Decent garden shredder?

Please post all of your gardening questions in here and one of our green fingered members will try and help.

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Yesterday afternoon I got stuck into the big laurels at the top of the mountain managing to reduce about half of them to a lower height resulting in a large amount of brash to get rid off. Initially I used my very old but trusty bowsaw finding it hard going because the bow kept fouling nearby branches when I wanted to trim close up. I'm indebted to you boxedin for your excellent tip about Japanese type pruning saws which cut on the pull stroke; my chum David generously bought me a lovely pull saw for my birthday in August which I've not used so I wandered into the garage to collect it; what a revelation this saw was; the teeth are razor sharp and extremely aggressive; as I cleared brash from the ground I was then able to play a monkey and climb the laurels to "top" them; this pull saw was just brilliant; I found I could balance easier using a pull saw much better than when I used the old bowsaw; control was greater and the pull saw went through just as easily as the bowsaw.

It had rained during the morning so the previously cut brash was nicely wet and starting to attract slimy slugs and snails with their homes on their back; the snails I removed and put away safely the slugs though. YUKKKK. Previously when I've done this job I've carried the brash down the garden by the armful but this time thought I'd try something new? I collected my small tarpaulin from the shed and lay this out on the grass by the brash then simply loaded the tarp with a big pile of brash; wow it worked; the tarp was now a very effective sled which I very easily dragged across the top then down the side of the garden to the big oak tree where I'll do the shredding; what a difference the tarp made all this brash moved with so little effort because I was using the steep slope in my favour for a change; three more trips cleared the ground then I really did go for the tops of the laurels; I managed about half before becoming too tired to safely carry on but now I could see where I'd been.

It rained again this morning so everything received a good soaking in the garden; after dinner the sun came out and so did I; the pile of brash I cut yesterday afternoon was in much bigger sections so I gathered a few sections at a time and pulled these down the garden; with the ground clear again at the top of the garden I decided to reduce the big stuff to a size which the shredder will most likely accept; I used the pull saw for this job to good effect. I've now got a big pile of brash to shred when the weather permits; this is about half of the laurels at the top of the garden; looking at the pile of brash I just know I'm in for a lot of hard graft which will take a lot of time but I'll be happy being busy. I'll reduce the height of the laurel trunks further but will do this using my petrol chainsaw; the thicker branches and trunks will be given to a neighbour to fire a wood burner; the logs will be burnt and the brash reduced to mulch for the garden; Carole our friend and next door neighbour has already volunteered to accept surplus mulch so nothing is wasted. I enjoy working in our rear garden because it's so secluded; no one spying on me or breathing down my neck; it's just hard to stand up though on such a slope without having to work. Note the lovely blue sky; where's my constant companion Blackie the big black cloud?

With aching arms I quit the laurels and wandered into the garage where I've just installed a new round 2.5mm rubber insulated cable to the oil filled welder; the Yeti could do with a clean but enough for one day; I'm supposed to be fully retired?

Kind regards, Col.
DSCN2209.JPG
DSCN2209.JPG (278.01 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2208.JPG
DSCN2208.JPG (217.08 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2204.JPG
DSCN2204.JPG (322.38 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2203.JPG
DSCN2203.JPG (263.96 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2197.JPG
DSCN2197.JPG (258.2 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2194.JPG
DSCN2194.JPG (328.3 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
DSCN2205.JPG
DSCN2205.JPG (299.89 KiB) Viewed 4105 times
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
boxedin
Senior Member
Posts: 782
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:47 pm
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by boxedin »

Hello Retired
Looks like you have been busy

Do you know what type of Laurel you have. Is it the common (cherry laurel) or is it portugese laurel. Bear in mind that the leaves and berries of the common/cherry are poisonous (contain cyanide). If they are when you shred them you should get a smell of almonds. I also think people have mistaken them for bay leaves (also a type of Laurel) in the past and cooked em which wasn't very wise. If it is then I would avoid being in a confined space with a load of them without ventilation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/gardeni ... riety.html
http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/p ... erasus.htm



I wonder if you had thought about getting hold of a pair of telescopic pruners and loppers to make the job easier. I bought cheap ones for work on the allotments from Wilko and Lidl and they speed the job of tree lopping and pruning no end. Some goods vids on utube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr3ZoGHp_pQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36AgRQam5QA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjnZN0UgKaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuUVR_dS6Ac

Best wishes
These users thanked the author boxedin for the post:
Retired
Rating: 7.14%
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

WOW; thanks for all the useful information boxedin; very much appreciated. :salute:

Our laurels are the common poisonous type so I'm careful handling anything from them; I'm working in the open garden so ventilation isn't a problem but for years I've run lots of laurel brash six miles to our local tip in a closed car. I'm wearing gloves with waterproof palms but I do come into contact with the laurel as I drag and move the brash around; the berries as described are indeed like dark cherries which we sweep up and dispose of. Our laurels are well established and many were over 30' tall; I find if I reduce the height to around 4' tall then I can control them better and they then fill out giving ground cover. The trunks when sawn into logs are heavy and dense; I'm unsure as to what these logs are like for burning in a wood burner but I think they would take quite a bit of drying out; knowing how poisonous these laurels are would fumes or smoke from burning them be a serious health hazard; I'll need to research this because I don't want to pass the logs to neighbours if there is any health risk involved.

I've viewed the first two links and also watched the first YouTube video which was most interesting showing the use of telescopic pruners; I'll see how I get on with the kit I already have because once the laurels are brought under control I won't need extra long pruners but the idea is excellent. I'll watch the other YouTube videos tonight; you've gone to the time and trouble to add the links boxedin so I'll be happy to have a look and learn something new. I have plenty of saws including a 20" petrol chainsaw. Cutting is the easy part; disposing of all the brash is much more difficult and it's amazing the amount of brash which piles up in no time at all. I have a large pile of laurel brash ready for shredding which I'm about to make a start on; the Bosch shredder is brand new so I'm keen to see how good it is compared to my previous cheap Titan shredder which I used about four years ago.

Over the last couple of weeks I've developed a strange feeling in my upper chest; I breathe freely enough and don't have a cold but I feel short of breath the feeling you get when anxious over something; it's most strange because once I get cracking then it disappears; as I say it's most strange; as a child I was very ill with severe asthma but it's never troubled me for over the last fifty years; I've just done lots of angle grinding steel but I wore a dust mask; I'm careful with my health.

Time I made a start before another day slips quietly by; I want to do as much as possible in the garden because in a couple of weeks we will be plunged into a long lasting black hole when we alter the clocks.

Kind regards, Col.
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

What a tiring day but I got through the big pile of laurel brash shredding the lot much quicker than I expected.

First impressions with the new Bosch AXT 25D electric shredder were good and I shredded two boxes full the box being the receptacle on the shredder. As I was on the third box I put in a long branch when suddenly the shredder didn't like it and cut out; not a problem just press the reverse button? the shredder was jammed solid both in forward and reverse so now I was thinking what a load of rubbish as I tried to free it off. I tried and tried to get the branch out from above after breaking it off short but it refused to budge. When I calmed down I thought this shredder is new to me so am I at fault by doing something wrong; then it occurred to me to pull the box clear; now I found why the shredder refused to reverse; it was bunged up solid as well from beneath. I wandered into the garage and collected a plain screwdriver and with the shredder unplugged started to clear the cutters; it took a lot of patience because I didn't want to cause any damage to the shredder especially the cutting drum so I stuck with it; I then put the top cover back on and pushed the box home; at last it reversed and was in business once again. I had noticed the shredded material wasn't being completely severed but having read the instructions I easily adjusted the cutter block to its plate then it's been OK since.

After this upset the shredder shook hands with me knowing I had been taught a lesson and boy what a great shredder this Bosch is. I've been shredding laurel brash all day; the weather was bad as usual; the wind coming up the valley this morning was cold and it was trying to blow me over; brash was being blown from my grasp and good job I was wearing ear defenders because these kept my baseball cap on my head; The shredder isn't too noisy; I am most impressed by the way it self feeds; it really has a powerful grip on material being fed into it; as one branch was being dragged in I could then select the next branch by which time the previous branch had been shredded; it was wonderful to watch a long branch of about an inch diameter together with all its little branches covered in many big leaves being dragged into the shredder without any input from me. Branches over an inch diameter are best avoided but it wasn't a problem because I simply cut these into short lengths so they can be used for kindling. At first I was emptying the box but finding it only half full so then tried shredding as normal watching the height of the shredded material in the box ensuring I didn't repeat the previous jam; as the material reached the top of the box I simply pulled the box out a bit which automatically stopped the shredder then gave the box a couple of shakes to distribute the material settling it down then I could shred more before actually emptying the box. I made a big pile of shredded material but then I might as well dump the material in our side garden as mulch straight from the shredder; after completing all the shredding I then used the box to carry the pile into the side garden were I spread a deep layer.

I'm well pleased because this morning I had such a big pile of laurels to shred thinking it would take at least two days; with this first lot now shredded I can attack the rest of the laurels at the top of the garden then shred these too; when I did similar work about four years ago using the cheap Titan shredder it took days to do the shredding; so far I'm happy and very impressed with the Bosch shredder. :huray:

Kind regards, Col.
DSCN2211.JPG
DSCN2211.JPG (277.56 KiB) Viewed 4061 times
DSCN2212.JPG
DSCN2212.JPG (259.54 KiB) Viewed 4061 times
DSCN2213.JPG
DSCN2213.JPG (252.39 KiB) Viewed 4061 times
DSCN2214.JPG
DSCN2214.JPG (225.76 KiB) Viewed 4061 times
DSCN2215.JPG
DSCN2215.JPG (369.21 KiB) Viewed 4061 times
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
boxedin
Senior Member
Posts: 782
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:47 pm
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by boxedin »

Good job retired. I some chipping/shredding of branches to do but I find it a bit of a grind if you forgive the pun, so am putting it off. Surprised what thickness the Bosch can handle
Hope the chest is better a lot of cold virus's about this time of year
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Thanks boxedin. :salute:

I've just been viewing the YouTube videos you kindly added the links to and they are most interesting. For many years I've concentrated on jobs involving making our home better but now I've finally caught up I'm working in the mini park AKA our rear garden and am keen to get some decent kit to make my life easier; I don't mind spending on decent kit knowing it's going to last. The ratchet secateurs look good for light cutting but the bigger loppers I feel would be of huge benefit to me given the amount of cutting I'm doing; I never considered using loppers for branches up to 50mm thick having always used a saw previously. One of the videos shows Wolf loppers and I've always well regarded Wolf tools.

Thanks also for your good wishes; I'm unsure what ails my chest but a couple of months ago I had a powerful cough which not only rattled the bungalow but could have been the cause of my recent hospital stay due to coughing so hard it kinked my small intestine; perhaps this still lingers in the top of my chest; I keep away from our surgery as much as possible my last visit was about 12 years ago; I'm always afraid to enter the surgery and leave with something a lot more serious.

Bron and I were out visiting friends this morning but as today has been so wet and miserable I'm remaining indoors having a rest; my next garden session should see the rest of the laurels at the top of the garden sorted which will please me because I planned to tackle them next year so doing them now will be a big job out of the way.

Putting off these jobs just makes the job bigger because the garden is growing all the time making for even more work; how much cutting and shredding do you have to tackle boxedin? My first impressions of this Bosch shredder are very good indeed; time will tell as to its staying power; now the shredder is bought it's not costing me anything and should last many years unlike hiring a shredder which would have put me under a lot of pressure to get the job done quickly even if it was pouring with rain; I can relax and pick my days allowing me to work in comfort at my own pace. The Titan shredder I bought from Screwfix was very cheap indeed and although hard work with frequent jamming it did the job then I sold it on through eBay losing very little money indeed. I'll keep the Bosch shredder having managed to buy it at such a bargain price.

Kind regards, Col.
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Thanks once again boxedin; I've found Wolf RR900T loppers on eBay so just bought a pair; they are due to arrive on Thursday. Certainly not the cheapest but if they give years of reliable service the cost will be forgotten. I can't be bothered shopping around trying to save a couple of quid. :thumbleft:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130924367634? ... EBIDX%3AIT



I'm gathering decent gardening kit; I already have a Timber Wolf 20" petrol chainsaw and a big Spear & Jackson petrol hedge trimmer; the new Bosch shredder is a welcome addition and now the Wolf loppers together with both the pull saw and the bow saw; buy quality and buy once. I love my toys.

Kind regards, Col.
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
boxedin
Senior Member
Posts: 782
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:47 pm
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by boxedin »

Hello Retired

Those Wolf Garten loppers look the business and they should hold a lot of their value.

I had bad flu a few years back and so I have a flu jab now just as a precaution think its worth it and its free on the NHS. If it doesn't clear up I would get them to check it out if I was you.

I have a plot of 300 square metres which was completely overgrown when I took it over. I cleared about 150 rubble bags of couch grass off it the council took those away.

I dug out a lot of bad fruit bushes and inherited 8 large fruit trees about 20ft high which had never been pruned and were at least 15 years old. They are now cut back to about 8ft and just require a light pruning a couple of times a year. I'll prune out this years growth over the next couple of weeks after I have picked the apples. The branches i originally cut would have filled a couple of wagons, I shredded some but the petrol shredder doesn't chip wood very well so I hand cut a lot of them and put them under a boundary hedge to breakdown it deters thieves and encourages wildlife. As an experiment I also dug a pit and put some of it in and covered with grass cuttings cardboard and finally topsoil to create a mound and grew vegetables in it seems to work and the wood rots down slowly its called Hugelkultur but its hard work digging the pit.

I also have done a lot of work on the communal boundary hedges and recently spent a full day on the end of one of those Titan 4 in 1 petrol hedge trimmer/ brush cutter machines, not very impressed we are on our 5th it keeps breaking down and taken back for replacement.

The overgrown area I was clearing was about 40 metres by 3 metres deep comprising of brambles, bindweed, perennial nettles and dock to about 6ft high, the hedge is hawthorn, privet, holly and ash and other bushes of varying pricklyness. In the end a combination of secateurs, hand shears, loppers, and my Azada cleared most of it. I used an azada and mattock to grub out the root of the perennials. I also have cut back fruit trees on other peoples plots this year with a friend. Pruning fruit trees is a bit of a black art can't say I'm an expert but I know the basics thanks to some excellent advice. I have also promised to help out felling some severely overgrown 20ft high trees on one of the allotments later in the year which should be fun. Due to illness I have inherited cutting the grass on the communal paths and tracks which takes three hours, probably do that tomorrow, think they saw me coming sometimes I don't get time to do my own plot.

Best wishes
These users thanked the author boxedin for the post:
Retired
Rating: 7.14%
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Thanks boxedin. It appears we have a lot in common due to having to graft in our gardens; Bron and I don't have fruit trees unless the cherry tree counts which is growing up through and fighting the laurels for its existence.

Thanks for your concern but I never have a flu jab which worked in my favour last year;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/ ... eless.html

For the first 57 years of my life I was ill being in and out of hospital; aged 57 I was tested at three hospitals due to severe itching and losing lots of skin from the waist up; boy I was ill and even in 1982 I had major surgery having a mass removed together with my appendix and also the operation for Crohn's disease; the best the NHS and a private doctor could come up with was that I had a slight reaction to formaldehyde. :pukeleft: :pukeleft: :pukeleft:

Shortly after this useless diagnosis one night Bron was reading a girlie mag and brought to my attention a short article regarding food intolerance; two days later I was cured after 57 years of misery. I'm intolerant to dairy products; switching to Soya brought about a huge transformation in my life; I'm now a young 69 and today have been climbing trees up the mountain; I no longer trust doctors.

I expected delivery of the Wolf Garten loppers today but they haven't arrived so I've just about completed the laurel job without them; they'll be here tomorrow having a good laugh at me but at least I'll have them ready for when I tackle the big conifer hedge; typical of my luck as was first thing this morning; I was up early with the intention of cracking on with the laurels; having had breakfast my chum and constant companion Blackie the big black cloud decided to keep the dust down for me with a heavy downpour of rain; sick of this constant attention from Blackie I donned my heavy waterproof coat and headed up the mountain where I really did attack these laurels; I used my Timber Wolf 20" petrol chainsaw to remove the heavy laurel trunks and whilst at it decided to flatten the cherry tree which was mostly one very long branch; I'd removed a lot of it the last time I did the laurels. The mile a minute vine was like rope tangling everything up; this vine grows so fast in can run across my feet if I stand still. :lol: :lol: :lol:

It was heavy work carrying the logs down the garden but at around 10:30 after a brew I was ready to resume shredding which I've just knocked off from having shredded the lot much to my amazement; the Bosch shredder is so far a gem and I've got used to it; I've also carried the thinner branches to the front of the bungalow in readiness to be collected for a wood burner; I worked myself to a standstill; the heavy logs will have to wait until tomorrow to be carried down. The last time I did this job about four years ago I was shredding for days using a Titan shredder; this Bosch although a lot more expensive is actually cheaper if time and effort are taken into account; the Titan shredder isn't a patch on the Bosch. Just the heavy logs to carry to the front of the bungalow; some tidying up and also taking care of my kit then I'll have a few well earned days rest before getting stuck into the conifer hedge.

You too have been busy boxedin; are you going to get on top of the rest of the jobs before winter kicks in. The Titan 4 in 1 sounds a waste of money; I like individual machines for each job but I know many don't have the funds to do this; I bought the Titan shredder four years ago to use just the once but it was hard slow work with frequent jamming; it did the job but never again thank you Titan.

I too get dragged into jobs I don't really want to do and it always starts so innocently like a question such as "What do you think" next thing I know I'm into a full blown job all totally free of charge of course; You and I need to keep our heads below the parapet?

The pictures below show before and after; the laurels will quickly recover and fill in again.

I can't understand why I feel tired out.

Kind regards, Col.
DSCN2194.JPG
DSCN2194.JPG (328.3 KiB) Viewed 3999 times
DSCN2217.JPG
DSCN2217.JPG (216.53 KiB) Viewed 3999 times
DSCN2218.JPG
DSCN2218.JPG (312.18 KiB) Viewed 3999 times
DSCN2222.JPG
DSCN2222.JPG (255.24 KiB) Viewed 3999 times
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
boxedin
Senior Member
Posts: 782
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:47 pm
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by boxedin »

Sorry to hear about your illness Retired, my friend on the allotment she has very severe crohns and has to go to Guys in London for checks as she is taking part in a trial. Its good you stumbled across milk as a cause. I think its been rumoured to be caused by lack of pasteurization of milk due to MAP although no one seems to know.


Good job on the laurels they are vigourous aren't they.

Allotment grass got cut today when I got to the lawnmower which took a couple of hours and I pear pruned of its water shoots with the loppers, plus a bit of hoeing and a few other things. That was about it but the sun came out in the afternoon so that was good.
These users thanked the author boxedin for the post:
Retired
Rating: 7.14%
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Thanks boxed in. I truly sympathize with your Crohn's friend; it's an horrible thing to suffer from; mine too was so severe I had the major operation but had I known I was intolerant of dairy products it's likely the operation could have been avoided; has your friend tried leaving dairy products alone; something so simple but if it works it works rapidly; I was on top of the world two days after coming off dairy products and I'm still jumping for joy; I'm now 69 but I enjoy grafting which keeps me fit and active.

I'm sure we are like anyone with a decent sized garden who cares for the garden in that it involves lots of physical effort plus a lot of time. It will be the last time you cut the grass this year?

My Wolf Garten loppers were due to arrive on Thursday (estimated) yesterday I received two emails from UK Mail;

Email #1

logo

FAQ Contact

Your Yes order 000000000000 is estimated for delivery by UK Mail between 15:23 - 16:23.

Your order is now out for delivery with our driver, and will be delivered between the times stated above.

If you would like a FREE text or e-mail when your delivery is our driver's next stop, please click the button below and follow the instructions on the screen.

REQUEST NOTIFICATION

Thank you.

This email is a notification of an expected delivery by UK Mail.
UK Mail Ltd, Express House, Hillman Way, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3ED



Email #2

logo


FAQ Contact


We're sorry...

We're sorry. Our driver is meeting with an unexpected delay. Your Delivery 00000000000 will be with you soon.


This email is a notification of an expected delivery by UK Mail.
UK Mail Ltd, Express House, Hillman Way, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3ED

Well it wasn't so I wasn't pleased at being messed around in this shoddy manner.

This morning a third email arrived;

logo

FAQ Contact

Your Yes order 00000000000 is estimated for delivery by UK Mail between 10:13 - 11:13.

Your order is now out for delivery with our driver, and will be delivered between the times stated above.

If you would like a FREE text or e-mail when your delivery is our driver's next stop, please click the button below and follow the instructions on the screen.

REQUEST NOTIFICATION

Thank you.

This email is a notification of an expected delivery by UK Mail.
UK Mail Ltd, Express House, Hillman Way, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, CV8 3ED

I was grafting up the mountain when the loppers arrived actually on time this morning and Bron took delivery of them; the driver was most apologetic saying he had 100 drops to do today and that they were short staffed. Apology accepted and I left good feedback on eBay.

From the very first cut using these loppers this morning; just one word; AWESOME.

Having completed the laurels my attention was then focussed onto the big conifer hedge which runs up the rear garden; it must be about 80' long and 8' tall also its very deep making cutting across its top extremely difficult; I do this working from modified step ladders to accommodate the steep slope of the garden whilst using a big petrol hedge trimmer; I've grown to dislike this job with a passion so what could I do about it? The decision was made early this morning as I headed up the garden with my TimberWolf petrol 20" chainsaw; rather than peck at the hedge it was completely down before 10 o'clock then I spent the rest of the day shredding it up; I can't believe the work I got through today; I've shredded half the hedge and also shredded the pile of privets I cut back yesterday; tomorrow if all goes well I'll have the rest of this hedge shredded. I really did go for it working flat out with the chainsaw; loppers and shredder.

About 3 o'clock my pet black cloud Blackie joined in again with an heavy downpour of rain so I couldn't then use the electric shredder for safety reasons; this didn't stop me using the loppers and petrol chainsaw though and I've prepared a pile for shredding in the morning receiving a thorough soaking for my efforts; I knocked off at 4:30 then put on some dry clothes and popped up the village to fuel the Yeti and to buy a gallon of petrol for the chainsaw; tomorrow I'll be able to crack on without interruptions. My bones ache but a good ache which comes after a day's honest toil; I've enjoyed grafting today.

The pictures show the amount of work involved better than text alone; please note the pot of tea balanced on the shredder; when I say our gardens are steep I mean so steep that this was the only place I could rest the brew without it falling over and heading to the valley bottom.

Kind regards, Col.
DSCN2230.JPG
DSCN2230.JPG (298.44 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
DSCN2231.JPG
DSCN2231.JPG (275.2 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
DSCN2232.JPG
DSCN2232.JPG (315.65 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
DSCN2233.JPG
DSCN2233.JPG (349.27 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
DSCN2234.JPG
DSCN2234.JPG (380.32 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
DSCN2237.JPG
DSCN2237.JPG (220.17 KiB) Viewed 3930 times
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
Grendel
Senior Member
Posts: 2809
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 7:08 pm
Has thanked: 201 times
Been thanked: 504 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Grendel »

I trim quite a few hedges but not really enough to warrant a decent petrol powered shredder so I tend to use my mower to go over the cuttings . Made short work of a lilandi this week.
These users thanked the author Grendel for the post:
Retired
Rating: 7.14%
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Thanks Grendel; if only I could have gone over the entire hedge with my petrol mower to get rid of it? :thumbleft:

Two days hard graft and the hedge is no more; I've just knocked off after resuming work shredding at 8:30 this morning; I'm tired and I ache but I now have the consolation of not trimming this hedge ever again. :huray:

The pictures below show before and after; it sure has opened up the rear garden; I've still got the logs to carry down to the driveway ready for collection and also a big pile of mulch to spread in the garden but this should be easy compared to the two grueling days I've just endured.

The Bosch shredder has been absolutely marvelous and has really amazed me; I can now highly recommend one of these Bosch shredders and I'm pleased now I didn't buy a petrol shredder. :thumbleft:

The remaining conifer hedge belongs to our neighbour; it will be interesting to see if they too completely remove it following my lead?

Kind regards, Col.
DSCN2223.JPG
DSCN2223.JPG (337.43 KiB) Viewed 3890 times
DSCN2239.JPG
DSCN2239.JPG (391.15 KiB) Viewed 3890 times
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
boxedin
Senior Member
Posts: 782
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:47 pm
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 319 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by boxedin »

You've done a great job there Retired, a lot cleared and shredded in a day. It looks so much better, hopefully it will give you a bit more light

I shall be shredding deciduous leaves as Grendel suggested with the lawnmower. I am collecting leaves to create leaf compost/mulch for my plot from the adjacent park. T

The allotment shredder is a Mighty Mac petrol driven they aren't cheap, but the rotary cutter frequently jams especially on green material and it stalls, if you overload it and whilst its good for light stuff you can only feed one branch in at a time and it takes a long time to chip it. Perhaps needs some maintenance and the blades sharpening.

Did use the wolf loppers to cut the branches attached to the trunk in the picture or did you use the chainsaw?

Re my friend has tried everything on the diet front over the 23 years she has had crohns, she has had to stop work because of it and is technically severely disabled but you wouldn't realise it given what she does and her positive attitude, she has learnt to control her condition but is on a lot of drugs, the prognosis from the consultants is not good.


best wishes
These users thanked the author boxedin for the post:
Retired
Rating: 7.14%
User avatar
Retired
Senior Member
Posts: 2682
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 3:47 pm
Location: Fenay Bridge; Huddersfield.
Has thanked: 2019 times
Been thanked: 588 times

Re: Decent garden shredder?

Post by Retired »

Hi,

Many thanks boxed in. Yes it certainly looks a lot better and now the conifer hedge will be replaced by a zero maintenance fence. A lot of the old fence survives after 53 years this being simple post and chicken wire netting; this is most likely the choice of the new fence; I'll not be erecting wooden fence panels because these too are a pest to keep up to.

What a shame about your friend with the Crohn's; she has my deepest sympathy.

On the pictures above yes I did use the Wolf Garten loppers to lop the branches from the main trunk it only taking a few seconds; as I cleared some of the conifers though and was cutting the trunks with the chainsaw I took advantage of the chainsaw and removed lots of branches but I also did a lot using the loppers. My previous Titan garden shredder was a rotary type and it jammed frequently with leaves in fact it refused to shred conifer brash; it took days just to shred the laurels last time.

I'm amazed though by the performance of the Bosch AXT 25D garden shredder this being a drum type shredder and what a difference. I could feed into the Bosch full branches of over an inch diameter whilst the branch still retained its leaves and the Bosch happily chomped through the lot; I could also feed in handfuls of leaves and twigs using the plastic pusher just to get these to engage the cutters; I possibly jammed the Bosch about six times in total each time being my own fault. If the Bosch jammed I found it best to pull the box out and clear under the cutter where I would remove a handful of shredded material; now I could press reverse and it would clear without fuss; I kept an eye on the box and as soon as it looked to be filling I simply pulled it out and gave it a shake to settle the contents then it would accept more before needing emptying; speed of shredding is most impressive; as I put one branch in this was mostly shredded by the time I had another branch ready; the thickest branches this Bosch is supposed to shred really does put it under stress so I kept the branch diameter below maximum; smaller branches I could feed in as multiples; mile a minute vine and brambles went in as if it was eating spaghetti; the self feeding action is very powerful indeed and if a branch was fed in with lots of leaves it dragged the lot through. I found feeding in wet slippy branches of laurels and conifers were no problem at all in fact the wet leaves settled better in the box so the petrol shredder you are using boxedin definitely should be a good performer but given it's size this Bosch will take some beating; I'd never buy another Titan rotary type shredder even if they are much cheaper than this Bosch; in this instance paying quite a bit extra has huge benefits. I sold the Titan after doing the shredding the last time but I'm not selling this Bosch; it's one to keep. :thumbleft:

This morning I carried the pile of shredded material up the garden and deposited it on the border where the conifer hedge had been; this like the rest of the job was hard graft in fact I'm now too tired and worn out to carry the logs down to the driveway; I'll do this before the weekend though when I've had a rest. :cb

Good luck with your shredding boxedin. :salute:
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY.
Post Reply

Return to “Gardeners World”