Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

On Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:13:31 +0200, Hugh Jampton wrote:

Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.

From my experience, after using some of the Stihl/Viking kit for several
years, yes they are. Started off some years ago with a then top of the
range B&D hedge trimmer but after a couple of years of struggling with our
100+ metres of mixed hedgerows and numerous mature shrubs, I followed the
advice of a professional gardener used by some of our neighbours and tried
a Viking trimmer. Much impressed with it I added a long reach Viking the
following year - again very impressed (Viking trimmers now re-badged as
Stihl). After two of the more expensive Karcher pressure washers, both of
which failed due to split pump housings, moved to a Stihl which has so far
lasted longer than both the Karchers.

I am lucky that the best, relatively local, (South Devon) Stihl dealer has
so far given me better prices than anything available online.
--
rbel

On 11/10/2010 20:13, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

That is what cordless hedge trimmers do. They hardly last any time at
all even on a full charge and the batteries die a miserable death after
a couple of seasons if the motor doesn't burn out first.

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.

I'd try a decent mains powered one rather than cordless. YMMV

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 10/11/2010 09:13 PM, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?


I've been very happy with my Stihl chainsaw. I looked at stihl and echo
for strimmers and ended with echo, haven't been disappointed. I'd check
there too for hedge trimmers, the engines are very good.

HTH,

E

"Hugh Jampton" wrote
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

If they were not worth it then virtually every professional in the country
would not buy them.

Husqvarna may also be worth looking at. http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

In message , Martin Brown
writes
On 11/10/2010 20:13, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

That is what cordless hedge trimmers do. They hardly last any time at
all even on a full charge and the batteries die a miserable death after
a couple of seasons if the motor doesn't burn out first.

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.

I'd try a decent mains powered one rather than cordless. YMMV

Regards,
Martin Brown

So would I. I only cut through the cable once. :-)
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

Hugh Jampton wrote in news:qni6pp576wl4$.kojcnbsqb5go.dlg@
40tude.net:

Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.

Buy cheap buy twice or thrice is main here I think.

But there are worlds between Bosch(rubbish) and Stihl(top of the range)

Battery ah(Ampere-Hours) is the main point to start and this is displayed
on the box it is packaged in and on the battery its self. You should not
buy anything under 2ah.

Type of battery is so important too NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion are the main in
UK. and the latter is the most recent.

ALL good tools will be supplied with at least 1 spare battery

I am a Joiner and use Makita Li-Ion tools now, but have always used Makita
since they were available, and still have an old drill using NiCad from the
1980's.

They are not cheap but last a long long time and the batteries are
interchangable in the range.

One last thing, DO NOT BUY A CHEAPO EVEN IF YOU CANT AFFORD A GOOD ONE.

Baz

Emery Davis wrote in
:

On 10/11/2010 09:13 PM, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's
*second* Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple
of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?


I've been very happy with my Stihl chainsaw. I looked at stihl and
echo for strimmers and ended with echo, haven't been disappointed.
I'd check there too for hedge trimmers, the engines are very good.

HTH,

E


The OP was enquiring about cordless.

Echo are ok.
Baz

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:



"Hugh Jampton" wrote
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's
*second* Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple
of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

If they were not worth it then virtually every professional in the
country would not buy them.

Husqvarna may also be worth looking at. http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/


I read the OP to be a chap as a housholder and does not need an all singing
all dancing hedge trimmer, and was looking for an affordable cordless.
Then again I have been known to be wrong many times.

Stihl are wonderful tools no mistake, but how can we justify buying one to
trim our hedge?
Having said that if I had spare money I would replace everything with
professional tools, now that would be my dream....aahhhh

Baz

In message , Baz
writes
"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

"Hugh Jampton" wrote
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's
*second* Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple
of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

If they were not worth it then virtually every professional in the
country would not buy them.

Husqvarna may also be worth looking at. http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/

I read the OP to be a chap as a housholder and does not need an all singing
all dancing hedge trimmer, and was looking for an affordable cordless.
Then again I have been known to be wrong many times.

Stihl are wonderful tools no mistake, but how can we justify buying one to
trim our hedge?
Having said that if I had spare money I would replace everything with
professional tools, now that would be my dream....aahhhh

Baz

Much depends on the user's age. 8-)
I have a collection of garden tools, including mower, strimmer, leaf
blower/collector, shredder, hedge trimmer, power washer, etc, from
Flymo, B & D or K-Archer, all brands which have been sneered at here,
and all of which have performed satisfactorily. The B & D shredder
was replaced by a Bosch after some 20+ years, and I'm on my third hover
mower in 49 years.... I have a garden, not a small-holding, and
my previous Flymo hover mower was passed on to a lady friend about 10
years ago and must be over 20 years old and still in use. ;-)

Some of the tools will outlive me, for sure, and it would be ridiculous
to buy more expensive ones in my 70s.
I only wish ALDI had been around when I was entering marriage and the
D-I-Y phase of my life. I would have saved a fortune spent on
tools.
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

On 11 Oct, 20:13, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

I wouldn't touch cordless tools for the garden at any price, they are
almost certain to disappoint. For hedge cutters, mains electric are
fine if the cable runs aren't too long.
I don't know if you have any recent experience of modern petrol hedge
cutters - you might be surprised if you tried one, they are much
lighter and more user friendly than you might imagine (Speaking for
Stihl at any rate)
Anything Stihl sells for pros is worth every penny.

Rod

Thanks for the replies Folks - very helpful !

Looks like I'm going for a Stihl.

We have a *big* garden (Split into 2 - My wife and I each have our own
section :-) with a couple of hundred yards of hedges. Think my wife will
get another Bosch cordless because of the light weight - the Stihl would be
too heavy for her (we are no longer young). I'll be going for a Stihl
cordless. The specifications look good - 2.2 Ah Li-Ion.

I've been using a mains powered Viking hedge trimmer (very good) but the
hassle of extension leads for getting on for a hundred yards was getting me
down :-(

I use a petrol powered Honda rotovator and a petrol Allen shredder - no
problems - I somehow just don't fancy a petrol hedge trimmer. Up on a high
platform, I think I'd have to keep turning it off while I rake the cuttings
from the top of our very wide hedges - or could I just keep it running ?

I have a Ryobi petrol brushcutter which came with a hedge trimming
attachment - no problems using it when I can start it but it's almost
impossible to start (been discussed in here before). Hardly ever use it
these days.

Thanks again Folks :-)
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

On 12 Oct, 20:31, Hugh Jampton wrote:
Thanks for the replies Folks - very helpful !

Looks like I'm going for a Stihl.

We have a *big* garden (Split into 2 - My wife and I each have our own
section :-) with a couple of hundred yards of hedges. Think my wife will
get another Bosch cordless because of the light weight - the Stihl would be
too heavy for her (we are no longer young). I'll be going for a Stihl
cordless. The specifications look good - 2.2 Ah Li-Ion.

I've been using a mains powered Viking hedge trimmer (very good) but the
hassle of extension leads for getting on for a hundred yards was getting me
down :-(

I use a petrol powered Honda rotovator and a petrol Allen shredder - no
problems - I somehow just don't fancy a petrol hedge trimmer. Up on a high
platform, I think I'd have to keep turning it off while I rake the cuttings
from the top of our very wide hedges - or could I just keep it running ?

I have a Ryobi petrol brushcutter which came with a hedge trimming
attachment - no problems using it when I can start it but it's almost
impossible to start (been discussed in here before). Hardly ever use it
these days.

Thanks again Folks :-)
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

Modern petrol hedge cutters tick over nicely with the blades
stationary. Don't be tempted by yard long cutters, they are badly
balanced & too heavy (for me anyway)
60cm is plenty - you have more dexterity and work almost as quickly
and a lot easier.

Rod

On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:40:20 -0700 (PDT), Rod wrote:

Modern petrol hedge cutters tick over nicely with the blades
stationary. Don't be tempted by yard long cutters, they are badly
balanced & too heavy (for me anyway)
60cm is plenty - you have more dexterity and work almost as quickly
and a lot easier.

Agreed there - I'm looking for no more than 60cm. I've decided on Stihl and
thought I'd decided on a cordless. From what you say I guess I'll put
petrol back on my list. Won't be buying until next spring so plenty of time
to check on things :-)

Thanks Rod.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

"Hugh Jampton" wrote in message
...
Getting just a little fed up with cheaper garden tools - Wife's *second*
Bosch cordless hedge trimmer packed up today - only a couple of years old
:-(

Looking at Stihl/Viking. Silly prices but are they worth it ?

TIA.
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

We had a similar problem until recently only with Bosch corded
hedge-cutters. I wouldn't consider going cordless for anything more than a
bay tree in a pot.

She was looking for Stihl hedgecutters that could angle and so trim the top
of the hedge. I nearly choked on my cocoa when she told me how
much....£600+. Now the main disadvantage of going petrol is the weight, she
won't cope for long and I'd end up with the job :-(

The solution was to buy a top of range Bosch electric, 700w and 700mm blade.
This cost online £104 and to solve the problem of hedge tops an articulating
ladder was purchased from Screwfix for £77. This folds to make a platform
about 3ft high.

mark