Stihl equipment S.O.T.G Deploys:

Stihl FR 460 TC-EFM Professional backpack brushcutter.

 

Stihl BR 800 C-E Leaf Blower.

 

STIHL MH585 PETROL TILLER 85CM

Stihl P.P.E used by S.O.T.G:

Stihl Bluetooth Ear Defenders. DYNAMIC BT.

Stihl HS Protect Hedge Trimming Trousers.

Stihl FS3 Brush Cutting Trousers.

 

Spraying Technology:

SG71.

Full Reviews pending for all equipment.

Scribbles and Notes posted below are works in progress…

My thoughts or views, my rhyme or reason.

 

Stihl FR 460 TC-EFM Professional backpack brushcutter.

S.O.T.G Rating Five Stars

“Best in All Terrain Strimming class!”

You can’t turn up to a job where the site has 4 Acres or more of grass.

Paddock, Pasture or an Orchard; with a hand held strimmer.

With a bigger garden, uneven surfaces and extensive borders or hedges.

Sloped embankments, large brush sections or rough ground.

You need to break out the big Tools for that job.

Which is why Shadow of the Gardener can bring out the back pack strimmer.

Made for that length of time on site and able to perform till the job gets done.

Capable of taming dense shrub when performing Pre-Arborist clearing; using Blades or Multiple Lines

This Commercial Professional Brush Cutter and Strimmer can whack weeds all day long.

& take saplings down to scrub.

Comfortable to wear for Technical operating in Hazardous work spaces.

Better balance while operating.

Less Operator Stress & Strain; reduces Fatigue.

Tighter working Arc than standard Fixed shaft Brush Cutters.

I take it as a sign of pride when I meet a new client;

and they spot this machine coming out of the van.

The visual eye widening; along with the little grin that tells you…

*if there was room for one in the garage; they’d probably buy one *

It’s rarity only promoting it’s place in the discussions of many Gardeners;

Professional or Amateur.

Through to the Mechanics who dream of one day servicing one.

It’s the Bugatti Veyron of the strimmer world.

Stihl’s “Unicorn of line or blade mounted; destruction and carnage.”

The FR 460 TC-EFM

If I am strimming for more than 20 Minutes;

I want to get this out of the Van first!

 

Mounted with an aftermarket Aluminium Line head; I can set it spinning with about 16 Strands of line that can take out most overgrown or rebellious tracts of land.  Or fit a spool feed; Bump style semi auto feeding line head.

Various options for different grasses or terrain are catered for with Professional Grade Pre-cut strand options.

Or Grass Knife Blades can be mounted in various gauges and by a multitude of after market Head Units.

If it is thicker than just tall grass and has some brambles or nettles running wild; all the better.

This is where the machine really goes to bat and the extra money it costs starts to pay the user back.

Long term use is far less fatiguing; so comfort over time is not such a strain.

It’s more precise and easy to operate than when having to worry about the long boom swing arch on each sweep while culling material.

Blades can be mounted in moments for increased thickness of ground material requiring to be Decimated.

From simple “Shaped & Thinned” metal bars known as “Grass Blades”, through to Triple Bladed Mulching tools sufficient to clear and cultivate the upper soil if required.  Rated or graded all the way up to Circular or Chainsaw attachment level.  That can saw through Saplings and small Shrub or Scrub on a High powered Strimmer or Brush Cutter.

The FR 460 TC-EFM back mounting is supportive and easy to adjust; while providing Anti Vibration protection through the spring mounting plate system.

The Back Pack straps are generous and adequately padded.  When new they have a sporty Harness feel; that over time gives and shapes to the user for a much more personal fit.  So a very good quality harness and support system; and comfier when used regularly for long hours in Sun & Rain regardless of terrain.  Always a plus with items worn for hours at a time.

 

Is the Electric Start option worth the extra?

Oh yes!

It might seem like a gimmick; it’s worth it though!

Not every one will have to spend 6 hours in One Day operating a High performance strimmer.  When you have to do that though; you’ll want one you can stop and start easily when you need to move onto the next section that needs cropping down.  It pays off being able to move about more normally and have the engine run or stop as and when needed.  All from the press of a button.  No Cord pulling required.

It has the power and speed to get the job done as well though.

It is not just an unusual machine.

It seriously performs.

 

  • Incline or Embankment work – Much easier.
  • Sloping Landscape – Much easier.
  • Raised beds – Much easier.
  • Hedge Rows or Hedging – Much easier.

The flexible shaft has a much narrower  working footprint.  So can be operated closer to the clearing line.

It can also be Power Assisted by use of Bungee or Corded support.

Having all those from a simple push of a button to fire it up; makes it priceless.

 

When working larger spaces with a strimmer; you tend to stop and start them a lot during a day.  The ability to do it without putting the machine down to start it again is where the Stihl FR 460 TC-EFM makes you smile.

“You do become aware of it; when you would normally turn the engine off to move to a new area say a Hundred Metres away.

Knowing when you walked the 100 Metres or so you’d have to start the machine by the Cord again.

& now you just press the Start button without having to take the harness off and then refit it once the machine starts.

It makes you grin knowing you can power down, have a quick chat if needed, then walk to where you are needed next.  Push the go button and the engine kicks back into life; so strimming can carry on.

Crossing roads or drives etc, working around traffic or public facing sections.  Normally and “Machine Off and Machine On, restarting by Corded pull” which is a labour & time consuming process.

 

It’s also less wear and tear on the operator.

The starter mechanism not requiring a pull start using recoil means far less effort expended.

Rear mounting on your back further improves ergonomics and operation.

Other companies provide Back Pack mounted Strimmers; few had Electric Start on their models.

None that has the All day power this Stihl FR 460 TC-EFM has though.

 

Stihl BR 800 C-E Leaf Blower.

Cleaning up after using any of the power tools is easily done by the power of the clean up provided; by the Stihl BR 800 C-E Back Pack Leaf Blower.

 

For large volume Leaf collection; or Heavy Duty Ground Cleaning.  It has all day comfort and power to match your needs.

The boom operated controls allow Throttle Response and ergonomics.

The back mounted harness and large fan; pushing large amounts of air force; where it is needed with the adjustable outlet hose.

Backed up with a Side Mounted recoil Start.

 

It’s a Beast; in a good way!

I’ve used one of these to move,group, gather and then mulch a significant amount of leaves this fall season alone.

Once that has been run over with a mower a few times to mulch it down.  It gets collected and stored; in time becoming amazing leaf mould soil.  Enriched Natural Additive for your Beds, Borders or Grow Beds & Orchards.  When “Farming leafs” for this practice; mass crowd control of volumes is required.  Huge swathes of leaves to be wrangled up and condensed.  Wrangled to a easily collected gathering area.

Without a high output and reliable Leaf Blower; this job is a nightmare.

Anything less takes longer or leaves a mess.

It’s overpowered and it’s great because it is.

For Commercial Gardening or Turbo Charged Home owner use this is an impressive piece of kit.

 

 

Stihl Work Wear; Functional for Technical.

Hedge Cut Protection or Brush Cutter Protection.

Depending on how wet a day it is likely to be, or how much Hedging or Strimming is likely to dominate which Trousers I wear to work that day.  As well as what protection I will require.

  • Both offer hard wearing work wear.
  • User comfort with adjustable Temperature control with Venting.
  • Generous High Visibility Styling & Generous Pocket Space.

 

Epic work gear for working all day, doing what they are made for.

Neither Trousers are afraid of hands on knees working protection if needed.

Thorn protection in key areas preventing pulls or tearing.

 

Wash easy enough in the Washing machine on a 60 Degree wash.

Dry overnight.

 

Top 3 reasons I wear Stihl Trousers for day to day work?

  1. Generous Hori Hori Knife pocket.
  2. Generous Pocket for Smart phone.
  3. Generous Venting.