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I’m rather pleased with myself. I’ve just cut 100 yards of one side of my Leylandi hedge, about 8 feet high, with my new Gtec battery powered hedge cutter. I didn’t think it would be up to the job but it laughed at it using one full battery and a little bit of the spare. The contractor who did my field hedges trimmed the top and the field side for me with his tractor mounted cutter last week. Battery tools are becoming so much better now. They’re powerful without the raucous noise of a two stroke engine and much lighter. I’ve not got rid of my two stroke tools yet though as they are still required for the tougher jobs. The next purchase should be a battery powered car but it must have a range of 400 miles without recharging and it mustn’t be at the silly prices they currently are. I doubt if I’ll be seeing that soon. I did buy a battery powered bike last year but I gave it to my son, as with my bad hip, I had problems getting my leg over (don’t misinterpret that!). 

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My neighbour's brother has just done mine for me!  I watched him after lunch with a glass of wine in my hand!  Wouldn't allow it to be touched until I was certain all the nests were empty. He can give me 12 years. Just fluttered my eyelashes! :P

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I use Aspen two stroke mixture. It doesn't go off like a petrol mix and can be left in the tank for ages. It starts even when left in over winter. Failing that I use a Stihl oil with a stabilising additive to mix with the petrol. Its usually clagged up carbs that stop two strokes from firing. 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, loppylugs said:

To me, the worst part of gas powered tools is pulling the string to start them.  Seems like if they don't start first pull it's a miserable job to start them.  Too temperamental.

I agree Loppy, I've finished with two and four stroke small petrol engines, and most mains powered tools. Any new tool I buy from now on will be battery powered.

No struggling to start them, buying fuel and oil, mixing fuel, undoing tangled leads or falling over them, take the tool from the hanger, pop the battery in and away you go. When you have finished put the battery back in the charger, job done. 

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I used to have 2 stroke powered tools and they were always "difficult" to start, I gradually moved on to electric powered but for small jobs it seemed I spent more time sorting out cables than carrying out the task. Most of these tools have now been replaced by battery powered ones, the latest is an extending   tree pruner, which has a small chainsaw on the end. it works great at dropping heavy branches on my head.

Lucky never hit anything important ,it was only my head. 

But battery power is the way to go.

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Where we are the neighbors on either side and across the road have started a "tool pool"

We chose one of the main brands where there was a large choice of tools and interchangeable 24 volt batteries and when one is needed we just swap them. Saves buying the whole range and everyone has a battery charger and a battery so always ready to go. When required we share the work also and pool the green bins to get rid of any green waste.

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I used to lend tools but it was always a problem getting them back, I am still waiting for some of them, now it is a rule NO.

I love looking at tools the variety you can buy now is outstanding, it seems that there is a tool for everything to make life easier.

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Perusing tool porn is one of lifes pleasures for me but unfortunatley the tools I buy always turn out to be the self losing variety...  :(

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I don't mind the gas powered tools.  I just wish somebody would come out with some kind of detachable electric starter for them.  The surgeon thought trying to start those tools could contribute to a hernia.

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2 hours ago, radfordred said:

Earlier in the year I took a good 3 foot of my neighbours hedge so I could see down the street, I never asked her & she’s never mentioned it, I wonder if she even noticed?  

You should be careful. Years ago I had the police round threatening to nick me for criminal damage when I cut a big branch off a tree. It’s a long story I won’t bother with But I got a bill for several hundred pounds. I returned it with my bill for my time and effort preventing damage to a retaining wall and didn’t hear back. It can be a legal nightmare.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Re battery powered tools, in the past 6 weeks or so over 30 different 'firms' have advertised on FB a " hand held, battery powered chain saw", all ( but one, Stihl!) used the same demo video which made it look so easy! As I have some heavy pruning to do I fell for the first one I saw, my order was acknowledged twice but I noticed the second  Email had a different number so after 9 days I emailed again asking "why the delay", the reply blamed the virus problem but said the order was 'on it's way'  it also pointed out "No refund due on discounted items" . A check on my credit card account showed  an extra item had been added to my order so a phone call got this deleted but 30 days have to elapse before my order would be considered for a full refund. This is now 'under revue' but the 'extra item' was delivered through the letter box, it's 2 spare chains for a hand saw that's not been delivered! Judging by the FB comments that's .all anyone has received, if anything!

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My advice is go to your local hardware emporium and handle the tool. pick the tool up, see if it feels comfortable in your hands, see if it's not too heavy and unwieldy, that changing the battery pack is easy and the same goes for any other attachments. Check availability of spares, service and warranty. Chose a reputable brand and buy it there. It might cost a few dollars more but you know what you are buying and if anything does go wrong you know where to take it back to.

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Good advice Oz but in these times of 'on line' shopping there has to be an element of trust, obviously with this product it's been abused. Garden Shop on FB, Garden fields Aix le Provence72 on my CC account were the culprits. I'm pleased to say both the £29.99 & the 'extra item' @ £19.99 have been credited to my account

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I'm pleased you sorted it all out Albert and if it all goes well then on-line shopping is fine.

If however it goes belly up I wonder how many people factor in the value of their time to sort it out and then add that to the price they paid on line to see what the real cost was.

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