Yard clean up tools

I'll start with the fact that I don't really enjoy the task of yard work, and I need to make up for deferred maintenance. Things are overgrown and need to be cut back. I have access to a chipper/shredder, or I can drop off a pick up load of yard debris for free a few miles away. I've got 2 healthy teen sons that share my lack of fondness for gardening. I've budgeted to spend 2 solid weekend days we can get it all done. Question is about tools: there will be a lot of cutting of branches that are thumb diameter and less. With car stuff, I know that sometimes the right tool makes life easy, sometimes cheap tools can work well. What prunner or cutting machine will make my life better? I have an apartment grade hedge trimmer, sawzall, and assorted rusty cheap hand trimmers that are clearly not up to the task.

Just throw the stuff in the truck and haul it away. Chipper/shredders take a long time to do the job, and you still have a pile of mulch at the end. Unless you really want that mulch, skip it.

Generic side cut loppers will cut thumb sized branches just fine. If there's three of you, get three of them. They aren't very expensive, and even a cheapie one will do just fine for days hard work. Everyone gets to cut, everyone hauls their stuff to the truck.

Hand pruners for finer work are great to have. I'd also suggest one for each person. Carry it in your back pocket for when it's needed.

Generic garden gloves. Everyone has a pair, and you'd do well to have extras readily at hand. Personally, I Love the cloth type with rubber grippy palms.

Safety glasses. Just for hauling stuff. Things have branches and branches do sometimes manage to find eyeballs. I rarely actually use mine, but it really is a good idea.

Lots of liquid to drink.

Pace yourselves so you can work all day long.

How large of an area are we talking? A few garden beds or a few acres?

My dad has one of those DR trimmers (basically a walk behind version of a brush hog) which sounds like just the ticket. It mows through branches of that size no problem. Perhaps you could look into renting one for a day or two?

And while it sounds like you're probably not dealing with a large enough area to justify this option, it is also possible to rent a small tractor with a brush hog. Or just toss a local farmer a $50 or $100 and he'd probably be more than happy to come do it for you.

Thanks Foxtrapper. That all sounds smart and reasonable.

This is a typical suburban plot, while I do like the bigger tools for quick work, a driving machine won't fit through the back gate.

I'm fond of my chainsaw for all sorts of branch lopping and re-sizing.

I use my truck in 4x4 low and a chain to remove things roots and all. If the truck can't get enough traction to rip it out... I cut it off at the ground, drill holes in it and pile burning charcoal on top to burn enough to bury it.

Last week I got really lazy and needed to completely gut a very large bed. I rented a Kubota excavator and was done in an hour. Stumps and all, re-leveled and ready for planting. Then I went ballistic and made a space for a gravel patio, moved a pile of rock, dug some holes and filled them in for the hell of it and generally screwed around for the rest of the rental. It was a great 1/2 day that I got a E36 M3load done and wasn't sore at all after. WIN!

I'm fond of diesel fuel and *fire for disposing of the rest of the mess.

*do not stand around breathing smoke if you burn the poison ivy

Buy a couple of these and a reciprocating saw.

https://www.amazon.ca/94100-9-Inch-Carbon-Steel-Reciprocating/dp/B0002EVDBY

I'm with Foxtrapper. Just get a couple loppers. No need to mess with extension cords and a heavy sawz-all. I would say two loppers and a dedicated person to carry/drag/collect the offcuts and you should be good to go.

I was just thinking yesterday as I pruned on the stupid Bradford pear trees that I should start a "yard tool" thread. I've done yard work professionally and as a homeowner and Fiskers brand works better than anything else I know of.

Also get a good tree saw. Sounds like a lot of work for a weekend. Is it just one pickup load for free? Because its probably going to take more than one load.

Huckleberry wrote: I use my truck in 4x4 low and a chain to remove things roots and all. If the truck can't get enough traction to rip it out...

If you do that remember sometimes it's helpful to put a tire under the chain to help pull up on the roots.

I use a pair of hand shears and a hedge trimmer. Im also not fond of yardwork so i tend to get behind and have too play catch up.

RossD wrote:

Huckleberry wrote: I use my truck in 4x4 low and a chain to remove things roots and all. If the truck can't get enough traction to rip it out...

If you do that remember sometimes it's helpful to put a tire under the chain to help pull up on the roots.

This is brilliant!

I pulled 6 overgrown evergreen bushes in 2 hours last week with my engine hoist. It may not be as fast or entertaining as a truck/chain but the hoist can go where vehicles can't. I've been using my 18V cordless circular saw for a lot of yard work lately. Jam the guard back and hack away. Screwdrivers make great tarp stakes. A tarp to catch all the pruning makes for fast collection. If you don't stake the tarp plan on falling with your instruments of destruction.

Not sure how..but you guys have actually got me not dreading the task. The truck/tire/pulling thing looks entertaining. I'll be sure to have a camera running.

In reply to freestyle:

It's a little daunting at first, but once you start hacking and clearing, and seeing some progress, you'll feel pretty good, and it will build motivation. I'm speaking from experience, as my yard has gotten a bit out of hand, too, and I've been cutting and clearing bushes and trees, this spring.

The other week I chucked one of these:

onto this:

Ho-lee-crap I'm hooked. I decimated areas of my yard that had previously laughed at my puny trimmer line. Briars, saplings, bushes, all fell to the mighty Ryobi.

The bigger stuff got the lopper treatment. Cheap and effective. I've been clearing my yard a little at a time and it is finally paying off. Don't try to do it all at once, give it time.

Or....

I rented a Bobcat a few years ago to sculpt some drainage ditches. Cost me $200 for a weekend, including delivery. Once I had my main work done I turned my attention to a few brushy areas of the back yard. It was like hitting the "SMITE" button! Decades of wisteria and privet growth gone in seconds! It was awesome! I wouldn't have rented the Bobcat JUST for clearing brush, but when coupled with a few major projects it all make fiscal sense. I just pushed it all into the woods at the back of the lot.