Battery on my Greenworks string trimmer is finally dying. But in reality it's no longer up to the job in my current house. On acreage now with a lot of natural brush that I need to keep trimmed back. Lots of 1/4-3/4 inch thick brush that pops up.

So, I need a string trimmer and some sort of brush cutter. Should I go with something like the Echo PAS system that has the changeable attachments or should I just get a more powerful gas trimmer and buy one of those blades to use when I need to cut the brush?

Would be nice to be able use a a shredder but a big area needing trimming is on a hill country rocky slope.

Stihl FS131

That's the info I'm looking for.

They make these things: https://www.drpower.com/Power-Equipment/Trimmer-Mowers/Walk-Behind-Trimmer-Mowers/DR-Trimmer-Mower/p/T4X1070DMN?gsa=true&ctm_id=T4X1070DMN&src=AW1BA80XE4163309&gclid=CjwKCAjw7rWKBhAtEiwAJ3CWLAbDLgIydAcHSRWQ8VoDtHH4ze2aSEKlY96QCkLHeHLUwNle9y5efRoC6U4QAvD_BwE

Won't work on my rocky ass hillside. It's fairly steep.

Echo PAS with the biggest power head you can afford. I have the trimmer, edger, pole saw, hedge trimmer, and brush cutter. I got the smallest power head because I was being cheap and it runs everything but the saw and brush cutter really well. I wish I'd gotten the bigger head - it'd be perfect at that point.

Yep, get this and try several blades out. They're cutting machines.

This is what I'm dealing with as far as the slope.

You planning to keep it wild/native?

Could always pay to play and get that terraced with some big limestone blocks to create 3-4 flat terraces for planting/x-scaping

TikkaShooter said:

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You planning to keep it wild/native?

Could always pay to play and get that terraced with some big limestone blocks to create 3-4 flat terraces for planting/x-scaping

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If I do that, it's years down the road.

I asked a similar question a while back, still haven't made a purchase…

How do the battery powered trimmers work with a brush blade?

Furlock Bones said:

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This is what I'm dealing with as far as the slope.

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I don't envy anyone having to trim that large an area several times a year with a hand-held brush cutter, no matter how powerful it might be.

Is the primarily limitation for not using a tractor the slope or the rocks? If the former, you can do some things to lower the center of gravity like the guys who mow the TxDOT ROW's do on the bridge embankments.

If the latter, you'll ruin your equipment running over large rocks like that, unless you pay a guy to come in first with that neat mulcher-style skid-steer attachment that actually pulverizes the rocks in place.

Regardless - Nice view you've got there.

He can hire a skid steer rock crusher. Those machines could do an amazing job on that hillside.

it's the rocks. there are some big ones in there.

aggiejumper said:

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He can hire a skid steer rock crusher. Those machines could do an amazing job on that hillside.

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That's what I was thinking.

Depending on the machine, I've seen maximum rock size capacities between 10" and 14". Furlock said he had some big rocks, though. And, I'll bet not all rocks are created equal either.

I can't even imagine the maintenance costs on a machine like that, but I see Pierce is quoting $2,500 for an 8-hour day to bring one out and work it on 1.5 - 2 acres.

I've know I've paid more than that for a hydroax working on trees.

Has no one on here complimented the OP on that view? That's awesome.

The pic looks like a lot of weeds. I'd look into spraying the weeds in the spring and try to get a solid stand of native grass and not mess with mowing.

Off the wall idea, in the early spring do a very highly controlled burn…or bring in some goats to get it trimmed back?

Controlled burn a bit at a time will clear it but it'll be ugly for a while.

chris1515 said:

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Has no one on here complimented the OP on that view? That's awesome.

The pic looks like a lot of weeds. I'd look into spraying the weeds in the spring and try to get a solid stand of native grass and not mess with mowing.

Off the wall idea, in the early spring do a very highly controlled burn…or bring in some goats to get it trimmed back?

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This. I would spray woody growth 3-4 times a year with triclopyr.