd like to remove material on higher up, and the ladders I own aren't sufficient. I figured if I'm getting a hedge trimmer on a stick, I might as well get something I could also use as a polesaw. If I were buying a polesaw on it's own, I'd go manual. That would more than cover my polesaw needs.

 

[gf beranek]

It is interesting to see this transition from gas powered tools going electric, but I can't help but wonder how it's going to work with generators.

 

[Mellow]

A battery powered generator? There's something inherently wrong about that.

 

[Burnham]

I agree...wtf? Why make electricity with electricity?

 

[stig]

We've been looking at the flexible solar cells, you glue on the roof of a van.
They generate plenty of juice to recharge a couple of batteries.

 

[ruel]

Do you have a picture of The hedges you hope to do John? if it's a once a year thing, old school lopper style shears Might be plenty.

 

[Tree09]

You can also just rip out the hedges, so you don't have to trim them anymore.

 

[lxskllr]

You can also just rip out the hedges, so you don't have to trim them anymore.

That's a *really* appealing option, but the bushes segregate me from the neighborhood. Helps keep things closed in, and I can pretend everyone else doesn't exist. If I were out in the country, they'd be gone.

Do you have a picture of The hedges you hope to do John? if it's a once a year thing, old school lopper style shears Might be plenty.

The bush out front is some kind of burning bush(complex), and its sprawled over the years. Maybe 12' high, and 18' long. My interest with that is trimming it away from the road a couple feet cause it's hard to see that way when pulling out of the driveway, and if left untouched, it'll eventually be in the road. The other two are just boxwoods. I don't need a pole extension for those, just something that cuts worth a damn.

I could probably handle everything with a decent cutter and an orchard ladder, but the ladder would be a significant expense, and not much utility for my purposes aside from that bush. Dunno. Now that I have that portable generator, I could even work with a corded trimmer, and they get them at the consignment shop pretty cheap. Maybe as a first step, I could just buy one of those for ~$15 and see if it's any better than my antique. I should probably wait anyway. They're gonna run sewer through the neighborhood, and some of that front bush may end up gone anyway.

 

[SeanKroll]

Can you rent an orchard ladder?

 

[lxskllr]

That's a possibility. I have a professional tier rental place pretty close to me. Dunno if ladders are a thing that gets rented, but if they are, they'd have them.

 

[ruel]

Do you need it 12 feet tall? If no and it's Euonymus, cut that bad Larry in half then no problem Reaching it

 

[lxskllr]

Well, higher's better than lower. Does a better job of making the world disappear. I'll get a pic of it later when I get home. I'm not certain it's a burning bush, or exactly what kind if it is. Turns red in the fall.

edit:
The bush...

 

[ruel]

Yep, winged Euonymus or burning bush. I don't see any reason to shear that, unless you want a new tool(toy? )

 

[lxskllr]

Maybe not up high. I need to bring it in down low to make it easier to see traffic. If I did that, it would create a cantilevered canopy like you see on road trees. Might work out ok. I'm not particular about well shaped bushes, but I prefer they don't look stupid. I don't know if that that would make it look stupid, but I guess it's easy enough to find out.

 

[Burnham]

Oh, it'll look stupid...at least for several years .

Not to say it isn't the right route with it, in that location.