The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any advise on using a reciprocating hedge trimmer with a Super Dexta? I'm looking to maintain some hedges around and about a 13 acre riding yard. And help out a few friends about the village maybe...

Clearly a flail machine will be dangerous without a cab and probably too big & heavy for a little dexta, but I've seen a few reciprocators that look like they might be compatible.

So, am I looking at the right sort of impliment to use, and where would people keep an eye out for them? They don't seem to come up on the market too often...

Thanks

i have seen a couple of different types before.
a handheld air powered one. or one that sits on the end of a large boom with a donkey engine and a friend on the end of the boom.
or have you got something different in mind?

i might be interested in something similar, we have a couple of big hedges that take about a day to cut with a domestic hedge trimmer.

john.n wrote:i have seen a couple of different types before.
a handheld air powered one. or one that sits on the end of a large boom with a donkey engine and a friend on the end of the boom.
or have you got something different in mind?

i might be interested in something similar, we have a couple of big hedges that take about a day to cut with a domestic hedge trimmer.

Something like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrawb/3412952898/

I've been pondering the same for a while as Eddie is getting on a bit and cutting the hedges by hand is not his idea of fun esp along the busy main road. He doent fancy the fergy cutting disc either as he's seen what happens when the disc shatters.

Rich

The best one would be the McConnel Power Arm. I am sure Mike will pick up this thread when he gets a minute, he owns one.

I have a Bomford which is really too heavy for Nuffy although it does a really good job.

EddieJ wrote: Something like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrawb/3412952898/

Possibly, although I can't really see how that works.

Here's something similar to what I've been seeing available on the odd occasion...

This looks to be belt driven off the pto, and there seems to be hydraulics on the final pivot at the trimmer. The elbow looks fixed but that surely can't be the case for transportation??? There's two spool valves so must be a second hydraulic function...

It seems that nobody is opposed to using such a machine on a Super Dexta. Does anybody have any hints/tips on finding one on the south coast within sensible distance of the west sussex area?

would not fancy using one of those air operated trimmers. your hands would be shaking for weeks afterwards. but people have used them in the past and lived to tell the tail. i did see one with compressor at newark last year.

That looks like a Twose. That would fit on a Dexta but you would need balast of some sort on the opposite wheel.

Hydraulics operate the raise/lower and the angle of the head.

OK, a 'finger bar' or 'cutter bar' type hedger is obviously safer than a more modern 'flail hedger' if you have no cab.

They give a neater cut to the hedge, as the flail cutters leave the hedges looking more 'ragged'. The problems are:
1) Unlike the flail cutter, you have to collect up all of the cuttings.
2) If, like mine, your hedge is hawthorn or blackthorn you will get very experienced at repairing punctures to your front tyres in particular.

I have (had ) a McConnel 'swingover' hedger.
They mount on the 3pt lift. The pto drives the cutter bar via 2 sets of twin vee belts. There is a single hydraulic cylinder that lifts the arm (lowers by gravity).
The cutting head is angled (rotated) via a chain drive from a big hand wheel.
This system allows you to cut either side of the tractor.

They are big and heavy. I have 3 heafty slab weights on the front of my Major to balance it out.

Must haves:
1) Seperate single hydraulic service from the 3pt lift, for raising the arm.
2) Live drive is very desirable. I don't have this on my 'old girl' but it would make it much easier/safer to use.
3) Watch out for 'foreign objects' in your hedge. That is what damaged my hedger

Bearings, knife blades, belts and chains are available from various normal supply outlets.
McConnel do not want to know about spares for their 'discontinued products', so are less than helpful.

Someone had stuffed a heafty piece of steel bar into my hedge. I did not see it. By the time I realised what was happening and reacted it had snapped the two lugs, off the head casting, that the cutter bar mounts onto and broken the con-rod that drives the cutter bar.

Sadly, I do not have access to machine tools these days so, 12 months on, I am still trying to find ways of replacing or repairing mine. Badly missed !

Mike

Thanks Mike for all the info.

Would you have any photos of your machine?

Any tips on finding similar implements for sale? Any recommended dealers?

Mind me asking what you paid for it?

These are the only pictures I have, at the moment, because I'm working late (again !).



Now pictures of damage from steel found in hedge...







I have seen just 2 for sale on ebay in the past 12 months. Both went for 'silly money'.
Mine was originally a 'basket case' (cost 50 quid plust a 150 mile round trip). After a lot of hard work, and approximately an extra 100 GBP, I got it in good working order. Then spent a couple of years trying to find an auxhilary service valve for my haydraulics, so that I could use it independant of the 3pt lift. Finally got one of those and damaged it 1 week later
I had 3 years of hedge cutting from it before that (used a home made 'blocking frame' on the 3pt lift) and was very pleased.

Hope you have some luck. They are like 'hens teeth' because when the 'new' flail cutters came out, most farmers cut them up for scrap.

If you do happen to get hold of one then here are 2 tips if you want to 'restore' it.
1) McConnel 'yellow' is actually 'Hammerite' yellow (or close enough).
2) If you want to replace any 'logos', I recreated them all using 'Word' them laminated them and used double side carpet tape (you won't tell the difference). I happy to pass the 'word' files on , if you need them.

Mike

Footnote and general call for HELP!
If anybody within reasonable travelling distance of Redditch can give me 2 or 3 hours of weekend access to a lathe and a vertical milling machine then, being originally a toolmaker by training, I could put this implement back into working order. I would be very appreciative.

Thanks very much Mike.

That's a huge machine! Probably a bit OTT for a Dexta.

Shame about your accident, would be wonderfull to have that working.

I'm thinking the photo I posted above would be a more lightweight implement than your McConnel, and be useable on a Dexta.

I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. I'm not affraid of taking on a project, in fact my budget certainly won't stretch to the £1000 classified I just found for a similar looking machine to yours.

Thanks again, wish me luck

could always try this

http://www.mytractorforum.com/attachmen ... 1284509146

The other way would be to spray the hedge with whiskey!















Then it will come up half cut.

It may not be reciprocating, but it'll cut just about anything

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 653717.htm

Kiwi Kev

wonder what the police would say if you were driving that on the road. what would that be used for?

The older belt drive McConnel is not as big as Mikes. it is just a tube, flat belt and adjustable head with a lift ram. Dark green in colour. They were fairly light.

I will check in my friends yard.

What about something like this Marolin sickle-bar trimmer:
http://www.marolin.it/trimmy_eng.asp
Says it's suitable for a 30hp tractor.
but not cheap

Or this Herby:
http://www.metalmeccanica-afb.com/en/index-en.html

john.n wrote:wonder what the police would say if you were driving that on the road.

what would that be used for?

John
These are used for trimming large hedges or shelter belts. Usually moved from farm to farm by driving them along the road.
Also quite common on the roads are these, but with a mulch head instead of the 5 saw blade versions, for mowing the grass on the roadsides.
Kiwi Kev

Mike Kuscher wrote: Footnote and general call for HELP!
If anybody within reasonable travelling distance of Redditch can give me 2 or 3 hours of weekend access to a lathe and a vertical milling machine then, being originally a toolmaker by training, I could put this implement back into working order. I would be very appreciative.

Gee Mike, too bad I'm on the other side of the pond as I have a 9X42 Bridgport mill and two South Bend Lathes, A 13 inch x 6 foot, and a 16 inch X 12 foot.... If you are a good swimmer, come on over. Dandy Dave!

i have seen many of these with flails on the boom but never saw blades before. many thanks for the reply.

i fancy one of these

http://www.mcconnel.com/products/powera ... =Swingtrim

RossM wrote:http://www.mcconnel.com/products/powera ... =Swingtrim

According to the literature, Swingtrim needs 16-22L/min hyd supply. Would the Dexta's supply of a nominal 16.7L/min be a bit marginal?

Dexta gives nearly 5 gal per min at 2200 psi according to the Ford books, so it should be plenty. That is around 25 litres per minute.

Brian wrote:Dexta gives nearly 5 gal per min at 2200 psi according to the Ford books, so it should be plenty. That is around 25 litres per minute.

That's interesting.

The Fordson Dexta Facts on this website gives 3.68G (16.7L)/min at 1550rpm. Perhaps the higher figure you mention is at full chat? Is it reasonable to assume that this delivery is available at the external services outlet?

I am looking at specs. from 1962. We have a bit of updating to do but it always seems to be finding the time. The figures given come from the earlier pump and tractor. The same specs. use 140W oil in the hydraulics. This could have some bearing on the flow.