I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about £130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

Opinions would be most welcome - TIA

John

In uk.d-i-y Another John wrote:

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Are cordless *really* lighter? In theory they should be heavier
because you're carrying the power supply around as well as the motor.

--
Chris Green
·

On 29/04/2021 22:10, Another John wrote:
I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about �130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Fix the rapidly declining body by ditching the gadgetry and use hedge
clippers. Great exercise for upper body.

On 29/04/2021 22:36, Chris Green wrote:
In uk.d-i-y Another John wrote:

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Are cordless *really* lighter? In theory they should be heavier
because you're carrying the power supply around as well as the motor.


+1
For the same power and ability to cut the machine would weigh the same,
and then add the battery.

Perhaps lifting the trailing cord at the back of a corded machine makes
it unbalanced and the operator has to use more energy to level it off in
order to cut. Clipping the cord to clothing and having some slack in the
cord between the operator and clipper may make it seem less heavy.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

How would cordless be lighter? Surely it has batteries to wield as well as
the mechanism.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Another John" wrote in message
...
I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about £130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

Opinions would be most welcome - TIA

John

And like most portable things Murphy's law will dictate that you will run
out of power in you last replaceable charged battery, just before you
finish, and then it will **** with rain for a week.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Chris Green" wrote in message
...
In uk.d-i-y Another John wrote:

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Are cordless *really* lighter? In theory they should be heavier
because you're carrying the power supply around as well as the motor.

--
Chris Green
·

alan_m expressed precisely :
+1
For the same power and ability to cut the machine would weigh the same, and
then add the battery.

+1

I wonder if something between a cordless and a corded might be more
suitable, not that I have ever heard of one?

I have in mind a 12v lead-acid battery, in a portable box, with a flex
from battery to hedge cutter.

On 29/04/2021 22:10, Another John wrote:
I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about �130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

Opinions would be most welcome - TIA

A battery trimmer will be heavier than a corded one. Lots of info he
https://advice.manomano.co.uk/hedge-trimmer-buying-guide-n3029

This one is corded and weighs only 1.9kg:
https://www.ikra.de/en/ultralight-hedge-trimmer/electric-hedge-trimmer-ultralight-fhs-1545/

One thing you haven't mentioned is the length of the blade. Perhaps look
for the shortest one you can find. Not only will it be lighter because
there's less metal in the blade, it should require a less powerful, and
so lighter, motor to do the cutting.

--

Jeff

In article ,
Harry Bloomfield wrote:
alan_m expressed precisely :
+1
For the same power and ability to cut the machine would weigh the same, and
then add the battery.

+1

I wonder if something between a cordless and a corded might be more
suitable, not that I have ever heard of one?

I have in mind a 12v lead-acid battery, in a portable box, with a flex
from battery to hedge cutter.

I can remember someone coming to cut our hedge equipped with a portable
generator.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
On 29/04/2021 22:10, Another John wrote:
I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about £130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

Opinions would be most welcome - TIA

A battery trimmer will be heavier than a corded one. Lots of info he
https://advice.manomano.co.uk/hedge-trimmer-buying-guide-n3029

This one is corded and weighs only 1.9kg:
https://www.ikra.de/en/ultralight-hedge-trimmer/electric-hedge-trimmer-ultralight-fhs-1545/

One thing you haven't mentioned is the length of the blade. Perhaps look
for the shortest one you can find. Not only will it be lighter because
there's less metal in the blade, it should require a less powerful, and
so lighter, motor to do the cutting.

But you might not be able to reach across the top of the hedge if it's too
short. And, with a long blade you geta much neater cut - that's why the
pros use them.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 29/04/2021 22:10, Another John wrote:
I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about �130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I have the slightly longer cut one. If a branch will fit into the nip it
will cut through it - no question. I have never found a satisfactory
battery powered one (although I have burnt out a couple belonging to
relatives when cutting their hedges with supplied tools).

These days I bring my own. Nothing will stop a Bosch hedgetrimmer unless
you try to cut through steel rebar or wrought iron gates by accident.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm
wondering if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

They can match the power give or take but only for at most 15 minutes
before recharge. Older ones the battery dies over winter. If you
recharge them whilst the battery is still mad hot then you seriously
shorten battery life (advice which came with the third party replacement
battery for our Dyson vacuum cleaner and they seem to be right - their
replacement battery has lasted much better than the OEM one).

You can expect to do 15 minutes hard work with it every 2 hours or so.
For me a mains powered one wins hands down every time provided that you
are disciplined about where the trailing flex goes and have mains.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

After serious thinking Martin Brown wrote :
You can expect to do 15 minutes hard work with it every 2 hours or so.
For me a mains powered one wins hands down every time provided that you are
disciplined about where the trailing flex goes and have mains.

Here, that would involve around 4 or 5 recharges, so a 10 hour day
cutting, instead of the couple of hours work at present, we don't
really have that much hedge.

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
...
On 29 Apr 2021 at 22:10:51 BST, Another John wrote:

I'm cross--posting to DIY and to Gardening.

I have had two Bosch AHS 55-26 (corded) hedgetrimmers in the last 10
years. I cut a lot of hedging, in three different gardens, and this is a
great cutter: 55cm blade, 600W power, and weighs 3.6kg; my second one
cost me about ï½£130 several years ago. Used sensibly, nothing stops it
blazing through the many different hedges I look after.

I'm starting to get older ... hang on: I've always been getting older:
what has happened is that I'm starting to _feel_ older, and I'm wondering
if a cordless (therefore lighter) trimmer will be kinder to my
now-rapidly declining body.

Does anyone have reasonably extensive experience of cordless trimmers? I
can't really believe that even the best cordless trimmer could match the
power of the one I have.

I dunno about extensive. It's lighter, yes, but the batteries run out and
not
only need charging, but they wear out too. Not cheap to replace. And it
didn't
have the required oomph of even a mains powered one. So I bought a corded
one.

We have Black & Decker chainsaw, hedge trimmer and strimmer. They all take
the same batteries, so I tend to use the batteries in succession for any
given task. The main delay with charging a battery that has just been used
is the delay of about 15-30 minutes while it cools down enough to accept
charge (the charger displays an "over temperature" light until it has cooled
enough, and then starts charging without manual intervention).

It's been very rare that I've used up all three batteries before the first
one has finished charging - the only time was when I was cutting a fallen
tree (about 18 inches diameter) into sections that were light enough to haul
onto the bank of the stream at the bottom of our garden!).


Cordless devices, especially hedge trimmer, are a great improvement over the
hassle of trying to keep the cable untangled and *away from the blade*.

In uk.d-i-y Harry Bloomfield, Esq. wrote:
Here, that would involve around 4 or 5 recharges, so a 10 hour day
cutting, instead of the couple of hours work at present, we don't
really have that much hedge.

Lidl were doing cordless branch cutters, which had a small and light 3-cell
(10.8v) lithium ion battery. The battery life was about 10 minutes of
runtime (bearing in mind each branch takes a few seconds, and most of the
time is moving into position for the cut).

Problem was, one job I wanted to do was off-grid, but a petrol cutter wasn't
an option.

So I bought four of them (£25 each). That means I got four batteries and
four chargers. Enough for 40 mins of runtime. I had a car on-site that I
could use to power an inverter.

I could then charge batteries in relays - as one battery went flat I put it
on the charger and picked up a freshly charged one. Although I never
actually needed to do that in the end, and 1-2 batteries are enough for most
domestic jobs.

Theo

In article , Theo
wrote:
In uk.d-i-y Harry Bloomfield, Esq. wrote:
Here, that would involve around 4 or 5 recharges, so a 10 hour day
cutting, instead of the couple of hours work at present, we don't
really have that much hedge.

Lidl were doing cordless branch cutters, which had a small and light
3-cell (10.8v) lithium ion battery. The battery life was about 10
minutes of runtime (bearing in mind each branch takes a few seconds, and
most of the time is moving into position for the cut).

Problem was, one job I wanted to do was off-grid, but a petrol cutter
wasn't an option.

So I bought four of them (£25 each). That means I got four batteries and
four chargers. Enough for 40 mins of runtime. I had a car on-site that
I could use to power an inverter.


for my Ryobi kit, I have a charger that runs directly from a car battery


I could then charge batteries in relays - as one battery went flat I put
it on the charger and picked up a freshly charged one. Although I never
actually needed to do that in the end, and 1-2 batteries are enough for
most domestic jobs.

Theo

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle