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Samurai Cutter

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
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2008-09-18          156749


I am looking for feedback and thoughts on this cutter please. They have videos on it. kt


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
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2008-09-18          156750


Seems like should have some sort of spring loaded breakaway mount to prevent damage from hitting stuff it can't cut. Maybe mounting something like a DR brush cutter on a loader would be more flexible and allow cutting a few inches on the backside of fence posts and other obstacles.

But I didn't spend much time looking and reading so I could have missed that part of the story.
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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
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2008-09-19          156757


Are you talking about a string trimmer replacement head? ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-19          156765


Quote:
Originally Posted by auerbach | view 156757
Are you talking about a string trimmer replacement head?


No. Unless they have something else all I saw was a heavy duty sickle bar cutter. Designed for low hyd oil needs (3 gpm) and for up to 1 1/2 material. It was recommended to someone else and I looked to see what it was and liked it. It is about 3 ft cutting length (if memory from yesterday is correct) but designed to mount on a bucket or such to give more placement control and flexibility. Just hard to believe as long and as much as I have looked for something along this line it never turned up. Makes me wonder about the product. kt ....


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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
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2008-09-19          156772


Found it (it's spelled Samurai).

As you know, hydraulic-powered sickle-bars are a proven implement, and these guys designed a clever bucket-attachment. It's like adding a super-flexible attachment to your most flexible attachment!

Whatever the video may show, I somehow can't believe that any sickle-bar will go through a 1.5" tree-trunk like a chain-saw. Looks like it would be a bit of work to install and cost a bit to buy, but that it would work like no other attachment. If you get one, let us know. (If you order one from the maker, the Canadian dollar is down to about 94 cents at the moment.) ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-19          156778


As to the spelling,I copied and pasted that from another site and did not pay EW attention to it. Did you try the link in my post?

I really would like to hear from someone who has used, owned or at least seen one work. Quoted me $1,300 plus shipping which I think was $70. Seems reasonable. kt ....


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kwschumm
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2008-09-19          156779


You could always hire a sword-wielding Samurai to ride in the bucket and see how well he works before buying :)
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kthompson
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2008-09-19          156783


Quote:
Originally Posted by kwschumm | view 156779
You could always hire a sword-wielding Samurai to ride in the bucket and see how well he works before buying :)


Ken, you mean EW? What a great idea...then EW could use machette or chain saw or hedge trimmer which ever is best.

You know typing this...wonder how a gas prowered hedge trimmer would work. The Husky I have will cut small limbs, not sure if an inch stuff, right well.
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auerbach
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2008-09-20          156797


Sorry, I neglected to click on the site you posted. The price quoted must be Canadian, so you can deduct about 5%.

Yes, I'm sure you could fabricate a bucket bracket (maybe not the sliding feature) for a gas one. An alternative would be to hard-wire an inverter (mine is 2000w) so you could use an electric one. Less powerful, but cheaper, lighter, simpler. (I use the inverter to plug in other things like chainsaws.) ....


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JackIL
Join Date: Jul 2003
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2008-09-28          156908


I have a Samurai and like it. Photos and videos of it mounted on my Ventrac are shown in the Samurai Website. I find it will cut 1.25" saplings easily, but for larger stems you have to drive slowly and let the knife make several cuts. It is a real time and worksaver for me in maintaining trails by removing the growth that encroaches from the sides.

JackIL ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-29          156909


JackIL, thank you.

If you don't mind there are some things about it that have been either pointed out or questioned by others.
The only other owner I have found says the mount is weak and he said you need to add a brace to prevent its twisting or bending.
He also agreed it probably would not cut 1.5 inch.
I understand it is not designed to flip down to cut ditches but can be mounted to do so.
Do you have any idea how well it holds up compared to any other sickle bar cutter?
The pressure specs at their web site has been questions as being very low and thought there was a misprint. The other owner himself said the pressure needed to be over 2,000 psi to cut as they said while the specs are loaded like 500 psi. Please note the PSIs I just used are my memory and did not look back at each spec or post to verify. So if they are not quoted correctly, it is Monday AM.

It does surprise me to find no more feed back on this cutter based upon their web site. Sure seems it would suit many people’s needs.
Thanks JackIL. kt



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JackIL
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2008-09-29          156911


KT,

My experience with the adjustable mounting bracket is that it is quite adequate for the use intended. It folds slightly more than 90 degrees and can be mounted in various ways on the side or floor of the loader bucket. While it can be mounted to allow for horizontal cutting under fences, I have never operated mine that way. There is no quick-release mechanism if the sickle were to strike a post or other obstruction. I use mine strictly for trimming with vertical cuts on the sides of trails in wooded areas. Similarly, it could be used to trim back along cart paths on golf courses. In the Vineyard video on the Samurai Website, you see it being used to trim both the sides and tops of grape arbors.

I am not aware of any other similar hydraulically-powered cutter bar, so no comparison of quality is possible. This device was originally designed and sold to be used on combine header platforms to make vertical cuts at the ends in heavy crops like rapeseed. It is still sold for that purpose today. The application as a utility trimmer has only been promoted for 3-4 years.

With regard to the other questions, remember that the Samurai is to be operated with slow forward motion of the tractor AND with a slow cutting speed of the sickle. To see this go back and review the Website videos. The speed of the sickle should be adjusted to be slow enough so that you can see the moving sickle sections without a blur. If you operate it at higher speeds the vibration can be severe--this sickle does not have a swinging counterbalance. You will note that the tractors in the videos are idled way down in operation to keep the sickle speed down as well as to provide slow forward travel in order to not overload the knife.

The published specs on the required pressure and flow rate are right. I have a pressure gauge hooked up on mine and in operation it is usually around 300 - 400 psi. If you crowd the knife by driving too fast or taking too big of a bite, the sickle just stalls. You just shut off the flow and back away slightly to clear it out.

I urge you to go back and review the Ventrac video on the website. This was filmed by a neighbor as I was using the Samurai normally--it was not staged or preplanned in any way. The engine speed is very slow. The travel speed is slow. Sometimes you have to make more than one swipe to get the tall and short branches. However, the Samurai gets the work done far faster than a human could do by walking along with a hand-powered trimmer or saw. I really like it!

The Samurai as sold does not include any hoses, couplings, or a flow control valve. It was a relatively easy hookup for me since the control valve and couplings I use are part of a powered auger accessory for the Ventrac loader. The control valve has a detent so you don't have to hold the handle in place to keep the flow going.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

JackIL ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-29          156919


JackIl,
So that is you in the video? My baby sister lives in O'Fallon, what I have seen a pretty state.

Ken posted on this he did not see any break away for this cutter.
My biggest need is for ditches that are from 4 to 8 feet wide and about 4 feet deep. There is also the pond need to cut around and the sides on it are much like the info on ditches. I would also like to cut tree limbs that go out over the edges of fields and such. I had thought about putting it on a mini excavator for the reach and the control of it.
Realize you have provided a good bit of feed back already but have you used it enough to sharpen the blade yet and if so what does it take to do so?

BTW, noticed your work for your Church. Could use it on some live oak trees at our's this Saturday. Will be using pole saw instead. kt ....


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JackIL
Join Date: Jul 2003
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2008-09-29          156925


KT,

Yes, that is me in the Ventrac video on the Samurai website. I think Illinois is a pretty state too--I love the openness of the prairie. However, this year we have had too much rain. So far we have had over 40 inches which is the average Annual amount we normally get in the Quad Cities.

The mounting bracket shipped with the Samurai can be adjusted to a variety of positions, but it does not have a hinge that allows the cutter bar to float up and down freely--you would have to fabricate that for yourself if you want to mow ditch banks that are not uniform. It should not be difficult. Actually you might want to talk to the folks at CAT about whether they have any plans for a floating hinge mount--other customers may want it as well.

I have not had to sharpen the blade yet. It looks like a miniature version of a standard agricultural mower sickle, and I think you would sharpen it the same way using a V-beveled rotary stone.

Have fun with the pole saws on Saturday. I am retired now and don't like any work I can't do from a tractor seat, so I won't be joining you.

Please let me know if you have more questions.

JackIL ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-30          156926


"Have fun with the pole saws on Saturday. I am retired now and don't like any work I can't do from a tractor seat, so I won't be joining you."

Shucks...as to physical work let me quote a now retired pastor of mine..."I still can run as fast as ever, it just takes me longer."

Thanks for your input, is CAT the company who makes the cutter? Second question, you say the sickle looks like a minature version of a agricultural mower sickle. Do you mean just in length? As to the physical size of the teeth and such thought it was as larger or larger to handle brush. kt
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JackIL
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2008-09-30          156932


KT,

CAT is Canadian Agri-Technologies, the company that produces and markets the Samurai. They are located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but have a shipping warehouse located in the US.

The knife sections are 2 inches wide by 3 inches in length (fore-aft). So they are somewhat smaller than standard knife sections on combines or agricultural mowers. They are not rivited on. Instead they are bolted on. This makes it easy to remove them for replacement. I suppose you could also remove them and sharpen them individually if desired. Your notion of the size of "brush" may differ from others. The Samurai works best with stem diameters less than 1.25 inches, but it will go up to 1.5" if you allow it to make multiple cuts, i.e., somewhat like sawing your way through a stem.

JackIL ....


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kthompson
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2008-09-30          156937


JackIL, but it will go up to 1.5" if you allow it to make multiple cuts, i.e., somewhat like sawing your way through a stem.

Sometimes what is said and what is understand is not the same. What you mean here is allowing the sickle to cut on the larger stuff like a hand saw on a board, am I correct? So slow ground speed?

Again, thank you. kt

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JackIL
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2008-09-30          156944


KT,

You understood it correctly. For the stems greater than about 1.25 inches, it is necessary (at least on my setup) to stop or go very slowly and let the sickle "saw" 2 or 3 times until it eventually gets through. Maybe it would not require this if I used higher pressure--don't know.

I get the feeling that you are really concerned about cutting a lot of 1.5 inch brush. Right? If so, I would suggest that you go back and look at all of the Samurai videos again. You will note that most of what is being cut is much smaller in diameter--some stems, some grape vines, sticks, weeds, and grass. On that material the Samurai works great. But if you have mostly 1.5 inch brush to cut, I don't think this sickle would necessarily work well. Again it could be that I just don't have my unit setup to operate at higher pressure which might do the trick.

Also in looking at the videos again, note that the tractors are all moving very slowly. This is required so as to not overload the sickle.

What you see being cut in the videos and photos is typical of what the Samurai does well. I would NOT assume you could push it much beyond that and get good results.

JackIL ....


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kthompson
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2008-10-01          156956


Really don't have solid 1.5" rows of limbs to cut but have learned the job seems to always get bigger and not smaller. You clear this and it looks so good so now less go to the next bigger stuff hidden by the smaller younger and tender stuff.

Happened to talk with someone last night who helped another build a cutter using a large saw blade. He offered me large saw blade and some other parts to build my own. Will check that out first. Really appreacite your feedback. kt ....


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s-orion
Join Date: May 2011
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2011-05-19          178545


JackIL,

Are you still there using your Samurai?

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JackIL
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2011-05-19          178546


I haven't used it yet in 2011, but will be sometime in June. I primarily use it to trim back bushes and small tree growth that encroaches over walking trails at a wetland preserve.

JackIL ....


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