Hedge trimmer machine? (2023)

How thick a branch will a hedge trimmer cut?

Hedge trimmers are specially designed for the super thin, lightweight twigs and leaves of a hedge or bush. Their grooves are about ¾ of an inch to half an inch wide at most, and when you compare that to the size of your tree's branches, it's just not the right fit.

16-inch or smaller blades are ideal for small and average-sized hedges. 18-inch blades are ideal for average and larger-sized hedges. 20-inch and larger blades are the best hedge trimmers for thick branches and ideal for large, established hedges.

Hedge trimmers can often cut up to 1/2 inch gently. Anything thicker than that should not be trimmed using a hedge trimmer. In any event, it is best to avoid cutting heavy branches too frequently, since this can soon dull your blades.

Lubricating the Hedge Trimmer Blades with WD-40. After you are done cleaning your hedge trimmer and have thoroughly dried off any residue, you should also remember to lubricate the blades. To do so, get your hands on a dry cloth and use it to reapply a coat of WD-40 on the blades with an even distribution.

Basic Safety Precautions.

Never work from a ladder or stool, etc. Always maintain a solid base with your legs comfortably spaced. Use both hands to hold the hedge trimmer, and keep your hands, legs and feet away from the blades while the engine is running.

A chainsaw provides the cleanest cut when you're dealing with limbs thicker than 3 inches. If your pruning job requires a chainsaw, it's recommended that you contact a certified arborist. A pole pruner allows you to cut branches that are beyond your reach. Most pole pruners cut limbs up to 2 inches in diameter.

Battery Voltage

The higher the voltage, typically, the more cells that are in the battery pack. So when comparing a 40V pack to a 20V pack, in most cases the 40V pack will have more cells which means more power capacity available.

In general, for gardens with lots of hedging and shrubs that need to be looked after, the corded electric hedge trimmer would get the job done that much quicker. For smaller areas and areas of the yard that corded models could't reach, the cordless model would do the job very well.

A good hand-trimmer can trim 2.5 lbs per day. Hand-trimmers will be paid $20 per hour. There are 250 workdays in a year.

What is the difference between a hedge trimmer and a hedge cutter?

What is the difference between a hedge trimmer and a hedge cutter? Usually, hedge trimmers are used for 'light work' on branches and bushes. Tidying up and shaping shrubs is another of their functions. However, heavy-duty work is more suited to hedge cutters, for example, breaking down big branches and thicker bushes.

They're worth buying if you have overgrowth that's too thick for a string trimmer but using a chainsaw would be overkill. Hedge trimmers can cut branches as thick as about an inch. They do that with an oscillating bar of a fixed length, with precut grooves on either side of the blade.

Use 3 in 1 oil or SAE20 engine oil to lubricate the blades of a hedge trimmer. Any grade engine oil will work well. Give them an oiling every 30 minutes or use, before, and after use.

Usually, a petroleum-based lubricant is used to silence the issue, but why not try this common household product instead? Stop the squeak with one the most versatile products in the pantry: olive oil. Just a tiny bit of this liquid gold works wonders on sticky hinges.

You can use any machine lubricating oil for oiling the blades of a hedge trimmer.

We recommend avoiding hedge cutting during the main breeding season for nesting birds, which usually runs throughout March to August each year. This can be weather dependent and some birds may nest outside this period, so it is important to always check carefully for active nests prior to cutting.

Trimming the top encourages the sides to grow out further, thickening your hedge.

Hand shears and loppers can be used for hard-to-reach areas and pronounced angles, or for a more defined finish along the top. Pruning saws are great for making sharp cuts through thicker branches. Tip: See our hedge trimmers buying guide for a more detailed explanation of the options available to you.

Use a ladder or extension ladder to reach the branches. Make sure the ladder is stable and set it up against the tree in such a way that you will have a good grip on the tree limb when you cut it. Wear gloves and safety goggles to protect your hands and eyes. Use a saw with a sharp blade to make the cuts.

1. Pruning shears (or pruners, clippers or secateurs) These are probably the most-used tool when it comes to pruning shrubs, flowers, vines, and small growth on trees. Pruning shears are hand-held and can cut branches and twigs up to ¾ of an inch thick.

How many volts should a good hedge trimmer have?

Voltage: Most battery-powered hedge trimmers have an 18 to 80-volt battery. However, most high-performing hedge trimmer batteries are at least 40 volts.

You can generally use a higher capacity battery (that is one with more amp hours and thus run time) but the battery itself has to be 20 volts. Higher voltages will destroy the tool.

Low-voltage trimmers, 18 V to 36 V, are comparable to electric trimmers, while high-voltage trimmers, 40 V to 80 V, can outperform even two-cycle gas trimmers. That said, battery run time usually tops out at 30 minutes, and recharging may take up to an hour. For larger jobs, a second battery will get you through.

There are two types of string trimmers models– curved shaft and straight shaft. Curved shaft models are lighter weight and best suited for smaller yards and more intricate work. Straight shaft models work better for larger yards, and for reaching under decks and around obstacles.

Light: 0.065- to 0.080-inch line is best for trimming grass around the house and whacking down common lawn weeds from around driveways, walkways and fences. Medium: 0.080 to 0.110-inch line is best for homes with larger lawns, or gardens overgrown with weeds that have tough, heavy stems. Heavy: 0.110-inch and above.

A clipper is intended for bulk hair cutting on larger areas, but does not cut extremely close to the skin. On the other hand, a trimmer is designed for edging, outlining, dry shaving and light shaping on smaller areas such as the back of the neck, around the ears, around sideburns etc.

As mentioned above, double-sided hedgetrimmers are by far the most common kind around and typically the best choice for the vast majority of hedge maintenance work, including everything from light trimming in domestic settings to precision shaping and topiary in formal and ornamental gardens.

It depends on what you're looking for. Electric trimmers are cheap and easy to use but are constrained by their length of cord. Cordless models give greater freedom but only last as long as the battery charge. Petrol hedge trimmers are the most powerful, but are noisy and need regular maintenance.

Depending on the model and the brand, they have a runtime between 40 and 60 minutes. The latest GTech hedge trimmer HT50, for example, lasts up to 60 minutes, depending on the types of hedges you have to trim.

The time it takes to trim a pound of bud is generally between one and two days.

How much is too much trimming?

In general, you don't want to remove any more than 1/4 of the overall foliage of the plant. Hold back on any major pruning during the fall and winter — your plants won't be growing as quickly, and it could take a longer time for them to put out new growth or recover from being trimmed too much.

It depends on what kind of tools you're using. If you're hand-trimming with a pair of pruning shears and some trim trays, the process might take you 4 to 8 hours by some estimates (make sure to wear disposable gloves and a mask and clean those tools with rubbing alcohol).

Cutting Capabilities

A hedge trimmer is designed for trimming and shaping hedges, shrubs, and other plants with woody stem up to about 5/8 of an inch thick. A chainsaw, on the other hand, is much more powerful and can cut through much thicker material, making it better suited for felling trees or cutting firewood.

The blade length of a trimmer will determine the width of hedge you can cut with it. For a smaller hedge, blades between 30cm to 40cm should be sufficient, but if you're regularly cutting more mature hedges, look for models with longer blades of 50cm plus.

Formative pruning is usually carried out in winter or early spring. After this, maintenance trimming is carried out, usually once a year for informal hedges and twice a year for formal hedges. Some formal hedges may need three cuts a year. Maintenance trimming is generally carried out between spring and summer.

The three main kinds are corded electric, cordless battery-powered and petrol hedgetrimmers, each of which will suit the needs of different users. Corded Electric Hedgetrimmers: Corded hedgetrimmers are generally best suited to use in smaller gardens because they require access to a mains power source.

Hand held hedge trimmers are an effective mobile hand held piece of equipment. Due to the mobility of the hedge trimmer it is important that it's used correctly and adequate training has taken place to ensure that accidents do not happen.

To sharpen hedge trimmer blades at home, first wear suitable protective clothing. Use a flat file on each blade, only applying it towards the cutting edge. Make sure you use the same number of strokes on each blade. Follow up by using a whetstone to smooth the burrs on all the blades.

How? - Cleaning your hedge trimmer blades is as simple as wiping them down with soapy water and a cloth after each use. Applying a lubricant to the blades after cleaning them is also recommended. Try not to leave it too long between cleans and ideally, after every use is best.

What is a homemade alternative to WD-40?

WD 40 lubricating spray may have some low-cost, do-it-yourself competition: vegetable oil and acetone. A mixture of vegetable oil with 10 percent acetone, the active ingredient in nail polish remover and some paint thinners, works as well to free rusted bolts as WD 40.

Lubricating the Hedge Trimmer Blades with WD-40. After you are done cleaning your hedge trimmer and have thoroughly dried off any residue, you should also remember to lubricate the blades. To do so, get your hands on a dry cloth and use it to reapply a coat of WD-40 on the blades with an even distribution.

For best operation and longer blade life, lubricate the hedge trimmer blade with a lightweight machine oil before and after each use.

Olive Oil

You wouldn't imagine using this pantry staple, but olive oil is another alternative bar oil. It has high viscosity making it apt as a chainsaw oiler. Also, it's handy because every pantry has olive oil almost daily.

A telescopic pruner is a step up from a regular lopper. It's similar to a lopper, but the handles are adjustable, allowing you to cut tree branches about 2 inches thick in high places. If you are using a ladder to cut back unruly tree stems, this tool will be your best friend!

It has a built-in battery so it's very easy to use, and is perfectly suited to trimming back annual growth around 8mm thick. It's packed full of features, with a double-sided 20”/50 cm trimmer blade length, integrated cut protection and a screw-on tip protector.

No Flush Cuts

One of the most common pruning mistakes is the flush cut. This occurs when you cut a branch off flush with the bark of the tree trunk or larger branch to which it's attached.

The best pruner for high branches in terms of power and performance is indubitably the petrol-engine telescopic pruner. While you can cut limbs of up to 3-3.5 cm with a pruning saw and lopper, you will be able to take on thicker limbs of up to 8-10 cm in diameter with a petrol-engine pruner.

Pruning saw

Pruning saws work well if you need to cut branches that are 1 ½ inches wide or larger. Pruning saws come in different lengths and come in straight blade or curved blade models.

It might be tempting to go with the longest blade you can find. However, a longer blade also means a heavier Hedge Trimmer, which will be more physically demanding and the extra weight and length will also reduce your manoeuvrability and make it hard to trim in tight spaces.

Does trimmer line thickness matter?

This probably comes as no surprise to anyone, but the general rule with string trimmer line size is that the tougher the application, the thicker the line needs to be. A larger diameter line increases the power and durability of the line, which leads to less breakage and wear-out.

What is the thickest branch a hedge trimmer can cut? A hedge trimmer can generally cut branches that are about an inch thick. The thickest branch that a hedge trimmer can cut is roughly 2.5 inches, which would be about the maximum reach of their blades.

Hand-held hedge shears are fine for smaller hedges, but for large hedges you'll probably find it easier to use an electric or petrol hedge trimmer. No matter what you use always make sure the equipment is sharp and well lubricated. Always think of your safety when using a powered hedge trimmer.

Do not prune deciduous shrubs in late summer. Pruning shrubs in August or early September may encourage a late flush of growth. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury.

Winter is usually the best time.

Dormant pruning is usually done in late winter, six to 10 weeks before the average last frost in your area. You can prune shrubs at any time of year if it's necessary—for example, to remove broken branches or dead or diseased wood, or to remove growth that is obstructing a walkway.