They also keep the calm by limiting noise from the neighbours, and serve as a welcoming patch of shrubbery for a variety of different wildlife. And if you’re all about gardening, hedges can redirect attention to highlights in your home or garden, redirect foot traffic from less-than-perfect areas, and when accompanied by other perennials, can entirely transform the look and feel of your home. 

Maintaining hedges goes along the lines of using the right amount of fertiliser, along with adequate doses of water and mulching. Overgrowth can be dealt with a pair of pruning shears to keep a tidy look. Trimming them to keep the hedges looking nice and lush during the spring and summer months is easily done with a hedge trimmer. Here too there are heaps of choices, with user-friendly cordless hedge trimmers being more popular than ever.

Hedge Trimmers -The Basics

Using hedge trimmers keeps hedges looking their best. They’re the tools used in shaping, removing dead overgrowth, and restoring the hedge’s health. You’ll want a trimmer that’s lightweight and easy to use, has the right blade length and teeth design to get the job done quickly, and one that’s easy to clean and maintain.

The first thing to do though is to consider how they’re powered. This will make you consider things like cord length in corded variants, battery capacity in cordless trimmers, and weight and noise in petrol variants. These aren’t necessarily negatives as such, but will impact performance and price.

Why Choose a Cordless Trimmer?

Cordless trimmers are what appears first when browsing any tool or gardening retailer. Their popularity is owed to their low weight, silent operation, and lack of vibration, unlike some other types. They’re easy on the hands and get the job done quickly. A battery-powered hedge trimmer is one that won’t annoy the neighbours, and is what you’ll want in noise-sensitive areas, such as schools, hospitals and public spaces.

And contrary to what many people believe, it’s not short of grunt. Newer battery technology means this type of trimmer lasts a full two hours or more when equipped with the right battery. And this can be the same one that you just took off your cordless drill. Maintenance also won’t be a hassle. In short, this is a versatile, quiet, and simple tool without any major cons.

Cordless trimmers can be sold bare or without the battery and charger and this is a cost-effective option if you already have these lying around. Mind that you get the same brand as with your other tools, as batteries across different brands may fit but not power your tools, including the battery hedge trimmer. With all toolmakers and gardening specialist brands now having several models in their lineup, prices are also coming down.

Other Options

Corded tools, including corded hedge trimmers, are a dying breed. You’ll have too many compromises to make to get your hedges looking just the way you want. These are fed power from a nearby socket, and cords are their main weakness, for several reasons. Larger yards and gardens will see you struggling to get the trimmer right where it’s needed, so pray that you have an extension cord or socket running in the garden shed. Next is that cords add to the weight, and can become a safety hazard.

Buyers also have the traditionalist’s choice, petrol trimmers. These are what were used when trimming down large areas with thicker leaves or branches. And they’re quick at what they do, relying on either a 2 or 4-stroke engine. The downsides are the higher initial cost, the need for regular maintenance with fuel and oil, and that they can be very noisy and quite heavy and hard to handle.

What to Look for in Trimmers

Blade Length

Longer blades let you trim more material in a single pass and also help with hard-to-reach places. Conversely, where space is tight, you’re better off with a trimmer fitted with a shorter blade. Trimmer blades aren’t standardised and vary with different brands. In general, smaller trimmers have 450mm blades, while the largest top out at 750mm. Most buyers gravitate towards trimmers with 600mm blades that are more than able to scour through thicker shrub.

Blade Types and Teeth Distance

Blades can be single or double-sided. The first is safer and easier to operate but removes less in one go. Double-sided blades take out more of the hedge and will get work done quicker. Most trimmers with medium and long blades are double-sided. Another thing of note is the gap between the teeth.

This impacts cutting efficiency and the types of vegetation the trimmer can handle. Wider set teeth also minimise the chance of jams in thicker branches. Look for a 25mm cutting width between teeth for home use. Anything above that is good for heavy-duty commercial trimming.

Weight, Handling and Ease of Use

There are weight differences between the different types. Even larger cordless hedge trimmers are a fair bit lighter than the petrol variants. This includes a beefy battery that will last. As a comparison, a cordless trimmer with a 750mm blade, packing a 5Ah battery comes in at 4.5 kilos compared to 5 kilos in a petrol-powered version with the same blade length. Lighter trimmers are undeniably easy to manoeuvre and carry to and from the garage or shed.

Look for comfortable wrap-around handles that make getting in harder areas that much easier as well as when working for longer periods. Some trimmers also have rotating blades to cut through areas at different angles. Also look for variable speeds as these will make work quicker and easier while putting less stress on the cutting teeth.

Power Needs and Maintenance

In cordless trimmers, look for 18V batteries and a higher capacity stated in amp hours. 5Ah is reaching the higher end of available battery capacity and this will provide the longest run times. Most cordless hedge trimmers for sale run efficient brushless motors that work at their best with newer battery lines.

Petrol trimmers range between 1 and 2 horsepower. Maintenance involves checking fuel and oil levels and periodically changing out the spark plug. Keeping all trimmers clean is common sense. What requires more attention is the condition of the blades and the sharpness in the teeth. And these too at some point will need to be replaced.

Safety Features

Trimmers can be dangerous and should be operated with caution. Look for a trimmer with included safety features, such as auto-power cut-off as the trigger button is depressed, dual switch activation to prevent accidental starts, front blade shields to keep hands well clear, and sealed components to prevent damage from water or dust.

The Final Cut

Cordless trimmers are the ones to go for if you’re looking for efficiency, all-day reliability and working in areas with doubtful power supply. They are lightweight, easy, and safe to use, won’t require a mechanic to keep them in top condition, and have more power than needed for most jobs. And there are different brands with affordable starting prices. When buying, also consider the need for a suitable battery and charger.

The post Discover Everything You Need to Know About Hedge Trimmers appeared first on Sherlocks.com.au Blog.

The best cordless drill will provide you with a great experience, as well as durability to handle whatever you can throw at it. The best cordless drill is one that has a high power output and is lightweight enough to handle any job around your home. It also needs to have an easy-to-replace battery and be able to charge quickly so that you don’t run out of juice when you need it most. The same, of course, can be said about other power tools of the sort which I’m going to cover in the blog post!

When you decide to look for cordless tools Australia wide, you may also want to consider buying some handy accessories too such as extra batteries, chargers, carry cases and even flashlights. There are lots of different styles and designs available, so you’ll have lots to select from when purchasing your next gadget.

Choosing a Cordless Drill

Cordless drills allow you to carry out a variety of tasks around the home or workplace without having to worry about dragging extension cords along with you. These drills are among the cordless tools Australia tradies abide by because they’re available with a wide range of features, so you can easily select a model that is best suited to your needs.

When picking a cordless drill, you should consider the capacity of the battery, the weight of the drill and whether it is fitted with an electric brake system. Electric brakes make it easier for you to control the drill by stopping its rotation as soon as you release the trigger.

What’s the Difference Between a Drill and a Driver?

Drills and drivers are two of the most commonly used tools in home improvement and other DIY projects. They both use a chuck, or gripping mechanism, that holds the bit. Both can drive screws and drill holes. However, they use different bits and are designed to operate slightly differently.

A drill is designed to create holes in wood and metal. It has a keyed chuck that can hold large bits (up to 1/2 inch) for making big holes. A drill with a large battery is usually capable of producing enough torque to twist off small screws and bolts. The drill’s chuck is set, so the bit turns clockwise when the drill is held normally (with the motor to your right). This allows it to be used as an effective screwdriver when working with standard screws, which turn clockwise when installed correctly.

A driver is designed for driving screws. It has a keyless chuck that accepts hex-shafted bits for this purpose. A driver’s smaller battery gives it less torque than a drill, but it’s still enough to remove most screws, as long as they’re not particularly tight or corroded into place. The driver’s chuck is set, so the bit turns counter clockwise, allowing it to back screws out of their holes when you pull the trigger.

Choosing a Reciprocating Saw

You also have versatile cordless tools like the reciprocating saws. They are ideal for cutting through metal, wood and plastic and are great for demolition work as well as construction projects. You can choose from either adjustable or fixed blades depending on the type of work you need to do. Blades are also available in various lengths, thicknesses, and materials such as carbon steel and titanium.

What You Need to Know When Choosing a Rotary Tool

Rotary tools are handheld power tools that use rotating attachments to cut, polish, sand and grind a wide variety of materials. The most versatile tool in the workshop, rotary tools look like a small drill with an interchangeable bit system. This flexibility makes them ideal for cutting, drilling, and polishing tasks that are too delicate or intricate for their larger counterparts.

Rotary tools can be corded or cordless and come in different power ratings measured in volts (V). The higher the voltage, the more powerful the tool. Cordless rotary tools come equipped with a battery that can be recharged. Look for models with variable speed settings for greater control over the speed of your tool. Rotary tools offer a wide range of cutting, grinding, and polishing accessories, so you can perform tasks such as:

• Cutting metal or concrete.
• Drilling small holes.
• Removing rust from metal surfaces.
• Engraving wood, glass, or metal.
• Polishing stones and jewellery.
• Sanding down paintwork.

Choosing Jig Saws

Jigsaws are some of the most versatile tools. They can be used for a variety of projects, from cutting curves in wood and metal to cutting drywall. Which blade you use is going to depend on the material you’re cutting. There are two basic blade types for a jigsaw: t-shank and u-shank.

The t-shank type fits into the tool with a spring-loaded locking mechanism. U-shank blades use a screw in mount that locks in place. With either type, the blade should be inserted, so the teeth point forward. Once you have the right blade, set your speed to match the material you’re cutting to ensure smooth results.

The post How to Choose Cordless Power Tools: Drills and More appeared first on Sherlocks.com.au Blog.