I have used the hedge trimmer to trim the thin branches off the top of
my 40 feet long (18 trees)Leyllandi hedge , it is now down to 9 feet
high i want to cut it back to about 7 feet. During the 14 years i
have lived in this house the hedge has bean cut back three tmes each
time to about 7 feet so some of the branches at the top are are fairly
thick.
My Question is
Has anyone used a electric (reciprocating) power saw with the saw
blade that is about 10 inches long for cutting back leyllandi hedges,
if so are they easy to use and do they do a good job. I am 70 years
old and i am trying to avoid using a bow saw because of aching joints
after using one. If they are any good, which one would you recommend.

Thanks Alan

"alan kearn" wrote in message
om...
Has anyone used a electric (reciprocating) power saw with the saw
blade that is about 10 inches long for cutting back leyllandi hedges,
if so are they easy to use and do they do a good job. I am 70 years
old and i am trying to avoid using a bow saw because of aching joints
after using one. If they are any good, which one would you recommend.

Thanks Alan

They do an excellent job on newish growth but not so good on the thicker
"stuff". If you already have trimmed down to a good height then an annual
pruning of the new growth should not present a problem at all........HW

In article ,
(alan kearn) writes:
|
| Has anyone used a electric (reciprocating) power saw with the saw
| blade that is about 10 inches long for cutting back leyllandi hedges,
| if so are they easy to use and do they do a good job. I am 70 years
| old and i am trying to avoid using a bow saw because of aching joints
| after using one. If they are any good, which one would you recommend.

Bluntly, you are being extremely foolish even to consider such a
solution. If you aren't up to using a bow saw, you aren't up to
using a power saw safely. I am a mere 55, though not in brilliant
physical shape, but I gave up my power hedge clippers some time
ago in favour of hand shears on the grounds that I couldn't handle
the former safely. And power saws are MUCH more dangerous.

On the other hand, at 70, it is your business to decide whether
you are going to do things that could easily kill you. But do not
delude yourself into thinking that is not the case.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

Bluntly, you are being extremely foolish even to consider such a
solution. If you aren't up to using a bow saw, you aren't up to
using a power saw safely. I am a mere 55, though not in brilliant
physical shape, but I gave up my power hedge clippers some time
ago in favour of hand shears on the grounds that I couldn't handle
the former safely. And power saws are MUCH more dangerous.

Cooo! At 63 I still use a 36" Pioneer chainsaw when the ickle Stihl
won't reach!

--
Rusty Hinge
No m'lud, it wasn't a sneg. My joints creak.

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in message ...
In article ,
(alan kearn) writes:
|
| Has anyone used a electric (reciprocating) power saw with the saw
| blade that is about 10 inches long for cutting back leyllandi hedges,
| if so are they easy to use and do they do a good job. I am 70 years
| old and i am trying to avoid using a bow saw because of aching joints
| after using one. If they are any good, which one would you recommend.

Bluntly, you are being extremely foolish even to consider such a
solution. If you aren't up to using a bow saw, you aren't up to
using a power saw safely. I am a mere 55, though not in brilliant
physical shape, but I gave up my power hedge clippers some time
ago in favour of hand shears on the grounds that I couldn't handle
the former safely. And power saws are MUCH more dangerous.

On the other hand, at 70, it is your business to decide whether
you are going to do things that could easily kill you. But do not
delude yourself into thinking that is not the case.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick
i take your comments on board but i would like to say i am a
very active person who jogs (pretty fast i might add) two miles every
day and i am mentally alert.i wondered if you thought i meant a chain
saw if so, i would not touch one of those with a barge pole, the type
of saw i was trying to describe seems to be nothing more than a
glorified Jig Saw. You are probably correct in saying i am foolish.
The previous post says they are not very good for the job so it seems
not a very good idea

Alan

In article ,
(alan kearn) writes:
| Nick
| i take your comments on board but i would like to say i am a
| very active person who jogs (pretty fast i might add) two miles every
| day and i am mentally alert.i wondered if you thought i meant a chain
| saw if so, i would not touch one of those with a barge pole, the type
| of saw i was trying to describe seems to be nothing more than a
| glorified Jig Saw. You are probably correct in saying i am foolish.
| The previous post says they are not very good for the job so it seems
| not a very good idea

They are not as bad as a chainsaw, but are still dangerous.

The reason that I stopped using a hedge trimmer was that my hands
and arms got tired, and it slipped from my grip a few times. I
was able to jump clear (my reactions are still good), but felt
that it was too risky to carry on. Your remark about using a
bow saw causing strain makes me think you are not so different.

A hedge trimmer will make a mess of your leg, but even just a
glorified jigsaw could cut through to a major vein or artery.
It isn't as likely to as a chainsaw, of course.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

..

Bluntly, you are being extremely foolish even to consider such a
solution. If you aren't up to using a bow saw, you aren't up to
using a power saw safely. I am a mere 55, though not in brilliant
physical shape, but I gave up my power hedge clippers some time
ago in favour of hand shears on the grounds that I couldn't handle
the former safely. And power saws are MUCH more dangerous.

On the other hand, at 70, it is your business to decide whether
you are going to do things that could easily kill you. But do not
delude yourself into thinking that is not the case.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

and.........I am 78 and think nothing of using my electric power
equipment.....even to cut down 30 ft.pine trees and the like using a chain
saw..(cut a 30 ft. tree down just a couple of months ago).....it all depends
upon one's skill and abilities........from the looks of things I will be
using my electric trimer and chain saw for a few more years.....HW

On 18 Sep 2003 14:20:53 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

The reason that I stopped using a hedge trimmer was that my hands
and arms got tired, and it slipped from my grip a few times. I
was able to jump clear (my reactions are still good), but felt
that it was too risky to carry on. Your remark about using a
bow saw causing strain makes me think you are not so different.

I use a hedge trimmer and it would be difficult to cut your leg
accidentally by dropping the tool, It requires switching on with a
slide and then the use of separate triggers for both hands, If it
fell from your hands or even if it slipped out of one hand it powers
off. Any reputable hedge trimmer should stop its reciprocating action
immediately as an essential safety feature if it switches off..

--
®óñ© © ²°°³

In article ,
Ron Clark writes:
|
| I use a hedge trimmer and it would be difficult to cut your leg
| accidentally by dropping the tool, It requires switching on with a
| slide and then the use of separate triggers for both hands, If it
| fell from your hands or even if it slipped out of one hand it powers
| off. Any reputable hedge trimmer should stop its reciprocating action
| immediately as an essential safety feature if it switches off..

From flat out to a dead stop in a quarter of a second? Oh, come
off it! All modern power tools have a dead man's switch safety
feature (most definitely including chainsaws), but people still
get injured when the tool slips out of their hands.

As I posted earlier, a hedge trimmer is unlikely to more than make
a mess of your leg, and one of the reasons is that it will stop
faster than a chainsaw (and in comparable time to a reciprocating
saw). But almost all of them still run for long enough to be going
when they impact your leg.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 18 Sep 2003 15:28:17 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

From flat out to a dead stop in a quarter of a second? Oh, come
off it! All modern power tools have a dead man's switch safety
feature (most definitely including chainsaws), but people still
get injured when the tool slips out of their hands.

As I posted earlier, a hedge trimmer is unlikely to more than make
a mess of your leg, and one of the reasons is that it will stop
faster than a chainsaw (and in comparable time to a reciprocating
saw). But almost all of them still run for long enough to be going
when they impact your leg.

RTFM

--
®óñ© © ²°°³

In article ,
Ron Clark writes:
| On 18 Sep 2003 15:28:17 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
|
| From flat out to a dead stop in a quarter of a second? Oh, come
| off it! All modern power tools have a dead man's switch safety
| feature (most definitely including chainsaws), but people still
| get injured when the tool slips out of their hands.
|
| As I posted earlier, a hedge trimmer is unlikely to more than make
| a mess of your leg, and one of the reasons is that it will stop
| faster than a chainsaw (and in comparable time to a reciprocating
| saw). But almost all of them still run for long enough to be going
| when they impact your leg.
|
| RTFM

That's what it says, and I can confirm from experience that it is
right. OK?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 18 Sep 2003 15:37:02 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


In article ,
Ron Clark writes:
| On 18 Sep 2003 15:28:17 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
|
| From flat out to a dead stop in a quarter of a second? Oh, come
| off it! All modern power tools have a dead man's switch safety
| feature (most definitely including chainsaws), but people still
| get injured when the tool slips out of their hands.
|
| As I posted earlier, a hedge trimmer is unlikely to more than make
| a mess of your leg, and one of the reasons is that it will stop
| faster than a chainsaw (and in comparable time to a reciprocating
| saw). But almost all of them still run for long enough to be going
| when they impact your leg.
|
| RTFM

That's what it says, and I can confirm from experience that it is
right. OK?

Then I shall wear a box in future when hedge-trimming.
My legs can take their chance.


Cheers


--
®óñ© © ²°°³

In article , Ron Clark
writes
On 18 Sep 2003 14:20:53 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

The reason that I stopped using a hedge trimmer was that my hands
and arms got tired, and it slipped from my grip a few times. I
was able to jump clear (my reactions are still good), but felt
that it was too risky to carry on. Your remark about using a
bow saw causing strain makes me think you are not so different.

I use a hedge trimmer and it would be difficult to cut your leg
accidentally by dropping the tool, It requires switching on with a
slide and then the use of separate triggers for both hands, If it
fell from your hands or even if it slipped out of one hand it powers
off. Any reputable hedge trimmer should stop its reciprocating action
immediately as an essential safety feature if it switches off..

Hmm .. a thought...

And I don't know what I'm talking about so this is probably a stupid
question.

I have never used a hedge trimmer since they seem nasty heavy things
with trailing cables. OK, you fit a RCD, and if anything goes wrong, or
you cut the cable, the power goes off and the thing stops working.

I now notice that you can get cordless hedgetrimmer, which seem a much
better option (my cordless drill is really nice to use compared to my
husbands heavy, albeit more powerful, corded model).

But if I drop a cordless hedgetrimmer or do anything else silly with it,
it's not going to cut out, is it? So is it going to be a dangerous thing
for me to use?
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article ,
Kay Easton writes:
|
| But if I drop a cordless hedgetrimmer or do anything else silly with it,
| it's not going to cut out, is it? So is it going to be a dangerous thing
| for me to use?

It's going to cut out as soon as you release the switch, but it
will take a short while (depending on the trimmer) to actually
stop. Perhaps a second or two. No different from the corded
ones, really.

Ron Clark's approach is very reasonable. Because of the diameter
of your leg and the way that trimmers are guarded, a man's dangly
bits are really the only places below waist level that are badly
endangered. If it falls on your leg, you could well write off a
pair of trousers and need medical attention, but it is unlikely to
kill you or do more than leave a large scar. Unlike a chainsaw.

But DON'T try to catch a falling trimmer with your hands - and
that is a mistake that I came very close to making a couple of
times. The trouble is that I tend to catch falling things by
reflex, and my reflexes are fast enough to do it. Luckily, my
brain engaged in time and I pulled back ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 17:17:12 +0100, Kay Easton
wrote:

I now notice that you can get cordless hedgetrimmer, which seem a much
better option (my cordless drill is really nice to use compared to my
husbands heavy, albeit more powerful, corded model).

But if I drop a cordless hedgetrimmer or do anything else silly with it,
it's not going to cut out, is it?

I have used several cordless hedge-trimmers and they do stop their
action very quickly indeed if one of your hands comes off its trigger.

There is a mechanical clutch safety mechanism in both mains-powered
and cordless trimmers and this is not determined by the type of power
source or dependant on it

Obviously an RCD with a mains trimmer is an essential additional
safeguard against accidental electrocution..

--
®óñ© © ²°°³